Why should I be good if God has not been good to me? - the message of Malachi (PART 1) PLEASE NOTE: This article is specifically addressed to the child of God who is going through life’s ‘rough patches’. Be encouraged. “Nginithandile”, usho uJehova - Malachi 1:2. “UJakobe ngamthanda kepha uEsawu ngamzonda” – Romans 9:13. “Esiswini sakho kukhona izizwe ezimbili; izinhlobo ezimbili zabantu ziyakwahlukana ezibilinini zakho; esinye isizwe siyakwahlula esinye, omkhulu akhonze omncane” –Genesis 25:23 “Ndodana yami ungadeleli ukulaya kweNkosi, uphele amandla, nxa usolwa yiyo, ngokuba iNkosi iyamlaya emthandayo ishaye yileyo naleyo ndodana eyamukelayo” –Hebrews 12:5-6 “Yena ongayigodlanga eyakhe indodana kepha wayinikela ngenxa yethu sonke, kungaba kanjani ukuba angasiphi konke kanye nayo na?” - Romans 8:32 1. GOD LOVES YOU: “Nginithandile”, usho uJehova - Malachi 1:2. Nginithandle- I have loved you. There are probably very few people who do not respond to love. The thought that we are loved cheers us up. The book of Malachi also begins with those words. God declares his love for Israel. The scene? Israel is now back in Jerusalem. The disobedience which had led to 67 years of exile in Babylon has finally come to an end. While in Babylon, they had always trusted God for the end of their exile and hence the song: Emlanjeni waseBhabhiloni, salila izinyembezi. Daily they would pray and look forward to their freedom. What could be more wonderful than raising your own kids in your own country where they can learn your own culture and language? They are now back in Jerusalem. In fact, when Malachi was written they had been back for 100 years. A lot of hard work had taken place. From the rebuilding of the temple, to the rebuilding of Jerusalem walls, to corporate worship and to labour in the fields and the marketplace. For all such hard work, happiness and success was scarce. The temple had been rebuilt but its glory was nowhere close to the one Solomon had built. In the fields, there was less harvest. Locusts have eaten all the produce. They are now at a point where they doubt whether the return from exile had any value. The morale of the society is at its lowest. To put a cherry on top, the nation had no king and the pastors (priests) were most corrupt. After 100 years back in Jerusalem, God speaks and affirms his love for them as a nation. Let me ask you a question. What picture did you have of the year 2013? How is it compared to the current reality? Take the feeling you have right now and multiply it a thousand times. That gives the sad state of the Israelites in Jerusalem after the exile. It is against that background that God declares his unwavering love to the nation of Israel. As a nation, South Africa is gearing up for the 2014 national election. We are used to empty words, lies and more lies. Politicians are prepared to say anything just to get our vote. Twenty years into democracy we are still unemployed. How is God’s declaration of his love to us different to the promises of our politicians? You are probably saying to yourself, “Mondli I have heard all that ‘love-stuff’ before. You don’t know what I’m going through right now. Where is the love of God in all my pain”? Well, please keep reading. 2 YOUR ELECTION AS PROOF: “UJakobe ngamthanda kepha uEsawu ngamzonda” – Romans 9:13. In Malachi 1:2b, God seems to be aware that people question his love for them. They ask, ‘ usithande kanjani na?’ God reminds them of their grandparents Esau and Jacob. The Israelites were the descendents of Jacob the twin brother of Esau. (The descendents of Esau are known as the Edomites). In a nutshell, God says to them: • Your grandfather Jacob did not qualify to be the heir for he was not Isaac’s firstborn. He became the firstborn by grace. Jacob who did not seek mercy found it. • God’s grace in Jacob denied Esau the right of inheritance. Esau who deserved mercy did not find it but was punished for taking his responsibility lightly. • That is, Jacob was favoured by grace and Esau was punished so God can demonstrate his hatred for sin. Jacob was probably the more sinful of the two. His life was marred by serious character flaws. It is not normally noticed that when Jacob stole his brother’s inheritance/blessing the two were grown up men. They were most probably around 80 years old. Jacob had persisted in that sinful lifestyle for 80 years! How then did God choose him to be the father of a nation that would ultimately give birth to the Saviour of the world? Grace qualified him! • The Israelites became God’s people by grace, not by birth. Heridity qualified Esau. Grace qualified Jacob. That is proof enough for God’s love for them. O child of God, take heart! How else can we explain your salvation? You were not the most devout person while in the world. According to Ephesians 2, not only were you in darkness but you were also darkness. God demonstrates his love for you in that even while you were in that state, Jesus died for you. There was no chance of you becoming God’s child. Heredity was dead against you. Your works did not qualify you. But thank God, where heredity and works disqualified you, grace