Major Message from the Minor Prophets: Be Careful What you Ask For — Malachi

The Gospel of Mark opens with the author referring to Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of the Lord God into the world, and a messenger who will proceed him.

“The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3 “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” (, NIV84). Verse 2 quotes and verse 3 quotes . After quoting these Old Testament prophets Mark continues, “And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” (, NIV84). All four gospels tell the story of John son of Zechariah. He bursts forth on Israel’s populace like the proverbial bolt-out-of-the-blue, and causes almost instant Messianic-fever in the nation. Within the year Jesus comes on the scene preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God. John proclaims him as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (). And with that proclamation Jesus begins to increase, and John begins to decrease.

Why is John so important in the scheme of God’s redemptive work in history? Why did his appearance cause such a stir in Jewish culture? John is the first prophetic voice in Israel in 450 years. When Malachi concludes his prophecy God goes silent. Therefore when John appears proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” Israel is ready to listen. The promise of John’s arrival is traced all the way back to this evening’s text.

I. THE COMPLAINT OF THE PEOPLE (2:17)

“You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” (, NIV84)

1.the Prophet tells them “You have wearied Yahweh with your words”

a. again the people feigned innocence, and demanded proof, saying “Wherein have we wearied him?”

we wearied him?”

2. Malachi offered as proof the fact that they were alleging, “Everyone who does evil is good in the eyes of Yahweh”

good in the eyes of Yahweh”

a. this is the age-old complaint: the wicked prosper while the righteous don’t

1) the Jews are essentially saying to God, “Lord, we’re the ‘good guys’ ... we’re your covenant people, and we have faithfully served You, yet we’re suffering while our pagan neighbors are prospering ... What gives?

covenant people, and we have faithfully served You, yet we’re suffering while our pagan neighbors are prospering ... What gives?

b. the Jew’s underlying assumption here is that prosperity always results from divine blessing and implies divine approval, while poverty and misfortune always results from divine cursing and implies divine disapproval

blessing and implies divine approval, while poverty and misfortune always results from divine cursing and implies divine disapproval

1) since Israel is struggling and their pagan neighbors are prospering, then ipso facto, God must “delight” in the wicked else they would not be so blessed

facto, God must “delight” in the wicked else they would not be so blessed

c. their conclusion is that Yahweh is not a God of justice

1) either evil is pleasing to God or there is no God of justice

3. their doubts and skepticism reveal a very select memory

a. the Lord had amply demonstrated his immanence and his justice throughout the history of his relationship with Israel

history of his relationship with Israel

1) it was in response to their cries for help that the Lord had delivered them from oppression in Egypt by “a mighty hand” ()

oppression in Egypt by “a mighty hand” ()

2) He had given them the sacrificial system so that he could dwell among them and righteous laws which if Israel followed would bring glory to them and to him before the nations

righteous laws which if Israel followed would bring glory to them and to him before the nations

3) the Lord had guided the people throughout the period of the judges and the monarchy, alternately delivering them or disciplining them as was necessary, climaxing in the exile and restoration

monarchy, alternately delivering them or disciplining them as was necessary, climaxing in the exile and restoration

b. Nehemiah recognized these things, confessing the Lord’s righteousness, faithfulness, and compassion since the time of Moses ()

faithfulness, and compassion since the time of Moses ()

4. Malachi’s audience had concluded (as we sometimes do), in effect, that God was either unjust or negligent — either way, he was not being faithful to his covenant

either unjust or negligent — either way, he was not being faithful to his covenant

a. no wonder the Lord was weary of them!

b. I must point out that the same people who are now claiming to be so righteous and deserving were the very ones offering God blemished animals, complaining about how burdensome it was to worship God, marring pagans, and divorcing their wives

deserving were the very ones offering God blemished animals, complaining about how burdensome it was to worship God, marring pagans, and divorcing their wives

c. there were hardly paragons of virtue

1) many of their hardships and problems were self-inflicted

5. the Covenant People of God have wearied God by questioning God’s goodness and His sense of justice

His sense of justice

a. in this passage God warns His people to prepare for the justice they’re demanding

b. for the wicked, including the insolent in Judah, it will be as the Prophet Amos foretold ...

foretold ...

“Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light.” (, NIV84)

II. THE PROMISE TO THE PEOPLE (3:1)

“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.” (, NIV84)

1. here we have a Messianic prophecy that serves as a promise — God responds with, “You want justice? I’ll you justice”

“You want justice? I’ll you justice”

a. The God of judgment was nearer than any of the skeptics imagined

b. Malachi stressed that the coming of God would be both certain and sudden

1) the word see that begins vs. 1 of chapter three is actually the world behold

2) the term suggests something shocking, and certain to happen

A. THE CERTAINTY OF THE LORD’S COMING

“ ... prepare the way before me ... “

1. the prophet writes, See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me

a. the “me” of , the one who is coming to the people of Israel, is none other then the Lord Almighty — the I Am of the Exodus

then the Lord Almighty — the I Am of the Exodus

1) remember that it this is God speaking the words of

2) this verse is astounding — the Lord, Himself, will come to His people

3) here is a veiled prophecy of the incarnation

2. Jesus, himself, quoted this verse in and distinctly identifies John as the messenger of

messenger of

a. in identifying John as the messenger he, by inference, identifies himself as the me of

1) in other words, Jesus identifies himself as the Lord Almighty

2) it’s a clear claim to his deity

b. Jesus is not merely another prophet coming hot on the heels of John the Baptist

1) he is the Anointed One

c. the sequence is clear: the Lord Almighty = the me of , and the me of Mal. 3:1 = the Jesus of the New Testament

3:1 = the Jesus of the New Testament

3. the 1st Advent of Jesus did not happen in a vacuum — the Jews had certain expectations of who the Anointed One of Israel was, and what would take place before his coming

expectations of who the Anointed One of Israel was, and what would take place before his coming

a. those who had eyes to see and ears to hear understood that the Anointed One would be more than just a prophet come from God — he would be God

would be more than just a prophet come from God — he would be God

1) this is why Peter could confess at Caesarea Philippi “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”

of the Living God”

2) this is why the Apostle John would write in the Prologue of his Gospel

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. ... 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ” (, , NIV84)

4. the promise of is that the Lord Almighty will come in person to His people

a. God will condescend to meet his people face-to-face

b. but in the long run, it’s not a meeting God’s Covenant People are necessarily going to enjoy

to enjoy

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. 5 “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.” (, NIV84)

ILLUS. Here’s a great Old Testament illustration of the adage, “Be careful what you wish for!”

wish for!”

5. what’s hard to grasp, if your not reading carefully, is that has already happened and refers to the Lord’s 1st Advent

happened and refers to the Lord’s 1st Advent

a. has not yet happened, but will, and refers to the Lord’s 2nd Advent

1) we know vs. 2-5 have not yet happened because they don’t describe any part of our Lord’s three-year ministry as found in the Gospels

our Lord’s three-year ministry as found in the Gospels

2) but they do describe our Lord’s ministry as seen in the Book of Revelation

b. this prophetic style is called prophetic foreshortening

1) the classic illustration is that of the advent of Messiah

2) the Prophets saw only one coming, with no distinction made between two phases of that coming

of that coming

3) thus, what the Prophets saw as transpiring once-for-all in ‘the latter days’ in a very condensed period of time, is actually realized over an expanse of time which, for us, has already spanned two millennia in length

very condensed period of time, is actually realized over an expanse of time which, for us, has already spanned two millennia in length

ILLUS. It’s like driving toward the mountains. When you hit the town of Strasburg, CO. on Interstate 70, you begin to get a really good glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. You see in the foreground what they call “the Front Range” which reach from 6,000 to about 10,000 feet in elevation. Behind the Front Range is the Sawatch Range which contains the highest peaks in Colorado. From out on the High Plains it looks like a very short distance between the two, but if you’ve ever driven it, you know the two ranges are over seventy miles apart.

