Malachi; My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets

Malachi 1:1-14

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you? By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.

Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty.

My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.

Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.

Malachi's starting point is God's love. His people, struggling with economic hardship and persistent sniping from the opposition, cannot see much evidence of it. In answer, they are told to look at their brother-nation Edom- overrun like themselves by Babylon, but not restored. Israel enjoys a unique Father-child sense of their Lord. But not even the priests have honored him. The rule for the sacrifices is 'the very best for God', not poor sick beasts the owner is glad to get rid of. Offerings like this belittle the greatness of God and all that his people owe to him. It would be better to close the Temple and stop the sacrifices altogether than show such contempt.

Why?

Same as us now worship the Lord in the church, if we worship without fear heart and mind to honor God's name. It is better don't go to the church.

God needs our worship with all my heart, all my mind, and all my strength. To honor the Holy Name of the Lord.

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以色列對神的愛無感：通常別人對我們的好，容易忘記，別人對我們的壞就記得了。所以一直覺得別人對不起我。我們對別人好也記得。

以色列人對神藐視也無感：把神當作垃圾桶，獻給波斯帝國的省長可以嗎？人只是想交差了事！不如把聖殿關起來。連外邦人都會拿潔淨的東西來獻給神，更何況是神的選民。祭司把服事當作苦差事，做的心不甘！祭司一年只要工作半個月，其他時間帶領同胞讀經。

神要把恩典給我們，我們都嫌麻煩！求主幫助我們認清自己的處境！凡事謝恩！

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How?

Does everything I am doing is to honor the name of the Lord?