“Where Is My Honor?”
The book of Malachi is the last of the 12 minor prophets as well as the last book of the Old Testament. This prophet ends the Old Testament with a clear warning about apathy and ethical compromise. Malachi means “my messenger,” and he did have a very clear message to give the Israelites. Interestingly, the phrase “Lord of Hosts” or “Lord of Armies” occurs in this book more than in any other Old Testament book. At this time in Israel’s history, they had returned from captivity but were still under foreign rule and had no real military of their own. God is reminding them that they need no military protection if they will put their faith in Him. The book is unique in that it uses a didactic-dialectic method where a charge is made, an objection is raised, and then a refutation is given to the objection. It has a very conversational tone and method of teaching.
Chapter one opens with one of these charges…God tells them He has loved them, but they raise the objection “How?” He reminds them that they are the chosen people from the line of Jacob. He goes on to describe a second charge accusing them of despising Him. They ask how they have despised His name, and God describes the polluted offerings they are bringing and asks if their worldly leaders would accept them. They even scoff at worship and describe it as weariness.
In chapter two, God begins to give some of the blame for this second charge to the priests who have not provided the correct instruction. He then lays down the third charge – they have been profaning the covenant with the Lord. They ask how, and Malachi rebukes them for marrying daughters of foreign gods and divorcing the wives of their youth. The fourth charge begins in this chapter with God stating they have wearied Him with their words, and again, they ask how. God reminds the people of their sayings that evil is good and their questioning of where the God of justice is.
In chapter three, this thought continues with God saying that He will send a messenger who will prepare the way for Him and help refine the Israelites. Starting in verse six, Malachi states the fifth charge – the people have robbed God, but they again ask how. The answer is in their tithes and contributions. God asks for them to put Him to the test and see if He will not pour out blessings on them if they faithfully give to Him. The sixth and final charge is given at the end of this chapter where God states that their words have been harsh against Him. They ask what they have spoken against Him, and He answers with their words about the lack of profit in serving God and how evildoers prosper.
Chapter four has the answer to this last charge when Malachi states, “the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” This is a promise that God will, in fact, punish the wicked and remember the righteous despite what the people think. He then reminds them of Moses and Elijah – the law and the prophets. The very things they should remember to avoid utter destruction.
When reading these questions, objections, and responses from Malachi, we can start to see some of the same issues in our own worship. Do we ever wonder if God really loves us? Do we find worship wearisome and bring God our leftovers? Do we break our covenantal vows when they become inconvenient? Do we question God’s justice? Do we lack faith in God and greedily hold back what rightly belongs to God? The mirror Malachi holds up can be distressing and show us our own hypocrisy and flimsy excuses. God is the “Lord of Armies” and can be our protection and healing – but He also demands the respect and honor due Him in this role. He won’t accept our excuses and apathetic worship. I pray that we take the message and warning of this final prophet to heart.
