A BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE
Malachi 3:13-18
(13) Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
(14) Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
(15) And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
(16) Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
(17) And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
(18) Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
During the time of Malachi writing, the nation of Israel had strayed far from God. There was much sin among the people. Unbelief had moved in with the many of the people. The majority of the people did what they wanted instead of being in the will of God.
Many of the people began to laugh at the prophets and show no regard to the law of God.
In reading this scripture, I began to think of how much that sounds like America today! Many people are strayting from God; Sin is everywhere; There are many who are just not caring about what the Preacher warns.
What once was a moral/godly majority is now a seemingly minority Many things have happened over the last few years that once would have been unheard of:
1. Prohibited the reading of Scripture in public school.
2. Prohibited prayer in public school.
3. Prohibited a Christian manger scene during Christmas in public places.
4. Prohibited the posting of the 10 Commandments.
5. Prohibited (Arkansas Supreme Court) the teaching of Creation in public schools along with evolution.
6. Allowed abortion (Roe v. Wade, 1973).
7. Allowed homosexuality in the military (Don’t Tell, Don’t Ask).
Times back then are much like they are here today.
During this time of which evil abound so, there were many that strayed form God; But there were a few that remained faithful. Back then, those who sought to do right an honor God, would secretly meet in small groups and would encourage one another and fellowship with one another. Those who participated in those meetings of that day would: Talk about the Lord, Think about the Lord, Even sing about the Lord.They were small in number compared to those who sought pleasure of this world. But neverhteless, they were still that few who wanted to do right.
Now what’s interesting here to me is not what the peopel did, but what God did. Look at verse 16.
(16) Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
What did God do? He gave attention to what was going on; He listened; He wrote it down! The Lord enjoyed what he heard so much that he wrote it down in a special book! "A BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE"
The Lord is eavesdropping on us as we gather together.
Though we may often be small in number, he is placing our efforts in his, "BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE."
In such a time where many were full of evil, there were still a few who stood for God! Those few who;
Talked of God; Loved God; Got together and discussed God’s ways! And while they did, God was “eavesdropping.” What God heard was music to his ears! God’s eavesdropping thrilled him! So much so, he decided to make “A BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE.”
Malachi tells us in verse 16 that; God liked it so that he wrote down what was said and who said it. God was listening to HIS people, not what was going on around them.
Many of us often have concerns of that which is going on around us. We wonder what penalty God will put upon this nation for its turning away from him. So then we wonder, “What can we do.” “What do we do during such a immoral/ungodly time as this in America?” I tell you what we are to do; “CONTINUE”
Continue to honor him
Continue to trust in him
Just continue to give praises to his name.
Continue to come to church and worship him
Continue to join together here on Wednesday’s & sing unto him
Continue to have fellowship with one another & talk of God’s goodness
Continue to encourage one another
Just continue!
And if we do, verse 17 tells us what we can expect.
(17) And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
If we continue, God says “in that day when I make up my jewels” (jewels are his saints), (The word jewel is the Hebrew word, "segula" and means "God’s very own special possession or treasure."), I will spare them!
God says, he will spare his Jewels. So then, how does one know he or she is this Jewel then? How does ones name be placed in this “BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE?” Let’s see what these faithful followers did.
#1 THEY REMAINED TRUE TO GOD
It wasn’t easy to be faithful to God. But then the same could be said today. In the 1996 Presidential election, 68% of the electorate said character in the President was NOT an issue. The problem is not the lack of character in the American President, the problem is 68% of Americans voted against character and morality.
I was recently in a meeting for the company in which I work. The one holding the meeting continualy used profanity over and over again. Seems the majority was not affected by his candor at all. But then the opportunity arose for me to show my position on my character. A question was asked of this speaker and I answered by saying pentecostal. Now he interpreted my answer to imply that there was atleast one that opposed his slander.
How do we know if we are truly a Jewel of God? When things get heated up, remain true to God, no matter what everyone else is doing. I want to be placed in God’s "BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE."
#2 THEY ESTEEMED HIS NAME
Look at the last part of that verse; “thought upon his name.” Here we find where;
They were in awe of the Lord
They considered His majesty
They honored Him by their words and lives
They remembered the mighty acts of God
They believed what the prophets had said and wrote about Him.
Their thoughts were on God!
When we get together at church, our minds too should be on God! We should be thinking and talking of his many blessings to us. There is so much more to be said of his goodness than to complain of anything else.
So then they #1 REMAINED TRUE TO GOD, #2 THEY ESTEEMED HIS NAME and
#3 THEY SPOKE ABOUT GOD TO ONE ANOTHER
Let me tell you about what they were not doing
They weren’t Gossiping
They weren’t Criticizing
They weren’t talking about their problems
They weren’t talking about the weather or sports or current events
They could have, but they chose not to.
The times were too dark, so they talked about the Lord. They spoke of answers to prayer and so should we. What we love the most is what we will talk of the most. The Godhead should be the thing people say we talk of the most. What we speak of the most is what we love the most. If we truly have a sincere love for God we will desire to be in God’s church, with God’s people, speaking to one another of his goodness.
God’s special treasure, His segula, are those who love to get together to share the things of God.
Now then, the world is watching us to see what Christianity means to us. What do they see? What do they hear?
Here’s a fellow who gets married. He makes plans for a honeymoon. He buys just one ticket, gives it to the gal and says, "Take off and have a good time." She says, "But aren’t you going?" He says, "Must I do that to be married?" She says, "Well, no, but I was expecting you to go along." And he answered, "Look, we got married, didn’t we? I just don’t want to be fanatical about this!" "Well," she replies, "I just don’t think its fanatical for me to ask you to go with me on the honeymoon." He says, "But I’ve already seen Niagara Falls. You go to the Falls. And I’ll go to San Francisco." And she says, "Look, people who are in love and get married ought to go places together! That’s the whole purpose for getting married."
This may be a poor example to this message, but it’s obvious-those who commit their lives to Christ (are called the Bride of Christ) ought to go places TOGETHER!
God looked down in Malachi’s day and saw darkness.
There was an idol on every corner.
Heathenism covered the land.
I think the Lord said,
“I didn’t make them for that. I made them to love me.”
“I made them to fellowship with me.”
This was a sad day for God.
No one seemed to care much about knowing Him or talking to Him or about Him.
In the wickedness of that day, suddenly the Lord heard a sound.
He bent a little closer and heard the words, "I love the Lord."
His ears turned in that direction.
He looked down and saw a little group of people gathered in church. They were talking about Him-in public and private conversations.
The Lord listens for a few moments.
Then He says, "They’re talking about me.”
“They love me.”
“They’re thinking about me.”
“Their lives are bound up in Me.”
“I’m going to have them as my jewels-My special possession." “I’m going to put them in, “A BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE.””
And all the creatures of heaven applaud and sing for joy!
Our numbers in church may often times not be that big. But I promise you one thing, those of us that are in church, and go so to worship him, praise him, give glory, God is keepign a record. He is putting us down in his “BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE.”
© copyright byRev. James W. Bryant
07/30/02 @6:32pm
