Today's passage: Malachi 3:6-15

Helpful thoughts:

• God has made covenants to Abraham and to David that are going to be fulfilled.  God is immutable, He does not change.  Israel's continued existence will not be a result of their faithfulness, but God's.
• The law required Israel to bring in tithes.  These tithes were not optional offerings, they were required.
  • The tithes provided for the spiritual leaders and function of the worship of the people.  If there were no tithes coming in, the worship would be negatively effected.
  • God allows the people to test Him!  He is urging them to do what He has commanded them to do by faith, and then wait and see how He provides.
    • It is important that we read this challenge/testing in the context where it was presented, under the Old Covenant in Israel.  It is good for Christians under the New Covenant to give willingly and with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7).
• Israel had not been following God, and yet they said it hadn't been worth it to follow God because He hadn't blessed them the way they wanted.
  • If we design our own version of Christianity and then expect God to uphold our expectations on Him, we've got things upside down.

Questions to consider:

1. How would it be helpful to encourage people to give today with what we read in verse 10?  When could that encouragement go too far and become harmful?  When is encouraging giving good discipleship, and when does it cross the line into becoming harmful?
2. How can we know that we aren't redesigning our own version of the faith?  Where could we go to see who He is and what He has called us to be?  How must we approach the Word of God if we are to grow in Christ-likeness to serve the “Lord of Hosts?”
3. What did God's unchanging promises result in for our salvation?  Who made up that plan?  Who saw it through?  To whom belongs the glory and praise?

Today's passage: Malachi 2:17-3:5

Helpful thoughts:

• The priests of Israel had a semblance of godliness, but their consciences were not in agreement with the true righteousness of God.
  • They were able to do evil and feel good about it, and even encourage others to do the same.
  • This error caused them to think God was doing evil (“Injustice”).
• John the Baptist is the messenger who was sent to “prepare the way before me” (Matthew 11:10).
• There will be a remnant in Israel.  There will be some who are refined and purified.  And there will be some who reject the Lord and are judged.
  • Notice, the two choices are judgment and refining/purification.  No one remains the same, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Questions to consider:

1. How does our thinking or our consciences grow to be in agreement with the truth and God's righteousness?  How can we see our thinking corrected that we might put on Christ-likeness? (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:20-24)
2. What does the inclusion of John the Baptist in 3:1 teach us about the timeline of God's refining and purifying work?  If John the Baptist inaugurated this time, and if the Temple will be filled with the glory of God after Jesus' second coming, what is happening now?  What all is included in Malachi 3:1-5?
3. What is the difference between a person who will be refined and purified and a person who will be judged (1 John 5:12)?  What refining and purifying work is God doing in you?  When will that work be completed (1 John 3:2)?  How do these truths encourage humility, thanksgiving, and true joy?

Today's passage: Malachi 2:1-16

Helpful thoughts:

• A great description of spiritual leadership can be found in verses 5-7, given concerning Levi, which was to have been carried on by the Levitical priests.  God rebukes them for their faithlessness to Him and partiality toward people.
• The second and third rebukes in this passage deal with marriage and divorce.
  • The people of God had married worshipers of false gods (Verses 10-12).
  • The people of God often sought divorce.  The men would not love their wives and became faithless (Verses 13-16).

Questions to consider:

1. What do we learn in verses 5-7 concerning spiritual leaders?  It they are truly serving as messengers of the Lord today, what will they communicate (2 Timothy 4:1-2)?
2. God calls Himself “the Lord of Hosts” often in this book.  This name of God refers to His command over the angel armies, who have never and will never be defeated.  Why do you think God would want to continually emphasize this truth to the people along with these rebukes?
3. In what way does divorce and marriage with unbelievers go against the picture of the covenant relationship that God has with His people, which marriage is supposed to represent? (Ephesians 5:25-33)  What has Christ committed to do for His bride?  How can husbands (and wives) display this kind of love in their marriage?

Today's passage: Malachi 1

Helpful thoughts:

• Malachi lived and ministered at the same time as Ezra and Nehemiah.
• God's “love” for Israel and “hate” for Edom is used as a term of choice or election, not affection.
  • Israel wondered why the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile happened and they doubted God's love for them.  In this passage, God affirms his election of Israel over other nations.
• God is a great king and His name will be great among the nations!
  • The ability or inability of a person to acknowledge that doesn't make it more or less true.
  • When we do acknowledge God's greatness, it changes how we live.

Questions to consider:

1. What was the state of any person without the love of God (Ephesians 2:1)?  Why does God deserve all the glory in that any of us are “loved?” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
2. What was the specific rebuke God gave to the priests who dishonored Him?  Why was that worth pointing out?  What did it communicate concerning the priests relationship with and reverence for God?
3. If the priests had revered the Lord appropriately, how would that have changed their practice?  What kind of sacrifices would they bring?  How can this help you to fight against sin and pursue righteousness to the glory of God?  Why should we do that?