I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.
There is debate about who wrote the book of Malachi. I am not sure why. The book itself tells us that it was written by Malachi, which translates (more or less) as “God’s messenger”. Whether this was the writer’s proper name or merely a title he took as part of his prophetic work is irrelevant. The book was written by God’s messenger.
There are three parts to today’s passage. In the first part the prophet condemns the people for bringing unworthy sacrifices to God. Rather than bring the best of their flocks to sacrifice to the Lord, they brought the excess. They brought the animals that they would otherwise have destroyed, animals they could not even sell in the marketplace as food. Do we do the same thing? Do we give the clothes and goods we would otherwise throw away to a thrift store or other charitable organization and count it as part of our charitable giving? Do we only give time to serving the Lord that we would otherwise waste? Or are we willing to spend time that inconveniences us to serving the Lord? I had never looked at this in light of the time I spend serving the Lord before and I am challenged by this understanding. All too often I pass on opportunities to serve because they would be inconvenient. That does not mean that that should not be a factor in deciding whether a particular ministry is one to which I am called. It just should not be the deciding factor.
The second part condemns the priests, the spiritual leaders. The prophet tells us that in the past the spiritual leaders led righteous lives and turned away from sin. By doing this they set a good example for those they led and they were able to pass on God’s instructions to them. The prophet condemns the priests/spiritual leaders of his day for turning away from the paths of the Lord and teaching things other than the words of God. He accuses them of causing people to stumble into sin by their bad example and faulty teaching. He accuses them of picking and choosing which parts of God’s commands to follow. I find this warning very appropriate today. Many of those who proclaim themselves spiritual leaders today openly pick and choose what parts of the Bible to teach, rejecting certain Biblical teachings while proclaiming others. I do not consider myself a spiritual leader, but nevertheless I must examine my life to see if there are areas where I choose to ignore Biblical teaching because I think it does not apply to me.
The final piece of today’s passage covers marital faithfulness. It is actually two parts. The first part concerns those who worship the Lord marrying someone who worships some other god. The prophet tells us that marrying someone who does not share your faith will cause a divide between you and fellowship with God. The second part tells us that people cry out to the Lord wondering why He does not look with favor on the sacrifices they bring Him. The prophet tells us it is because they have been unfaithful to the “wife of your youth.” I think this passage represents an insight into why the Church in the U.S. has struggled with getting its message through on so many issues. The Church in the U.S. once had a strong position on marital faithfulness and opposing divorce. Bit by bit over my lifetime it has reduced its emphasis on fidelity to marriage vows and sexual purity. We fail to apply Jesus teaching that looking at someone other than your spouse with lust is the same as adultery. I no less than others.
The writer tells us that after God’s judgment there will be a new heaven and a new earth because the old heaven and earth will pass away. In that day, God will live among His people. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. In the new heaven and earth there will be no death, or sorrow, or pain. God will make everything new in a land that will see no more death or decay. The writer describes the new Jerusalem and tells us that it will have no Temple because God and the Lamb will be its temple. It will not need either the sun or the moon because the glory of God will provide its light. The gates to the city will never shut because there will be no night and no enemies will come against it. Nothing impure, with even the hint of evil, will ever enter into it, nor will those who do anything shameful. Only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will enter into that City.
When I read this passage it filled me with joy (as it often does). When I wrote the above I found I was unable to capture the feeling that reading this passage created within me. The verse from this passage which speaks about God wiping away every tear and there being no more death there is a staple of most funerals, appropriately so. There is coming a time when God will bring joy and happiness to all who will accept it and put an end to sorrow and suffering. Whenever I read that passage I have this image in my mind of a kindly man or woman taking a handkerchief, wiping the tears of a child who has just suffered some disappointment and comforting them. I picture God as that adult taking each and every one of us and wiping away the sorrows we have felt in this life.
Another wonderful psalm of praise. It is a reminder to not become stuck in traditions in our worship. We should be open to new ways of worship, “Sing to the Lord a new song.” We should praise His name with dancing and various instruments. In all that we do we should praise the Lord. There is a joy in moving and singing that allows us to express our love of God in ways that nothing else can do. We should continually seek new ways to praise the Lord.
I am happy to say that I have a wife of noble character and she has been a blessing to me. She has encouraged me in my walk with the Lord and has pushed me to follow His leading. I may have never started this blog if not for her encouragement. I thank the Lord every day for Him bringing her into my life.