COMMENTARY ON MALACHI
LESSON NUMBER 7
Mal 1:11 “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My name, and a pure offering: for My name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(Malachi 1:11-12)
DIVINE ANTICIPATION
INTRODUCTION
Israel had drifted into spiritual complacency, going through the mechanism of outward procedures without due regard for the God who ordained the procedures. They had fallen into a state in which they actually despised the Lord, yet were unaware of their condition. It all may have appeared to have voided the promises of God to bless the entire world through Abraham’s Seed (Gen 12:3; 18:18; 26:4). However Divine commitments cannot be abrogated by men, regardless of what they do. Unfaithfulness and forgetfulness will exclude those so described from the realization of the promise, but the promise itself remains intact. It is still true, “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). God “cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). Let it be clear, He has never said He would receive the disobedient, reject those with faith, or go back on His Word – never! This is an aspect of God that is not being perceived in our time. There are all manner of teaching that lead the people to believe God does, in fact, act contrary to His revealed nature. These teachings, perpetrated by the “prince of the power of the air,” are designed to make people comfortable in their sin. In such a case, they come to expect the Lord to bless them, and shower grace upon grace upon them, even though they are living in a manner that contradicts the nature of the Lord. Through the prophets we learn of the Divine assessment of those who have been blessed by God. This is an area where speculation is not acceptable. Malachi now informs the people that God’s name will be duly honored, whether it is through them or not.
MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT AMONG THE GENTILES!
Malachi 1:11a “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same My name shall be great among the Gentiles . . .”
Not only does the Lord assess what Israel, particularly its priests, have done, He also affirms that His purpose will be carried out to the degree to which it has been appointed. This is a Divine trait that must be perceived if any person is to make progress toward Him.
FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN. This expression is a way of saying the whole earth – wherever the sun rises and sets. Through Malachi, the Lord is dealing with a single nation – the one He has chosen, blessed, and sustained. However, His purpose extended beyond Israel, even though they were unaware of it.
There was no valid reason for Israel to think God’s purpose was, by its very nature, limited to them. Beginning with Abraham, and continuing through the prophets, the Lord had revealed His intention to bless the whole world. To Abraham He said, “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 12:3), and “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen 22:18). He declared, “Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Gen 18:18). To Isaac God said, “in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen 26:4). To Jacob He promised, “in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 28:14).
Through the Psalmist the Lord spoke of the whole earth coming to know Him. “All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God” (Psa 64:9). “All the earth shall worship Thee, they shall sing to Thy name” (Psa 66:4). “So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory” (Psa 102:15). Hear the expectant note:“Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him” (Psa 33:8).
The prophets spoke of a time when what the Lord had done would be known “in all the earth” (Isa 12:5). They declared a time when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isa 11:9; Hab 2:14).
Now, through the prophet Malachi, God speaks of the whole earth being involved in His eternal purpose. Sin brought the total corruption of the earth, but all of the world will be blessed through the redemption God has purchased. Canaan was not the only land targeted for blessing, and Israel was not the only people who would be favored by God.
MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT. “My name shall be great among the Gentiles.” Other versions read, “My name is be honored,” NLT and “Great is My name.” YLT Some versions read that God’s name “IS” great among the Gentiles. NRSV/CJB/GENEVA The word “great” means “large in magnitude and extent – in sound and in importance” STRONG’S There is no conflict here. His name “IS” great in that this what God has determined. It “SHALL BE” great because what He has determined will come to pass. The meaning of the expression is that the Person of God, as evidenced by His perceived works, will be the most prominent thing. Causes will be rightly attributed to Him. The Psalmist spoke of this when he wrote, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee” (Psa 22:27). They will “remember,” “turn,” and “worship” because they have made an association between Him and what is taking place about them.
The prophet does not speak of mere impersonal blessing, or benefits that will remain fundamentally unknown, as they were in Israel during Malachi’s day. God’s name being “great” equates to “the knowledge of the Lord” that will cover the earth (Isa 11:9).
The knowledge of the Lord proliferating among the Gentiles is a most marvelous work. It is something that involves recognition on the part of men, as well as confession and submission. Isaiah said the Gentiles would “seek” the “root of Jesse,” which is Jesus (Isa 11:10). The Lord promised that the coming Messiah would “bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isa 42:1), and would be “for a light of the Gentiles” (Isa 42:6; 49:6). He promised that He would lift up the hand of Divine acceptance to the Gentiles (Isa 49:22). He further declared that the Gentiles would “come” to “light” that had arisen – that is, in this sense God’s name would be “great” among them (Isa 60:3).
