FAREWELL SERMON #2: 1 Samuel 12

 

This is the second of my three farewell sermons, in which I want to use the words of Samuel by which he addresses his final words to the nation of Israel. Again I remind you that I am not Samuel, and you are not Israel.  But there are abiding and useful principles here which we want to explore for  our benefit.

1.      SOME BACKGROUND TO  1 SAMUEL 12 

Samuel was effectively the last Judge of Israel. He follows the book of Judges. In his days Israel was looking for a king (1 Samuel 8). Despite many warnings from Samuel concerning the manners and the ways of kings, and despite the fact that Israel actually had God as their King ( for she was a theocratic nation), they insisted on having flesh and blood to rule over them, and so Israel receives their first king in the person of Saul (1 Samuel 9 & 10).  Initial reviews on Saul are wonderful, until he loses the plot.

2.      12:1  A LESSON IN BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP

12:1 “And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold[1], I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you”. Let’s try to understand this. If kings were dangerous to Israel’s existence, why did Samuel give into them now? The answer is found in 8:19-22. It was actually God who handed Israel over to her own desires. Sometimes we just have to learn the hard way. And the problem is actually not with wanting a king. The problem is that kings are sinners, and people are sinners. Sinful kings can easily become manipulative and abusive and sinful people can easily become lazy and non-involved, allowing their kings to take over their lives. Kings take away our need to lean heavily on God.

Let me apply this immediately. The church under the headship of her king, the Lord Jesus is designed to function as a body, as each member participates according to their spiritual gifts and abilities (1 Cor.12, Rom.12:3-8). To the church under the headship of Christ belongs the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). That was exactly the way Israel was designed to function under the leadership of God. The function of OT/ NT leaders was never to take away or substitute the responsibility of the work of ministry from the people, but to teach, lead  and encourage God’s people toward the exercise of their duty. Pastors/ elders are not given to do the work of the ministry. They participate in the work of the ministry by equipping the saints.

Again, what is the problem with leaders and what is the problem with the people? The leaders very easily take over the work in a power grabbing fashion, and the people easily become laid back and lazy. They like to pay someone to do the work for them.  The problem with the leader is that if he doesn’t keep himself sanctified and under the rule of Christ, he begins to feel a sense of entitlement and of inflated self- importance. That would become Saul’s problem very soon. And it would lead to his eventual disqualification. Knowing this, and despite his reservations Samuel appointed Israel's first human king by God’s permission.

3.      12:2- 5 NOT SO WITH SAMUEL…

We are not going to engage in a study of the differing leadership styles of Saul and Samuel.  All that needs to be said is that Samuel’s leadership style most closely reflects that which Jesus taught us about servant leadership[2].

Israel was not to be the king’s possession. It was not to be Saul’s or Samuel’s possession. Israel was God’s people, and as such they were not to be abused – least of all economically (see Samuel’s warning again in 8:10-18). The same is true for the New Testament church. Applying this once again to the NT this does not mean that the church should not (even generously) reward those servant leaders that labour in the Word (2 Tim 5:17,18). Sadly, many Namibian churches are sinning against the Lord by not providing an adequate living stipend for their pastors. Having said that we must insist that pastors are not there to enrich themselves. That is the other side of the sad story as it relates to the current phenomenon  of  abusive prosperity teachers. The kings of Israel quickly became very opulent and self- entitled, but you could not say this about Samuel.

As I lay down this calling, I am calling you to judge me in this matter (12:3ff). I have not used my position to enrich myself. The generous stipend that you have given me lately was substantially used to buy a home. That is my husbandly duty to my wife. I have not hoarded money. I have given to others in need. I have spent much of the stipend in one way or the other on this ministry… and with deep joy. I am not walking out here as a wealthy man.

Furthermore I also assure you, that as much as I know, I have not wanted to seek glory for myself. I have not laboured for your recognition or your praise. I was thankful when I received your encouragement, but I carried on even when I did not feel encouraged, knowing that our ultimate reward shall come from God. 

I also have not wanted to hold on to my position.  I am laying down my work for these reasons

(i)                 my work among you, as a pastor is done. I have given what I could.

