6 "A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?' 7 "You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, 'In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, 'The table of the LORD is contemptible.' 8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?" says the LORD of hosts. 9 "But now entreat God's favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?" says the LORD of hosts. 10 "Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," says the LORD of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts. 12 "But you profane it, In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.' 13 You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it," says the LORD of hosts. "And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?" says the LORD. 14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished, for I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts, "And My name is to be feared among the nations.
“Thus says the LORD of Hosts” is a phrase found in the book of Malachi 21 times. There can be no doubt whatsoever that the LORD GOD Himself is addressing His people. While the prophet is sympathetic and in accord with the heart of the KING Of Israel, these are not his words, but the words of the REDEEMER of Israel Whose heart is wounded and wearied because of the hard, cold heartedness of the worship found in the nation.
The Word of GOD is clear on the requirements of offerings and sacrifices:
EXODUS 29:1
1 "And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,
LEVITICUS 1:3
3 'If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD. Also NUM 19:2; DEUT 15:21.
Yet the priests and people of Israel had “despise[d] My name… offer[ed] defiled food on My altar…” and their view was that “the table of the LORD is contemptible…” And He asks them: “…you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil?”
The LORD tells His people: “Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?"
GOD Himself offered for Himself the perfect, spotless Sacrifice, without blemish: the LAMB of GOD (1 PET 1:19) and so there is no more offering for sin (HEB 10:18-23).
So as the church we’re not in any danger of giving blemished offerings since Christ fulfilled the propitiatory offering right?
Wrong. In a way, we are in greater potential danger of offering blemished offerings than even Israel in the Old Testament days. How so? Let’s consider:
ROMANS 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As Christians we are to be “living sacrifices” – sounds like a contradiction of sorts, doesn’t it?
Any sacrifice under the Old Testament ended up slaughtered, roasted, sometimes incinerated into ashes. Yet we who have the Spirit of GOD indwelling us, providing eternal life for us through Christ, are to be wholly surrendered to GOD in all aspects of our new lives: In our jobs, our homes, our marriages, and families, in our church life and ministries, in our relationship with friends, neighbors, in our business dealings, recreational activities, hobbies, etc.
All of these aspects are to reflect the nature and the purposes of Jesus Christ and presented as “holy, acceptable to GOD, which is our “reasonable [logical, sensible] service”. It’s only right – Jesus gave His all for us; what reason do we have for not giving our all for Him?
Such sacrifices we offer up in being godly spouses, parents, and children, members who are a blessing our local congregations, students and employees who are salt and light – all need to be in accordance to the Word of GOD, His instruction, His wisdom and counsel. By this means, in sweet surrender, we allow the LORD to do that transforming work in us whereby our minds are renewed and demonstrate GOD’s perfect will (2 COR 4:16; EPH 4:23-24; COL 3:10).
What we are not to do is “be conformed to this world” and beware of things that can spoil us as unblemished offerings:
COLOSSIANS 2:8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
But rather:
COLOSSIANS 2:6-7,11-14
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
When we mix psychology and philosophies according to business practices into the church of Jesus Christ, we are giving blemished offerings. When we aren’t married to the person we are living with, or under the roof with someone who isn’t our spouse, we are giving blemished offerings. When we are neglectful of our children, caring for them spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, financially we are giving blemished offerings.
When we paint our ministries up to look a lot more powerful and effective than they really are, to get the applause of men we are giving blemished offerings. When we are in the sanctuary with raised hands, looking so pious and holy, yet we are holding unforgiveness, or envy, or malice towards others, we are giving blemished offerings.
When our pastors mix the ungodly, secular theories and belief systems, or even blending in doctrines from false religions (read that “doctrines of demons” 1 TIM 4:1) when they encourage their congregations to read the latest book by some Progressive Christian author or promote contemplative prayer (or centering prayer, breathe prayers, labyrinth practices, the Lectio Divina).
You get the point.
In this passage from MALACHI, GOD has some rather alarming things to say:
"Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," says the LORD of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.”
In other words, the LORD is saying, “Who will lock the doors of my temple so that no one can get in and offer this offensive trash to Me? I want nothing to do with any of that!”
Very much like:
ISAIAH 1:10-15
10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
Even if these sacrifices are without blemish, but offered up with a wrong heart – a cold, uncaring heart that is motivated by religious formalism – are these acceptable to the LORD?
