Title Exposition of Malachi 1 Introduction
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction to Malachi
2006. 1. 29
Text: Malachi 1:1
One of the reasons the church is losing its power is because of ignorance of the Word. The secret to a healthy church is simple. A church based on the Word of God, that church can become a healthy and powerful church. 1 Corinthians 3:11 “No one is able to build any other foundation except this one, which is Jesus Christ.” When the word of Jesus Christ becomes a church built on the Bible, it becomes a strong church.
1. The historical background of the book of Malachi
If the history of the Old Testament is divided into 10 eras, it can be divided into “The Age of Creation - The Age of the Patriarchs - The Age of Exodus and the Wilderness - The Age of Conquest - The Age of Judges - The Age of Single Kingdoms - The Age of Divided Kingdoms - The Age of Exile - The Age of Return to Captivity - The Age of Silence” Among them, Malachi is the story of the time of the return from captivity.
After Solomon's death, Israel was divided into north and south. The ten northern tribes were called Israel. The two southern tribes (Benjamin and Judah) were called Judah. However, the northern part was destroyed by the Assyrian kingdom in 722 BC, and the southern part by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. Bevalon is now Iraq. Israel was held captive by Babylon for 70 years. But now the dynasty on the side of Iran has destroyed Babylon. This Iran is Persia. In the Bible, it is called Persia.
There is. So Iraq and Iran are not just fighting now, but are countries that have been fighting for more than 2,500 years.
But after the fall of Iraq and Iran came to power, the Iranian king Cyrus sent the Israelites back to their homeland. The leaders who returned at this time were Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua. According to the book of Ezra, 42,360 people returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua.
The first thing the Israelites did when they returned was to build the foundation and rebuild the altar to build the destroyed city. But a problem arose. Many people, starting with the surrounding Samaritans, hindered the rebuilding of this temple. So they neglected to build the temple. There were two prophets who were angry at this and said, "If God's people returned to the mainland, we should build the temple as soon as possible." These were the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. In the days of Haggai and Zechariah, who cried out to rebuild the temple that had been neglected for 16 years after returning to Israel, the Jerusalem Temple was completed, although it was shabby.
However, problems arose after the construction of the temple was completed. My faith grew cold centering on young people. So, they built the temple, but because of the formal and indolent worship service, they fell into a lethargic faith. The second person who kindled the fire when faith collapsed like this is the prophet Malachi.
The situation in the time of the prophet Malachi was that the Jerusalem temple was completed, but the people lived with cold hearts in the completed temple with the fire in their hearts extinguished. The prophet Malachi was the one who told them to set fire to their cold hearts again by witnessing to God's word.
God is speaking to us through Malachi in the age we live in, the age in which we live with a cold heart and no power. He tells you to set fire to your cold chest. He tells you to return to nature. He asks us to examine our faith as to why God is not working among us. Malachi is a message to heal and restore many sick saints. It is a message that makes us realize what the real disease we have is.
I want to spread the word that God has spoken to our church through Malachi. And I want to hear this word and obey it as it is. And I hope to change as it is. Through these words, I hope that individuals will change and the church will change. We believe that when individuals change and the church changes, the nation and nation will change.
2. What is the power of God's Word?
First, it becomes the standard of our life.
In Amos 7:7-8, the prophet Amos compared the word to a plumb line. When building, instead of stacking bricks haphazardly, a weight is suspended from a single thread and floated. This is called a “pimming line”. This is because, when stacked in the human eye, even if it is built straight, it will be crooked after a long time. Whether it swings to the right or to the left. So just as we lay a plumb line to build a straight brick, the plumb line of our faith is the word of God. Even if the plumb line of our faith is not laid down, if it is a plumb line that is governed by our own standards, we will not be able to grow right away and our faith will be crooked.
That is why we must yearn for, listen to, learn, and read in order to know God's Word. I must align my life with God's will, not my thoughts.
Malachi His people did not conform themselves to God's Word, worldly standards confuse them, and they neglect their approach to God. For the young generation who lived in exotic and developed cities, the word of God is no longer more than the old, old-fashioned history. So they did not put their whole-heartedness into worshiping God.