(ii)               it is now time for a sustained sabbatical, and if God keeps me healthy, I wish to continue in a ministry that is more focussed  on my strengths  

(iii)             I have worked myself out of a job. God has supplied new leaders - and you need   to use them, and I must get out of the way for them to do that. That doesn’t mean that I cease to exist. It simply means that I exist in a different capacity.   It is interesting  to note that although Samuel closes with this farewell speech, we still hear of him  in other contexts, until we finally we hear  of his death in  1 Samuel 25:1.

Samuel is a study in integrity. Our ethics are driven by personal beliefs and values. Our morals are expressed in the way in which we live our lives.  Integrity is when our ethics are proven by our morals - when what we say we believe is matched by how we live our lives.

I trust that I have lived with the integrity of an imperfect man before you.

In 12:4-5 we note the people’s response… The people confirm Samuel’s integrity and in addition Samuel calls on God to confirm his testimony.  We know that Samuel wasn’t a perfect man. But he had integrity, and I trust that this is true for you and me.

And now we want to consider that which undergirds Samuel’s faithfulness: God’s faithfulness!

4.      12:6-18 GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AND A CHALLENGE TO ISRAEL NOT TO BE UNFAITHFUL.

In this passage we hear overtones of Joshua. The closing words of both these leaders include a strong exhortation to the people to stay faithful. Their history shows,

(i)                 God’s covenantal faithfulness

(ii)                Israel’s frequent unfaithfulness

12:6-11 Samuel, by  means of a survey, from the Exodus from Egypt,  to Israel’s entrance into the promised land  shows them again and again how Israel fell into the routine  of slavery /idolatry and delivery as  God  delivered them both, up to their enemies, and  from  their enemies  by  sending  deliverers (Judges) time and again in response to the people’s desperate  prayers. The LORD sent Jerubbaal (Gideon) and Barak (Bedan[3]) and Jephthah and Samuel…, and you lived in safety (12:11). The point is that Israel was delivered time and again by God their King. The deliverers were God’s instruments. And yet despite God’s interventions, “they forgot the Lord their God” – breaking the first and most important requirement of the Sinai covenant— (12:9; cf. Deut. 8:11).

But God did not forget Israel, nor His covenant with Israel. Even in the handing over of His people, God loved His people.

12:12 Israel’s unfaithful response to God: “And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king.  For Samuel this became the next level of rebellion against God! Israel  forgot that God their King had delivered them from the hand of the Philistines in 1Sam.7. They forgot their own history in the book of the Judges. They were determined to have a human king to reign over them. Samuel saw this as a betrayal, but God bore with His people’s  choice  and  said  in  12:13-14,  “And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.   There are 4 conditions, 3 positive and 1 negative - fear God, serve God, obey God, and do not rebel against God. All would be well if king and people hold on to God.  If not – see 12:15.

Moses had warned the first generation of Israel who had been delivered from bondage in Egypt - “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you (Deut.28:16-68). Joshua gave a similar warning to the second generation who had entered the promised land - “If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.” (Josh 24:20ff).

Eastside Baptist Church , I can only say this to you: Keep your hearts attached to the King of the church. Love Him, serve Him. Worship Him. Don’t substitute anything or anyone for Christ. Learn from Samuel. Learn from the failures of Israel, and learn from the failures of the church. Paul rebuked the Corinthian Christians for being man-centred (1Cor. 1:11-13). Focus sharply on the Lord Jesus. Keep your soul under His word, and hold your leaders accountable to preach the Word to you. In that process, keep your Sundays for God, pray always, and expect God to work and to authenticate Himself (12:16-18).  Samuel is telling Israel to prepare themselves to see a sign from the LORD, which would authenticate the warning he had just given them. Rain during the wheat harvest (late May to early June) was unusual, and yet the Lord sent the rain and thunder to authenticate Samuel's words to the people. The mark of a true prophet in the biblical sense of that word is seen in God’s authentication of his words.

12:19 Seeing this authentication of Samuel’s words, the people suddenly realise that their asking for a human king was a great sin against God. In that sense, their response is good, because it amounts to a confession of their sin. Again one is reminded of the spiritual depth of Samuel’s ministry. His ministry was rooted in a sincere and consistent prayer life. This fact was clearly recognized by the people in 1 Sam 12:19. Samuel’s prayer footprint is clearly seen in 1 Sam.12:23; cf. 1 Sam.7:5ff; 1 Sam 8:6ff. Samuel did not consider prayer an option to be exercised at convenient moments. It was essential and integral to His ministry. While I am no Samuel, I have been in prayer for you, and I have regularly called you to be faithful in prayer. 

