Amazing Love
Amazing Love
Malachi 1:1-5
A remnant was returning from Babylon to Jerusalem. They were set to rebuild the temple of the Lord but not without difficulties.
Haggai and Zechariah were those early prophets who encouraged these people and relayed promises of prominence and wealth.
However, years passed and they were still in bondage, and in these years that God then raised Malachi. This man knew the people well – their issues that needed confronting.
Today, we are going to look into the first issue:
1. The first words of the Lord went with a gentle reminder that He has loved them – past, present and future.
People’s response, “how have You loved us?” Things were not going according to their expectations. This question can be seen as an arrogant question expressed in doubt or maybe even in pain (or both).
Still today, we should remember that life doesn’t happen the way we expect it to happen. If you think that God should prove His love by answering your prayers immediately, then you will be disillusioned.
The Lord’s response, “is not Esau Jacob’s brother, yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated.” We go to the book of Genesis where we see the account of God choosing Jacob over Esau (Genesis 25:23).
Two things:
a. Though Jacob and Esau were twins, Esau was the elder and hence the apparent heir to his father.
God could have chosen Esau but instead Jacob was chosen.
b. The Word of God looks to its fulfillment beyond the brothers to their descendants.
Careful study of the usage of these two words (love and hate) in this book is in essence in the choosing or rejecting (based on God’s electing love). “I love Jacob” means he and his descendants were chosen for a great purpose rather than Esau’s.
And this was totally dependent on God’s undeserved favour. If we look at Jacob and Esau, neither is deserving of favour. This proves that salvation is all of grace.
If our salvation is based on our merits and abilities, this salvation is doomed to fail.
This is not to be considered unfair, for Esau wasn’t deprived of anything that he would have counted as of value. He sold his inheritance for a bowl of soup!
On the other hand, Israel’s choosing is the clearest proof of God’s love.
These are all a mystery!
Does God love us?
Christ has taken our scorn and punishment on Himself.
We rest secured and safe in His hands. Nothing can separate us from His love.
What wonderful news this is!
To those who have not made peace with God, we urge you to turn from your sin to Christ! He has promised that “whoever comes to Him, He will not cast them out…!” (John 6:37)
Brethren, “we pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge…” (Ephesians 3:18-19)