MALACHI LESSON 1


     Malachi was almost an unknown, except for this book that he
penned. He used the expression "Ye say" instead of "Thus saith the
Lord". His book shows us a picture of the degradation in the land at
the closing of the Old Testament. He, also, gives hope for the future
in Messiah. He speaks out against the priesthood, as well as against
these ungrateful people of God.  He prophesied about the time of
Nehemiah.

     We will now begin in Malachi 1:1 "The burden of the word of the
LORD to Israel by Malachi."

     Malachi means ministrative.

     Malachi 1:2 "I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say,
Wherein hast thou loved us? [Was] not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the
LORD: yet I loved Jacob,"

     It is as if they are criticizing God for choosing Jacob over
Esau. They forgot that Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup.
God was angry with Esau, because he had no regard for his birthright.
God does not have to explain why He chooses one over another. He is
God. Romans 9:10 "And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had
conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac;"  Romans 9:11 "(For [the
children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of
works, but of him that calleth;)"  Romans 9:12 "It was said unto her,
The elder shall serve the younger."  Romans 9:13 "As it is written,
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."  God loved Israel by His
own election.

     Malachi 1:3 "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his
heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."

     This is an explanation from God of why He did not destroy Judah
and Jerusalem, as He had Edom. They both had sinned. They both fell
into the hands of an angry God. They both deserved to be done
completely away with. Edom was destroyed, and not remembered. God
chose to forgive Jacob's family, and restore them.

     Malachi 1:4 "Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will
return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts,
They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The
border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath
indignation for ever."

     They will never be known as Edom again, they had done so many
things against the wishes of God. One thing they did, was refuse
passage across their land to the Israelites. They were enemies of the
Israelites from the very beginning. God would not bless them, because
they were enemies of His chosen people.

     Malachi 1:5 "And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD
will be magnified from the border of Israel."

     Jacob's family should have realized the special favor God had
shown them. God gave His law to these sons of Jacob. They were to be
the example for the whole world. God will be magnified in this land He
has claimed for His own, even if He has to clean it up Himself. He
will be magnified in Jerusalem.

     Malachi 1:6  "A son honoureth [his] father, and a servant his
master: if then I [be] a father, where [is] mine honour? and if I [be]
a master, where [is] my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O
priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised
thy name?"

     These chosen people of God had shown no thankfulness for all of
the blessings He had bestowed upon them. They had not honored Him as
their Father. They had been unfaithful in worshipping false gods. They
had not even thought of Him as the One to serve. They had no "fear"
{reverence} of Him. Even the priests, who were the spiritual leaders,
did not show Him respect. The priests should have instructed the
people in righteousness and holiness. Instead of instructing others,
they fell into idolatry themselves. Ezekiel 22:26 "Her priests have
violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no
difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed
[difference] between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their
eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them."  We can take a
lesson from this now. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, it speaks of our
generation loving pleasure more than we love God.

     Malachi 1:7 "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say,
Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD
[is] contemptible."

     The polluted bread could be many different things. The animals
they used to sacrifice must not be blemished in any way. The
sacrifices had fallen short of the Levitical requirements. They were
using imperfect animals to sacrifice. They were not careful of the
leaven of the bread either. "Leaven" symbolized sin. This is degrading
to God.

     Malachi 1:8 "And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, [is it] not
evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, [is it] not evil? offer it
now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy
person? saith the LORD of hosts."

     The animals for sacrifice were a type and shadow of the great
sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. They were to be without spot of any kind.
They were to be perfect in their body, as Jesus was perfect in His
body. They offered these lame and blind, because they were cheaper
than an animal without blemish. God would not accept this type of
offering.  They would not dare offer something like this to an earthly
ruler. How sad they would offer this to God.

     Malachi 1:9 "And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be
gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your
persons? saith the LORD of hosts."

     They must repent and seek God's face. The priests should have
refused this type of offering. They were the guardian of spiritual
things, and they had failed. God will not overlook so great a sin,
just because they hold down a position in the church.

