“‘A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘It is you priests who show contempt for my name. ‘But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ ‘By offering defiled food on my altar. ‘But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ ‘By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible.”
- Malachi 1:6-7 -

Malachi’s first disputation sets the theme of the book: God’s love for Israel. God made them his chosen people. After their repeated disobedience, God disciplined them through exile in Babylon. Now God had brought them home, and Jerusalem and the Temple were rebuilt.

The second disputation begins by accusing the priests of condoning sacrifices that violated the covenant law, treating God with contempt. Since their prayers and sacrifices were unacceptable to God they might as well close the Temple! Not just the priests are condemned – the people bringing such offerings are cursed (v 14), since their offerings reflect their spiritual state. There is a challenge here to assess the acceptability of our worship today.

Malachi uses three pictures of the covenantal love relationship: father–son, master–servant, king–subject. The Judaeans were failing on each count.

Prayer: Mighty One, you are a covenant-keeping God! You are faithful, but I can be so fickle. Lord, please increase my faith and faithfulness.

(from Encounter with God)