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Malachi

 

I asked the Lord yesterday what kind of life did he want me to live, If he wanted me to live a disciplined Warrior Style life, where I exercise and diet well or how he wanted me to be, I knew already he wanted me to love Him and my neighbor and I’m working on that, but I was curious about this aspect. Immediately the book of Malachi popped in my head. 

Outline

1.       A dispute over the love of GOD 1:1-15

2.       A  dispute over GOD’s honor with the priests 1:6-2:9

3.       A dispute over the peoples unfaithfulness 2:10-16

4.       A dispute over GOD’s Judgment 2:17-3:6

5.       A dispute over returning to GOD 3:7-12

6.       A dispute over rebellion against GOD 3:13-18

7.       Warnings relative to the coming of the great day of the Lord 4:1-6

a.       The certainty of the coming day 4:1-3

b.      The promise of Elijah in the coming day 4:4-6

2/13/09

First I read the New King James version then I read the NIV then NAS.

 

2/14/2009, 2:50 PM

Studied in my study bible

o    This book  is about the attitude one should have when worshipping, the heart

o    Last book of OT

o    About the error of forgetting God’s love

o    Malachi means  “my messenger”

o    Prophecy of John the Baptist

o    God’s response to a loveless condition

 

 

 

Passages that touched me and what was spoken to me internally.

 

1:2 “I have loved you, and the people respond How?”

 He says Jacob he has loved but Esau he has hated, In other words, He picked Jacob, he revealed himself to Jacob and not His brother. In my life he has shown himself to me, I know he loves me because I can feel, and see his presence.  I count myself lucky, and loved because he has loved me, and made me aware of his presence in my life. I’m glad I’m not someone that he has not shown himself too.

 

1:7 “You offer defiled food on my alter”

This tells me that in all things for GOD that they should be done as if they are FOR GOD, In other words if I cook or if I work, or if I speak to my brother, and I’m wearing GODs name, IE I am a Christian. I need to be sure that I am doing these things in honor of GOD, in correctness. I need not be sloppy in my cooking, not lazy in my work, or careless in my speech, I’m doing this for GOD in GOD’s Holy name as a Christian. I’m setting an example.  I need to pray to be very careful in my actions and what I say, I do not wish to defile the name of the LORD.

 

2:7 “For the lips of the priest should keep knowledge and the people should seek law from his mouth.”

 

In Christ we are kings and Priests, He holds us to the same standard as he did the Levites, he expects me to know his law, and speak it, and repeat it, he expects me to turn others toward him, away from their sin towards GOD. He will send people to us to council and he expects us to know his words and repeat them.

 

2:14-2:16

This is all about Marriage, It’s obvious that God love marriage and Hates divorce, he wants us to stay together,  he also points out that the reason your crying on the alter is because you broke your covenant with GOD and your wife of youth. That divorce leads to misery and it’ll never be good. He also implies that a Godly Marriage will produce Godly children.

 

3 Behold I send My Messenger

 

Does God expect us to also fulfill this role? Should we also clear the way for Jesus, point people to Jesus as John the Baptist did?

 

3:8 “Will a man rob God?”

It’s sometimes hard to remember that everything belongs to GOD, that he has provided all to us, If we work hard for what we have then is our reward these  things? This money? In which GOD has willing giving anyway? Or is our reward in our hard work?

He only asks that we give back to his house “temple” or “church” 10% in which he has provided. I’m starting to see now that I need not work hard for things, that GOD would provide anyway, but I need to work hard for GOD and let him provide the things, then give some of those things “10%” or “First fruits” to the Church for my brothers that work hard for him as well.

 

 

3:12 All the nations will call you blessed,

I want GOD’s love to flow through me so that when others see it they will say “I want that”

 

3:13

People complain that it’s not worth doing the things GOD wants, They complain that bad people see no justice so why should they be good. GOD warns here that those who LOVE him, Meditate on his name, on the day that I make them my jewels, I will spare them  3:17. HRMMMMM

Is this a reference to the Rapture? That we will all be changed,  and spared from the wrath, he then says that you will be able to discern between the righteous and the wicked.  Will the righteous be made jewels, glorified? Will we then be changed body and soul into children of GOD and then caught up? It seems that is what he mans because next, in chapter 4, he goes into the coming DAY OF THE LORD.

 I undersand now that the LORD is more concerned about my heart and my attitude than anything. He wants to see me live a good life that is fufilled in him. He knows what best and he knows how to prvide blessing, he just needs my heart to be right so he may provide those blessings. It doesn’t matter how disiplined I am if my attitude is wrong then it won’t do me any good. I’ll turn my focuse and obeyance to him and let him lead. He knows what’s best for me and my growth.

I pray that this may be so.