Malachi 2:10-17  What the NIV calls "being unfaithful".. the NASB and the KJV call "to profane the covenant".   To break a vow.. a sacred promise.  There are two examples given in this passage.. Judah's unfaithfulness to the Lord's sanctuary.. and thus to the Lord;  and a husbands unfaithfulness to his wife. 

Judah was guilty of what the Lord calls "treacherous" and "an abomination".. They were polluting the nation, the sanctuary, and the covenant by marrying foreign women who worshipped foreign gods. 

The Lord would not accept such a betrayal of His people. "As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob.. " This was non-negotiable for the people of God. 

To make matters worse, these same men would bring offerings, trying to make up for their sinfulness.. they would weep and wail.. but they could not earn the Lord's blessing.  God saw what they had done, how they had treated their wives that He had given them. ".. the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant." 

"Has not God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit."  That is a very clear message! The marriages of God's people were meant to produce godly offspring. They were meant to glorify God. Instead these people were callously divorcing their covenant wives and marrying foreign, idol-worshipping, ungodly women.  Everything about this offended God. 

Yet, they went even further in their unfaithfulness.  "You have wearied the Lord with your words.. by saying 'All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them'  or 'Where is the God of justice?' ( v17) 

How is it that we, God's people, in this day and age.. weary the Lord?  Do we offend Him? Do we act treacherously or unfaithfully?  Are we profane in our actions? Do we forget that we belong to Him.. both in body and in spirit?  We are living in a world.. in a country.. where this is prevalent.  There is so much divorce.. even in the church. There is so much unfaithfulness.. so much evil.  We have heard people who call themselves "Christians"  who are calling evil "good" and what is good "evil".  

"Where is the God of justice?"  Oh.. He is coming!  He sees everything and He knows every heart. What must we do?  As we have been praying, " If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." ( II Chronicles 7:14)

Father we seek Your face! Amen. 

 Malachi 2:1-9  This message is again directed towards the priests.  Not only was God displeased with the defiled offerings.. He was angry at the priests who would not listen to Him. "If you do not listen and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name, says the Lord of hosts, then I well send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings.. "

Because their hearts were not resolved to honor God... because they offered unacceptable offerings.. because they did not teach Truth.. and do righteousness.. God said this, "But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi.. "  Because they did not honor Him, God would bring dishonor upon them.  "Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it."  

The covenant of Levi, the Lord says, " was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me, and stood in awe of My name."  The tribe of Levi had been given a special position as God's servants.  They were to be His. They were given in place of every first born son which were God's possessions.  The first born son was to be set apart.. sanctified for service to God.  That is what the descendants of Levi were meant to be.  They were supposed to speak for God with "true instruction" to "preserve knowledge" and to be a "messenger of the Lord of hosts." 

Because of their disobedience and failure to honor God with all their hearts.. God made them "despised and abased before all the people." (v9) 

The priests and Levites during the time of Jesus were no better than these in Malachi's day.  They did not honor the Name of the Lord, they did not offer holy sacrifices.  Jesus said that their hearts were corrupt, like dead men's bones.  They did not even recognize or accept the True First born Son of God.  There is no temple to serve in, but , those who may be descendants of Levi  are integrated into the Israeli population, no longer in the position that God had given them. 

The Shepherd, our only High Priest, tells us to "Hallow" the Father's name.  God desires to give us true life in His Son.. He desires for us to do what the priests failed to do.. speak truth, preserve knowledge, and be a messenger of His Word.. and it must be done from a heart that is devoted fully to honor and revere Him. 

Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your Name!  You alone are God. You are good and ready to forgive. You are abundant in lovingkindness and You hear those who call upon You. We come asking that You would forgive us our trespasses against You. We ask that You would lead us on Your paths of righteousness and that You would guard our hearts. Help us to be fully devoted to You, fully kept in the arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ.. for it is in His Name that we trust and we pray. Amen. 

 Malachi 1  The final book of the Old Testament.. the words of a prophet who lived after the exile.. after the temple was rebuilt.. after 100 years back in the homeland.  And.. already, the people have become discouraged.. they have forsaken the ways of the Lord.. they have lost hope. 

