Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-06-20
MALACHI DEMANDS HONESTY
TOWARD GOD

LESSON TEXT-Malachi 3:7.l8.
GOLDEN TEXT-Bring We all tha
tithes into the storehouse, that there NAV
be meat In mine house. and prove ma
how herewith. saith the Lord Of hosts
II will not open you the windows Of
heaven. and pour you out a blessing
that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.-Malachi $40.
Spiritually sick-and desperately
so-was Israel in the days Of Nal.
achi. The nation had been released
from captivity In Babylon and had
been back in their own land for
almost century. The outburst Of
religious enthusiasm which charac.
terized their return had resulted in
the rebuilding of the temple ezra
lid. In this they were encour-
aged by Haggai, as we recall from
our lesson of last Sunday. They had
later been led by Nehemiah in re-
newed interest in spiritual things
and in the rebuilding of the city
wall. but now again they had turned
away from God. Malachi came
with what one might call Gods last
word before judgment upon their
sins. The lesson centers around
four words.
1. ApOstasy.
eye have turned aside" ". 7,
r. W. This was Gods complaint
against His people. In spite Of His
blessings upon them, they had inter.
with the heather, they had
dealt treacherously with their breth-
rem, and had neglected to worship
God. What was even worse, they
felt no conviction about their sin
and denied that they owed God any
thing, not even the debt of common
gratitude.
Read the insolent, self-conident
questions and assertions Of the
people in verses z. 8. Is and IA.
Think how perfectly they fit the atti-
tude of thousands of unbelievers and
backslidden Christians in our day.
One might almost think that NAL
achi were reading the secret
thoughts of our own people, and pos
sibly Of our own hearts.
ii. Robbery.
Illness commonly has its center Of
whether it be physical or
spiritual sickness. Malachi struck
at very vital point when he re-
vealed that the heart Of Israers diff
ficulty was dishonesty toward God.
That dishonesty reflected itself in
spiritual things, but, since Malachi
was talking to an arguing genera
ton Gust like ours), he gave them
q concrete illustration Of their deceit
they had withheld from God the
tithes and offerings.
Men who would never cheat the
company out of nickel
will rob God consistently Sunday
after Sunday by simultaneously
slipping a thin dime into the collec'
ton plate. If that is all man can
and should give, God will bless it
and multiply it for His glory. But
certainly it does not befit one who
lives in luxury to give Gods work
the smallest piece of change which
he can decently slip into the plate.
Tithing may be said to be an Old
Testament principle. Doubtless it
Is also true that the principle Of New
Testament Christianity is that all
we have belongs to God. but often
the one who hides behind that fact
does not give as much as the people
Of Old Testament times. L. that
honest?
III. Judgment.
God is love. but that does not
mean that His patience is without
limit nor that He will forever with
hold judgment. He says. through
Malachi ". 81. aye are cursed with
q curse" The blessing has been
withheld ". 10). The devourer Is
In the land ". ID. He promised
them release and blessing II they
repented and returned to the right
way, which obviously means that
their failure to do so would bring
We know that Israel
despised Gods warning and to this
day Is paying for its sin. WIZ
America be wise enough to heed
Gods call?
~. Blessing.
So often the loving God had TO
speak through His prophets OF inn
pending judgment on sin, but how
gracious He is in that He always
holds out the promise of blessing for
and obedience.
Look at the precious promise LII
verse 10. Thousands Of Christians
join the writer in saying, THAT is
true in A. D. 1910 just as 1t was
in 400 B. c." Read verses IL ana
IL. Note that our God is not only
a great God. but a good Goo;
Consider the blessings of spiritual
fellowship-the certainty Of victory
revealed in verses 16 and IT, One
that Israel could resist slcn
a Iovin0 vaIoo met az ono wonders