5.      12:20-25  A REVELATION OF  SAMUEL’S PASTORAL HEART

As people  see and process  the reality of Samuel’s pastoral ministry to them  we find  that…

(i)                 Samuel calms their fear. They are not in danger of imminent destruction (12:20a).  

(ii)               Samuel does not gloss over their sin. What they had done was serious (12:20b)

(iii)             Samuel warns them not to turn aside from God's commandments (12:21a). The best preventative to keep from turning aside is to serve the LORD with all your heart.

(iv)              He tells them not  to trust in empty things that cannot deliver (12:21b)  

(v)                He tells them  that God will not forsake His people (12:22)

(vi)              He  assures them of his ongoing personal prayer for them (12:23)

(vii)            He exhorts them again to cling to God with all their hearts (22:24).

(viii)          He warns them again (12:25).

These are the marks of a biblical ministry. I trust that you have had a taste of this. 

The ministry that you will most benefit from is a ministry that speaks for God and which loves people. In that order, and never the other way around!

My greatest duty has been to lead you into the arms of the Great Shepherd.

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[1] Behold, ( Heb. hinneh;  Gr. LXX idou = aorist imperative)

[2] Mark 10:42-45; Matt 20:25-28 ;  John 13:12-17 ; Phil. 2:5-8

[3] Bedan is not mentioned in the book of Judges, suggesting the possibility there were other judges in that 300 year period. There is another possibility that this was a copyist's error because the Septuagint and Arabic versions both have the name for Barak (Jud. 4) cf. ESV and NIV versions.  Samuel is the last judge. God used him to deliver Israel so that "the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel." (1Sam. 7:13ff).

FAREWELL SERMON #1: JOSHUA 23&24

 

And so it is that we must start the process of saying goodbye to this season of ministry - a 34 year ministry at our beloved Eastside Baptist Church.

Truly, this time has gone by, “as a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). We are setting apart 3 Sundays, and with the help of some of the farewell speeches of Scripture, I wish to share some concluding reflections with you. 

Everything under the sun has a starting point and a termination date. Joshua started to lead Israel after the death of Moses (Joshua 1) and here in the 23^rd and 24^th chapter, Joshua   shares his final words with Israel.  I was called to the pastoral ministry in January 1990, although I was also a founding church member with the group that started this congregation in the June of 1985. God willing, I will complete my labours on the 31^st December of this year, when many of you will be on your well- deserved holidays.  

Marcelle and I are not yet sure what the future holds for us in terms of further usefulness, but we do know who holds the future. We plan to have a time of rest, reflection and prayer, asking the Lord where we could serve Him, in keeping with our age related capabilities. We were deliberate in not making any plans, because we did not want to be doubleminded. It was really important to us to serve God and you with an undivided heart until the very end.

We know that God will provide for the years that are left for us on earth. So when people say, “We hear that Joachim and Marcelle are retired now” tell them, “You heard that wrong. They are not retiring. They are waiting on new orders.  But Joachim needs to let go of Eastside. A new team must now lead this work forward.” We shall stay in touch and visit from time to time as wisdom dictates and as the Lord allows.  I will no longer be your pastor or church elder, but Marcelle and I will always be your brother and sister in Christ.  And so I wish  to use the closing words of  Joshua, Samuel and Paul, by which  I reflect  with you  on  this  ministry.

Today we begin with Joshua:

23:1-5 “A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers and said to them… you have seen all that the LORD your God has done…”.

Recognising that Joshua’s times and situations were unique and unrepeatable, I want to be quick to point out that I am not Joshua and you are not Israel, and the situation here is quite unique. Nevertheless, life lived under the sun repeats itself in various familiar  forms, and for this reason also “the Scriptures  are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness…” (2 Tim 3:16). We find common ground in the farewell words of our biblical ancestors.

Under  the leadership  of Joshua, and by God’s grace, Israel, after many battles fought and won finally came to rest in the promised land – the very land that today is in the news and once again the focus point of so much trouble and conflict. 