Can we expect to receive the LORD’s favor in our lives when we put on a good show in church, and before others and in sight of Christians elsewhere in town when inwardly we are not those “living sacrifices…holy and acceptable to GOD”? When we are dealing “under the table” thinking that “nobody sees it”? When we’d rather have fellowship with our television watching our favorite sporting event than spending much needed quality time with our wives and children?
When we drop an offering in the collection plate, but there is no love for the LORD in it?
Can we expect our prayers to be heard in church when our homes are silent with such petitions?
In my mind I can picture folks leaving church and waving goodbye to GOD, promising to visit Him at “His house” next Sunday, and GOD is asking if He could go to their home, but the reply is, “Oh, no – that’s OK GOD, we promise we’ll be back!” Yet some professing Christians live this way! As if their life is divided between the Christian way of life and the Secular.
It's as though Christians conduct themselves as “practical atheists”.
Check out pastor Sonny Islas of SHINE BRIGHT Church addressing PRACTICAL ATHEISTS – Part ONE, Part TWO
When we know that there is a family down the street that’s struggling to put food on the table, while we plan out our multi-thousand dollar patio?
Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, our GOD is nearer to us than any Old Testament saint could know because He dwells in us. How much greater an offense He must take when we, who are the children of GOD, offer up blemished offerings?
What these apostate Jews said of the LORD’s temple and considering the offerings they brought, none of us as Christians would dare say such things as these with our lips:
"But you profane it, In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.' You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it," says the LORD of hosts.”
But do we ever think such things in our hearts: “Oh, man, it’s Sunday again already? I went last week, I deserve a break and do something I really like. And they announced Prayer Meeting at church… not going there! I wouldn’t know what to say anyway! Some of those people at church are so ‘holier than thou’ about the Bible but I’m not going to take such things to extremes myself!
ISAIAH 1:16-17a-18
16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good…
18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
The LORD said to Israel, “You are profaning My Holy Name, but I’ll have you know that My Name will be glorified among the Gentiles (MAL 1:11). The LORD greatly desires to use us for His glory and for our blessing and reward, but if we don’t repent of our “blemished offerings” then the LORD will use some other Christian. The same goes for our church. May it be not so, saints. Let us consider our ways, ask the LORD to search our hearts and convict us of any wrong doing, so that as “living sacrifices we may be acceptable to GOD”! This is our just, and reasonable service!
MICAH 6:6-8
6 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
“Thus says the LORD of Hosts” is a phrase found in the book of Malachi 21 times. There can be no doubt whatsoever that the LORD GOD Himself is addressing His people. While the prophet is sympathetic and in accord with the heart of the KING Of Israel, these are not his words, but the words of the REDEEMER of Israel Whose heart is wounded and wearied because of the hard, cold heartedness of the worship found in the nation.
The Word of GOD is clear on the requirements of offerings and sacrifices:
EXODUS 29:1
1 "And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,
LEVITICUS 1:3
3 'If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD. Also NUM 19:2; DEUT 15:21.
Yet the priests and people of Israel had “despise[d] My name… offer[ed] defiled food on My altar…” and their view was that “the table of the LORD is contemptible…” And He asks them: “…you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil?”
The LORD tells His people: “Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?"
GOD Himself offered for Himself the perfect, spotless Sacrifice, without blemish: the LAMB of GOD (1 PET 1:19) and so there is no more offering for sin (HEB 10:18-23).
So as the church we’re not in any danger of giving blemished offerings since Christ fulfilled the propitiatory offering right?
Wrong. In a way, we are in greater potential danger of offering blemished offerings than even Israel in the Old Testament days. How so? Let’s consider:
ROMANS 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As Christians we are to be “living sacrifices” – sounds like a contradiction of sorts, doesn’t it?
Any sacrifice under the Old Testament ended up slaughtered, roasted, sometimes incinerated into ashes. Yet we who have the Spirit of GOD indwelling us, providing eternal life for us through Christ, are to be wholly surrendered to GOD in all aspects of our new lives: In our jobs, our homes, our marriages, and families, in our church life and ministries, in our relationship with friends, neighbors, in our business dealings, recreational activities, hobbies, etc.
All of these aspects are to reflect the nature and the purposes of Jesus Christ and presented as “holy, acceptable to GOD, which is our “reasonable [logical, sensible] service”. It’s only right – Jesus gave His all for us; what reason do we have for not giving our all for Him?