qualified you. You are child of God. But first and foremost, God decided that he would save you long time ago, long before the world came into existence. Sadly, God also decided to overlook some people and then punish them for their sins long time ago. Grace gave birth to your election. God’s holiness (justice) will send other people to eternal punishment. God created you so he can demonstrate his grace. He created others so he can demonstrate his holiness. You could have been in the other group, but grace did not allow that to happen to you. When God says that he loves you please believe that! Note please, Grace qualifies sinners for heaven and sin qualifies others for hell. The wages of sin is death and so those who go to hell go there because of their own sin. God’s power is seen in that he is able to link what people really like to do with what he predestined before the world began. (Abantu abangasindisiwe abafuni ukusindiswa. Babuze bazokutshela. Abantu abasiwo ama-robots. Their decisions are real. God sends no man to hell, sin does. When people sin they are doing what they really like, it’s not that God makes them sin so he can punish them. A holy God is therefore right when he chooses to punish sin.) God does this for his own glory. This is why this article is addressed to believers only. The knowledge that you found the salvation you did not deserve should humble you, cause your anger at God to subside, and increase your joy despite your present challenges. You are loved by God. If you doubt that, look at your salvation. While many are called (hear the sermon), few are chosen. You are one of the chosen few. In Malachi 1:3-4, God has more to say about the descendents of Esau (the Edomites). When Babylon invaded Jersusalem and held captive the Israelites, Jerusalem was destroyed. Later, Edom was also destroyed. Jerusalem was rebuilt after 67 years of ruins. Edom lies in ruins to this day. King Herod was the last edomite to be mentioned in the Bible. The nation of Edom no longer exists. Do you still remember the psalm you use to sing at school? Psalm 1? Verses 4 and 6 are worth mentioning here: Verse 4: “Ababi abanjalo…” Verse 6: “indlela yababi yobhubha” Believers and non-believers go through the same experiences but for the believer the future is bright! Non-believers will perish, period! This should bring comfort to every believer. The only contribution that you and I have brought into the table so God can have such glorious future for us is our sin. Grace has qualified us. This should wipe every tear. 3. SUFFERING AS PROOF: “Ndodana yami ungadeleli ukulaya kweNkosi, uphele amandla, nxa usolwa yiyo, ngokuba iNkosi iyamlaya emthandayo ishaye yileyo naleyo ndodana eyamukelayo” –Hebrews 12:5-6 Suffering is proof of love. God loves us too much to live us where we are. Christ-likeness is his goal. Nothing less will suffice. God employs delays, sickness, retrenchments to help order our priorities. Our Christ-likeness is of more value to him than our comfort. Paul, on the very subject of election, he says, “ siyazi ukuthi kwabamthandayo uNkulunkulu konke kusebenzelana kube ngokuhle…”. Who are those who love God Professor Paul? He continues,” kulabo ababiziweyo ngecebo lakhe”- Romans 8:28ff. This verse only applies to the elect. Malachi therefore says to us: suffering does not disprove God’s love. The elect in this book were subject to pain and suffering. Your suffering is not unusual, God is with you and loves you. 4. TAKE HEART! Paul goes on to say, “ Yena ongayigodlanga eyakhe iNdodana, kepha wayinikela ngenxa yethu sonke, kungaba KANJANI UKUBA ANGASIPHI KONKE kanye Nayo?” –Romans 8:32 The apostle is saying to you o child of God: Your election in eternity past and salvation today are the greatest proof ever of God’s love for you. Since God has done so much for you, why do you think he is not able to do the least, the things that make life on earth enjoyable? In the words of Richard Baxter: The love which brought the Son of God’s love from heaven to earth, from the earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to glory- that love which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, buffeted, spat upon, crucified, pierced-which fasted, prayed, taught, healed, wept, sweated, bled, died, that love will eternally embrace you. Akasoze angidele owangifela eKhalvari. Kuhle kimi noNkosikazi wami. Kuhle emindenini yethu nasezihlotsheni zethu. OwaseKhalvari angeke avume ngibe ngundingasithebeni. He loves me too much. He loves you too much. 5. THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE “Amehlo enu ayakukubona, bese nithi: UJehova uyakuba mukhulu…”- Malachi 1:5 God did indeed fulfill his promise. Jesus was born in Israel. Their very eyes witnessed the event. God is faithful. Your eyes will live to see the goodness of God. God will do this for his names sake. He is great (mkhulu) . We must never cease to proclaim his greatness, even in our pain. OUR RESPONSE: SONG: UyiNkosi yamakhosi, unguMdali walomhlaba, zonke izinzwe zibabaza UBUKHULU bakho…
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 19:45:28 +0000
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