I just got done doing a unit analysis of Malachi in our Old Testament class, and it has been such an awesome work to do. Dr. Block is an awesome teacher and I have learned so much from him this past semester.
Worship... how have we as God's people worshiped him? In Malachi we see how Israel did not take the worship of YAHWEH seriously or with true reverence. The Lord has loved them because of his sovereign grace alone. We see this in the first part of the book when the Lord tells of his love toward Jacob and not Esau. Heres a quick outline of the Book which I came up with so it is subject to change in time:
I. The worship of YAHWEH because of his sovereingty. (1:1-5)
II. The worship of YAHWEH not taken seriously. (1:6-2:17)
III. The worship of YAHWEH refined. (3:1-7)
IV. The worship of YAHWEH in service. (3:8-18)
V. The worship of YAHWEH in fear and reverence. (4:1-6)
I look at myself and see how I worship the Lord, and question if this is true worship in which he is pleased. Where is my focus,... on God alone? Who he is and what he has done? Do we FEAR the LORD?? Do we see how awesome, powerfull, holy, righteous, just, loving, sovereign he is??
Some versus that really jumped out at me are as follows:
"They may build, but I will tear down"(1:4b)
"Your eyes will see this and you will say,
"The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel!" (1:5)
"For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offereing that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations, "says the LORD of hosts." (1:11)
"for I am a great King,"says the LORD of hosts, "and My name is feared among the nations." (1:14b)
"For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." (2:7)
"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?For He is like a refiners fire and like fuller's soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness." (3:2-3)
"For I, The LORD, do not change: therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (3:6)
"So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." (3:18)
"But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,"says the LORD." (4:2-3)
Worship the Lord for his grace and mercy he has shown to us who are unworthy and sinful. He has made us new creatures not as a result of anything we have done but by his sovereign grace alone. Worship the Lord for he will be praised among all nations, for his name shall be feared among all the earth. Do not serve or give out of duty, but do these out of love, adoration, and fear of the Lord for who he is, what he has done, and what he has yet to do. Praise be to God throughout all tribes, tongues and nations forever and ever. May the Lord grant us a heart to truly worship him in spirit and in truth.
