Malachi 3:6-12 The Citizen

Theological Proposition/Focus:

Homiletical Proposition/Application:

Introduction:

Setting the Stage:

Malachi was written to a Jewish remnant in Palestine. After the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, the people were deported. In 536 BC some of the people were allowed to return and in 516 BC a new temple had been constructed. Nehemiah who had come to help rebuild the city returned to Persia in 432 BC. Xerxes was king and he imposed heavy taxes on Palestine. Malachi wrote to the people in this context.

The theme is one of patient hope in God and special emphasis is placed on God's demand for justice. Malachi taught that spiritual apathy is unacceptable before God. God has plans for the future and expects his people to change their attitude and worship him through faith always trusting that he is sovereign. God’s standards have theological, social, and ethical implications and God expects his people to live by those standards.

Malachi's style is one of asking good questions and significantly, Malachi is the last prophet to write before John the Baptist comes on the scene more than 400 years later.

Body

Principle: Citizenship comes with rules but is impossible to lose (6-7).

Image: The penalty for speeding

As a citizen of a country, there are certain rules you are expected to follow. Suppose you are caught speeding, what is the penalty? You are fined. Suppose you get caught speeding again? Again you get fined. Now suppose you are caught stealing, what is the penalty? You are fined and might get placed in jail. Do you ever risk losing your citizenship? No.

In Malachi 1 the people had asked an important question. Does God even love us? You see the people had returned to the land and built the temple, yet they had not been blessed the way they expected. The people were stuck in the absence of blessing wondering if God still loved them.

God is faithful even thought we are disobedient (6-7a)

The Bible is filled with examples of people who disobey God. Time and time again, The people of Israel failed to obey.

Exodus 32:7–9

In fact, as Moses was receiving the very law of God, the people were breaking the law.

God patiently waits for his people to return

However, as we see in the second half of the verse, God promises to return to those who return to him. The people of God never cease to be the people of God. God is faithful and is simply waiting for us to return to him.

We know better yet we fain ignorance (7b)

It seems that Israel, in response to God's call for them to obey responded with the classic, I didn't know better, what do you want me to do.