WAIT…..WHAT?

I’ve been reading Malachi this morning. No, I am not going to talk about tithes and offerings…. Malachi had a bigger message. As a Messenger of God, Malachi had the burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel.

The Lord said, in part:

“I have loved you”, says the Lord. Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Malachi 1:2

In verse 6, the Lord says: “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?’

We may refer to God as “Father” and “Master”, yet God is not treated as one would treat a father or master. The priests lost the clear sense of God’s holiness, treating God without the honor and respect as they should. The people followed the example set by the priests.

The prophet Malachi explores the matter more deeply and concludes that mistreatment of God is a result of broken covenants by the priests, people in general and by individuals.

This made me think about what a Prophet of God MIGHT say to our nation today:

To the priests and ministers: Some of you who call yourselves priests and ministers have made a mockery of Me. You have your traditions, your man made rules and you condemn My children with your ways. Some of you offer a ‘show’ on your Sabbath, yet where is your heart for the people? Do you care where your people spend eternity? Or do you care more for your ‘show’, attendance numbers, tithes/offerings and your building? You have departed from My way, and because you believe ‘your way’, you have caused many to stumble and you have corrupted My covenant. Let him who has ears hear…

To the people: What happened to “In God we Trust”? You have forgotten Me. You have set your faith in men and not Me. When My Word said: ‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel’ (Malachi 1:5), did you not understand that I came to favor the United States of America because, in the beginning, you built your nation upon my principles? I gave you freedom, I gave you land and I gave you blessings beyond your expectations. Yet, this is how you repay Me… You have passed man made laws that allowed the removal of prayer from your schools and the 10 Commandments from your courts. You allow divorce, abortion and same sex marriages. You allow a small fraction of lawmakers to become your head and you are the tail. Your courts favor the rights of those who abhor the righteousness of My people. My Word tells you what is right and what is wrong, yet you continue to define, re-define and legislate immorality. You have set your hearts on things of the world. Do you not understand that when you love something more than Me, you are worshiping idols? You have become a nation of idolatry. Let him who has ears hear….

To the individual: Some of you eat, drink and make merry while your world crumbles around you. You divorce and remarry. You kill your babies. Your children are raising themselves while you strive to make enough money to live beyond your means and buy your toys. You are not a Godly example to your children or others around you. You hoard treasures for yourselves while the poor starve in your streets. You turn your head to the needs of your neighbor – and, yes, even some who are of your own family. You are selfish. You are thieves. You are murders. You are perverts. You are an abomination to Me. You care for yourself only. Your witness stinks. Do you not understand? Yet, My children reside among you, shining beacons of light who can lead you out of the darkness. If you have ears and you want to hear…..

This is my interpretation of the “State of the Nation” and what the Lord might have to say to us today. Our people and our nation have gone down a road that God never intended. I have despair in my heart for what we have become. I believe judgment for our nation is at hand. Yet, we can ALWAYS turn around. It is hard and takes strong people to turn away from sin and set our sights upon the Lord. We can do it! With God, all things are possible.

I pray for the strong in the Lord to stand up and fight to regain what we have lost. Stand, prayerfully, in the gap for our nation. Please???