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223. A Foreshadowing of Jesus In The Temple

Malachi 3:1-5
Key Verse: "Then, suddenly, the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple; the Messenger of the Covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord almighty."
Malachi 3:1B

He is who they were told to watch for, but they didn't recognize Him when He arrived. He would appear at the temple to set things right, but the way things were was too comfortable, so His corrections were not welcome. Malachi had given them the sign. "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before Me." (Malachi 3:1A) The messenger had come in the person of John the Baptist, but they hadn't recognized him either.

Malachi warned them to be on their guard. Malachi was the last prophet to speak and then, there was four hundred years of silence. Malachi had much to say to the people about how corrupt they were. Their sacrifices were pitiful. The priests were negligent and abusive. Malachi warned the people that the Lord would come, but they were not expecting Him to come in the way that He did.

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver." (Mal. 3:3) Gold and silver are refined by heat. As they melt, the impurities sink and can be removed leaving only precious metal behind.

In Malachi's day, the sacrifices and offerings, given to the Lord were impure. They were not offered with a heart toward worship, but rather, a heart toward getting off as cheaply as they could. As we will see, the sacrificial system was no better in Jesus’ time. The refiner would still need to act.

But in acting, His goal was that: "Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings in Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.” (Malachi 3:4) Malachi was remembering the offerings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David and Elijah: those who were wholly devoted to the Lord. That is what pleases God's heart.

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17) Obviously, what Jesus would come upon in the temple, He despised very much. This calls us, once again, however, to examine our own offerings. Are they true gifts to God, offered in sincere love, or are they our attempt to get off cheap, giving God as little as possible so that we have more with which to be self-indulgent? Remember, God knows. Might He need to do some cleansing in us as well?

Finally, we need to remember that He Himself has gone before us to set the example. He does not ask us to do anything that He Himself has not already done. His sacrifice will be the purest and while He Himself refines our sacrifice, through His sacrifice, He Himself will be the most refined of all. "Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your Spiritual act of worship." (Rom.12:1b) Even in this, He goes before us as we shall see.

"Overcame - Jeremy Camp

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