Greetings everyone and thanks for joining me for this edition of our Sunday School preview. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “Leading Justly” and is found in Malachi 2:1-9; 3:5-6.
For the last four Sundays we have been examining the message and ministry of some of the so-called “Minor Prophets”. Among them have been Amos, Habakkuk, and Micah. They all have these two things in common: the people to which they prophesied were corrupt in their relationship with God and they are pre-exilic prophets.
In this lesson we take a look at a similar message from another minor prophet but he is different from the others in that his message was to a nation who had returned from exile. It would seem like people would learn from their mistakes and not repeat them.
But after only 100 years from their return from captivity, Israel was returning to the ways that led them into captivity. Such behavior must have been disappointing and frustrating to God which I will not go into today. The text of the lesson addresses several issues with the behavior of the people and with the priest particularly.
Malachi begins this lesson with a warning to the priest from God to listen to Him and glorify Him or face cursing and humiliation upon themselves and their descendants. Then God reminds them of their heritage and covenant He made with their predecessors.
There was a group of priests before them that took their responsibility seriously and honored God with their service. He told them of the need of and importance of truth to enable people to turn from iniquity.
Malachi tells them that the people depend on them for guidance and they are leading the people astray. They have corrupted the covenant and solemn responsible of Levi and the priesthood to God and the people by their conduct. And because of all this, the people have lost respect for you and have departed from God’s word.
Finally, Malachi list a number of charges against with God will deal quickly against. The list includes adultery, lying and magic or spell casting. But also note that God has a serious problem with people who take advantage of others. The rest of the list address how people treat the most vulnerable in a society. One that just stood out for me was the way they were depriving the foreigners or immigrants or refugees of justice.
The bible tells us that all of us who are Christians now have the role of priest. 1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a royal priesthood called to proclaim the virtues of God. This is what Malachi was telling the priest of his day they were not doing. Many, if not most, Christians don’t think of themselves as priest and therefore don’t act like one in covenant with God offering spiritual sacrifices.
As a result, the people we are called to minister and witness too don’t have much respect for our calls to salvation and don’t fear and obey God. This is the same problem Malachi pointed out about the priest he preached to. When more of us begin to embrace our priesthood and begin to honor God with true spiritual sacrifices, we will begin to see a change in the hearts and minds of those we have been charged to call and serve.
Malachi warned of cursing and humiliation against those priests who didn’t honor God. That is a similar warning among others that Jesus uttered himself when He said that everyone who says to Him Lord, Lord will not enter the kingdom.
Well, I hope you will attend SS this coming Sunday and share your thoughts with your class. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview. So, until next time remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
