Monday, May 18, 2015

Monsters, Malachi, and Whiny Children


If I could do it all over again, this might be required reading for the boys.
The title says it all.
Sure, the fear of God is a more nobel motivation
but the fear of monsters would've likely yielded immediate results.

Whiny children, Malachi has a lot to say about these sorts.

Though written roughly 2,500 ago, the prophet's artistry is unparalleled.
Using nine intermittent phrases, Malachi elicits our impassioned response.
He stirs in us both indignation and impatient disgust.
We're left to wonder, "How could anyone be this incredibly whiny?"

Yet herein is Malachi’s genius. 

By leveraging the depth of Israel’s apathy and the height of her arrogance the prophet causes readers to ponder their own lives.  While reading Malachi and growing increasingly weary of Israel’s refusal to receive correction, we are indirectly led to consider our own inner dialogue with God.  

In correction, are we guarded and full of excuses?  
In correction, are we as smug in our routines and presumptions?  
In correction, are we so slow in receiving instruction? 
In correction, are we His whiny children?  

As noted in the chart below, these 9 "But you say..." phrases collectively provide a profile into the heart of the spiritually dull those whiny kids who simply cannot seem to hear correction and demonstrate appropriate growth in Christ.  Take note.

The spiritually dull consistently struggle to maintain contentment (1:2). 

“I have loved you…but you say, “How have you loved us?” 

Rather that demonstrating a spirit of heartfelt gratitude toward God, these carry a general dissatisfaction with His provisions.  Note Malachi 1:2-5.  God makes an unbelievable statement: "I have loved you."  Incredibly, Israel sulks.  "How have you loved us?"   

God responds by calling attention to the ways his love has been manifested throughout Israel's past, present, and future.  Starting with God's choice of Jacob over Esau, Israel should have been able to list the countless ways God had clearly demonstrated His mercy and grace through her history.  Still yet, the nation folded her arms, remained inward, and stood feeling sorry for herself.   

The spiritually dull consistently demonstrate a defensive spirit (1:6, 7; 2:17; 3:13).

Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord.  
But you say, “How have we spoken against you?” 

Rather than receiving God's attempt to address their sin, these continually redirect the conversation.  Note the four occasions where Malachi questions certain behaviors and attitudes.  Each time Israel refuses to take ownership and deflects God's accusation by feinging ignorance .  

Imagine a young child with chocolate smeared on their face, wondering aloud why they're being accused of getting into the cookie jar.  Such was Israel, defenseless but still insinuating innocence.       

While Proverbs contains plenty concerning the importance of receiving correction, one of my favorite passages is 29:9 - If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs and there is no quiet.  The foolish will deflect in a myriad of ways but rage and mockery are often choice methods of diverting attention away from guilt and the latent need of repentance.   

The spiritually dull consistently miss the magnitude of their King (1:13) 

For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord.  
But you profane it (God’s name) when you say that the Lord’s table is 
polluted and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.  
But you say “What a weariness this is”, and you snort at it, 
says the Lord of Hosts”

Rather than offer worship from a place of awe-filled reverence, these offer lame worship in a spirit of unrest and rote detachment.  The priests had grown bored with the daily routines of cultic worship.  They'd grown lax in so far as they allowed lame animals and fruit to be used in service to the Lord.  

But the issue was much deeper than merely the use of unacceptable offerings, the primary issue was that the priests had lost a sense of God's splendor.  Put simply, they'd grown bored.  Rote worship will be evident in all who struggle to constantly hear from God and apply his directives.  

The spiritually dull consistently divert the demands of repentance. 

There are two parts to this, each show the appearance of repentance but fall woefully short of experiencing the life-change demonstrated through submission.  
  • Misdirected sorrow over sin (2:14)

    You cover the Lords altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, “Why does he not”.
Rather than demonstrating sorrow over their sin against God, these respond merely to the unrest caused by their sin.  Indeed, there is sorrow involved but it is directed toward secondary discomforts.  Similar to 2 Corinthians 7, here Paul addresses two types of sorrow.  Worldly sorrow grieves the unrest caused by rebellion, whereas biblical sorrow grieves broken communion with God.  

Notice Israel's repeated offering to God. They knew something was terribly wrong but as the dialogue plays out Israel refused to accept responsibility choosing instead to simply be saddened over the spiritual unrest.
  • Misdirected interest in life-change (3:7). 
Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.  But you say, “How shall we return?” 

Rather than embracing God’s clear offer of restoration and the clear path of righteousness, these divert attention away from the clarity of obedience and chose confusion (3:7). Israel knew the direction she should go. Her entire history was marked by either hardness and disobedience or submission and obedience. The question of "how do we return" only demonstrates the degree in which Israel refused to receive God's correction and grace.

Through the years, I've noticed that often we know what to do.  Even so, we choice to remain in darkness and make things much more difficult.  We turn from the clarity of grace and obedience and chose to perpetuate our spiritual dullness.    

In closing, let's ask some questions.

How many people do you know that actually receive correction well?  We all can give correction but whom among us actually receives it in a God-honoring way?  

As quickly as I might want to place my name at the top of that list, I'm rather certain my name would be on an entirely different roll.  Even so, how quick are we to actively listen and embrace the leading of God and the wounds of our friends?

If you're wondering, you may want to ask those closest to you.  Do we receive correction or are we more prone to blow up, sulk, or whine in the face of godly correction.  There is much at stake.  Watch out for the monsters.

Grace and Peace




1:2 – But you say, “How have you loved us?”

1:6 – But you say, “How have we despised your name?”

1:7 – But you say, “How have we polluted you?”

1:13 – But you say, “What a weariness this is.”

2:14 – But you say, “Why does he not (accept the offering)?”

2:17 – But you say, “How have we wearied him?”

3:7 – But you say, “How shall we return?”

3:8 – But you say, “How have we robbed you?”

3:13 – But you say, “How have we spoken against you?”