Malachi is the last of the Old Testament Prophets.
The Old Testament concludes with God calling Israel back to repentance and to Himself.
The Intertestamental period is a period of about 400+ years when God did not speak.
The New Testament opens with John the Baptist preaching "the kingdom of God" is at hand.
Not long after Israel's revival they fell back into carnality. God stops speaking to them due to their disobedience.
Messiah comes along and Israel is shut out from being the chosen people of God and God begins
to call a people unto himself (whosoever will let him come).
Israel was rebellious - they turned away from God, neglected the covenant, distanced themselves from God and their actions proved to be displeasing.
God is slow to anger but disobedience will speed up God's response towards you.
The priests were unfaithful, the people were unfaithful and Malachi was the instrument calling them to repentance.
The people broke the covenant by withholding the sacrifice from God. As Malachi addresses the people, they play a cat and mouse game.
But God tells them they are cursed with a curse.
Access to the blessings of God are always blocked by your curse,
The people of God were stifled by their misery. They had a faulty interpretation of the word of God.
They sold themselves short and blocked their blessings. They were making a living but not really living.
They refused to honor the Lord with their all.
But God wanted to make their tomorrows brighter, their dreams fonder than their memories.
God wanted them to make Him their priority rather than their last resort.
There was tension between them and God because sin caused the separation.
But God is totally consistent, if there was distance between them and God, God had not moved.
They had made God weary.
God had given them what they had but they were guilty of robbery.
God called them to return to Him - they ask return in what way?
You rob God with what he loves, you rob with what belongs to Him and then you place a curse upon yourself.
They were instructed to bring the whole tithe. Their giving was to be based on the “grace of giving”:
• Position – Return to the Lord
• Privilege – Bring the tithe, you received so you can give
• Purpose – That there might be meat in God’s house.
If they were to do as God commanded, he would reward them through
• Rebuke – He will destroy the devourer
• Reward – Not enough room to receive the blessing
• Renew – all nations will call you blessed
Giving is an act of worship. God wants our worship.
God’s glory is attached to our giving. When we give, we receive that we might bless someone else.
When we bless someone else, God get’s the glory. God is worshipped.