Malachi is the last of what are called the 12 Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. Prophets have a very specific role in the Old Testament. First, prophets were preachers—divine mailmen. God would reveal His Word to them and they would publicly proclaim this word to the people unedited. Typically, they were chosen to admonish, reprove, denounce sin, threaten with the terrors of judgment, and call people to repentance. This made them very unpopular. Second, prophets were watchmen—divine guards. They guarded God’s honor by warning against poor political decisions, the dangers of idolatry, false worship, and the worthlessness of religiosity. Third, prophets were also predictors—divine future-tellers. In addition to preaching and watching, prophets announced future judgments, deliverance, and foretold of the coming Messiah and His kingdom. From the prophecy of Malachi, we can we expect to hear a call to repent from our sin, a warning against our idolatry, and a promise that our savior Jesus Christ saves. Though these words are hard to hear they are also motivating to get back to the place that we need to be as God’s people.
Monday: Malachi 1:1-2
Sure we know that we are loved by God with our head, but that doesn’t stop our heart from asking for proof time after time. The question of “God when have you loved us,” brings into lite that we are rather short sighted people.
In what ways do you know God loves you? (example: Jesus dies for my sins)
In way ways do you still doubt the unfailing character of God? (example: why did I have to lose my best friend to cancer?)
Tuesday: Malachi 1:3-4 & Jeremiah 29:11
This is not the most friendly of passages. It is also not one that you would hear at church that would make the top 10 most compelling sermons list either. It would seem that God is acting and squashing the hopes and dreams of the people and yet God also longs for us to have a future as we read from Jeremiah? How is this? We definitely don’t know the full scope of God’s vision for us. Do you feel like your new year is starting out more like the Malachi passage or like the one found in Jeremiah?
Wednesday: Malachi 1:5
God moves and acts beyond the borders of the place where you are. In the time that this was written God would have been bound to God’s people or a particular location. As we look at this today we may say it is like saying, “God bless America, and other nations too.” I would also encourage you to think about God’s actions outside of Christians. How have you seen the Spirit move in the life of those who don’t claim the name of Jesus as their LORD?
Thursday: Malachi 1:6
In the original Hebrew the word honor means literally to be heavy. So when you honor someone it means you treat them as a heavyweight in your life – someone of extreme importance, someone of great significance, someone who is huge.
When God says in the Ten Commandments, “Honor your father and your mother,” he’s not saying just obey them and respect them, but treat them as if they’re truly significant to you.
Who are the people life your life that you treat with this kind of Honor? In what ways do you go out of your way to honor others?
Friday: Malachi 1:7-10 & Proverbs 27:17
When have you just gone through the motions? This happens to me when things get busy. In the Christmas season I rush, I check things off and go through the motions without thinking about them too much. This also means that I am spiritually “dull” and I have to be sharpened. This passage reminds us of 2 things. First it is not just the product that you put before God but also the intention. The journey is just as important as the destination. Also we see the need to stay spiritually sharp.
- Where can you be more intentional of the journey in your life in order to offer up something that is pleasing to God?
- With so many things that make us dull, who are the people in your life that will sharpen you even when it is painful to regain your edge? How can you connect with them this week?
Saturday: Malachi 1:10-14
The final words of this passage refer to the fear people have of God. The way that we understand the fear of God does a lot to shape our understanding of who God is. What does this phrase “fear of God” mean to you? Does it mean God is waiting to strike you down if you step out of line, is it a powerful reverence for the creator of the universe, does it have something to do with the earlier passage of the loving parent and the honor we explored a few days ago, or perhaps something totally different?
Share your thoughts with Pastor Chris online at Chris@faithpointum.org