Malachi
Week 8: Working With Or Against God
Pastor Andrew Ervin
Malachi 3:13-18 (NLT)
13 “You have said terrible things about me,” says the Lord.
“But you say, ‘What do you mean? What have we said against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? 15 From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.
17 “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. 18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
1. The
Against God (vv. 13-15)
Key Point: They were still complaining about how the wicked and arrogant people were prospering, yet those who feared God suffered.
Jeremiah 8:5 says, “Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around.”(NLT)
True Worship: When we think about true worship, we see that it is about who God is, not what we get from it.
2. The Faithful
(vv. 16-17)
Key Point: They feared the Lord. They lived in reverence and awe of God the Creator.
John Bunyan said, “Fear of the Lord is His treasure, a choice jewel, given only to…those who are greatly beloved.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.” (NLT)
Key Point: They spoke with each other. These were there to encourage each other, to spur each other on in their faithfulness.
Key Point: The Lord listened to what they said. “In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him…”
In his book The Awe of God, John Bevere states, “to declare the fear of the Lord as beneficial and prized virtue seems counterintuitive. However, based on the authority of Scripture, I assure you that when we embrace it, we will be empowered to remain on the path of life. Here we will experience true intimacy with God and life-altering benefits—one of the greatest of which is being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.”
3. Those Who
God and Those Who
(v. 18)
“How do I approach the Lord, in prayer, in church, in worship, while God’s Word is being taught, or in everyday life? Have I developed a casual attitude in approach Him? Have I lost sight of the reality that He is not only my Father but also the holy God who is a consuming fire?”
– John Bevere
There is a security to this: God vindicates His faithful servants.
The challenge to this is: We must remain faithful to the Lord, have a Holy Fear of God, and know that our faithfulness will be rewarded.