Malachi details for us how worship deteriorated into dishonoring God, and how worship leaders only encouraged the people to continue in their sad and sinful condition.
How this irreverent attitude came to be is the same as today. Selfishness and carelessness move so quickly to the forefront in the hearts and minds of people. The first chapter of Malachi makes clear that unacceptable offerings were made on the altar.
“Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar,” said the Lord. Bread likely refers to all offerings brought to the priests for sacrifices. Animals that were sick or otherwise blemished were sacrificed in violation of the law which stated, “whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you” (Lev. 22:20).
Why did God require offerings without blemish? God’s purpose in sacrifices was to point the way to Christ Jesus and His death on the cross. The apostle Peter spoke of the “precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).
The priests abused their honor in serving as priests by allowing the unacceptable sacrifices. Serving was hardly more than a job to these men, and they performed their duties in ways that were comfortable and pleasing to themselves. They were lazy as they avoided confrontation with the people who wanted to dispose of a sick or lame animal. Rather than mindlessly accepting every animal, it was the priests’ responsibility to say, “This is not an acceptable offering, and I will not be a part of it.”
Malachi 3:5 contains God’s promise of judgment and a list of sinners on whom judgment will fall. When people have no fear of God and refuse to honor Him in worship, they only sink deeper in sin.
The Jews should have realized God’s unchanging nature. Had His nature been otherwise, they would have been consumed by His wrath.
Our lessons here deal first with religious leaders. Preaching and teaching people who sometimes “will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3). A good number of professing Christians have itching ears, or a desire to hear only agreeable things. Some preachers and teachers are all too willing to scratch those ears with comforting words.
We must preach and teach the entire, literal, Word of God. It is our responsibility and where it hurts, perhaps it will convict hearts and bring people to salvation in Christ Jesus.
Secondly, we can really honor God with nothing less than our best. We read in Proverbs 21:2: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.”
The Sunday School Lesson is written by Ed Wilcox, pastor of Centerville Baptist Church. edwilcox@nc.rr.com.