Eastside Baptist church had a beginning. She was solemnly constituted to the glory of God on the 16^th of June 1985, by 21 members. Our founding pastoral couple were Charles[1] and Betty Whitson[2]. They served you until December 1989. A piece of land was secured and building commenced in 1987. This is the property from which we have conducted our work for nearly 40 years[3].  Marcelle and I started in January of 1990, three months before Namibia became an independent nation. This church has now become a settled congregation in the city. Many battles needed to be fought in that process. The sworn enemy of the church, the devil, has tried his utmost to discourage us and hinder us, time and again.  We started as a young and immature church, with very little structure and with  no elders. We were certainly  very vulnerable, and I myself was a rookie pastor, 32 years old, when I started.

23:6-13 The Fight of Faith

“Therefore be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the LORD your God...” (23:6-8)

As he was prepared to hand over the leadership, Joshua’s main concern was that Israel needed to continue in the strong convictions that first moved him – see Joshua 1:6-9. Israel was called by Joshua to resist any form of idolatry and spiritual compromise by holding on  to the Word of God (23:6) and to  love the Lord their God (23:11). The surrounding nations and their worship of idols –  their false gods were Israel’s  greatest challenge. If they would bring the outside world into their midst (mostly by marriage) that would become “a snare and a trap… a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes…” (23:13).

Eastside was born in a time of spiritual and political trouble, and much can be said about that. Some Namibian Churches of various denominations were becoming political platforms in those pre-independence days. Other churches were embracing the Pentecostal/ Charismatic movement. Both, the political  and many of the charismatic  churches  essentially abandoned the authority of the Word of God. In due time these became man centered organizations, and with our own eyes we have seen the demise of many such churches in our own day. 

The overarching desire expressed by a group, meeting in Charles and Betty’s home in the early eighties was to have an evangelical church that was free from political agendas  and charismatic excesses and focused on God’s Word. 

That is easier said than done. The people that joined Eastside loved the idea of being part of a Bible based church, but many weren’t deeply rooted in the practises and disciplines of the Word of God, and some ultimately abandoned the Lord.  They loved the world more, and the apostle Paul tells us of such. [4]  Others persevered under the Word and were in due course established, and  they became co-labourers. Some are now with the Lord.

One of my key contributions to the spiritual battle here has been a  call to the reformation of the church  alongside a persistent call to true, consistent discipleship. I say this against the background that many in this wonderful country call themselves Christians. In reality few live like Christians. The greatest battles I have fought, is with our hearts and our wills – to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). My regular anguish is best expressed by Paul in Galatians 4:19: “my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you”.

23:14-16 Joshua’s Farewell; Reminder of God’s Faithfulness; Warning concerning Unfaithfulness

“And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things  that  the LORD your God promised concerning you…”. 

Joshua knows that he will not live forever and that the time has now come to hand over the baton to a new generation. But the big point here is that Joshua reminds the coming generation that God has always been faithful to His people. And he warns them that they must not be unfaithful to the LORD their God. Unfaithfulness has painful consequences.

24:1- 13 A Great Gathering and a History Lesson

“Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel… and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people…”.  

Joshua’s last words are now recorded in the 24^th chapter. Everyone gathers – “all the tribes of Israel, the elders, the heads of families, the judges, the officers of Israel”. And Joshua speaks, “…Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel…”.

He reminds them of their history –  from  Terah, the father of Abraham,  who lived in Mesopotamia  to the present.

He reminds them of the fact  that it was God Himself who gave them   their ancestry (24:2-4), who brought them out of Egypt (24:6,7),  who gave them the promised land of  Canaan (24:8-13) – “a land  for which they had not laboured  and cities that you had not built… eating  fruit of vineyards and  olive orchards  that you did not plant…”.  

Eastside, remember that God has planted this church by the labours of others.  God, at the hand of this church has brought at least 2 generations through many troubles, trials and tests. Great battles have been fought to preserve the gospel – more than you can know or appreciate. God has given us rest (23:1), and now you are currently privileged to enjoy the fruit of that labour.  Most of you have not sweated and toiled for what you now have. Don’t take that for granted. Don’t despise that.

Be careful and thankful and continue to build on this foundation for future generations. Remember too that a Christ centred, Word based, Evangelical church is a thorn in Satan’s side. Don’t presume on this present peace. You must continue the fight of faith. You must continue to cling to God and His Word alone. Two key activities must define you: Prayer and Proclamation!  Whatever else you do must flow from that!