CO. on Interstate 70, you begin to get a really good glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. You see in the foreground what they call “the Front Range” which reach from 6,000 to about 10,000 feet in elevation. Behind the Front Range is the Sawatch Range which contains the highest peaks in Colorado. From out on the High Plains it looks like a very short distance between the two, but if you’ve ever driven it, you know the two ranges are over seventy miles apart.

B. THE PREREQUISITE OF THE LORD’S COMING

“ ... I will send my messenger ... “

1. the messenger of is an individual who will prepare the way for the coming of the Lord

of the Lord

a. this messenger who will prepare the Lord’s way is the “one” of who call out to Israel, “ ... “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” (, NIV84)

out to Israel, “ ... “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” (, NIV84)

b. this messenger is also the prophet Elijah of

2. every single Gospel identifies John son of Zechariah — known better as “the Baptist” as the “messenger” or forerunner of both Malachi and Isaiah

as the “messenger” or forerunner of both Malachi and Isaiah

a. and Jesus clearly identifies John with the coming of Elijah

1) the Jewish people of 2,000 years ago were expecting to see the prophet Elijah literally, physically descend from heaven to usher in the Messianic age

literally, physically descend from heaven to usher in the Messianic age

a) he was taken up into heaven in a fiery chariot, and many expected him to return in that same fiery chariot

return in that same fiery chariot

2) they took God’s prophecy in Malachi literally

a) when he came, it would be to announce the immanent Advent of God’s Anointed One — Messiah

Anointed One — Messiah

ILLUS To this day, when Jews celebrate the Seder Feast at Passover, there is always an empty chair at the table just in case Elijah should choose to return. At his place setting is an empty cup — it’s called “Elijah’s Cup”. The place-setting and the cup represent the promise of redemption, which for the Jews, they believe has not yet come. Sadly, the wine poured into this cup remains untouched to the end, and is always poured back into the bottle after the Seder is over. What the Jewish people have failed to accept is that Elijah has come, but they rejected him, just as they rejected God’s Anointed One.

always an empty chair at the table just in case Elijah should choose to return. At his place setting is an empty cup — it’s called “Elijah’s Cup”. The place-setting and the cup represent the promise of redemption, which for the Jews, they believe has not yet come. Sadly, the wine poured into this cup remains untouched to the end, and is always poured back into the bottle after the Seder is over. What the Jewish people have failed to accept is that Elijah has come, but they rejected him, just as they rejected God’s Anointed One.

3. this prophecy is important because it became one of the primary reasons why the Jewish people rejected Jesus’ claim to be Messiah

Jewish people rejected Jesus’ claim to be Messiah

a. since they believed in a literal coming of Elijah, then Jesus, or anyone else who claimed to be the Messiah before Elijah’s visible return from heaven had to be an imposter

claimed to be the Messiah before Elijah’s visible return from heaven had to be an imposter

b. Jesus clearly understood this Jewish expectation, and explains it

“The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.” (, NIV84)

c. Jesus tells the disciples, “Yes, our religious leaders are correct ... Elijah must return before Messiah comes. He has, and his name is John son of Zechariah, the one who baptized in the wilderness.”

before Messiah comes. He has, and his name is John son of Zechariah, the one who baptized in the wilderness.”

4. was John the Baptist a “second coming” or a reincarnation of Elijah?

a. no

b. the answer is made clear to us by the Angel who visited Zechariah in the Temple announcing the birth of his son

announcing the birth of his son

“Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (, NIV84)

1) there it is ...

