Spiritual Pollution

SPIRITUAL POLLUTION

OBSERVATION: MALACHI (MESSENGER) WAS THE LAST OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET. HIS WRITINGS SPOKE TO HEBREWS WHO EXPERIENCED THE LOVE AND POWER OF GOD BUT SLIPPED INTO SPIRITUAL COMPLACENCY. HIS WRITINGS SPOKE PRIMARILY TO THE JEWISH CLERGYMEN WHO CONTINUED TO DISOBEY GOD’S AUTHORITY. THEY BECAME CYNICAL AND CRITICAL. MALACHI WROTE AROUND 433-430 B.C.

INTERPRETATION: MALACHI 1:6 (NKJV) A SON HONORS HIS FATHER, AND A SERVANT HIS MASTER. IF THEN I AM THE FATHER, WHERE IS MY HONOR? AND IF I AM A MASTER, WHERE IS MY REVERENCE? SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS TO YOU PRIESTS WHO DESPISE MY NAME, YET YOU SAY, IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE DESPISED YOUR NAME?

POINTS TO PONDER:

RELIGIOUS MOTIONS AND INSINCERE HEARTS PERMEATED THE TEMPLE PRIESTS.

MALACHI ADDRESSED THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS WHO HONORED GOD WITH THEIR WORDS. IN FACT, THEY DESPISED HIM WITH THEIR CORRUPT WORSHIP. THE PRIESTS OFFERED THE WORST OF TWO SACRIFICES. BLIND, LAME AND SICK ANIMALS WERE NOT ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICES (LEVITICUS CHAPTER 1).

THE LORD USED A TRUISM TO ADDRESS FAULTY REASONING. A FATHER AND A MASTER EXPECTS HONOR FROM THOSE BENEATH HIM: GOD WAS NOT RECEIVING THE HONOR DUE HIM.

THE TRAVESTY AFFECTED TEMPLE WORSHIP AND WELL AS THEIR OWN HOMES. THE LEADERSHIP HAD ROBBED GOD AND THE JEWISH POPULACE. MALACHI WARNED OF IMPENDING JUSTICE.

A TRUE SON HONORS HIS FATHER. ISRAEL DISRESPECTED GOD’S AUTHORITY. THEY OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT THEIR SINS WERE PERMISSIBLE. THEY RESENTED THE CHARGES MALACHI ADDRESSED!

APPLICATION: SPIRITUAL POLLUTION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO GOD.