But, God said, "I have loved you."   They couldn't see Him. They didn't feel His love. They saw the destruction of Edom, and wondered if they were next.  They wouldn't just take God at His Word.. "I have loved you." 

Verses 6-14 are addressed to the priests and to those who offered sacrifices.  " A son honors his father and a servant his master.. Then if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my respect?"  The Lord calls them out for offering "defiled" offerings.  They were commanded to bring the best.. of the flock.. the first and finest of the harvest.. the finest of oil.  But, they brought blind sheep. They brought stolen goods. They brought sick or lame offerings.. "Should I receive that from your hand?"  

God is holy.  He requires holiness in those who come to worship Him.  He requires His Name to be magnified and feared.. in His people and in all the nations as they observe His people.  That was not happening then.. it is not happening now. 

What is the Shepherd saying to us today? He is still saying..   "I have loved you."  How has He loved us?  He sent His precious Son, to bear our sins on a cruel cross. He made Him suffer for our evil ways.  He has not treated us as our sins deserve.. but instead He has forgiven us, redeemed us, restored us... and made us new.  He has a good plan for us now.. and an eternal future beyond this world.. prepared for us.  Yes, He has loved us!

He also is calling us to pure worship. To honor His name and  respect to His Lordship over us.  Are we bringing less than our best when we come before Him?  Are we coming to church with wrong motives.. going through the motions without giving ourselves fully to Him?  He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise.  Let us come before Him with humble and contrite hearts.. with our whole selves, bowing before Him in reverence and gratitude. 

Father, we want to bring You pure worship.. to honor You as our Father.. to respect You as our King and Master. We want to come with our whole hearts.. to love You as You have loved us. Cleanse us from all iniquity and cover us with the righteousness of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ.  It is in His Name that we pray..Amen. 

 Zechariah 11-14 These last 4 chapters of Zechariah are filled with familiar prophecies.. 

In chapter 11:12-13 the Lord tells the prophet to take the 30 pieces of silver that he received and "throw it to the potter.. "  He calls it "that magnificent price at which I was valued.. "  In Exodus 21:32 we learn that this is the price that one would pay for a slave that was killed by an ox..  We know it is that price that Judas received for his betrayal of Jesus.  We know that he threw the money back to the Pharisees and that they used it to buy a "potter's field".  

In chapter 12:10 the Lord said, " and I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born."  That day is yet to come... 

In chapter 13:7 the declares.. " Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; "  The words that Jesus used on the Mount of Olives before His arrest. 

In chapter 14 we are given the prophecy of Christ's return.. " and in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.. and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley.. "  Verse 5.. " Then the Lord, my God will come and all the holy ones with Him!"  It will be a day when there will be no darkness.. when living water will flow out of Jerusalem.. when ".. the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one." 

I wonder what Zechariah made of all his visions and "burdens".  Did he know that his words would point to Jesus.. both the first time He came.. and when He comes again?   I am overwhelmed just by these few verses and I know there is so much more that we could explore and learn from this book.. but, for now, this is enough.. for it is brings to mind the Savior who came and lived.. who fulfilled all the Law and the Prophets.. and who was betrayed, crucified, and who rose again.  It brings encouragement for we know that there is a day coming when He will return!  Lord, haste that day!

Father in heaven, thank You for this word.. thank You that we have such a Savior that is coming to reign over all the earth..  over all of creation. We don't understand all of this.. but what we have learned is that You are the Lord who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and formed the spirit of man within him (12:1).. and that You have spoken and we can count on every Word to be accomplished.  With wonder and awe we look to You and wait for that Day.  May we all be ready.. in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Zechariah 10  This chapter is full of metaphors and illustrations.  Again, the Lord is looking at His people.. who will be brought back.. restored.. and fully blessed. 

"Ask rain from the Lord at the time of the spring rain - the Lord who makes the storm cloud; and He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field of each man."  We are to ask the Lord for what is needed.. He alone can provide. He is the Sovereign God and only He controls the earth's resources. 

In contrast, verse 2 speaks against the idols and diviners.. those who have spoken lies and deceived the people.  They caused the flock to wander away.. and the shepherds failed to lead the sheep back to the Lord.  He takes things into His own hands..  He will punish the failing leaders.. and care for His flock Himself. 

