Malachi 1:12-14
A PASTORAL LETTER
Dearest family,
From the outset of Malachi’s prophecy, we noted that the revelation of the compassion of God preceded the reiteration of the commands of God. His love preceded law, His devotedness preceded discipline, His care preceded correction, His forgiveness preceded their confession, His expression of faithfulness preceded the exposure of their faithlessness. Despite the state of the people, from their “blah” indifference to their defensive cynicism and aggressive agnosticism, God just puts his love for them right out there – one might add, in great danger of being rejected and crucified by their arrogance and ignorance. As in the messages to the churches in Revelation, the love of God confirms His people, before it confronts them. We saw on Sunday that the last part of chapter 1 is all about God’s response to their unacceptable offerings. All they were doing was in clear contradiction to the careful instructions that had been given in Leviticus. As a result, God charges them for defiling and profaning the “table of the Lord”, both by their attitude to sacrifice, and by what they actually brought to the table to be sacrificed. Both attitudes and actions came under God’s condemning scrutiny. It is heavy and serious stuff.
If I had been a pastor in Malachi’s time, a priest, listening to this prophecy, then I think I would want to teach the people about what made for an acceptable offering to God. God is clear in his denunciation of the unacceptable stuff, and they should have been clear too. But they were out of touch with the word, particularly Leviticus, as we have already seen. So that’s where I would take them, as I will take you, in order to encourage you about what makes for an acceptable offering of your life, substance and service to God. Leviticus is a book all about holiness, all about pleasing God, doing his will. I want to use the grain offering here as an illustration of how to make a good offering to God.
Of course, before I refer to Leviticus 2, I should say that there are many other scriptural principles that help us to know how to make acceptable offerings. Let me give some examples:
• Willingly – scripture is full of descriptions of “a freewill offering”. Acceptable offerings are not coerced, or reluctantly given, but come from a thankful heart. Does this gratitude characterize how you offer and give of your life and substance and service to God?
• Not holding anything back – in other words not giving to God or serving God like a scrupulous accountant with a calculator and a clock – billable hours for God! Does generosity mark your self giving and life-offering to God in substance and service?
• Without concern for cost – not giving to God what costs us nothing (2 Sam. 24:24) – not giving the “butt ends”, the unwanted, the undesirable, the dispensable, the unsacrificial. Does sacrifice mark the offering of your life and substance and service to God?
• In accordance with God’s word – 1 Chr. 23:31: “serving in the way prescribed.” Ezra 3:4: “They celebrated with the required number of offerings…in accordance with what is written.” Does obedience and adherence to God’s word mark the offering of your life and substance and service to God?
• Without making course adjustments according to preferences – King Ahaz in 2 Kgs.16 went to Damascus and saw an altar he liked the design of, so he ordered the design of the altar in Jerusalem to be reconfigured to conform with it! Same looking, same sounding sacrifices but a totally different altar! He changed the meaning and the purpose of it, to serve personal desires, not necessarily God’s needs and desires. Does integrity mark your offering and giving of your life and substance and service to God?
• Without defect – not giving second best or taking short-cuts. Does excellence mark your offering of life and substance and service to God?
So what is Leviticus 2 about? Why would I have taken the Israelites there? Here’s the deal. It’s a lovely picture of an acceptable offering to God, that trustingly and holily responds to his love. This describes what needs to be in the offering and what should not be part of the offering.
What should not be part of the offering:
• Leaven (v.11): This speaks of falsehood and hypocrisy (Leaven of Pharisees – Lk.12:1); of the taintedness of sin (leaven of malice and wickedness – 1 Cors.5:8) Because it ferments it is an image of corruption, of decay and death, of what is antagonistic to life and holiness. So we can’t offer to God anything of ourselves that is tainted, that is unholy or unhealed, pretending that it doesn’t matter or isn’t there. We can’t ask God to bless what his holiness cannot approve and affirm.
• Honey (v.11): This speaks of what we want to look good – a cover-up, an apparent sweetness, a counterfeit fragrance. Honey had a bad history because it was the favorite of the gods – it is the idea of a fleshly cosmetic job, making something that stinks smell good, like cologne on a corpse. Like leaven, honey is subject to fermentation. The appearance of goodness and sweetness soon dissipates.
