Fear and Reverence in Las Vegas (Malachi 1-4)

Malachi 1-4 

"I the Lord do not change...Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 3:6-7

Kim and I are celebrating 20 years of marriage this weekend in Las Vegas! We're taking a short trip to rest, eat good food, and have fun at our hotel. We're also studying the book of Malachi together from our Bible class, which makes it extra special.

Right outside our hotel is something amazing called the Sphere. It's a giant round building covered in lights and moving pictures. Right now it's showing the Wizard of Oz, with all its bright colors lighting up the night sky.

That got me thinking. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy does things wrong, gets lost far from home, and has to figure out how to get back. The whole story is really about going home.

The book of Malachi is kind of like that too. God shows His people the wrong things they've been doing things that might seem small or easy to ignore and lights them up in full color so they're impossible to miss. Like when Dorothy's world went from black and white to bright, beautiful color.

And just like Dorothy, God's people wanted to run away from their problems. But God says: running away isn't the answer. The real question is, "How do I get back home? How do I get back to the God I love?"

That's the heart of Malachi. And honestly? It's a pretty good question for all of us.

AIM: Fear and Reverence is the right response to who God is

His name reveals who He is. Fear of the Lord is the response to who He is. Reverence for His name is that same fear given expression in speech, worship, and life. One is the inward posture; the other is the outward testimony of the same reality.

Malachi 2:5 may be the single most powerful verse showing their unity, a man who truly fears the Lord will stand in awe of His name. They cannot be separated.

A) Lord provides covenantal law, yet God's people violate the law and are cursed (1-2:12)

B) Only the Lord can restore the Covenant, making our lives acceptable to the Lord (2:13-3:4)

C) Fear and reverence to the Lord is the way to return to Him (3:5-4:6)

1-5) Lord to Israel through Malachi, Love revealed in comparison, see Edomites curse

• Twin Cities: Esau=Edom, Jacob=Israel

6-14) Honor system broken-vows/cheating/defiled sacrifice father/master/God's name 

• "good will donations" - garbage not fit for use and quality gifts (I've done both), Malachi 1:14

2:1-6) Priest listen/resolve: honor/revere God's name - else blessings are cursed, Levi covenant: Life (reverence, instruction) + Peace (uprightness, turned many from sin)

•  Lord help me listen and resolve to honor your name today, live in covenant

7-9) Priest preserve knowledge as messenger of Lord Almighty who people seek, violate Levi's covenant (partiality law): many stumble, humiliated

• The Covenant with Levi

10-12) God created us, yet Judah unfaithful desecrated Lord sanctuary wives worship foreign god, remove him regardless of offering brought.

B) Only the Lord can restore the Covenant, making our lives acceptable to the Lord (2:13-3:4)

13-16) flood Lord's altar tears, not accepted because of unfaithfulness, divorce is violence, faithfulness protects.  (Malachi 2:13)

• God refuses compartmentalized religion (Jeremiah 7:9-11, Malachi 2:13,1 Peter 3:7)
• So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful. (v16)

17) Wearied Lord w/words "all who do evil/good w/Lord, pleased w/them" "God's Justice?"

3:1-4) Messenger prepares, refiner's fire, so men offer righteousness, acceptable to Lord

• Jesus Fulfilling Malachi 2:17–3:5

C) Fear and reverence to the Lord is the way to return to Him (3:5-4:6)

5) Lord's trial against (relational sins from lack of reverence) sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, defraud laborers, oppress widows/fatherless, deprive foreigners justice, no fear of Lord Almighty

• Lord's covenant lawsuit speech (Malachi 3:5)

6-12) Lord's consistent decree, "Return to me, and I will return to you" tithe, exponential blessing

13-15) Arrogant speech against God, grumbles about serving, envies evildoers

16-18) Fear God speech, Lord listened, restores eyes to see right from wicked, peaceful yoke

4:1-3) Day coming evildoers on fire, no root or branch/ revere God's name righteousness rises like the healing sun

• Today is the day of repentance Hebrews 3-4

4-6) Remember Moses law, Elijah (John the Baptist), repent the kingdom is near!