24:14 – 28 A FINAL CHALLENGE

“Fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness…”… “put away the gods that your fathers served…”…”choose this day whom you will serve…”.  

Joshua’s final reminder is a repeat of what has been said so often in Israel – Fear the LORD! “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). So make up your minds where you want to be. Do not have your heads here with God and your hearts there with your idols. Serve and love the LORD your God with your whole mind and heart and soul and strength.

The people answer Joshua, and they say,  “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods…”(24:16). Joshua, a seasoned and experienced man knows that his people are quick to speak and slow to deal with the problem of heart idolatry. Therefore he says, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God…” (24:19).

Many people think that being a Christian is easy. Well it is and it isn’t. It is easy when you understand that your salvation is based on holding on to Christ ALONE. But do you hold on to Jesus alone? What else are you clinging to? If we love idols more than our Lord Jesus then we have no certainty that we are actually Christians in the first place.   

But Joshua’s people insist that they will cling to God, and quite rightly therefore Joshua takes them seriously, by renewing the covenant with them, recording all that they have said. If they will not cling to God, the stones will cry out as a testimony against them (24:27).   I together with our past and present elders have been responsible to attach your hearts to God in our generation.

Will you in turn continue to be faithful to God? 

Will you, the next generation of elders and leaders, be faithful to God and your people? 

In Joshua  24:31 we read, 

“Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived  Joshua and  had known all the work that the LORD did  for Israel.”  

Thank God that Joshua’s legacy lasted for a while, but we also know that the book of Judges follows,  and with it a most disturbing text in Judges 2:11.   But we do not need to repeat history if we cling to Joshua 23:6, by which we are kept from sin, for as Dwight Moody  rightly said, ”This book  will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book”.

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[1] Charles  Whitson: 3rd April 1927- 9th December 2012;  "The LaFayette Sun" - December 12, 2012 writes,

Rev. Charles Whitson, 85, of LaFayette (Hamburg Community), died Sunday, December 9, 2012, at Bethany House in Opelika.  Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 12, at Rock Springs Baptist Church at 1 p.m. with Rev. Hudson Whitson officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

[2] Betty Whitson:  23^rd May  1933 -  9^th July 2017;  84 years old;  died at the Dadeville Health Care Center in Dadeville, Alabama. Funeral services were held Wednesday July 12, 2017 at 11 AM at the Rock Springs Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery, with the Rev. James Caulfield officiating.  She was a member of the Rock Springs Baptist Church, and she and her husband served as Missionaries to Africa (Namibia) for 25 years.

[3] On the 16^th June 2025  Eastside Baptist Church  will celebrate her 40^th year of existence.

[4]  E.g.  Phygelus and Hermogenes ( 2 Tim 1:15); Hymenaus  and  Philetus (1 Tim 2:17) ; Demas (2 Tim 4:9); Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim 4:14)

MALACHI 3:13- 4:6 “THE DAY OF THE LORD”

 

The message of Malachi is addressed to a people who had lost touch with the living God. This wasn’t for a lack of love for them from God. We saw that the first 5 verses of chapter 1 began with a particular affirmation of love for God for His people. Here is a quick reminder that God chose Jacob (the father of Israel) and not Esau (the father of the Edomites) cf.  1:2. On what basis did God chose Jacob? See Deuteronomy 7:6-9.  God had not moved. On the contrary, God reminds them, “I the LORD do not change…” (3:5). When God seems far away, guess who has moved?  We saw that it was the people, led by their corrupt spiritual leaders that had moved from God.  When God’s messenger, Malachi, confronts them they displayed a culture of objection (but you say…[1]) and accusation against God.  God had become inconsequential in the eye of the people of Israel. This resulted in them bringing perverted sacrifices to the LORD (2:6-14). They were robbing God (3:6ff). All this happened because they had forsaken the basis of their relationship with God – the covenant[2]. Resultantly, they had grown weary of God (1:13). We saw that this had consequences. The nation not only grew distant from God, but they grew faithless to one another (2:10). But the supreme demonstration  of faithlessness was  found in the demise of the most important of all human covenants- the marriage covenant (2:14-16). Does this not sound like our own day?

What will God do? 

