This Sunday I will be preaching from Malachi 1:2-5. Here’s the text:
[2] “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob [3] but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” [4] If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’” [5] Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!” [Malachi 1:2–5]Here’s a few things you can do:
- First, go read back in Genesis about Jacob and Esau. You should be able to find it through the cross-references in your Bible. Who is Jacob? Who is Esau? Who does Jacob become? What is his connection to people of Israel? And who does Edom become? (Hint: it’s in v4)
- Speaking of Edom … try looking up a few references to Edom in the OT. What do you discover about that nation?
- Next, what strikes you about the first words in the text? What was the problem the people were having? Why do you think they were having that problem? Do you ever find yourself doing what they were doing?
- Also, read Romans 9. Paul quotes from this verse in Romans 9. Why? What is he talking about?
- And what about that word “hate”? What does that mean? Does God hate people? If so, in what way? How can God love all people but hate Esau? Wrestle with that a bit.
- The big thing to see is Malachi’s proving God’s love to them. But how does he do that? And what does that mean for you as a NT Christian?
Hope this warms up the ol’ engine.See you on Sunday.Pastor Brandon