Dishonoring the Name

In the second half of Malachi 1, the prophet presents the Lord's issue with his passive people. 

Malachi 1:6 (ESV) “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’

Notice the two terms together. No honor and "despising the name" of the LORD. They are synonymous. And the real issue is how they are dishonoring the LORD. 

Malachi 1:7–8 (ESV) By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.

They give God the leftovers. They offer God that which they do not want, nor which is precious to them. The Lord knows their hearts are simply far from Him and it plays out in their offerings. God does not take this lightly. He calls it dishonor, despising His name, and now in verse 8, EVIL. The Lord also calls them out on their duplicity. They would never do such a thing to their governor. Mind you, these are the priests the Lord calls out. The spiritual leaders of Israel were allowing Israel to mistreat the Lord's name by offering unacceptable offerings on His altar. 

Malachi 1:10 (ESV) Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.

Notice the strength of this text. The Lord says it would be better to shut the doors of the Temple than to continue in such empty rituals, in which they no longer give God their best. The next verse drops the boom:

Malachi 1:11 (ESV) For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

Translation: there will be people willing to honor God. And where they are, He will accept them, and He will glorify Himself in and through them. The prophet is hinting at the New Covenant realities. No longer will the Temple be the center of worship. A new move of God will happen among the nations.

What had happened to Israel? They had grown TIRED of their worship of God. Notice verse 13:
Malachi 1:13 (ESV) you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.

The old saying goes, "Familiarity breeds contempt." Was that Israel's problem? The prophet has only begun to level the accusation; the reasons for these habits might be far-reaching. In the last verse of chapter 1, we get a hint of what's going on. 

Malachi 1:14 (ESV) Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

The people said one thing but did another. This is the breeding ground of hypocrisy, which Jesus calls out in the Pharisees, who will play religious games in order to feed their greed and selfish indulgence. It is astonishing that the last book of the Bible challenges God's people on this very common issue still alive and well today: men are cheap toward God, which is ironic, since everything we have comes from Him in the first place. 


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