(May 31, 2025) Dr Jim McClure continues this very relevant series…

As mentioned in Part 1 22 questions are to be found in Malachi (My Messenger) who wrote about Israel’s false accusations against God.

Here I share on seven of those questions— false accusations made that God did not love them and His response.

(1) Doubting God’s Love
Malachi came along at a time when the people were struggling to believe that God loved them (Malachi 1:2).

The first question was addressed to God by a cynical people, ‘How have you loved us?’ (v2). Over many centuries and in so many ways God had demonstrated His love for His people— despite their repeated ingratitude and disregard of Him and their failure to recognise the evidence of His loving provision and protection!

The people focused on their unfortunate circumstances and refused to account for their own sinful deeds. And God responded to their false accusation that He did not love them. Through Malachi’s ministry He told them where they had fallen short in their covenant relationship with Him. If they hoped to see changes, they’d need to take responsibility for their own actions and serve God faithfully according to the promise their forefathers had made to God on Mount Sinai all those years before.

They were aware of the political and social collapse that was taking place in their nation and they effectively blamed God for that while they continued to disregard Him. Their ungracious question reflects their failure to recognise the many ways God had blessed them in the past and their lack of trust in God’s promises for the future.  Gratitude towards God was clearly absent!

However, even though those whom Malachi addressed did not deserve God’s love, His love for them had never faltered. in Deuteromy 7:6 they are called ‘His treasured possession.’ In Isaiah 43:4 God described them as ‘precious and honoured in my sight’ and in Isaiah 54:10, He stated quite unambiguously: ‘My unfailing love for you will not be shaken.’

(2) Displaying Contempt for God
In response to God’s allegation to the priests, the spiritual leaders, that they had despised Him, they reacted by asking Him, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?‘ (1:6).

We need to be reminded of this today. We can be overwhelmed by so many current worldly distractions that God may play a progressively less significant role in our lives.  But He has always loved us and has never abandoned us even if at times He appears to be distant from us. If that is the case, guess who moved!

• The Hebrew word translated here as ‘name’ is shem and it refers to a person’s character. To tarnish a person’s shem is to deprecate and despise them. This was what the priests were doing to God. 

By their actions and attitude they had revealed their disrespect and contempt for God. They had been performing their religious’ duties out of routine; it was their ‘job’ and required that they lead the act of worship… but regrettably that was all it was—an act!  It lacked sincerity and integrity. Rather than exalting God’s character the spiritual leaders of the nation held Him in low esteem and their attitude and behaviour revealed that.  Honouring God for who He is was absent from their leadership.  Consequently consecration to God had been replaced by contempt for God.

The priests’ display of contempt of God was particularly heinous because of the covenant relationship established by God with Israel— ‘I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God’ (Exodus 6:7). Their evident disrespect would have been noticed by the people— if their religious leaders had little respect for God, why should they?

The message of reproof to those leaders in Malachi’s day applies also to the contemptuous spiritual leadership that is so evident in many ‘Christian’ nations today! Sadly many leaders in all Christian denominations are failing in their responsibility to lead their people in ways that honour God and His word. Indeed, many of them have swapped the God-revealed spiritual, moral and social values stated in the scriptures, for contemporary ideas that are diametrically opposed to what God has revealed. 

Consequently contempt for God continues to flourish today and regrettably many religious leaders revel in their contempt of God’s word and values. The message of reproof to those leaders in Malachi’s day applies also to the contemptuous spiritual leadership that is so evident in many ‘Christian’ nations today!

(3) Defiling God’s Honour
The people of Judah were in a social and spiritual mess— and the example of their priests did nothing to address that. The priests were still regularly performing their religious ceremonies but their behaviour and evident indifference towards the Lord had a consequential effect of dishonouring Him among the people. 

God accused them of placing defiled food on His altar and they reacted with the question, ‘How have we defiled you?’ (1:7).

God’s response was that they were defiling His honour by offering Him things that were wholly unacceptable— worthless food and blind, crippled and sick animals— the rubbish that people had discarded!

