***How we perceive God influences how we worship Him***

Through their worship the whole world would know He is the GRAET King (Malachi 1:11, 14b).

***The people of Israel had become bored with God, and to them they were just fulfilling rituals and no relational worship***

Malachi was a Pre-Exilic prophet, the last OT Prophet, and after his prophesies, there was silence for 400 years until Jesus was born.

Malachi 1:5 Great is the LORD, even beyond Israel borders.

Charge 1: Malachi 1

v6 Dishonour and disrespect

v7 Priests were offering defiled food on the altar, and treating the LORD’S table with contempt.

v8 They would offer the blind animals, the lame and the diseased ones.

**God’s complain: Try offering those animals to your governor and see if he will be happy**

v10 God commanded that someone should hurry and shut the temple doors so that they don’t light useless fire – God was displeased by their attitude of worship.

v11 His name is great among the nations who offered sweet incense and pure offerings.

v13 Serving God through worship was a burden to them.

• They brought injured, lame, diseased and stolen animals
• They were cheats, for they would vow to give an acceptable male in the flock, but instead sacrifice the blemished animals.

Malachi 2:

v7 The lips of a priest should preserve knowledge as God’s messenger for people seek instruction from his mouth.

v8 False teachings

Charge 2:

v11 Charge against desecration of the sanctuary by marrying women who worship foreign god/idols.

***v13 They would flood the LORD’S altar with tears – weeping and wailing for he no longer accepted their offering (Why?) v14 They were dishonouring marriage vows, and v16 God hates divorce (**v15 God wants Godly offspring from marriage**)

**Be faithful and be on your guard

Charge 3: Injustice

v17 They had wearied the ORD with words, saying, “All who do evil are good in God’s eyes and is pleased with them and asking where is the God of justice?

Chapter 5

v5 God said that evil doers will be put on trial – God will TESTIFY against them: sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, those who defraud labourers’ wages, oppress widows and the fatherless and deprive foreigners of justice.

Charge 4: Withholding Tithes

v8 They were robbing God in Tithes and Offerings

v10 There ought to be food in God’s storehouse

***Tithing is the only command on testing God, and the result is: God will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour much blessing until there is no room to store.

v11 He will prevent pests from devouring your crops and vines will not drop their fruit before it is ripe.

Charge 5: Speaking Arrogantly Against God

v14 They were saying it was futile to serve God and no gain in carrying out His requirements.

v15 They were calling the arrogant blessed, evil doers prosper and get away with it.

A Faithful Remnant was found:

v16 A scroll of remembrance was written for those who feared and honoured the LORD.

v17 God said the remnants will be his treasured possession, and v18 He will put a distinction between those who serve God and those who do not.

Malachi 4:

v1 The day of the LORD (judgement) will set the arrogant on fire.

v12 The sun of righteousness will rise with healing rays on those who revere God’s name; they will go out and FROLIC like well-fed calves.

***Our attitude of worship matters before the Lord***

• In 1 Samuel 2:12 – 25 Eli’s sons had no regard for the LORD. v17 They treated God’s offering with contempt, v22 slept with women who were ministering at the tent of meeting.
• Leviticus 10:1-2 Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu died for using unauthorised fire on their censors.
• Amos 5:21