Love Doubted Yields Love Withheld

Malachi 1:1-5

INTRODUCTION: Though many of the circumstances surrounding the LORD’s relationship with Israel were much different than those surrounding the New Testament believer’s relationship, many of the foundational truths that helped or hindered Israel equally hinder or help us today. I fear that the doubt or question plaguing Israel in Malachi’s day is the same doubt or question plaguing many fruitless saints today.

I. THE QUESTION OF GOD’S LOVE (Malachi 1:1-5)

A. The Lord’s Love Declared (Malachi 1:2)

1. By the mouth of the Malachi (Malachi 1:1)
2. From the mouth of the LORD (Malachi 1:2)

B. Israel’s Doubt Declared (Malachi 1:2)

1. Yet ye say
2. Wherein hast thou loved us?
3. Note: This is going to be an ongoing problem throughout this book (see Malachi 1:6, 7, 12, 13; Malachi 2:14, 17; Malachi 3:7, 8, 13, 14) to the point that the scripture says, “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words” (Malachi 2:17).

C. The Lord’s Love Demonstrated (Malachi 1:2-5)

1. The LORD chose Jacob (Malachi 1:2)
2. The LORD refused Esau (Malachi 1:3)
3. The LORD continued to choose Jacob (Malachi 1:4-5)

II. THE RESULTING DISOBEDIENCE (Malachi 1:6-14; Malachi 3:13-15)

A. The Refusal to Honour the LORD (Malachi 1:6)

1. The accusation of dishonour
a. As a son honoureth his father
1.) If then I be a father
2.) Where is mine honour?
b. As a servant honoureth his master
1.) If I be a master
2.) Where is my fear?
2. The accusation of despising the LORD
3. The rebuttal – “Wherein have we despised thy name?”

B. The Refusal to Honour the Things of the LORD (Malachi 1:7-14)

1. The accusation of unacceptable sacrifices (Malachi 1:7-9)
a. The accusation
1.) Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar (Malachi 1:7)
2.) They offered to the LORD that which they would not have offered to their governor (Malachi 1:8-9)
b. The rebuttal – “Wherein have we polluted thee?” (Malachi 1:7)
2. The accusation of unacceptable service (Malachi 1:10)
a. Who is there among you that would shut the doors for nought?
b. Neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought.
3. The accusation of unacceptable reverence (Malachi 1:11-14)
a. The greatness of the LORD’s name among the Gentiles (Malachi 1:11)
b. The profaning of the LORD’s name among Jews (Malachi 1:12-14)

C. The Refusal to Honour Service to God (Malachi 3:13-15)

1. They questioned the profitability of serving God (Malachi 3:13-14)
2. They suggested profitability to wickedness (Malachi 3:15)

III. THE CALL TO RETURN (Malachi 3:7-12)

A. The Dual Nature of the Return (Malachi 3:7)

1. Return unto me
2. I will return unto you (James 4:8)

B. The Call for Repentance (Malachi 3:8-10)

1. Ye have robbed God (Malachi 3:8)
2. Ye are cursed with a curse (Malachi 3:9)
3. Bring the tithes (Malachi 3:10)

C. The Promise of Blessing (Malachi 3:10-12)

1. Obedience yields overwhelming blessings (Malachi 3:10)
2. Obedience yields supernatural protection (Malachi 3:11)
3. Obedience yields envy from others (Malachi 3:12)

CONCLUSION: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). When we doubt or question that love, we set ourselves on a course of disobedience and faithlessness.