What will the God who has entered into a covenant with Israel/Judah, His treasured possession (3:17) do with her? What will God’s people, who have spoken against their God, do? What will they do, who said, “It is vain to serve God” (3:14)?  And then, what will happen to those of whom it is said …“Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another… those who feared the LORD and esteemed his Name?” (3:16). What will happen to those who remain faithful to God?

In these closing words of the message of Malachi we find two kinds of talk, two kinds of people, and two kinds of destinies displayed.  Malachi reminds them and us that all of life will ultimately steer to that great day of the LORD.  The entire Bible has essentially one grand theme: the consummation of God’s kingdom, in which there are two separate destinies for the righteous and the wicked. There are two ways to live. There are two outcomes, two kinds of people. This reminds us  very much  of  Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount  concerning the two states of being: entering  the narrow or the wide gate (Matt. 7:12-14);  being a  healthy or a  diseased tree (Matt. 7:15-20);  being  one who does God’s will or one who does not do God’s will (Matt. 7:21-23);  being a  foolish or wise builder (Matt.7:24-27).

What happens if we speak about God - either by way of honouring His Name, or through speaking harshly against Him? The solemn truth is  that God hears and knows everything about us.

1.       Two kinds of talk – two kinds of people  

i.                    3:13-15   Those who have harsh things to say about God.

ii.                  3:16-18   Those who feared the Lord and who spoke with one another.

 

i.                    3:13-15  Those who have harsh things to say about God

As we work our way through the message of Malachi, we need to continually remind ourselves that we are not dealing here with people that claim to be unbelievers. These are men and women that claim to belong to the covenant. The harsh talk of 3:13 is not attributed to atheists or agnostics. They claim to know God, and yet, as we have consistently noted, there is something very wrong here. They are lukewarm in their expressions of faith. They have become cynical. They do not see themselves as having done anything wrong against God. In fact they are charging God with doing wrong – particularly in 2:17 and 3:14,15. In fact, they are charging Him with favouring the arrogant. Evildoers prosper. Those who blatantly challenge   God seem to escape!  God isn't just.   

We have seen that the root cause of harsh talk against God' is the people’s backsliding. They have turned aside from God (3:7). Backsliding can be likened to cancer - that unseen, hidden process, when vicious cells quietly spread their deadly tentacles in the body, until the day comes when it can no longer hide itself. Backsliding is a cancer of the soul. Initially it is a subtle, painless process until it suddenly erupts in our life and talk. This is what has happened to the Jews in Malachi's day. Gradually they had allowed their love for the LORD, which had been stirred up under godly ministers like Ezra and Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah, to grow cold under the subtle influences of a deadly ministry in 1:6-2:9. Gradually and subtly the process of substituting a living faith for a dead religion had begun.  How can we discern this process?

Jesus reminded His hearers that, that which comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart! (cf. Matt. 15:10-20.  See the consequences of careless words in Matt. 12:36-37). If you listen to the speech of these people then you know that this is not the speech of a people at peace with their God. How did they arrive at this state, and why do they talk like this? When people backslide they begin to forget key facts about God.  They forget to view the world through God's eyes. You become worldly in your thinking. You interpret life from your present political, economic and social circumstances.  You come to careless conclusions, about who's to blame. The weather, the tectonic plates of the earth, the climate change, the politicians and even God gets blamed in a cynical way.  The key problem with backslidden people is that they do not fear God any longer, and we think of everything in terms of second causes. Yes, it is true that God is the Ultimate Cause of everything – even allowing earthquakes and floods – they are perpetual reminders of life in a fallen world and of the final judgement to come. The results are very different: backsliders blame God, the godly fear God! When we stop fearing God we become careless in everything- particularly in our foolish talk and actions. Our deceitful hearts then begin to tell us that we can offer blemished sacrifices. Our deceitful hearts tell us that it isn’t so important to keep our covenant promises (e.g. our marriage vows). Our deceitful hearts tell us that the neglect of giving our tithes and contributions to God isn't serious.

ii.         3:16-18 ; 4:2ff  Those who feared the Lord and  who spoke with one another.

