Holy Scriptures and Israel

Gideon Levytam: The study of the Book of Malachi, chapter 1.

It was Hagai the prophet who preached to them and Zechariah the prophet. Both of these men preached to the people who were there in the city of Jerusalem at the time when Ezra came and Zerubbabel came. But by the time that Nehemiah came, 445 BC. I am sorry to give you all these dates, just wanted to get your mind thinking about some of these dates. Then we find out that about that time, a few years later, this man by the name of Malachi began to speak and to preach to the people of Israel.

So some said that between 433 to about 400 BC, this man by the name of Malachi was preaching. He was speaking to the people of Israel who were wondering whether God really loved them. You know, sometimes like you and I, we wonder, we have problems at home, problems at work, problem with our health, problems in every area of our life, and we sometimes wonder whether God really loves us and care for us.

And the whole book, it is really a response from God to show them, Israel, I really, really love you, but you have departed from my will. And so Malachi was raised to challenge Israel to be restored back to the Lord at about 400 BC.

Now can you imagine, brothers and sisters, from the year 400 BC, about, up till the time when Yeshua was born in the land of Israel, in Bethlehem, and up to the time that John the Baptist was saying, behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of this world, 400 years passed by. And there was no message from God. God did not give Israel a direct message by a prophet.

There was no longer Isaiah, there was no longer Jeremiah, there was no longer all the Ezekiel and Daniel. All these men of old passed by. In fact, Hagai, Zechariah, and even Malachi, the last prophet of Israel was speaking, but for 400 years, no direct message from the Lord.

And so the Jewish people have developed what we know today, the rabbinical teachings and systems of ways of how to approach God. That where you have all the time where there was a development of the rabbinical views, how to keep the law, how to to get closer to the Lord, how do we develop our time, our ways in which we are to approach the living God.

400 years, no one was giving a message from God, on behalf of God, to the nation of Israel. But when Malachi was preaching, he was just sharing there in the city of Jerusalem. I want you for a moment to turn to chapter 1 one more time, and you notice that in chapter 1, in verse 8, and then verse 10, you will notice that the temple was existing.

Notice chapter 1, and in verse 8, it says, "And if he offer a blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?" Well, the sacrificial system was continuing on. Notice what it says a little bit later in verse 10, "Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for naught, and neither do ye kindle fire in mine altar?" The altar was existing at the time in the city of Jerusalem.

Turn to chapter 2, and notice in verse 11, here he is mentioning even the city of Yerushalayim when he was preaching Malachi to our nation of old. Look at the place. It says here, "Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel," notice, "and in Jerusalem, in Yerushalayim, for Judah had profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved."

Now you see what happened. The city was in existence. The temple was in existence. The altar was in existence. The sacrifices were offered, but God was not pleased with it because the spiritual condition of our people of old were very, very sad, spiritual condition in the land of Israel during those days.

I am saying this because it is also applied to the condition that the church is living in today. We read today the book of 2 Timothy, and we read of the condition Paul warned Timothy about those sad condition that will happen in the assembly age, in the church age. Very, very similar. The last days of Israel's history, the last days of the church history, Malachi and 2 Timothy are very much going along together as we learn from the Word of God.

So talking about condition, we speak about condition. What kind of condition do you think existed in the days that Malachi was speaking to our forefathers? Let me give you a little list that is mentioned here in Malachi chapter 3. Look at the condition that existed then and there in the city of Jerusalem.

He said in verse 5, Malachi 3:5, "I will come near to you to judgment." "I will be a swift witness against," and notice the list here, brothers and sisters. Number one, "against the sorcerers," in Hebrew, *mekhashefim*. Secondly, "and against the adulterers," in Hebrew, *mena'afim*. Thirdly, "against the false swearers." These are in Hebrew, *nishba'im lasheker*. They were swearing and making oath and promises and they were not saying the truth.

Number four, "and against the oppressors," in Hebrew, *oskim*. They were oppressing one another during these days when Malachi was speaking the Word of the Lord to the people, the remnant, the people of Israel. And notice finally, in verse 5, "the hiring in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and they turn aside the stranger from his right." And listen to this, "and fear not me," saith the Lord of Hosts. There was no longer the fear of the Lord. In Hebrew we say it, *yir'at Adonai*, *yir'at Elohim*. The fear of the Lord was no longer in them.