Instead of being known only as “the God of Israel” (Isa 37:21), the prophets said He would be known as “The God of the whole earth” (Isa 54:5). God would not always have to contend with gross hypocrisy and ignorance among His people. It was in the anticipation of that time that His longsuffering waited, so that He did not utterly destroy Israel. Instead, He left a remnant in order that the promised Seed could come (Isa 1:9; 10:22; Ezek 6:8).
Those who are blessed by God can degenerate into a state where they feel they are the only approved ones, and only they can please God through their offerings. Such perceptions give an occasion to the flesh, moving the people to forget that God is righteous as well as gracious. It is good to remember that God does not need our service or praise – He can receive that from any quadrant of the world, to say nothing of the domain of heaven. However, in every place genuine praise is offered, it is because God is known, and His name is “great.”
A PURE OFFERING AND A GREAT NAME
1:11b “ . . . and in every place incense shall be offered unto My name, and a pure offering: for My name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Notice the surety of the statements that are being made: “My name shall be great . . . incense shall be offered . . . My name shall be great.” This is the language of purpose, not mere prescience, or having a knowledge of things to come. Only God can declare “the things not yet done,” adding, “My counsel shall stand!” (Isa 46:10).
The people of Israel had been giving polluted bread and unacceptable sacrifices to the Lord, and the priests had been offering them as though they would be received by God. The Lord not only refused to receive them, but revealed a time was coming when “the heathen,” who did not know the Lord at that time, would present fragrant and pure offerings to Him. Thus He provoked the people by referring to those who were “not a people,” just as they had provoked Him by their inconsiderate offerings. Moses foretold this during his final address to the people: “They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked Me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation” (Deut 32:21; Rom 10:19).
There is a principle revealed here that is also seen in the book of Esther. In counseling Esther about taking a stand for the children of Israel, Mordecai said, “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esth 4:14). In the case of our text, God had established that He would receive recognition and praise from the earth. Israel was given the first opportunity to render this praise to God, and did not respond well. God would not scrap his objective, but would fulfill it through another people – a people that were despised by the Jews.
INCENSE SHALL BE OFFERED. What a comparison we have here! Unacceptable offerings were being sent up to God from the least of all nations. Here, however, the Lord announces that fragrant and acceptable offerings would rise to Him “in every place.” It would be offered unto His name – that is, within the framework of the thankful recognition of His Person. The term “incense” does not speak of the mere formality incorporated in the Law. It rather speaks of the reality of which the Tabernacle and Temple incense was but a type. For example, when, following the flood, Noah offered from “every clean beast, and of every clean fowl,” it is written that “the Lord smelled a sweet savor” (Gen 8:21). Under the law, burnt offerings were described as “a sweet savor before the Lord” (Ex 29:25). Ezekiel spoke of a time when Israel would be acceptable to God. Speaking of that time God said, “I will accept you with your sweet savor” (Ezek 20:40-41). Again, the offering of Christ is described as a “sweet smelling savor” (Eph 5:2) – i.e. incense.
When Christ dwells with men, they are said to be “unto God a sweet savor of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15) – incense. This is the offering of which Malachi speaks, referring to the time when men would be changed, their hearts made right, and their offerings acceptable. For example, Paul spoke of the Philippians, who were Gentiles, contributing to his own need. He referred to it as an offering, “an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God” (Phil 4:18). When believers “do good” and share their possessions with others, it is also called “sacrifices” with which God is “well pleased” (Heb 13:15).
A PURE OFFERING. A pure offering is one that is not polluted, or characterized by blemishes and imperfections. This is the kind of offerings the priests of Israel were not presenting to the Lord.. However, God did not adjust His standard to their practice. In Christ, our bodies are offered to God as a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable” (Rom 12:1). There are also the “sacrifices of a broken spirit” (Psa 51:17).
Ultimately, Malachi was speaking of the time of Christ, when the hearts of men would be purified “by faith” (Acts 15:9), thereby making their “spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5). I do not believe the “acceptable” and “pure” aspect of offerings to God is generally considered in the Gentile church. If this assessment is true, then we have a most serious condition on our hands. First, there is an obvious ignorance of God that contradicts the very nature of the salvation in which “all” know the Lord (Heb 8:11). Second, a generation that does not present a “pure offering” to God acknowledges by that very omission, they are not the people of whom Malachi spoke. In other words, they are not the church!