"From Judah will come the cornerstone.. the tent peg.. the battle bow.. every ruler." Ready for battle.. Judah will fight.. " for the Lord will be with them." 

The Lord proclaims His plan for His people.. 

v6  He will strengthen them, save them, bring them back and have compassion on them.

v7 He will make them mighty, He will make their hearts glad, He will give their children reason to rejoice.

v8 " I will whistle for them to gather together, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they were before." 

v12 " And I shall strengthen them in the Lord, and in His name they will walk, declares the Lord." 

God, our Creator and Sovereign Ruler, sent His Son, to be the Cornerstone, the One who He "appointed heir of all things.. " the One to whom all things are subject.. for whom all things were made and through whom all things came into being.  Jesus came to be the Shepherd for there is no other who can lead the flock back Home.  It is in His Name that we are strengthened.. it is in His name that we walk.. and gather together as the redeemed of the Lord. 

I do not know all of the meanings packed into this book of Zechariah.. but, I find hope.. I find renewal.. I find encouragement.. knowing that God sees us.. loves us.. calls for us.. and is ready to gather us together to be with Him forever more. 

Thank You Father.. we are listening.. for Your whistle.. and for Your trumpet. Strengthen us in Jesus... that we may walk with Him today.. In His name we pray. Amen. 

 Zechariah 9  In this message, the Lord speaks about the enemies of Israel and how He will deal with each of them.  Then, suddenly, a song of praise jumps out.. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Indeed your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." ( v9) 

We know who this is!  We know that He came into Jerusalem just like Zechariah prophesied. We know.. and rejoice that the King has come and that He is coming once again.  He will fulfill the rest of Zechariah's message from verse 10 .. " and He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."  Hallelujah !

The message continues to be good news!  The Lord intends to deliver Israel.. "because of the blood of My covenant with you.. "  

He will set the prisoners free. (v11)

He will restore what was lost. (v12)

He will fight for them and with them. (v13-14)

He will defend them. (v15)

" And the Lord their God will save them in that day as the flock of His people; For they are as the stones of a crown, sparkling in His land. For what comeliness and beauty will be theirs!" (v16-17)

There is a day coming.. when we will see the beauty of Jerusalem with all the splendor of heaven.. All because Jesus came.. and He is coming again!

Father in heaven, thank You for this living hope that we have in Christ Jesus the King. We long for that day and pray that You will prepare us according to the Word and by Your Spirit. We pray for many who do not have such hope.. that You would bring them to repentance.. and give them new life in Christ.  Bring revival by the power of Your Spirit who dwells among us and in us. In Jesus' name we pray.Amen. 

 Zechariah 8 After condemning the practice of empty formalism.. the worthless practice of religious rituals that were self-imposed and unworthy of Him, the Lord tells Israel, " I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her."   The Lord's passion for Zion, for His people, exceeds any bounds.. it is incomprehensible to us.. this stubborn, unfaithful, sinful, idolatrous nation.. just coming back from 70 years of exile because of its sinfulness.. and still not living as God's holy ones.  How can He be passionately jealous for them? Because...

God sees what will be.. not what has been or presently is..  " I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain." (v3)

He sees a city where there are "old men and old women.." where the streets will "be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets."  He sees a city that is filled with people that He brings back" from the east.. and the west."   He sees His people.. serving Him "in truth and righteousness."  He sees a city where there will be peace and plenty. Where His people will be a blessing to all the nations. 

So, " let your hands be strong, you who are listening.. "  The Lord says, " I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear!" ( v15) 

"These are the things which you should do:  speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgement for peace in your gates. Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate, declares the Lord." ( v16-17) 

The Lord finally answers the question posed in chapter 7.. about the fasts.. "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace." (v19) 

When we look back at God's word to Moses regarding the "appointed times".. the Law stated that the people would celebrate these festivals:   the Sabbath day.. kept every week.  The first month would be Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven weeks later, the second yearly festival would be Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks. The third festival would be held during the 7th month.. The day of Atonement, followed by the Feast of Tabernacles.  There were added fasts.. the fourth month commemorated the taking of Jerusalem by Babylon. The fifth month commemorated the destruction of the temple and the 10th month commemorated the siege of Jerusalem.  

