Reflections on Malachi 1: 12-14

12 “ But you profane it,
In that you say,

‘ The table of the LORD^[a] is defiled;
And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
13 You also say,

‘ Oh, what a weariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says the LORD of hosts.

“ And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
Should I accept this from your hand?”
Says the LORD.
14 “ But cursed be the deceiver
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—
For I am a great King,”
Says the LORD of hosts,

“ And My name is to be feared among the nations.
(NKJV)


The Lord repeats the charges against His chosen people. And he further says that those who have taken a vow to give of his best offering to God will be cursed if he instead presents before God sacrifices that are blemished. The Lord is reacting to the flippant nature with which the priests and the people have now treated their sacrifices to God. Instead of treating God with reverence, they have chosen to mock him by offering him the stolen, the lame and the sick. The priests and the people have shown disrespect to God. And He in turn pronounces the judgment of a curse on them, anyone who does not present a pure offering, anyone who does not take seriously his own vow to God.


These verses remind us of the seriousness with which God desires the very best of people who worship Him and who honour Him and who revere Him. Although God desires a close personal relationship with us, we should never forget the truth that He is our Lord and Master. In tithing, for instance, we should give our very first 10% or more to God before we settle on the use of the remainder of our monthly income. Are we most of the time scrapping at the bottom just to give a miserly offering to God in return for His bountiful blessings for us? As for the use of our time, are we trying in vain to fit God into our schedules or are we seeking to honour Him and worship Him by fitting our schedule around Him? And when it comes to relationships with others, do we honour God in what we say to others and how we treat them?

Hypocrisy and deceit do not sit well with a holy God.



References:
1. Matthew Henry's Commentary of the Bible
http://www.ccel.org/h/henry/?show=worksBy

2. John Calvin's Commentary of the Bible
http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/?show=worksBy

3. The Spirit-Filled Bible (NKJV)

4. Life Application Bible (NIV)