Those Who Serve God (Malachi 3:18)

 


Saturday, November 30, 2024


Psalm 72

Malachi 3:13-4:6

Revelation 13:11-18


Observance: Andrew, apostle and martyr


Those Who Serve God (Malachi 3:18)


Congratulations all round: we have reached the end of this study! We have now spent almost half a year travelling through the latter part of Israel’s history as recorded in the Old Testament. Beginning with the prophet Amos, we saw the brooding storm slowly build, until it broke over Jerusalem with the Babylonian destruction of the temple. We went into exile, where the prophets encouraged us to keep hope. That hope was vindicated with the return of the exiles, where we discovered all was not as we had hoped: a big job was before us. The work of rebuilding had to be done. Yet there were mockers and scoffers, enemies of God and his kingdom, and so we had to do our work with a sword in one hand, and a trowel in the other.


And now, on the eve of Advent, we end with the final words from the Old Testament with this prophecy from Malachi: don’t get complacent, don’t be disheartened, don’t lose sight of the end game. Christ is returning; God is coming back to complete the job he started.


Malachi was prophesying at a time when the rebuilding work was mostly done, and life in the Holy Land had mostly returned to normal. The people had (so they thought) done everything God had asked them, and yet they could not see God holding up his side of the deal. And so they got fidgety: “It is futile to serve God. What did we gain?” (Mal 3:14)


St Peter touches on this attitude, all too familiar to humanity, in the third chapter of his second letter. It is worth listening to his words on this topic as well. He speaks of “scoffers who will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)


The consistent message found in Malachi, St Peter’s second letter, the letters of Jesus recorded in the book of Revelation, as well as numerous other places in scripture, is to remain firm in the faith. Prepare the way of the Lord, for he is surely coming. Keep to the commandments of God, and be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawlessness. To him who overcomes and does the will of Jesus to the end, he will give authority over the nations, just as he has received authority from his Father. Keep your sword sharp and your trowel ready; Jesus has been given all authority on heaven and on earth, and to the church he has given the keys to his kingdom; and the gates of Hades will not be able to stand against our invasion.

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