Through the Bible - Job 3-5, Acts 7:35-8:3
Good morning,
In yesterday's devotional, Esther showed great courage in coming to the king with her request, her life was in his hands.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote that "asking is the rule of the kingdom". You can see how this played out with Esther, later with Daniel, Paul in the New Testament who "expected nothing except by asking".
Moody Bible Institutes "Today in the Word" devotional for this month has been going through some of the minor prophets. Today's verse comes from the first chapter of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament after which there was 400 years of silence until the arival of John the Baptist.
We've gone through Ezra and Nehemiah where the temple and walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt and Esther which preceded those books. Malachi was written after Nehemiah had returned to his position of cupbearer for the king, and then nation went into a time of backsliding after his departure.
In reading Malachi, pay close attention to the questions that are asked. Many are asked of God in an impersonal, defensive way. It appeared that the people asked these questions without ever looking into His Word for the answers. It is not very different today, there would be some today who would ask "how have you loved us"(v.2)?
Mal 1:6 The Lord of Heaven's Armies says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!
"But you ask, 'How have we ever shown contempt for your name?'
7 "You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
"Then you ask, 'How have we defiled the sacrifices?'
"You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. NLT
If God were to ask those same questions to the United States, to the "church" in America, what would the response be? I'm sure you'd hear a lot of the same defensive answers given here in the book of Malachi with some new twists. If that hardness of heart remains will God be silent with us or will we hear when He calls?
The priests were supposed to be leaders, showing the people an example of living lives devoted to God. Instead, they were leading them in showing contempt for God by offering blind, lame and sick animals. They offered what was of little value, the leftovers.
May it be a reminder for us to "give of our best to the Master".
Give Of Your Best To The Master
Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth.
Throw your soul's fresh, glowing ardor
Into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example,
Dauntless was He, young and brave.
Give Him your loyal devotion;
Give Him the best that you have.
Give of the strength of your youth.
Throw your soul's fresh, glowing ardor
Into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example,
Dauntless was He, young and brave.
Give Him your loyal devotion;
Give Him the best that you have.
Give of your best to the Master;
Give Him first place in your heart.
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you will be given;
God His beloved Son gave.
Gratefully seeking to serve Him,
Give Him the best that you have.
What difference would it make in our hearts, in our families, churches, and nation if we all "gave of our best" by giving Him first place in our heart and our service. Malachi gives us an indication a couple of chapters later.
Give Him first place in your heart.
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you will be given;
God His beloved Son gave.
Gratefully seeking to serve Him,
Give Him the best that you have.
What difference would it make in our hearts, in our families, churches, and nation if we all "gave of our best" by giving Him first place in our heart and our service. Malachi gives us an indication a couple of chapters later.
Mal 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the Lord of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! NLT
1 This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi.
The LORD's Love for Israel
2 "I have always loved you," says the Lord.
But you retort, "Really? How have you loved us?"
And the Lord replies, "This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau's inheritance into a desert for jackals."
4 Esau's descendants in Edom may say, "We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins."
But the Lord of Heaven's Armies replies, "They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as 'The Land of Wickedness,' and their people will be called 'The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.' 5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, 'Truly, the Lord's greatness reaches far beyond Israel's borders!'"
Unworthy Sacrifices
6 The Lord of Heaven's Armies says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!
"But you ask, 'How have we ever shown contempt for your name?'
7 "You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
"Then you ask, 'How have we defiled the sacrifices?'
"You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. 8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.
9 "Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?" asks the Lord of Heaven's Armies. NLT
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