Malachi and The Problem of Indifference
(Indifference is when someone does not care. It may be a lack of care about life, other people or the things of God.)
Bible Passages about Malachi:
- The book of Malachi
Introduction
Study 12 was about the problem of being greedy for things. We thought about Haggai’s difficulties. A group of
So, they finished building the
This situation was not good. So, God sent a
One thing is definite. The people were lazy about the things of God. They had no
Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. (The Old Testament is the first part of the Bible.) Some things are similar to our own day. We should give careful attention to Malachi’s message. We have the same problems in our own society. Malachi spoke to the people. He also spoke to their leaders. It might help us to study his words. Many people today do not care about
Malachi has messages for our own times.
1 – Religious or spiritual indifference often begins where you would least expect it
We expect people like priests to put the things of God first. But it can begin with these very ones. It is easy to blame other people. But we should examine our own lives first. We may not be as loyal to Jesus Christ as we should be. Our words and our lives should make it easy for people to trust in him. But, often, they do not. W. E. Sangster was a famous Christian. He asked a question. ‘Are some people outside the group of
Malachi speaks to the
It is easy for us to say: ‘How awful’. But we may be guilty of the same
2 – Spiritual indifference is a sin
It can begin when there is no sincere love and
God desires
We may have become careless in our own
Jesus used this word for a group of men. They were the
Perhaps we have ‘a mask’ in our Christian lives. We are hypocrites. We pretend to be people that we are not. Only the
3 – God tries to prevent spiritual indifference
He reminds his servants about his high standards. He expects much from them in their life and service. The book of Malachi does not just blame people. It has a clear, helpful message too. It tells the people what God expects. He expects certain things from the
Let us consider Malachi 2:4-7. It is an important passage. It speaks about the priests. It shows the quality of
The Bible says that all
3.1 – What God expects:
He wants his priests:
- to show respect (Malachi 2:5). They ‘respected me. They showed me honour.’
- to be loyal (2:6). They ‘taught the truth’. In those days, priests were the teachers (2:7). Anyone could go to them for advice and help. God’s
Law was their guide. They aimed to be always loyal to its teaching. (Read Deuteronomy 33:10.) - to be holy (2:6). They ‘did not teach lies’. A person should fill his mind with God’s true words. Then there will be no room for bad thoughts or words. Read 1 Peter 2:1-3. Here, Peter urges his readers. He wants them to desire God’s words. He says that they should be like a baby. His words are: ‘Be hungry for the pure milk of the word (the Bible).’ This would help them to stop saying many wrong things. Words can cause much damage.
- to be his friends (2:6). They ‘walked with me’. Moffatt translated the Bible in 1926. He says it like this: They ‘lived close to me’. Perhaps we do not live close to the
Lord . - to be gentle (2:6). They ‘were honest and loved peace’. (Read 2 Timothy 2:24 and Titus 3:2.)
- to show pity and sympathy (2:6). They ‘turned many away from
sin ’. This was what true priests sincerely wanted to do. (Read James 5:19-20.)
This is a very high standard. But the
3.2 – What God gives:
- Power (2:4). Priests serve ‘the
Lord of hosts ’. God’s title here is important. It means ‘the God of armies’. It describes the One who overcomes in battle. This God helps his people to do the same. The ‘believer priest’ has a hard task in the world. But God gives us all the power that we need. (Read Philippians 4:13 and 2 Corinthians 12:9.) - Security (2:5). ‘I made that Agreement with them.’ His people had God’s great promises. They never changed. These are times of constant change. But the ‘
believer priest’ can be glad. He can be very grateful too. There are things that will never change. (Read Hebrews 12:27-28.) The sincere priest in Israel was often sad. So often, the people were not loyal to God. Their attitudes to him often changed too. But God never changed. He was always loyal and true to his people. - Peace (2:5). God’s special Agreement was one about ‘life and peace’. Many sad things upset the sincere priest then. But he could be sure about the Agreement of peace. Worry is a
sin . We may not be as free from it as we should be. We lose so much energy by being anxious. But there is something worse than that. We show a lack of trust in God.