In other words, dear brothers and sisters, like today, we might say, in the *ecclesia* in which we live today. There is very little fear of the Lord. Condition, oppression, there is false swearers, adulterers, and sorcerers. That we have here mentioned, these a list of five things that Malachi is speaking to Israel by the Word of the Lord.

Can you imagine to have a religion without reality? Religion, a system, but there was no heart, a form without really substance. That's why the Lord was speaking so strongly to the people of Israel by Malachi, in these last messenger that was sent to Israel.

Now for a moment, turn with me once again to 1 Timothy. I want to read just a verse or two to show you that we are not only to speak about Israel the nation, but that these things were, you might say, predicted by the Apostle Paul that it will happen in these last days in which you and I live in today. We cannot always look at Israel and find out all the failure that Israel have had without to apply this to us as we read the *B'rit Chadashah*, the New Testament.

Notice 1 Timothy chapter 4, the first three verses. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrine of demons, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from food which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." Then he continues and he give us a list of things that were going on, that were predicted by the Apostle Paul that it will happen in the last days of the church age.

Look at 2 Timothy chapter 3, very similar to what Malachi was speaking against the condition in Israel, what we can see that is existing in our days. 2 Timothy 3, verses 1 to 5. Look at this, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful and unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers." That's what we just read in Malachi chapter 3 there. "Incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away."

Now you see, brothers and sisters, to study a book like Malachi shows us the sad, sad condition that existed in Israel's history, even in the life of those who returned from Babel, were back in the land, and you will think they will renew things and things going to be different, but shortly things change when our hearts are not there. Like in our days, isn't it? We feel the same thing and we don't have to look at everybody else, we look at our own hearts and we see, Lord, you know how quickly I myself can depart from that which You have given us instruction in the Word of God.

So condition that was sad then and sad now should stir us up and we should all kind of ask the question, Lord, how can I be grow spiritually, to appreciate more what Yeshua the Messiah have done for me, not to be religious, but have no substance in my heart, not to have a form without reality in my heart. And we all need to search our hearts, and that is exactly what God did here when he challenged our people Israel about 400 years before Yeshua the Messiah came, using this man by the name of Malachi, called my messenger.

What is the link that we can see very beautifully that is found between what Malachi wrote and the coming of Yeshua, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus the Messiah to this world? Because after all, Israel were waiting for the Messiah to come. They were longing for the coming of the Messiah, and as they were anticipating the coming of the Messiah, they kind of, you might say, slowly but surely, when the attack of Satan, the attack of their enemies, the weakness of the flesh, slowly but surely they were neglecting to anticipate the coming of Yeshua, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

But it is very interesting that during those 400 years in between, there was no messenger and God was seeking for the people of Israel to wait for the coming of the Messiah and to search their hearts in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. So I would like you just for a moment to turn to Psalm, Psalm 43. In that 43rd Psalm, Israel was speaking, you might say, a plea for the Lord to rescue them. And God wanted them, even through this Psalm and many other Psalms, to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah.

Look at some of these verses that we have in Psalm 43. Look, I'm just going to read that Psalm, it's very short, five verses. Just listen, please. "Judge me, O God, plead my cause against the ungodly nation. Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust men. For thou art the God of my strength." "Why dost thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" "O send out thy light." Speak about the Messiah. "Send out thy light and thy truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles. Then I will go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy. Yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God." Notice verse 5. "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God."

In other words, during these 400 years of waiting and anticipating the coming of the Messiah, where God did not speak to Israel directly, Israel was to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah. But beloved brothers and sisters, when the Messiah finally came, Israel as a nation was not ready to accept him as our Messiah, as the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. And you remember as the Messiah came and John the Baptist presented him before the nation of Israel, John the Baptist gave warning to the leaders of Israel and he was telling them that they better repent and turn back to God because the Messiah, the kingdom of God is at hand. The Messiah is right at the door.

Accept him, Israel, he was pleading with the people of Israel. And so you can see there is a link between Malachi the prophet and the Gospel writers and the Apostles, because at least in three books, if not more, the prophet Malachi is quoted by the New Testament Hebrew writer, and I would like you with me for a moment to turn to three passages in the New Testament.