We worshiped formally. Leaders have overlooked these things. And he married foreign women. That's why the divorce rate is so high. He refused to acknowledge God as God. It was a long time ago that their hearts for God's Word had already departed. After the return of the captives, they expected that something great would happen if the temple was built. But God did not perform miracles. At least he didn't perform the miracle they expected. Gradually, the people began to live their lives in their own way.
He began to compromise the word of God, interpret it according to his own standards, and change his essence. But the word of God is our standard, life, promise, and eternal inheritance. Make the Word of God the standard of your life. It's not old fashioned, it's life.
Second, it gives us direction.
Isaiah 32:8 “He who is famous designs a noble thing, and he always stands in a famous thing”
The Bible says that noble people plan noble things, but fools plan foolish things. It is up to that person what their standards are that they plan, set goals and direction.
"If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably be blown away by the wind," said Yugi Vera of the New York Yankees. Your life may go haphazardly, or you may go towards your true life goal.
The words destiny, destination, and destine all come from the same Latin origin. i.e. to establish. It means to make fast and firm. Goal is the ability that keeps us focused and makes us fast. Just as a sunflower always moves in the direction of the sun, a person with a goal moves toward that goal.
However, what gives us an important message is that the direction and goal must be set in the Word of God. The direction and the clear destination we want to go to are given in the Bible. So we must go on in the Word of God. And we must listen to what He says and risk our lives to protect it.
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
The goals you have are the product of the combination of purpose and values you have in your life. Therefore, if you have a hope or goal that you want to achieve this year, you must judge whether it is in line with God's Word and God's plan for you with the Word.
Otherwise, we would be no different from the people of the world.
Third, the Word gives us power.
Hebrews 4:12 “The word of God is living and active, and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow.” Are you sure about this statement? Words are not ideas. It's not just an idea. God's Word is real and power. Life.
1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” God's Word gives us strength. God's Word gives us life. Even if you are thirsty spiritually, if you receive the word of God, you will rise again.
In other words, what happens to us when the Word of God is lost among us? Standards in our lives disappear, we lose direction in our lives, and we lose our ability to live, and we have no choice but to live a life of helplessness. That is why a church without the Word is confused and does not grow. This is because a church without the Word of God has no vitality. However, in a church where the Word of God lives and breathes, God's amazing miracles happen because it receives the Word of God with dynamic faith. That is why the history of embracing the world, the restoration of the family, the well-being of children, and the prosperous in all things appears.
3. The composition of Malachi
What do you think of when you think of Malachi?
Most of Malachi's understanding of 3:10 “tithe” and 4:2 “healing ray” is everything.
Malachi consists of a total of 4:55 verses, and the content consists of sermons on six major themes.
First, it is about the assurance of the weak believers who have doubts about God's love and salvation.(1:1-5)
Through these words, you will be able to ignite the fire in the hearts of old believers and strengthen the shaky faith of new believers.
Second, it deals with the restoration of worship through the awakening of leaders. (1:6-2:9)
It is a message that repentance must start with the leaders, and the awakening of the leaders must lead to proper worship before God.
Third, it deals with maintaining chastity in the home through marriage issues. (2:10-2:16)
Fourth, it deals with Jesus as the solution to all problems. (2:17-3;6)
Fifth, it is a verse that deals with what changes must be made in those who believe in Jesus and repent.
The first step to repentance must start with a wallet, and it is a word about the life of thorough tithing and stewardship.
Sixth, it deals with changes in our daily life after repentance. (3:13-4:6)
We would like to examine what the duty of a saint is through our daily lives.
With these six contents, for 6-8 weeks, we will cover the problems of salvation, the restoration of worship, the problems of the family life of the saints, the Christ-centered faith, the life of stewardship, and sanctification through life.
In order for the book of Malachi to be structured in this way and become a useful word for us, and a word that ignites our cold hearts, you will also have to intercede for this word and for me every day. I will hold on to this word, think of you, think of the church, and study the word of God.
Today's conclusion.
Restore the power of the Word. So, I pray in the name of the Lord that the Word will become the standard of your life, the direction and the compass that guides you.
Start a new morning with these words, end your day with these words, and intercede for one another. Please pray that the lost spiritual zeal and the milestone of life will be established through this Malachi in the future.
And pray for me every day.