There was a bishop (church leader) in America. He was very upset about many problems. So, he spent part of the night in prayer. This was good. Then he thought he heard God speak to him. ‘Quayle, you go to bed’, God seemed to say. ‘I will stay awake for the rest of the night.’ - Special benefit (2:7). Priests are ‘the messengers of the
Lord of hosts ’. (Note: Messengers are people who deliver messages.) The name ‘Malachi’ means ‘My messenger’. Here, theprophet speaks about the benefits he has because he is a priest. He is God’s messenger. What a great benefit he has. He can speak to people about the great God.
4 – God desires sincere worship
So, he reminds them about the Coming Day. Malachi knows the awful
5 – It is not good to be careless about spiritual things
God knows that it will affect our relationships with other people. It also affects our relationship with God. (That is bad, too, of course.) Malachi repeats the message of the
5.1 – No confidence in God’s sovereignty
They accepted those who did magic. They went to them for advice about the future. They did not go to their great God.
5.2 – No respect for a holy God
God declared his moral laws. They were very clear. But many of the people neglected them. They
5.3 – No obedience to God’s word
(Obedience is the act of obeying.) God clearly said that a man must speak the truth. (Read Exodus 20:16.) He must be honest and fair with his employees. (Read Leviticus 19:12-13.)
5.4 – No sharing with God in his love
They did not help widows. They did not care for children with no parents. They did not help strangers. (Read Deuteronomy 24:17 and Exodus 23:6.) God cares about all these people in need. He desires that his people should share his feelings. (Read Psalm 10:14; 68:5 and Deuteronomy 10:18-19.)
6 – Spiritual indifference denies God’s sovereignty
It robs God of love, honour and service. He should have these things from us all (Malachi 3:7-9). We all come to God with nothing. We come to ask him for help. We become Christians. Then something sad often happens. We become thieves. We steal from God. This is the subject of Malachi’s severe words.
7 – Some people will choose to put God first in their lives
This gives him great joy. The majority may not care, but the few make God glad. (Read Malachi 3:16-18; 4:2-3.) He is very pleased with them. So, he has made a book with their names in it. It is serious when
For Discussion
- The name Malachi means a person who brings a message. We have significant and serious teaching in his book. But we do not know anything more about what kind of person Malachi was. Think about his message. Then what kind of a man do you think that he was? And what were his special qualities when he took God’s message?
- There is a danger when we do something regularly. We can do it badly or carelessly. And we can do it without much thought. How can we avoid that danger in our spiritual relationship with God?
- Can Christians make God tired with their words (Malachi 2:17)? If it is possible, how and when could they do this?
- ‘Religious but not honest’. This was God’s terrible opinion about some of the people who lived in Malachi’s society (Malachi 3:5). Is that serious judgment still true in our modern world?
- Malachi was the last of the
prophets before John the Baptist came. Think about Malachi’s message. Why was it necessary for Jesus to come? Why was this need so urgent? - ‘Where is the respect that people should give to me?’ (Read Malachi 1:6; 2:5 and 4:2). God is very near to us and he loves us very much. We should be aware of these wonderful truths. But we must always have an attitude of respect and of worship too. How can we do this best?
- God said ‘I am not pleased with you’ (Malachi 1:10). Those words must have been terrible for the people who lived in Malachi’s society to hear. Jesus is our greatest example (John 8:29). How can we find out what pleases God? (Read Ephesians 5:10; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Hebrews 13:21 and 1 John. 3:22.)
For More Discussion
- The New Testament describes all believers as ‘priests’. (Read 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10 and 20:6). There is a most beautiful description of an ideal priest. It is in Malachi 2:4-7. How can modern Christians be like that, with the privileges and opportunities that we have today?
- Ceremonies can become an alternative for sincere love. And just repeating the same words does not express genuine loyalty. How can we make sure that we do not have a formal religion like that?
- Malachi said things that would have upset his hearers. He said that God was very tired of worship that was not sincere. And God wished that they would just shut the
Temple doors (Malachi 1:10). Old Testamentprophets who lived before Malachi had the same problems. And they said similar things. (Read Isaiah 1:11-20; Jeremiah 6:20; 7:21-23; Amos 5:21-24 and Micah 6:6-8). How important is their teaching in our world today?