What type of offerings do you bring to God this year?

A close look at Malachi 1
Ismael Dora, Ph.D.

For many of us, a new year means new resolutions and strategies. At the end of each year, we revisit things that did not go well and plan to fix them in the upcoming year. We may resolve to eat less sugar and carbs and exercise more often to live healthier. We may want to make more money or be more attentive in our human relationships. All these actions are good. We ought to maximize our efforts to improve our situations and the quality of our associations. But what do we do spiritually to be closer to God? In other words, what offerings do we bring to God this year that will satisfy Him? The prophet Malachi has the answer, so let us turn to his book for advice.

God’s faithful love for Israel
In Malachi, the LORD began His message by reaffirming His faithful commitment to Israel: “I have loved you” (Mal. 1:2). In the context of God’s covenant relationship with the Israelites, this statement means He elected them as His treasured possession and vowed to provide for their needs. They were His special people, the only ones having a relationship with Him among all the peoples of the earth. They were to represent Him as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exod. 19:4–6). Thus, through the prophet, God reminded them that His love for them had not changed despite their disobedience and rebellion.

God’s choice of Israel as a demonstration of His love for them
While God affirmed His love for the Israelites, they responded skeptically, asking Him to provide evidence of this professed love. The trials and pain they endured in exile in Babylonia had led them to think God had abandoned them. Although by Malachi’s time, the people were already back in their homeland, things were not as they had expected them to be. Therefore, they failed to appreciate God’s love for them, prompting Him to establish a contrast between Esau and Jacob to show how He chose the line of Jacob over that of Esau (Mal. 1:3–5; Rom. 9:13). But God’s unconditional love for Israel did not absolve the guilty of their responsibilities. Thus, He rebuked the priests for offering improper worship to Him, letting them know that one would expect a child to honor his parents and a servant to revere his master (Mal. 1:6).

Israel’s ingratitude and irreverence to God

In a self-governing society, we expect people to submit themselves to every authority instituted among them to ensure a peaceful and harmonious relationship between the citizens. This principle transcends the human sphere. Just as men seek the honor due to them, so does God. He chose the people of Israel as His children and servants, vowing to be their Father and Master to care for all their needs (Isaiah 48:17–18). In return, they owed Him loyalty, gratitude, and reverence. However, they despised His name, which means they treated His character and all His marvelous works with contempt by offering defiled food and blemished animals to Him willfully (Mal. 1:7–9). For this reason, God wished that someone might lock the temple doors to stop such useless offerings, which offended Him, proved the priests’ deceitful attitude, and brought a curse down upon the worshipers (vv. 10–14).

Theological implications for believers today
Like the Israelites, believers today are a “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9). God has called every Christian to serve Him in some capacity: pastors of local churches, faithful church members, deacons, overseas missionaries, etc. Thus, as we serve as His ambassadors, let us remember these theological truths:

• God decides to love us unconditionally.
• God demonstrated that love by sending Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins.
• God deserves all glory and praise.
• God despises worship offered with hypocrisy and ingratitude.
• God desires that we change our selfish attitude so He can bless us beyond measure.

The psalmist David tells us God despises superficial and insincere worship but welcomes “a broken and a contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). He seeks those who worship Him truthfully. Therefore, my Beloved, let us put aside hypocrisy, ingratitude, pride, and deceit, and offer ourselves as a pleasing sacrifice to our God. He is our Father and Master. He alone is worthy of our worship and praise.

Ismael