_But You Say_ - From Malachi #1

12/31/2019 "But You Say" - From Malachi #1
"BUT YOU SAY" - FROM MALACHI #1

By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. The Book of Malachi, of course, is the last book in the O.T.,
and was written after the Babylonian captivity.
B. The first group of exiles had returned from the Babylonian
captivity in 536 B.C., under the leadership of Zerubbabel and
Joshua the high priest.
1. Encouraged by the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the
people rebuilt the temple between 520 and 516 B.C.
2. Ezra returned with a second group of exiles in 458 B.C.
3. King Artaxerxes had permitted Nehemiah to return to
Jerusalem to rebuild the walls around the city in about 450
B.C.
a. The book of Malachi is thought to have been written
sometime between 445 and 432 B.C.
C. In the time of Malachi, the exiles had been back in Judea from
the captivity for many years, nearly a hundred years since the
first ones returned.
1. Of course, by this time new generations had been born which
had not suffered the hardships of their forefathers.
2. The worship of the people had deteriorated to mere form.
3. The priests, who should have been the spiritual leaders
among the people, were primarily at fault.
D. In this lesson, and the one to follow, we want to consider
God's complaints given to the people, their replies, and God's
answers to them. (See chart below)
I. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?'" Mal. 1:2
A. God had loved them, but they could not see it.
1. They could look in any direction and see the love and
providence of God.
2. They had been delivered from the Babylonian captivity.
3. They now had their own country, land, and property.
4. They had food enough and to spare.
5. God showed them how they had been blessed as compared
to Edom. Mal. 1:4
a. Israel, who was safe and secure in their own land,
needed to consider the tragedies which had befallen
Edom.
B. Multitudes today are ungrateful for their manifold blessings
from God.
1. Our physical blessings in this country abound, but the
average person, thinking that since he is not filthy rich,
God has not blessed him.
2. God has richly blessed us spiritually. John 3:16
3. Charles Smith, president of the American Association for the
Advancement of Atheism, said, "The whole scheme of
redemption is foolishness to me. Because our parents and
forefathers disobeyed God, he would not be on good terms
with us until his son was nailed on a cross. This is not
reasonable." (Oliphant-Smith Debate, p. 61).
4. We may never fully understand why Jesus had to die on the
cross, but that is no reason to reject God's plan of
redemption. 1 Cor. 1:18
5. Let us continually give thanks to God for His manifold
blessings to us.
II. "Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'" Mal. 1:6
A. To officiate at the altar was a great honor. Yet, the priests
polluted that altar both by their attitudes and actions.
B. God reminded them that a son honors his father and a servant
his master, but they had not honored Him.
1. They were totally dependent upon God, but they had not
confessed their dependence upon Him.
2. They offered God no praise and honor.
3. They despised His name by not honoring and respecting His
Law.
C. There are many who despise God today.
1. Like the people in Malachi's time, they don't think they
despise God, but in God's mind, they do.
2. They despise God by rejecting the great salvation which God
has provided.
3. Let us not be like Esau who sold his birthright for a mess
of pottage. Heb. 12:16-17
a. He didn't appreciate the spiritual blessings that came
with his birthright or he wouldn't have sold it.
b. The scriptures declare that this was despising his
birthright. Gen. 25:34
c. If we do not willingly submit to the will of Christ, we
are showing that we don't appreciate the atonement
sacrifice of Christ.
d. Yes, it is the same as despising what God has done for
us.
III. "But you say, 'In what way have we defiled You?'" (Mal. 1:7)
A. God said, "You offer defiled (polluted) food on my alter."
1. They understood the seriousness of the charge. To offer
polluted sacrifices was the same as polluting God Himself.
2. So, they asked, "In what way have we defiled You?"
3. The reply was, "By saying, 'The table of the Lord is
contemptible.'" See also Mal. 1:12
4. They probably were not saying this literally, but their
actions showed contempt for the table of the Lord.
B. The Lord becomes specific in his charge of their contempt for
Him and His worship.
oakridgechurch.com/riggs/malachi1.htm 1/3
1. They offered polluted bread and sick animals. Mal. 1:8

