Malachi 1:6-8 – “A son honors his father, and a servant his master; if then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. And if you say, in what have we despised thy name?⁷ In that you offer polluted bread upon my altar; and if you say, in what have we polluted it? In that you say, the table of the LORD is contemptible.⁸ And when you offer a blind animal to the altar, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick animals, is it not evil? Offer it now to your governor; will he be pleased with you or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.” 

As I read this passage, I was forced to ask myself some questions connected to the questions God asked these people.  In it, I am forced to reexamine my personal relationship, commitment, and actions toward God and His Word. 

As I prayed over this, it was as if the veil over my understanding was lifted, and my heart was challenged and drawn to the Lord.  Here, God asked some challenging and even chastening questions.  I have had people tell me that God does not chasten us because He loves us too much.  That is diametrically opposite of love, and that is not God.  He even declares that the one He loves He chastens.  Chastening is a sign of being a daughter or a son.

His questions are germane to us today.  His first question was, “IF,” and that is the big issue “IF, as you declare, I your Father, where is the honor you should be giving Me?”  It is easy to say words that we do not mean in our hearts.  God was not looking for affirmation via words but an affirmation of that truth via actions and the condition of the heart.  These people said the right words but kept their hearts back.  God was only Father in their verbiage, not their lives.

Then, God said, “IF” that pesky little word reappears.  “You call me LORD (master); IF I am, then why don’t you have reverential fear and respect for Me?”  They were dumbfounded. After all, they attended synagogue and went to the temple.  They prayed their prayers and offered their offerings.  Yet, God revealed that something was missing.  It is not enough to attend church or even be actively involved.  God is after the heart, not words or busyness.

They evidenced their lack of honor, fear, respect, and commitment in their offerings.  God revealed that they were offering defiled food on the altar.  What is that?  In the simplest terms, it was giving God the second best or leftovers.  It was the spare change in money and heart.  It was what I call “Tipping Living.”

They were allowing the profane to thrive.  They were feasting at the tables; they should have been overturning.  God will accept no offering that is not pure (whole-heart commitment).

Malachi 2:17 – “You have wearied Me with your words.”  Wow!  That alone would be devastating, but He did not stop there. He said, “You say evil is good, and everybody and everything is okay.”  Calling evil good and good evil incurs God’s disfavor, not His blessing.

Chapter Three deals with the tithe, which is far more than a percentage.  It is about commitment, love, faith, and revelation.  God invites us to put Him to the test and allow Him to prove to us His faithfulness.  It is also a means to prove to the world God’s faithfulness.  It becomes a light shining into the darkness.

I have learned that obedience, like nothing else, opens heaven to us.  The promised blessings that He would bless UNTIL “it was beyond enough.”  Are you experiencing God’s blessings, provisions, peace, and power UNTIL “it is beyond enough?”  That indicated lavishness and abundance beyond human ability to comprehend.  It is talking about far more than the material things of life.

Then, the promise is that God will rebuke and restrain the devourer.  That sounds good to me!  Having protection from corruption is inviting and appealing.  That means we must ensure that our offerings to God (self and other things) are pure, not just our spare change or tips.  God’s promise is a perpetual cycle of blessing and protection for His Glory!  Money is not the focus; God is.  God’s purpose is.  The harvest is.  Functioning in the fullness of God is. 

We have a commission and a mission, and God, through Malachi, reveals a pathway to a greater measure of God’s presence, person, provision, and power.  Therefore, we need to determine that we will give God nothing less than our best and our whole selves.  Then, the promise kicks in that God, in return, gives us Himself, all that He is and has.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, will be impossible for us. 

What is our part?  Faith and obedience.  We need to train ourselves to expect God to do what He says He will do.  We need to expect God’s promises to be realities NOW!  We need to address our problems with God’s Word and give God our best – His Best is seen at the Cross.

Have a wonderful day, and walk in His fullness.