Scripture: Malachi 1:1-14 (NKJV)
1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.
2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved
us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved; 3
But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the
jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Even though Edom has said, “We have been
impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places,” Thus says the
LORD of hosts: “They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the
Territory of Wickedness, and the people against whom the LORD will have
indignation forever. 5 Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, ‘The LORD is
magnified beyond the border of Israel.’
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.
Devotion
We are always tempted to believe the Lord does not love us. When temptation
strikes, when trials weary our minds, and when nothing seems to go in our
favor, we easily reason that God must be against us. The people of Malachi’s
day complained against the Gospel and said, “In what way have you loved us?”
This unbelief in God’s favor and face shining upon them led them to treat His
newly rebuilt temple and His Divine Service with contempt. They offered defiled
food on the altar and complained that the worship of the Lord was wearying. Of
course it was wearying! If you don’t believe the Lord is favorable and gracious
to you, worship is a heavy burden because the Lord is only worshiped by faith.
The Lord reminds Israel of His favor and faithfulness, for He chose the
children of Jacob to be His people.
When our flesh is tempted to believe that God is against us and not for us, it
is impossible to truly worship the Lord. Faith in the Gospel is the only
response to such temptations and carnal thinking. Faith believes that no matter
the outward circumstance, the Lord loves us and is giving us good things
according to His fatherly divine goodness and mercy. We are to remember that
“God so loved the world” and that love is manifested in His sending of Jesus to
die for our sins. If the Father spared not His Only-Begotten Son for us, why on
earth would anything else be able to separate us “from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord?”
The Lutheran Herald is a publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of
North America. These daily devotions are authored by the bishop, pastors, and
deacons of the diocese. Daily posts are provided by The Reverend Jeffrey A.
Ahonen.
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