The worthless offerings revealed the state of the hearts of those who first presented them to the priests and also that of the priests who were willing to accept and use such worthless ‘gifts’ as offerings to God. 

• God wants our best not, not our second-best and certainly not our worthless rubbish that costs us nothing! ‘“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands”’(1:10).
• Offerings to God from ungracious and selfish hearts are unworthy and dishonouring to Him but those that reflect the loving and worshipful  hearts of the givers are acceptable and commended by Him.

This was vividly reinforced by Jesus— ‘Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything— all she had to live on”’ (Mark 12:41-44).

God is worthy of the best that we can give!  About 100 years ago Oswald Chambers wrote a devotional book titled, My Utmost for His Highest.  That should be the slogan of all who profess to love God!

However, that wasn’t the standard by which the priests in Malachi’s day lived! God’s challenge to them (and to all whose responsibility is to teach and lead God’s people) is still appropriate, ‘For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction— because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty’ (2:7).  

However the priests in Malachi’s day miserably failed in that responsibility and by their false teaching ‘caused many to stumble’ (2:8).  Sadly, this reflects much of what is occurring in the church today. Many Christian leaders are defiling God today by promoting false moral values and religious practices that violate the revealed truth of God’s word and it is possible that many of them are not even aware that they are provoking God’s anger.

But Malachi’s rebuke was not only directed at the dishonourable behaviour of the priests but also at the hypocrisy shown by many others, ‘… whoever he may be’ (2:12).  He used an illustration about abusive and shameful relationships evident in many marriages and commented, ‘You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands’ (2:13). 

God is never fooled by counterfeit acts of repentance. Empty repentance, regardless of any accompanying theatrics, is always unacceptable and dishonouring to God. However, throughout the scriptures we see that authentic repentance is always met with God’s forgiveness.  

(4) Disputing God’s Justice
The priests reacted to God’s rebuke by posing an argumentative question, ‘Where is the God of justice’ (2:17).  The underlying sarcasm and scepticism are hard to miss! 

The  priests’ moral and spiritual failures had contributed significantly to the moral and spiritual decline of the people. As God did not affirm those priests nor endorse their misunderstanding and grasp of justice and holiness, they reacted against Him.

Their cynical question, ‘Where is the God of justice?’ demonstrated that they were judging God! They were arguing that they were not to blame – God was! Ironically the law breakers were judging and accusing the Law Maker!

To back up their allegation they scornfully asserted, ‘All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them.’ Their argument was that if God really were as good and powerful as He claimed to be, why then did He allow bad things to happen in the world? Why did it appear that wicked people often prospered while they, the good people, often experienced suffering? 

The priests were indicating that they were offended by God’s injustice and, furthermore, His inaction on their behalf suggested that He was quite approving of the actions of bad people! Angrily they were asking, ‘Where was the evidence that demonstrated otherwise?’  

While the priests had raised the question of the problem of suffering and rampant evil in the world, nevertheless it has been a problem that Christians also have always wrestled with. We are undoubtedly living in a world in which bad things, such as natural disasters and wars, often happen occur.

Furthermore, the news media keeps us informed about the morally wicked things that are taking place throughout the world and in our communities and families.  Inevitably the valid question arises, ‘If God is all-good, all-loving and all-powerful, why does He allow such things to happen?’

That is a challenging question.  It is the theme of the book of Job in which we see a righteous man suffering profound emotional pain because of the death of his children and also extreme personal physical suffering, yet he maintained His faith and trust in God, asserting, ‘Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him’ (Job 13:15).

Our inability to understand the problem of evil and suffering does not confer on us the right to accuse God of injustice! Rather, in a world in which injustices flourish  and evil thrives in many guises, we can still have confidence in the God of righteousness and grace.  And we can reply to Abraham’s rhetorical question, ‘Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25)  with a resounding, ‘Yes!’

(5) Denying Their Need to Repent
In Malachi 3:7 we read that the people of Judah asked, ‘How are we to return?’  The Hebrew word shub, which is translated here as ‘return’, also means ‘repent’ and ‘turn back.’  The Good News Bible translates this phrase as ‘You ask, “What must we do to turn back to you?”’ 