Malachi chapter 1, verses 2 and 3 are quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 9. So turn to Romans chapter 9 with me, please. Malachi chapter 1, verses 2 and 3. It says here in verse 2, "I have loved you," says the Lord, "yet ye say, 'Wherein hast thou loved me?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the Lord, "yet I have loved Jacob and I hated Esau, laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."

Look what Paul is quoting in Romans chapter 9 when he is speaking about Israel to the brothers and sisters in the city of Rome. In Romans chapter 9, the Apostle Paul said in verse 13, "It is written, 'Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated.' Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated." Where did the Apostle Paul take this quotation? He took this quotation from Malachi chapter 1, verses 2 and 3.

We are going to talk about it in the study of this book. When God said Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated, God never hates anyone. God loves the world and he gave his only begotten Son, that all who will believe in him will receive salvation, but it is a biblical way to express the fact that Jacob have I chosen, and Esau I have not chosen. We will talk about it some more when we are going to get to the next verses of Malachi chapter 1.

So the first chapter, Malachi chapter 1, verses 2 and 3 are quoted by Shaul Paul in Romans chapter 9 and verse 13. Secondly, Malachi chapter 3 and verse 1, and I'm going to read that. "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come," saith the Lord of Hosts.

This Malachi 3 verse 1 is quoted in the Gospels. If you now turn to Mark chapter 1, notice that, how the New Testament is quoting the Tanakh, the Old Testament, Mark chapter 1 and verse 2. I'll read verses 1 and 2. "The beginning of the Gospel of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God." And then notice verse 2, "As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.'"

See, Mark was writing and quoting what Malachi, Malakai was predicting about the one that will announce the coming of the Messiah. We know him as Yohanan, John HaMatbil, the Baptist. He is announcing, he is the messenger that we spoke about earlier. He will be the one that will prepare the way before the Messiah. As he will come, Israel should accept him.

So, once again, Malachi 3:1 is quoted by Mark 1:2, by Matthew 11:10, and by Luke 1 and verse 76. Three times in three Gospels, this Malachi 3:1 is quoted.

Now the third passage that is quoted by the New Testament writers is in Malachi chapter 4 and verses 5 and 6 that deals with the second coming of the Messiah. And I I love these verses because those verses show us that one day Israel will be restored and the hearts of the fathers will be restored to the children. And I'm reading Malachi chapter 4, in verses 5 and 6, "Behold, I will send unto you Elijah the prophet."

Interesting because Pesach is now, and the Seder just finished, the order, the service has just finished in the various Jewish homes. And in every Jewish home they will open the door and they will look left and right. The boy or the girl will go and open the door waiting for the coming of Elijah the prophet to restore the people of Israel back to the Lord. Where where do you think our own people takes it from? They take it here from Malachi chapter 4, verses 5 and 6. "Behold, I will send unto you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." That is the last verse in the book of Malachi.

Well, it is quoted, brothers and sisters, in Luke chapter 1 and in Mark chapter 9. But let's just read one verse, Luke chapter 1, please. And there you will find it in verse 17. Luke chapter 1, and verse 17. In fact, I will read verses 15, 16, and 17 of Luke chapter 1.

We read, "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb." This is speaking about John the Baptist. But then the writer is now connects with Malachi chapter 4, and the last verse, it says in verse 16 and 17, "And many of the children of Israel shall return to the Lord their God, and he shall go before him in the spirit and the power of Eliyahu, Elijah, to turn the heart of the fathers to the children." And he says, "the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

So what we really see, dear brothers and sisters, that there is a link between what Malachi was raised by God to speak to the remnant of Israel in Jerusalem, and when the Gospels had its beginning and the presentation of Jesus Yeshua the Messiah. Many years ago, before I became a believer in the Lord Jesus, in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, I was handed out by my future to be mother-in-law a complete Bible in Hebrew. And when she gave me the Bible in Hebrew, I thought it will be only the Tanakh, the Old Testament. But to my surprise, I noticed that after the Old Testament, the Tanakh is finished, there is another book, the second half, you might say, of that book, of that Bible. And when I opened that, in the beginning, I didn't want to open it at all because I knew they were trying to get me to believe in this man called Jesus. But somehow, I dared by the Spirit of God to open and, you know, the first verse that I read in the New Testament, in the *B'rit Chadashah*, "The book of the generation of Yeshua the Messiah."