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Malachi, Wake Up!

One of the greatest threats the people of God have ever faced is complacency. This can be incredibly hard to spot, but the effects are devastating. It is hard to see because on the surface nothing appears to be wrong. There is no blatant disobedience of God's commands to be seen. Idolatry seems to be absent. Still, while these are good things, they do not guarantee a healthy spiritual life.

The people of Judah were struggling with this very issue. They had returned from exile, the temple had been rebuilt, and an entire generation had been born once again in the Promised Land. Everything seemed to be fine, so why did God send the prophet Malachi? Complacency.

Background

The book of Malachi was written by the prophet Malachi, whose name means "my messenger." The book was written around 450 BC, about the same time as Ezra and Nehemiah. This makes it one of the last Old Testament books to be written. The book condemns many of the same sins that Ezra and Nehemiah dealt with, further supporting the fact that they were probably contemporaries. 

Themes

The people of Judah have become complacent in their relationship with God. They have lost the fervor and the joy that they once had. They are offering mediocre sacrifices and really just going through the motions of worship. While there isn't any blatant idol worship or anything like that doesn't mean the situation isn't dire.

One group in particular that God points to as responsible is the priests. These are the teachers of Israel, the upholders of God's word. They have been tasked with making sure that the covenant people remain faithful to God. The priests are to be living examples of the larger role Israel plays with the other nations. The problem is they aren't doing their job.

The priests aren't holding the people accountable. They aren't offering the best that they have to sacrifice, and the priests are letting them get away with it. What's more the priests are being partial in their instruction and not giving all the people knowledge of God's Law.

Where the leaders lead, so the people follow. God sees what is happening and doesn't like it. So he sends the prophet Malachi to confront the people with a simple message: wake up!

God wants the priests to wake up and start leading the people the way he commanded them to. God wants the people to wake up and start taking their relationship with God seriously. God wants them to wake up because the long awaited redemption is coming soon.

Theological Point

It is time for us to wake up. Too often we define our faith based on what we don't do. We don't drink. We don't commit sexual immorality. We don't steal or murder or lie. This is important, but it is just as grievous a crime to become complacent; to make obeying God a chore.

Fervor and excitement are things not easily held onto for the long haul. We see in the parable of the sower that some seed fell onto the rocky ground and sprang up quickly, but without roots it died. This describes us too often. We have an idea, or get someone fired up about Christ, and it's great for a month or two. Unfortunately it doesn't last. 

Zeal can never last when it is rooted in who we are and what we are doing. Fervor is designed to be rooted in the person of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. It is important for us to remember that, especially those who lead the people of God.

Conclusion

Well, we finally made it through the Old Testament! It is really hard for me to believe that we have made it this far. Soon we shall arrive at Jesus, the person all of creation has been waiting for. 

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