GREAT AMONG THE HEATHEN. The Hebrew word for “heathen” is the same as the word for “Gentiles.” It is also translated “nations” (Gen 10:5,32; Isa 11:12). From the standpoint of a gathering of people, in the aggregate they are “nations.” From the standpoint of their ignorance of God, they are “heathen.” Considered as a people without hope or covenant, they are “Gentiles.” Yet, though they are a conglomerate of separate groups of people, and in spite of the fact that they are ignorant of God, and have no covenant with Him, they will offer spiritually sweet incense and pure offerings. That is the effect of the salvation of God.
YOU HAVE PROFANED MY NAME!
1:12 “ But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.”
Now, the prophet contrasts the children of Israel and their priests with those who are received by God – whose offerings are pure and pleasing. Although this was a covenanted people, and were thoroughly taught concerning what was to be offered to God, they were a gigantic contradiction of what God was seeking. They had received the most for that time, yet conducted their service toward God just as though God has not spoken to them.
YE HAVE PROFANED IT. The “it” here is the name of the Lord. God has said, “My NAME shall be great . . . incense shall be offered unto My NAME . . . My NAME shall be great among the heathen.” But what of the people “to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Rom 9:4-5). What had they done for the name of the Lord?
They were “profaning” NASB the name of the Lord – making “it unholy,” BBE and “dishonoring” it. GWN Profanation speaks of desecration, defiling, disgracing, polluting, and holding up to shame. It means to violate the covenant made with Him. STRONG’S Their manners did not harmonize with God Himself or His Law. They violated His covenant, misrepresented God, and caused the people to think of God in inappropriate ways. Mind you, it was their religion that brought all of this disgrace! The name of the Lord was profaned by what they represented as worship, obedience, and devotion. Their offerings confirmed how little they really thought of the Lord, ignoring His law and offering to Him what they themselves would not receive.
In Christ Jesus, a condition of this kind is described as follows. Referring to professing rich Christians who acted inconsistent with the faith, it is written, “Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?” (James 2:7). Servants were told to “count their masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed” (1 Tim 6:1). Wives are admonished to “be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:5). Younger women were also admonished to “give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Tim 5:14). Jewish believers who lived inconsistently with the Law were told, “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written” (Rom 2:24).
Certain evaluations and estimations of God are made when the manner and conduct of those who wear His name are seen. It is a witness that cannot be hidden.
THE TABLE OF THE LORD IS POLLUTED. These are not words that the priests said, but rather is the conclusion drawn from what they offered. Here again, “the table of the Lord” is the altar upon which the sacrifices were offered. The priests had no regard for the altar, which God affirmed was the same as saying “The table of the Lord is polluted.” They probably thought the gift sanctified the altar like the scribes and Pharisees thought it was nothing to “swear by altar,” as compared to swearing by the gift (Matt 23:18).
EVEN ITS MEAT IS CONTEMPTIBLE. Even what was offered on the altar by the priests was not highly regarded. There was no reverence or regard in their religion – just empty routine. In other words, the whole of their religion – what they offered, and what they offered it on – was actually held in contempt. They did not think highly of either the altar or the gifts placed upon it. Their’s was a religion of empty form, yet they imagined that it was acceptable because they felt they had met the Divine requirements.
THE MODERN DAY PARALLEL. The modern day parallel to this text is what Paul defined as “a form of godliness that denies the power thereof.” The Amplified Bible reads, “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]” (2 Tim 3:5).
Our text confirms that God does take note of how men serve Him. Those who attempt to offer God what has been tainted by the flesh have reproached Him. He has plainly declared that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor 15:50), that “the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63), and that in the flesh “dwelleth no good thing” (Rom 7:17). When what is presented to God is tainted by the flesh, it is seen in heaven as the individual offering it having a certain contempt for God. When men seek to serve the Lord, or to offer to Him, things that are wrapped in the shroud of nature, they have revealed their disdain for the Lord Himself. The true people of God worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24; Phil 3:3). Those are the people God is seeking to worship Him (John 4:23). No other people are capable of offering something acceptable to Him.
Our text is an Old Covenant type of this Pauline affirmation: “unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” (Titus 1:15). Care must be taken to “turn away” from any influences that lead us to believe God can accept people and things that are impure. Nothing could be further from the truth.