Such sacrifices we offer up in being godly spouses, parents, and children, members who are a blessing our local congregations, students and employees who are salt and light – all need to be in accordance to the Word of GOD, His instruction, His wisdom and counsel. By this means, in sweet surrender, we allow the LORD to do that transforming work in us whereby our minds are renewed and demonstrate GOD’s perfect will (2 COR 4:16; EPH 4:23-24; COL 3:10).
What we are not to do is “be conformed to this world” and beware of things that can spoil us as unblemished offerings:
COLOSSIANS 2:8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
But rather:
COLOSSIANS 2:6-7,11-14
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
When we mix psychology and philosophies according to business practices into the church of Jesus Christ, we are giving blemished offerings. When we aren’t married to the person we are living with, or under the roof with someone who isn’t our spouse, we are giving blemished offerings. When we are neglectful of our children, caring for them spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, financially we are giving blemished offerings.
When we paint our ministries up to look a lot more powerful and effective than they really are, to get the applause of men we are giving blemished offerings. When we are in the sanctuary with raised hands, looking so pious and holy, yet we are holding unforgiveness, or envy, or malice towards others, we are giving blemished offerings.
When our pastors mix the ungodly, secular theories and belief systems, or even blending in doctrines from false religions (read that “doctrines of demons” 1 TIM 4:1) when they encourage their congregations to read the latest book by some Progressive Christian author or promote contemplative prayer (or centering prayer, breathe prayers, labyrinth practices, the Lectio Divina).
You get the point.
In this passage from MALACHI, GOD has some rather alarming things to say:
"Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," says the LORD of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.”
In other words, the LORD is saying, “Who will lock the doors of my temple so that no one can get in and offer this offensive trash to Me? I want nothing to do with any of that!”
Very much like:
ISAIAH 1:10-15
10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
Even if these sacrifices are without blemish, but offered up with a wrong heart – a cold, uncaring heart that is motivated by religious formalism – are these acceptable to the LORD?
Can we expect to receive the LORD’s favor in our lives when we put on a good show in church, and before others and in sight of Christians elsewhere in town when inwardly we are not those “living sacrifices…holy and acceptable to GOD”? When we are dealing “under the table” thinking that “nobody sees it”? When we’d rather have fellowship with our television watching our favorite sporting event than spending much needed quality time with our wives and children?
When we drop an offering in the collection plate, but there is no love for the LORD in it?
Can we expect our prayers to be heard in church when our homes are silent with such petitions?
In my mind I can picture folks leaving church and waving goodbye to GOD, promising to visit Him at “His house” next Sunday, and GOD is asking if He could go to their home, but the reply is, “Oh, no – that’s OK GOD, we promise we’ll be back!” Yet some professing Christians live this way! As if their life is divided between the Christian way of life and the Secular.
It's as though Christians conduct themselves as “practical atheists”.
Check out pastor Sonny Islas of SHINE BRIGHT Church addressing PRACTICAL ATHEISTS – Part ONE, Part TWO
When we know that there is a family down the street that’s struggling to put food on the table, while we plan out our multi-thousand dollar patio?
Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, our GOD is nearer to us than any Old Testament saint could know because He dwells in us. How much greater an offense He must take when we, who are the children of GOD, offer up blemished offerings?
What these apostate Jews said of the LORD’s temple and considering the offerings they brought, none of us as Christians would dare say such things as these with our lips:
"But you profane it, In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.' You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it," says the LORD of hosts.”
But do we ever think such things in our hearts: “Oh, man, it’s Sunday again already? I went last week, I deserve a break and do something I really like. And they announced Prayer Meeting at church… not going there! I wouldn’t know what to say anyway! Some of those people at church are so ‘holier than thou’ about the Bible but I’m not going to take such things to extremes myself!
ISAIAH 1:16-17a-18
16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good…
18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
The LORD said to Israel, “You are profaning My Holy Name, but I’ll have you know that My Name will be glorified among the Gentiles (MAL 1:11). The LORD greatly desires to use us for His glory and for our blessing and reward, but if we don’t repent of our “blemished offerings” then the LORD will use some other Christian. The same goes for our church. May it be not so, saints. Let us consider our ways, ask the LORD to search our hearts and convict us of any wrong doing, so that as “living sacrifices we may be acceptable to GOD”! This is our just, and reasonable service!
MICAH 6:6-8
6 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
For more on this, check out the following podcast EXTREME TIMES with Greg Reid:
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