     Malachi 1:10 "Who [is there] even among you that would shut the
doors [for nought]? neither do ye kindle [fire] on mine altar for
nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither
will I accept an offering at your hand."

     God is not pleased with priests, who do not guard the sanctity of
the offerings. The priests had gained financially from the sale of
these injured animals. They were in the priesthood for the monetary
gain. They were not willing to do anything, because it was the right
thing to do. They wanted to gain financially for themselves. God would
not accept an offering from such unclean hands. Preachers, it is not
wrong to take a salary from the church to live on. It is wrong to be a
preacher for the money you can make. The reason is wrong.

     Malachi 1:11 "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going
down of the same my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles; and in
every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name, and a pure
offering: for my name [shall be] great among the heathen, saith the
LORD of hosts."

     This is saying, that the Jews are God's people, but if they will
not recognize Him for who He is, the Gentiles will. He will go to the
Gentiles, and make believers out of them. The "incense" is symbolic of
the prayers of the saints which rise to heaven. The name of Jesus is
great among the Gentile believers.

     Malachi 1:12  "But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table
of the LORD [is] polluted; and the fruit thereof, [even] his meat,
[is] contemptible."

     The priests have rejected the salvation God offered, now God will
turn to the Gentiles. It is interesting, to me, that the Gentiles
accepted Jesus more readily than the Jews did. The priesthood had
fallen to the point, that the priests had polluted the altar and the
offerings on the altar.

     Malachi 1:13 "Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness [is it]! and
ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought [that
which was] torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an
offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD."

     They were not offering to God because of their faith in Him, or
their love for Him. They were doing the offerings, because of
obligation. They were just going through the motion of worshipping
Him. They offered animals and bread that was not fit for human
consumption.  They gave Him the scraps. God would not accept this type
of offering. The answer to the question above, is no. The God of all
glory should not have to accept such. This was very degrading.

     Malachi 1:14 "But cursed [be] the deceiver, which hath in his
flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt
thing: for I [am] a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name
[is] dreadful among the heathen."

     We see from this, that they did have animals that were not
damaged, that they could have offered. They gave the cast-aways to
God.  These were some they would have thrown away anyway. They thought
so little of God, they would do this. God spoke curses to those who
did not keep His commandments. They have brought the curse upon
themselves. They have chosen not to obey God. They have chosen to sin
greatly before God. They have become so casual about their worship,
they have forgotten His ordinances. The heathen are in awe of such a
God. They have more fear and respect for God, than His own people do.
God will not allow His people to defame Him. He is Holy. He is
Righteous. He is Almighty. He is our All in All.


































                         Malachi 1 Questions


1.  Malachi gives hope for the future in _________.
2.  He prophesied about the time of _________.
3.  What were they accusing God of?
4.  Esau sold his birthright for a ________ of _________.
5.  Quote Romans chapter 9 verses 10 through 13.
6.  What is verse 3 an explanation of?
7.  What happened to Edom?
8.  What was one specific thing Edom had done against God's people?
9.  What should Jacob's family have realized?
10. A son honoreth his _________.
11. A servant honoreth his ___________.
12. How had they been unfaithful to God?
13. What is "fear" speaking of?
14. Quote Ezekiel chapter 22 verse 26.
15. What lesson can we take from this?
16. What does 2 Timothy say about our generation?
17. What were some of the things the polluted bread was speaking of?
18. "Leaven" symbolizes ______.
19. The animals sacrificed were a type and shadow of what?
20. Why did they offer lame and blind animals for sacrifice?
21. Who, on this earth, would they not offer these sick animals to?
22. They must repent and seek ______ ______.
23. What were the priests guardian of?
24. Why were the priests willing to accept these lame and blind
    animals?
25. What warning is in this to preachers?
26. If the Jews will not accept God, who will?
27. What is the "burning of the incense" symbolic of?
28. The name of ________ is great among Gentile believers.
29. Why would God not accept their offerings?
30. Cursed be the _________.