2) John is not a return of Elijah in the flesh, not is he a reincarnation of Elijah

c. John is his own man, with his own prophetic calling who came in the spirit and the power of Elijah

power of Elijah

ILLUS. If you compare the ministries of Elijah and John you see similarities. They both dressed the same — a camel’s hair tunic and a leather belt, they both preached in the wilderness, both men preached a message of repentance, both men took on the sins of kings and had high-profile enemies.

dressed the same — a camel’s hair tunic and a leather belt, they both preached in the wilderness, both men preached a message of repentance, both men took on the sins of kings and had high-profile enemies.

5. so then, the messenger of is a reference to the person we know as John the Baptist

the Baptist

a. his message is that of repentance, and he tells his audience, “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” ()

at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” ()

6. some theologians believe that a third Elijah is still to come, who will usher in the Lord’s 2nd Advent

2nd Advent

“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. 3 Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the LORD Almighty. 4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” (, NIV84)

C. THE SUDDENNESS OF THE LORD’S COMING

“ ... Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.” (, NIV84)

1. the word suddenly indicates that the Lord’s coming would be unexpected

a. when you read the Gospels, no one expected God’s Anointed One to come in the way he did, or where he did

way he did, or where he did

1) no one expected a baby, born to working-class parents, in the backwater community of Nazareth in the bucolic province of Galilee to be God’s Anointed One

community of Nazareth in the bucolic province of Galilee to be God’s Anointed One

2) we have names for people born in such areas ... a clodhopper, a country bumpkin, a yokel

bumpkin, a yokel

3) this is how the entitled elitists of Jerusalem would have seen Jesus

b. they would not have considered him a serious candidate for Israel’s Messiah

2. but this one who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but who made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant was, in Peter’s word, the Christ, the Son of the Living God

made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant was, in Peter’s word, the Christ, the Son of the Living God

a. and he did come suddenly to His Temple, and immediately began to administer the justice that Malachi prophesied

justice that Malachi prophesied

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (, NIV84)

b. notice that the Temple he cleansed is, according to Malachi, his temple

1) the one who cleansed his temple is the one who gave its design to David

3. but the cleansing of the temple is only a veiled glimpse of the justice he will administer when he comes again

when he comes again

III. THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.” (, NIV84)

1. the Jews expected Messiah to come to judge the heathen

a. Malachi warned the skeptics that they would be the first to be judged

2. Malachi uses two illustrations to reveal the ultimate purpose of the incarnation

a. he will refine us, and he will cleans us

3. thus Messiah would be one who would purge sin from the lives of his people

IV. LESSONS from

1. Malachi Provides a Veiled Glimpse of the Anointed One’s Deity

a. the great majority of bible historians, and critical New Testament scholars believe that the deity of Christ was a later invention of the Church as they sought to promote and advance the cause of Christianity

that the deity of Christ was a later invention of the Church as they sought to promote and advance the cause of Christianity

b. they believe that the deity of Christ was a doctrine invented centuries after Jesus’ death — a result of pagan influences on the church in the fourth century when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as its official religion

death — a result of pagan influences on the church in the fourth century when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as its official religion

1) Emperor Constantine, in particular, is blamed for being the guy who promoted Jesus to the level of deity, a feat of cosmic proportions that he managed to pull off at the Council of Nicaea in 325

Jesus to the level of deity, a feat of cosmic proportions that he managed to pull off at the Council of Nicaea in 325

c. but a faithful reading of the Scriptures reveals how ridiculous such assumptions are

1) the Apostles believed in the deity of Jesus because of what they saw, but also because of what they read in Malachi’s prophecy

because of what they read in Malachi’s prophecy

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.” (, NIV8 4)

2. Being Conformed to the Image of Christ Is Not a Painless Process

a. the images of the refiner’s fire and the fuller’s soap imply painful processes, of which the intention is to burn out the dross, and beat out the filth

which the intention is to burn out the dross, and beat out the filth

b. this process began when we came to Christ, and will be consummated at his 2nd Advent

Advent

3. Christ is Coming Again in Judgment — Be Ready!

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