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| Now
as Then, Then as Now
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| Dee Bowman |
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The Minor Prophets are not minor because
they are less important, but only because of their smaller size.
Their importance is not negated by their size, either. They are
descriptive in a special sort of way, in that they tend to
graphically describe our present time, though they were written
thousands of years ago.
The prophecies and warnings of Malachi are a good example. The
people of this time had no television, no IPods, no internet, no
cell phones, but they had the same nagging problems we have
today. They took longer to travel from place to place than do
we, they didn’t have the possibilities provided by modern
medicines as we do, but their moral deviations, their
self-righteousness, their disdain for any kind of governance was
essentially the same as ours today.
Actually, it’s astounding how little things have changed in
man’s life, even in the midst of all his technological
advancements. I wrote a little piece in The Family Together some
time ago. I have extended it some. It fits what I’ve just
said. See if your don’t agree.
Malachi prophesied at essential the same time as Zechariah and
Haggai. His work undoubtedly deals with the time of Nehemiah, or
a like period that followed, since the conditions with which he
deals are essentially the same as those dealt with by Nehemiah.
Notice some of the problems with which this great “minor”
prophet deals.
The people had failed to honor God (Mal. 1:6). Such neglect will
bring about the sure judgment of God. Now, as then. So many
people do what they want to do in this age—both morally and
religiously. They have developed their own, looser code of
morals, as well as their own brand of what they describe,
erroneously, as worship. In doing so, they failed to honor God.
It is the same today as then.
They had cheapened the worship (Mal. 1:8). Even today people
have the notion they can change the worship to suit themselves,
paying no attention to what God has approved. They want an
accommodative worship, one that makes them feel good. Whatever
feels like worship is worship today, and whatever is popular
with the people is ingeniously injected into the worship without
regard as to whether or not God approves. Just because it feels
good doesn’t mean it’s worship. People have decided, just as
they did in Malachi’s time, that it makes no difference what
you offer.
They had ceased to contend for the faith (Mal. 1:10). The people
felt no need to stand for piety and holiness as defined by God.
Instead, they capitulated to the world round about them, much as
many do today. People today have constructed their own plan of
salvation, devised their own rules of righteousness, and
invented their own theological system. The heart of the people
is managed by emotion, not by what God says. And they feel no
compunction about not having Bible authority for what they do.
If it feels good they can do it. Subjectivism runs rampant
today. Emotion rules, not faith. When we cease to contend for
Bible authority, sin is the result.
They had lost their enthusiasm (Mal. 1:12). They no longer felt
any fire for God, no zeal for His cause, not enthusiasm for His
ways. They recommended them to no one and felt no conscience for
not having done so. They saw how the people had adulterated and
polluted the ways of God and they turned away in indifference.
They felt a weariness when it came to worship: it was too much
trouble to praise God, too hard to be religious, too
inconvenient to be involved. It’s the same today. People
don’t have time for God. If religion calls for expenditure of
their precious leisure time, they will reject it.
God will not always strive with us. We best notice what is
important in life and expend our energies on that.
Malachi speaks to us today. We best listen.
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Copyright (C)
2008
Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.
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