2. Perhaps they thought that God didn't actually eat the bread
or the animals, so we would keep the fresh bread and good
animals, but offer the bad to God.
3. The polluted bread and the lame and sick animals were not
accepted by God.
4. God asks if their governor would accept such. Mal. 1:8-9
a. It would be an insult to a governor or political ruler to
be offered such worthless gifts. How much more so to
the God of the universe!
5. The Law required that all sacrifices be without blemish.
Lev. 22:17-21
C. We must give of our best to the Master.
1. We will not be pleasing to God if we give the "leftovers" of
our time, energy, and money.
2. We must put the kingdom first. Love God above all else. We
offer a polluted service when we give less than our best to
God.
3. The teacher pulled out a bucket and set it on the table in
front of him. He then pulled out several fist-sized rocks
and carefully piled them into the bucket. When the bucket
was filled to the top, he asked his class, "Is this bucket
full?"
Everyone in the class said, "Yes." The teacher said,
"Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a sack
of gravel and dumped some into the bucket, and shaking it,
he caused the pieces of gravel to work themselves down into
the spaces between the big rocks.
4. He smiled, and again asked the class "Is the bucket full?"
By this time, the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of
them answered." "Good," he replied. Again, he reached
under the table and brought out a sack of sand. He started
dumping the sand into the bucket and it went into all the
spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.
5. Once more he asked, "Is this bucket full?" "No," the class
shouted. Again, he said, "Good." Then, he grabbed a pitcher
of water and began to pour into the bucket until it was full
to the brim.
6. He then said, "I'm trying to teach a lesson on priorities.
What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver
raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full
your schedule is, if you really try hard, you can always fit
some more things into it." The teacher replied, "No, that's
not the point. The point is: if you don't put the big rocks
in first, you'll never get them in at all."
7. Let us put the kingdom of God and His righteousness first in
our lives. Matt. 6:33; John 6:27
IV. "You also say, 'Oh what a weariness.'" Mal. 1:13

A. Instead of their worship being joyous, growing out of gratitude
for the Lord's blessings, they found it to be a wearisome task.
1. He added, "And you sneer at it." We might say, "You have
turned up your nose at it."
B. We make application:
1. Do you find our services a wearisome task?
2. Are they boring, so much so, that we can't wait until it's
over.
3. Modern man, trying to make their services more enjoyable,
have added entertainment to their services.
4. Which Disturbs You The Most?
a. A soul lost in hell or a scratch on your new car?
b. A sermon ten minutes too long or lunch a half-hour late?
c. Your missing the worship or missing a day's work?
d. The church not growing or the garden not growing?
e. Your Bible being unopened or your newspaper being
unread?
f. Contribution decreasing or your income decreasing?
g. Your children late to Bible Classes or late to school?
h. Missing a good Bible class or missing your favorite TV
program?
i. Church work neglected or housework neglected?
j. Low attendance at worship or low attendance at a
party? (By Elton Dilbeck)
5. Truly, the things which disturb us reveal much about our
interests.
C. How can we make our worship more enjoyable?
1. First of all, "Fear God!" God's reply to the Jews back then
was: "I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and My
name is to be feared among the nations." Mal. 1:14
2. Let us worship with ready hearts. Psalm 27:8; 84:1-4
3. Let us continue to encourage one another. Col. 3:16; Heb.
10:24; 3:13
a. Let others know that the worship services is where you
want to be because you enjoy worshiping and praising
God.
Concl.
A. Thus, we have considered some of God's complaints against the
people in Malachi's time, their replies, and God's answers to
them.
1. Let us make application wherever it is needed.
B. We will continue this line of study in our next lesson.
Chart:
"BUT YOU SAY" - FROM MALACHI #1
"Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?'" Mal. 1:2
"Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'" Mal. 1:6
"But you say, 'In what way have we defiled You?'" Mal. 1:7
"You also say, 'Oh what a weariness!'" Mal. 1:13

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12/31/2019 "But You Say" - From Malachi #1

"BUT YOU SAY" - FROM MALACHI #1

1. They offered polluted bread and sick animals. Mal. 1:8

IV. "You also say, 'Oh what a weariness.'" Mal. 1:13

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