Their question indicates that they were unaware of their sinful attitude and behaviour and were ignorant of their need to repent of anything and to reconcile with God and return to a relationship with Him.

Not acknowledging that we need to repent of our sins and turning to God was an issue earlier prophets had also addressed.  For example around 200 years before Malachi the prophet Jeremiah had stated, ‘Though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. They (the prophets) said, “Turn (shub) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices …’” (Jeremiah 25:4-5). 

In Malachi 3:7 we also notice God’s promise. He said, ‘“Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.’ The readiness of God to return to those who return to Him affirms the forgiving character of God and it is dramatically displayed in the prodigal son parable Jesus (Luke 15:11-32). When the son eventually returned home after squandering his inheritance, we read, ‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him’ (v20).

That same challenge to repent (return to God) is still applicable for our generation which has been drifting further away from God! If we turn to Him, God will forgive us, embrace us and welcome us into His family!

(6) Doubting Their Lack of Stewardship
In Malachi 3:8 the scene changed to resemble a courtroom in which God (the Judge) accused the people of Judah (the defendants) of robbing Him. Their retort was a shocked, ‘How do we rob you?’ And God’s response was ‘In tithes and offerings.’

• ‘Tithes’ referred to giving of one tenth of a person’s resources or income to support the priests and Levites and to provide help for the poor.
• Even before the Israelites received the Mosaic Law, there were occasions when tithes were given as an act of worship.
• The first biblical reference is Genesis 14:19-20, Melchizedek blessing Abram, saying, ‘“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth …” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.’
• We note that the tithe was given as an act of appreciation and not as an obligation.
• However… tithing to God as an act of worship was later incorporated into the Mosaic Law.  Leviticus 27:30 states, ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy (קדשׁ) to the Lord.’The Hebrew word translated here as ‘holy’ also means ‘set apart.’

In Malachi we see the people’s incredulity— ‘How do we rob you?’ they asked God. They were clearly not happy when it was pointed out to them that their failure to give their tithes— and their offerings of blind, crippled or diseased animals for sacrifice— was tantamount to stealing from God! (Malachi 3:8).

Are Christians today required to tithe? The answer is ‘No!’ because we do not live under the Mosaic Law and nowhere in the New Testament do we see the command to tithe.

However, Paul gave Christians this recommendation, ‘On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income’ (1Corinthians 16:2). While Christians are not required to tithe, nevertheless, as an act of worship and an expression of thankfulness to God, it is a sound principle to practice. 

Almighty God doesn’t need our money but He seeks from us a worshipful, loving, and generous heart!

(7) Discrediting the Value of Serving God
First the people insulted God by stating, ‘It is futile to serve God’ and then they asked the impudent question, ‘What did we gain by carrying out His requirements?'(Malachi 3:14).

Their argument was, ‘Why worship and serve God if there are no benefits?’ Their resentment towards God was serious as they accused Him of being unfair. ‘As we see it, proud people are the ones who are happy. Evil people not only prosper, but they test God’s patience with their evil deeds and get away with it’ (Malachi 3:15GNB).

This bad-tempered complaining towards God was not a new thing. After He had secured the release of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt, they frequently complained about their conditions in the wilderness and blamed God for their troubles.

Their complaint in Malachi’s day— Malachi 3:14 above— presents a challenge to us.  Do we expect God to reward us because we have worshipped Him?

An authentic relationship with God is expressed in a life that in all ways attempts to prioritise Him. The title of the book mentioned above— My Utmost for His Highest— is a principle that every Christian should embrace!

To those who know and love Him, God makes this promise— ‘“They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession”’ (Malachi 3:17). 

(To be continued in Part 3, which will be posted early June)

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Dr Jim McClure, author of several books and Bible studies, offers them free in electronic version in EPUB, Kindle and PDF formats.Particularly recommended— Looking for Answers in a Confusing World.

Questions seeking enlightenment on biblical perspectives are welcomed. Link: jbmcclure@gmail.com. Link: Malachi-prophet who revealed God’s answers to people’s questions-part 1/
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