The Lord wanted His people to remember what happened to them.. why they went into exile, why Jerusalem was ravaged those 70 years before . He also wanted them to remember the Day of Atonement.  A day of repentance, coming humbly before their God.  Remember.. and rejoice in the greatness of His salvation.  Remember, and choose truth and peace.. choose righteousness and holiness. 

Father in heaven, help us to also follow You commands.. to speak truth, to choose peace, to do good..to do what is just, and to have mercy. Help us to remember the greatness of Your salvation through Jesus Christ who paid our ransom and set us free from stubborn hearts and evil ways.  Draw us ever closer to Your heart.. that in all we do and all we say, we honor Your holy Name.  Amen. 

 Zechariah 7    This is two years after Zechariah delivered his first message. 

Some men from Bethel came to Jerusalem to pray. They had a question for the priests, "Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?"  The exile had lasted 70 years, just as Jeremiah had prophesied.  But, now the remnant had returned and the temple was under construction.. so, should the people observe the fast  that commemorated the burning of the temple and city by Nebuchadnezzar?

The Lord does not answer this question right away.  He has a few other things to say first, " Ask all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted?'"  Neither of these fasts were part of God's appointed fasts or feasts.  Not only were they self-imposed, but the Lord rebukes them, saying, "And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?"   The Bible Knowledge commentary calls this a "rebuke.. against empty formalism". 

The problem.. the Lord says.. is the same one that their predecessors had before the exile.. they were practicing external "religious" rituals.. but their hearts were as "hard as flint".. just like their fathers.  Their inward spiritual lives.. their hearts... are what really needs changed, not their fasts... " This is what the Lord Almighty said, ' Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against one another."

The same message that was given in the days before the exile.. the same message that was ignored by hard hearted and stubborn people.. the same message that is given to those in Zechariah's day.. is the same message that we need to hear.  Are we practicing "empty formalism"?  Are the things we do in His Name really for Him?  Or are we doing these things for ourselves?  What is going on in our hearts?

The Lord was angry with Israel and sent them into exile. "When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen, says the Lord Almighty."  There is a vital lesson to be learned!  

Father in heaven, You see our hearts and You know our motives.  Expose those things that are done out of our self-imposed religious practices and forgive us for having hard hearts. Open our ears to hear You call.. that we might truly listen.. that we might humble ourselves in repentance.. that You might bring us into true worship and true service.  May we do justice, show mercy, have compassion, and help those in need. May we truly love our neighbors as ourselves.  Help us to be all that You desire us to be.. in Christ Jesus, by the power of His Spirit in us.  In His mighty name we pray. Amen. 

 Zechariah 4-6  Zechariah is "woken up" by an angel, but then given another vision.. he sees a gold lamp stand, 2 olive trees, a huge flying scroll, a woman in a bushel basket.. who is taken away by two other women with wings like storks, four chariots.. each with different colored horses, and finally Joshua the high priest seated on a throne with a silver and gold ornate crown on his head. 

Zechariah keeps asking questions... longing to know the meaning of all these things.. but seems to be left with more questions than answers.  However, there are some things that he does learn that are encouraging.  For instance, he is told that without a doubt Zerubbabel will complete the rebuilding of the Temple.  " 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit' says the Lord of hosts."  is the message for the governor. 

Zechariah is also shown that God's angels are at work throughout the land.. patrolling the earth.. doing whatever the Lord sends them to do.  He also is assured that God sees those who are stealing or lying.. and that He judges those who are wicked.  May we also be encouraged that God is still at work in our world.. even when we don't see it!

The final verse in chapter 6 seems to be the whole point of these visions... " And it will take place, if you completely obey the Lord your God."  The temple will be rebuilt.. the High Priest will reign.. the "Branch" will come.  There is a future for Israel.  God has a plan and He will accomplish what He chooses.  We cannot begin to understand all that is in the mind of our Lord.  But, we can trust Him.. and we must obey His Word. 

Father in heaven,  I don't understand all these symbols and descriptions.. but I do believe that You have a good plan and You will fulfill all of Your Words.  I thank You for sending Jesus, the righteous One who sits on the throne as King and as High Priest.  Thank You for the salvation that is complete in Christ. One day, we will understand what we only see partially now. Until that day, may we walk in truth and in integrity, in obedience to Your commands, to the glory of our Lord. Amen.