| |
Third Dispute (Mal.2:10-16)
- God says : He will not accept their offerings!
- People asks : Why?
- God answers : Because they have broken their marriage covenant with the
wife of their youth!
Breaking faith is always bad, but the Israelites had broken their covenants of marriage in a detestable manner. They
had married foreign women who were idolatrous and had divorced their wives. God states, “I hate divorce!”
Fourth Dispute (Mal. 2:17-3:5)
- God says : You have wearied me!.
- People asks : How?
- God answers : By thinking that evildoers will prosper!
God reminds his people about the day of his coming! God will come on his day to right all wrongs, punishing the
wicked and rewarding the righteous. There will be a distinction between “righteous” and the “wicked”, between the
one who serve and who does not serve!
Fifth Dispute (Mal.3:6-12)
- God says : Return to Me!
- Peopls asks : How?
- God says : You are robbing Me!
- People asks : How?
- God answers : By withholding tithes and offerings.
What God was going after was about their attitude! Their religion was resignation and not rejoicing, burden and not
blessing, sacrifice and not salvation, ignorance and not illumination!
Sixth Dispute (Mal. 3:13-4:6)
- God says : You have spoken against Me!
- People asks : How?
- God answer : By saying it is vain to serve God!
He will punish the wicked and reward the faithful. God call them to keep the Law of Moses (Mal.4:4) and that Elijah
will come before the day of the Lord (4:5-6).
Application :
Do you find your Christianity a burden? If yes, why?
I John 5:3-4
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God
overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
|
|