What should be part of the offering:
• Oil (v.4-5): Of course the oil speaks of the Holy Spirit, so in other words, we give an offering that is a part of the sanctifying work of the Spirit in us – a naturally spiritual outflow of a sanctified life. Oil denoted a consecrated life. But it also speaks of joy (Isa.61:3 “the oil of gladness”) which marks the nature of our offering of life. No reluctance, no regrets!
• Incense (v.2): The frankincense was an image of godliness, of the qualities of deity no less. In other words, how we live and give and serve does not draw attention to ourselves but only attracts praise to the Lord. Our good works will be seen and the only response is that people will glorify our father in heaven – thus the pleasing aroma to God. One thing to note – it is the effect of fire and heat that brings out the fragrance – it is the fire of God’s sanctifying work in us, perfecting holiness, that produces the aroma.
• Salt (v.13): In a way this is the most crucial ingredient because it was necessary for all offerings. It was known as the “salt of the covenant.” Its application is affirmed no less than 3 times in this single verse, underlying its importance. As you know from Jesus’ teaching, the salt represents preservation against corruption, but it speaks of permanence and unity. It represents a commitment to faithful covenant, so our offerings should come from a committed heart that is covenanted to belong to God and not to the things of this world. It speaks of a loyal and undivided heart, a faithful witness. Jesus used the image of salt to suggest the necessary ingredient in disciples that is their holy distinctiveness (Mt.5:13) and their spirit of peace and reconciliation with God and each other (Mk.9:50) To make an offering with salt is to live and give with a binding commitment to God and his work, a dedication that is not subject to whims of choice or changes in personal circumstance.
It is a direct reference to a passage like Leviticus 2 that is in Paul’s mind when he writes to the Romans: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual worship. Do not conform…but be transformed…” You see, there are unacceptable ways to serve God and acceptable ones. Prove what is acceptable, and approve what God’s will is for your life and service. Don’t take short-cuts with God. Remove all that is dishonoring, all that is defiling. Remember what the Israelites forgot when they made their offerings: no leaven of hypocrisy, no honey of appearance, but lots of the oil of joy, lots of the incense of godliness, lots of the salt of covenant relationship and steadfast commitment. With such a sacrifice God is well pleased!
In 2:10 God says through Malachi, “Shut the doors!” But by 3:10 he is saying he will “open the windows.” Maybe you need to shut the door on something unacceptable and unprofitable in order for a fresh flow of the spirit to come from God’s open window on your life. Do not despise the offering of God for you – Jesus Christ crucified, the lamb of God who takes away all the “unacceptables” of our lives. God changes a message that could have been entitled “The Unacceptables” into one that can be rightly called “The Acceptables.” YEAH!
Accepted in the beloved,
Stuart
http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download audio of sermon)
For Prayer
Mauricio Nieto, recovering from cataract surgery, and Patricia Nieto, recovering from treatment for cancer.
Brenda—please continue to pray for her health and life.
Please continue to pray also for Scott Livingston, Patty Whitnah’s father Charlie Bauer, and for Gracie Mitchell (http://www.firstgiving.net/graciem).
Announcements
Men’s prayer breakfast is this Saturday, October 27 at 8:00am. This month we’re inviting the youth boys to join with us.
The COSC Women’s lunch bunch will meet Sunday, October 28 at 1pm in the Fellowship Hall. Dessert and coffee will be provided. Please bring or pick up something for lunch before 1pm. The topic will be “Looking at Loneliness”. We welcome all women at any stage and situation of their lives. We are exploring the lives of Christian women along with work issues and we welcome the contributions of all.
Youth: October 30, you’re invited to join WCF for their Fun Night at WCF (9th & Maryland NE), 7pm-9pm
Lydia Conference: Nov 1-3 in Houston, TX: We hope you will join us to learn the dynamic prayer principles of meditating in the Word of God, seeking the mind and the will of God for our churches, communities, cities, and the nations of the world. www.newlifechurch.net
The next Night of Prayer will be Saturday, November 3 from 6pm-midnight. All are invited.
Books, videos, resources: If Stuart has loaned you any materials (recently or over the years), from his personal library or the church’s, he is offering complete amnesty, no questions asked, for their return.
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Dear Church Family, Thank you so much for the gorgeous flowers, calls, cards and other expressions of your love and support on the recent passing of my mother! I so appreciate you all and could feel Christ’s peace and comfort extended to me through you. -Karina Szimonisz