The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.”
—- Malachi 1:1–3
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We are back with our continuing study on the “Minor” prophets of Israel, and as we have often remarked, they are minor in name only…. as tremendous and wonderful truths are hidden in plain sight in their utterances!
Malachi belongs to a group of prophets that we can think of, as being a third grouping in time, when you consider the history of Israel. There were prophets ( both major and minor ) that spoke —-before the Assyrians scattered the Northern tribes ( or Israel as it was called then ), those that spoke to the Southern tribes ( Judah and Benjamin ) —-before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, and the last grouping is the group of prophets that spoke to the exiles —-after their return back to the land, Haggai ( who we have just studied ), Zechariah, and Malachi. Check out the Photos section of this page for a graphic that shows this in greater detail!
The book of Malachi is also unique in that it is addressed to a tribe of Israel, that so far, has not been directly called out or chastised for their wrongdoing.
It is the tribe of Levi, a tribe that was to have no physical inheritance in the Land, as they were supposed to be the possession of the LORD! The crimes of all the other tribes have been listed and judgment pronounced and carried out, but what of Levi? Well, even being of priestly stock does not confer immunity from the gaze of the LORD who is the judge of all the earth, and it is completely appropriate that the —-last words spoken to the children of Israel before the advent of the Messiah, would be spoken to the PRIESTS!
Malachi 2:1–5: And now this commandment is for you, —-O priests. “If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. “Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. “Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to —-you, that My covenant may continue with —Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.” ……
…… Malachi 2:8–9: “But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have —corrupted the —-covenant of —Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. “So I also have made you despised and abased before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing —partiality in the instruction.”
Christians are called a royal —-priesthood, and we would do well, in this season of remembrance of our deliverer and chief archetype, Jesus, who combined in himself all the offices … king, priest, prophet… and bears all 12 tribes as distinct jewels over his heart …. to take instruction from what is written to us in this tiny little book!!
The opening words ( our text this week ) IMMEDIATELY reinforce what we keep repeating, there is nothing MINOR about these books…. let’s take a quick look at THREE great truths, summarized in these three verses.
A. “ I have loved you. “
The Love of God continues to be poured out on mankind with the rising of each days sun, and his continued provision for our lives. From Creation till today, that love has been unchanging and constant to ALL people, not just the children of Israel! Yes, there are troubles, tribulation, wars and famines, but the MAJORITY of the world lives in (relative) peace and is able to enjoy all that this world has to offer, and He continues to get 0 credit for that !! We just celebrated Thanksgiving, and that celebration should not be a once in a year affair, but be offered up daily for the One who has brought us to today, through all our past tribulations!
B. But you say, “How have You loved us?”
Isn’t that the truth? We disregard the common blessings of air, sunshine, life, sentience, free will, our dominion of this planet…. to be angry at God, because He is not stepping in to stop OUR ( mankind’s ) stupidity, OR, are mad at Him because we seem to lack prosperity, and are in trouble ( usually because of our choices ). We are mad when the storms and cares of life beat upon our houses, oblivious to the rock underneath us that keeps them from collapsing on us. And we are tired of waiting for the promise of eternal life —- we just want that best life NOW … never mind that we have some growing up to do to learn a few things like obedience, forgiveness, compassion and mercy… BEFORE we can be trusted with eternal riches!!!!
C. “Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau…”
We were CHOSEN to be loved, sovereignly, and from before the foundation of the world. This is a truth that many struggle with.
Is God being unfair when He selects a people to be the object of special kindness and consideration??…. be they the sons of Abraham and Jacob, the tribe of Levi, or those that come to saving faith in Jesus, His Christ?
Volumes have been written on this subject, and all we can do is summarize : Everyone deserves justice, but it is the prerogative of God to show mercy and compassion on whom He chooses.
Exodus 33:18–19 Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
…. and having made His choice, He does not change His mind …. abiding faithful even when we are faithless and rebellious, correcting us, even chastising us, but never leaving or forsaking His COVENANT… with Abraham, with David, with Levi, with US!!!
If the word “hated” ( Hebrew: Saw-nay) seems strange, coming from the lips of our LORD, here is the first time it is used.
“ And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which — hate them. “ ( Gen 24:60 ) and again in Genesis , “And when the LORD saw that Leah was —hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.” ( Gen 29:31 )
How can the LORD love ONE of a set of twins and “hate” or “despise/ignore” the other?
——-Compared to the eternal Love we just spoke about, getting justice ( or not being chosen ) seems like being hated or despised!!!——
In practical terms, Esau was the one who “despised” ( thought little of ) his birthright, and gave it up for temporary fulfilment, his sons became prosperous kings in Edom, and they hated Israel, so much so, that the book of Obadiah ( which we have seen ) is dedicated to judging them for their pride and hate against Israel. —
That —- is where the root of anti-Semitism originates, hate against a people that have been chosen to be blessed of the LORD, and it is the same hate that pushed Satan to claw at Adam and Eve, and for those in Christ to be hated by the world!
Yet for all that, His arm is stretched out still, and He continues to expand His chosen people in all the ends of the earth, only to be rejected by His own!
Romans (10:16 - 21 ) “ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, “Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. “
Being chosen brings with it greater responsibilities, and greater correction for wrong doing, and we will see that in the LORDS words to the sons of Levi, to which we also should pay careful attention!
Hallelujah!!!