Malachi 3:7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
God’s patient seems endless! Throughout history His people have disobeyed, even scorned His laws which are simply the ways that work. But He has always been willing to accept them back (see Luke 15:11-32). In Malachi 3:7 however, the people have the nerve to imply that they have never disobeyed (How are we to return?). The NLT translates the last part of verse 7 as “How can we return when we have never gone away?”
Many people have turned their backs on forgiveness and restoration because they have refused to admit their sin. God’s Word tells us in 1 John 1:10 however that If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. One practical application we can take from the book of Malachi is “don’t be like them!” Don’t follow their example.
God was ready to return to His people in Malachi’s day if they were willing to return to Him. Why? Because as Malachi 1:2 told us, He had always loved them and as we saw last week in Malachi 3:6 God does not change. And because God does not change he is just as willing and ready to accept back the repentant sinner today but one must be willing to admit their sin and accept the forgiveness that is only available through Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
This week in part 5 of our 7 part series on Malachi we will look at Malachi 3:7-12 which talks about tithing and repentance. We will see how it applied to the original audience in Malachi’s Day and more importantly, how it applies to Christians today.
Praying everyone has a blessed week
In Christ,
Gary T.