For the first time in Malachi’s message we become aware that there is a remnant of  true believers in Judah. They fear the Lord. They esteem His name.  Here we find a remnant (another prominent theme in the Bible).Thank God that in every age and generation there is  always a remnant of true believers that fear God  and therefore know Him (e.g. 1 Ki. 19:18ff-  the 7000 had not bowed the knee to Baal in  Elijah's time). We learn from these that  “the Lord paid attention and heard them”. We learn that God takes note of everything. He records everything - nothing done either good or evil ever escapes Him.  And now in 3:16b we read that God caused a book of remembrance to be written, concerning “those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name”. The idea of God having a special book in which He records  everything is found frequently in the Bible[3]. The Lord pays attention when His people speak not just to Him, but He hears us when we talk about Him to one another, when we encourage each other and exhort one another from the Scriptures.  These, in particular will be part of God's treasured possession. In this context it is again important to understand, that not all that are of Israel are true Israelites (Rom. 9:6-8); not all church members are members of God's kingdom (Matt. 7:21-23).  But all true children of Abraham - true Jews (in O.T. context) and true Christians (in N.T. context) will be God's treasured possessions in that day. It is these that God will spare. We learn that God makes a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those that  serve God and those that do not serve Him  (3:18). Jesus called them sheep and goats respectively (Matt. 25:31-46) This leads us  to the next thought.

2.      Two kinds of destinies

Can you see the frequent reference to “the day” in our text? “They shall be mine in the day when I make up my treasured possession.” (3:17); “For behold, the day is coming…The day that is coming shall set them ablaze.” (4:2) ;  “They will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act.” (4:3);  “Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” (4:5).

A day is coming, when with sudden clarity the difference between all men will be made clear. And ultimately we shall find that there are only two kinds of people in the world: the believer and the unbeliever. Backsliders forget is this, because they live so much in the present. God fearing men and women will keep their eyes on the finishing line. They   live with the eye on that day!  

Take note of 4:1. Here we find the frightening outcome for those that persist in their rebellion. The day of judgement is a fearful day not for God fearers, but for those that despise God – those that are weary of God, those that say, “It is vain to serve God“.  

Malachi reminds  God fearers in 3:17 and 4:2,3  what God thinks of them:  "They shall  be mine says the LORD of hosts  in the day when I make up my treasure possession...”. Faithful men and women will become the treasured possession of the Lord. He will spare them from the coming day of wrath and judgment.  On that day, “the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” (4:2). Malachi says, “You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” What a day of joy!

The great distinction between believers and unbelievers is revealed by our respective futures. Which future will be yours? This will be determined  by  our response to the  Word of God and therefore the God of the Word.

THE CRUX OF THE MATTER: OUR RESPONSE TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THE GOD OF THE WORD

4:4. THE WORD OF GOD: “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.” The distinctive feature of a believer is their commitment to the Word of God. As the law is now completed in Christ, our true test is this- are we faithful to His commandments? “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” (Jn. 14:15) Faithfulness, obedience, perseverance  are characteristic marks  of a true believer.

4:5,6 THE GOD OF THE WORD: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Malachi tells us that Elijah the prophet, the forerunner of the Messiah will return. Jesus identified John the Baptist as Elijah (Matt. 11:14). He came to prepare the way for Jesus. He proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29,36). John preached Christ, and in so doing he saw many sons and daughters reconciled to God through their faith in the Messiah.  As they were reconciled to God, they were reconciled to one another. This is the miracle of the gospel, and it is signified here in terms of the relationships of fathers to their children and of children to their fathers. The true gospel heals our relationships vertically and horizontally. And now we must ask: How is it going with your relationship with God? How is it going in terms of your relationship with one another? How is your marriage? Parents, what is your relationship with your children like?

LOOK TO JESUS!

If the message of Malachi has exposed you, then receive this  as the Word of God to your soul. God's promise  and invitation  is found in  3:7b : “Return to me , and I will return to you …”  

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[1] 1:2,6,7,13; 2:14,17 ; 3:7,8,13

[2] The covenant of Levi (2:5-9) ; the covenant of their fathers  (2:10) and hence the most important  of all human covenants – the marriage covenant (2:14)

[3] cf. Ex 32:32,33; Ps. 69:28, Ps. 139:16 ; Isa. 4:3; 65:6 ; Ezek. 13:9 ; Dan. 12:1 ;  Philip. 4:3;  Rev.3:5,13:8, 17:8, 20:12,15 ; 21:27