Sermon Tone Analysis
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Is it Useless to Serve God?
This is the climatic section of the book of Malachi with many significant truths revealed.
But, at the beginning, the people lament:
14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?
15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’
” (, NKJV)
Certainly many believers have thought this way when facing persecution, tribulation, and other difficulties in serving Jesus Christ.
Indeed, some have even faced DEATH by living in fellowship with God.[i]
What is the answer for such a question?
Malachi, in this last section, provides both a clear and powerful answer to this question.
[i] .
Do you think it is worth it to serve God?
A Coming DAY of Judgment
The Hebrew word יוֹם yom = day is used 5 times in this section.
Note:
17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My personal possession.
And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
()
4 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
(, NKJV)
3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.
(, NKJV)
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
(, NKJV)
Here Malachi is speaking of an event that is spoken of VERY often[i] in the Old Testament – THE DAY OF YAHWEH = THE DAY OF THE LORD.
This DAY will begin at the Rapture of Jesus Christ[ii] and extend to the end of the Millennium[iii].
It will be a day of JUDGMENT for both ISRAEL and the entire WORLD.[iv]
But why is this an answer to their question?
Because that DAY will bring both JUDGMENT on the WICKED and REWARD for the RIGHTEOUS.
Note:
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.
17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My personal possession.
And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
18 Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.
(, NKJV)
Though the word “then” is speaking of those during the Tribulation who will FEAR THE LORD = TURN TO JESUS CHRIST[v] it also applies to those – during Malachi’s day – who were living RIGHTEOUSLY.
The term סְגֻלָּה sugullah = personal possession surely refers to THOSE WHO WILL RULE WITH JESUS CHRIST during His Millennial Kingdom on earth.[vi]
He purchased them with His own blood and they are His PERSONAL TREASURE[vii].
Thus there will be GREAT ETERNAL REWARD for those who – in this life –are SERVING THE LORD.
It is well worth it to live – today – in the FEAR OF THE LORD.[viii]
[i] My LOGOS program gives at least 134 occurrences of this event in the O.T.
[ii] Cf .
[iii] Cf .
[iv] Note, for example, , [for JUDGMENT on ISRAEL] and , .
[v] Cf .
[vi] This kingdom rule will also extend into eternity (Cf ] and will undoubtedly include righteous JEWS (, and this passage in Malachi) and also righteous GENTILES from the Assembly ().
[vii] Cf and .
[viii] ; ; .
Why is Malachi’s answer - that the Day of the LORD is at hand - an answer to the question “Why should I serve God?”?
What about Us Today?
Certainly this principle is valid for us today.
We also are awaiting the RAPTURE[1] and THE JUDGMENT-SEAT OF CHRIST[2].
It is VERY PROFITABLE[3] for us to live in fellowship with the Lord as we await His imminent return[4].
If we remain faithful in keeping His commandments we also will REIGN WITH JESUS CHRIST![5] “Even so come, Lord Jesus!”[6]
[1] .
[2] .
[3] ; .
[4] Cf .
[5] .
[6] .
What application can I make today concerning Malachi’s message?
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