Second Sunday in Advent December 7-8, 2024
“Confident” Malachi 3:1-7a
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
For the longest time mankind has leveled this charge against God – “You, Lord, are incompetent.” Isn’t that crazy? The Lord over all lords, the King over all kings, who is the Almighty, the most powerful, who knows everything, who needs no help from anyone, who is wiser than anyone who has ever lived, has been declared incompetent by many people for many years.
Habakkuk, a prophet of God, not an atheist or an agnostic, or a God-hater, takes a poke at God, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.” (Habakkuk 1:2-4) God failed what Habakkuk expected Him to do.
And so it was with another messenger of God, Malachi. Speaking for God he responds to the complaint of God’s chosen. Malachi says to the people of Israel, the Jews, “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?’” (Malachi 2:17)The book of Malachi was written following the people of Israel’s return from exile. In 586 BC the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. The walls around the city were destroyed – providing that city no protection from their enemies. And the last of the citizens were exiled to other countries. The intent of Israel’s enemy was that Jerusalem would be a city that was no more. It would become a by-word in history.
Almost 200 years later Malachi writes his book. And God had brought the people of Israel back. They had a temple, the city walls had once again been built, but they didn’t rule their own city. If they wanted improvements done in the city, or in the temple, they had to get permission from the Persians, who ruled their lives. And the followers of God didn’t like it. They wondered about God’s competence and might. “Where is the God of justice?” “Lord, we have grown disappointed in You.”
God returns the volley. But now His word is not about a general injustice. God speaks to them about their personal sin – the cause of their disasters. The hypocrisy of the religious leaders, their quick manor of divorce became their accepted way of life, and the failure to give God proper offerings are the accusations that God made against His people.
God was angered in what His priests did among God’s people. “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction – because he is a messenger of the Lord Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching you have caused many to stumble.” (Malachi 2:7-8)
God was angered when one’s family was not treasured and made a priority. In that same chapter God addresses His people, “Guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. I hate divorce, says the Lord God of Israel.” (Malachi 2:15-16) But they pursued divorce anyway.
God is bold to address proper offerings. The priest was to offer the best animal in sacrifice to the Lord, but that was not what happened. God spoke, “When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands? Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord.” (Malachi 1:13-14) In our chapter God asks, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ His answer? “In tithes and offerings.” (Malachi 3:8) When we have money for our vacations, our entertainment, and the extras in life, but have no or little money for care of the poor or those facing disasters, or the offerings that we give here at church or to other charities, God says that we are robbing Him.
Man had a complaint to God. God had a complaint to man. But it doesn’t end there. It can’t end there. There can’t be an impasse on these matters. God and man must be brought to reconciliation. In our reading God issues this word, “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.” (Malachi 3:1)
Who is the messenger that God would send? John. John the Baptizer. God is ever confident in calling His people to an honest repentance. The confidence of John’s message was spoken about in Isaiah and quoted by Luke, “The voice of one calling in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:4-6)
John’s father, Zechariah, spoke about the confident message that his son would eventually speak, “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins.” (Luke 1:76-77)
Sometimes we can’t speak a confident and true word to God. We find it hard to say to God, or to anyone:
It was my fault.
I’m responsible.I sinned.
I have no excuse.
The confident word, the true word, the word that God demanded of His people then, and now, is a word of repentance. I am sorry. I hurt you. Please forgive me. I promise to change. John came “Preaching a baptism or repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
Now the accusations of the people of Israel against God were found to be words spoken in ignorance. Now they saw God’s plan in bringing suffering and hardship to them the consequences of their sins.
Do you see how confident God is when He speaks His words demanding change in our life? In the book of Malachi God says, “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.” (Malachi 2:9)
But God’s confidence isn’t just in His harshness or strictness. I bet you have people who are quick to show you your faults. Maybe you are a person quick to offer your correction to others. God’s confidence is always in His final goal for us and all people. Malachi 3:7 says, “Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.” In our reading you heard, “But who can abide the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?” (Malachi 3:2). Certainly, not me. And not you. And none of God’s creation. But listen to God’s confident and saving words –
“I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6)
Why did God send the messenger, who later we would know as John the Baptist, to this earth, before the coming of Jesus? It is because His plan for you and me and all people has always been mercy. That has never changed. Ezekiel, another of God’s voices, almost 200 years before Malachi, would speak God’s confident and consistent desire, “Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offences; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32)If you have been a believer all your life or if you have just become a Christian, the word of God is consistent and confident – He gives new life daily in your repentance from our sin and your faith in Jesus. You might know this, or you might not, the first proper verse from the hand of Malachi is this, “I have loved you, says the Lord.” (Malachi 1:2) God has never changed. And He never will. And His love to us comes to us when He calls for change in our life and when He assures us of His forgiveness, grace and salvation.
Listen to all of God’s confident words. They will change your life. Amen!!