As the final book of the Old Testament, Malachi offers us insight into the state of the Israelites relationship with God.

Indeed it is a pitiful sight.

From beginning till then, the Israelites fail to establish a faithful, reciprocal relationship with God. In Malachi we see that decades after being called back to obedience through Haggai and Zechariah, the people have once again returned to their sinful ways.

This time, it is so much so that God’s rebuke falls on deaf ears seeing how the people answered God defiantly (Mal 1:2, 6; 2:14, 17; 3:7-8, 13-15).

This defiance reveals the Israelites false sense of security in their privileged relationship with God. They fail to realise that they have strayed far from God’s standard. In fact, God has no pleasure in them (Mal 1:10) and instead, He decides to glorify His name among the Gentiles (Mal 1:11).

From this we can see how dangerous it is when we simply assume that we are in God’s good grace.

So let us reflect: have we developed a false estimate of our relationship with God? 

How can we tell?

We can do so by using measurements God uses to highlight the people’s failure in their relationship with God. 

The first being love, the second being honor.

Have You Loved Him?

If a husband tells his wife that he loves her, yet the wife responds by questioning in what ways did he love her, we would say this is not a relationship of love. Either the husband has failed to properly love his wife, or the wife has failed to notice her husband’s acts of love towards her

In the relationship between God and the Israelites, it is the latter.

God rebukes the Israelites for failing to recognise His love for them (Mal 1:2) and He compares the outcome between Israel and Edom to emphasize how great a love He held for Israel.

Both Israel and Edom were destroyed by God (2 Chron 36:21; Mal 1:3). 

Yet even though Edom desired and made efforts to rebuild, they will not be successful because God’s indignation burns against them forever and He will throw down all they build (Mal 1:4). 

On the other hand, God’s anger towards the Israelites subsided (Hos 14:4) and He helped them in their restoration of their nation.

The Israelites were captives under the Babylonians and Persians for many decades (2 Chron 36:20,22). Yet, God moved their Gentile rulers to allow the Israelites to rebuild the temple and city wall. 

Moreover, they also faced many enemies while they rebuilt (Neh 4:8). Yet God brought the enemies' plot to nothing (Neh 4:15).

God’s love towards the Israelites was not because they had much to offer to Him. It was simply because He had chosen and loved Jacob (Mal 1:2).

However, despite all this, God’s love was not reciprocated by the people as seen in their reply in verse 2.

For us today, the greatest love we have received from God is His choosing because we were Gentiles. Yet God has glorified His name in our midst and called us to be His children by sending His Spirit into our hearts (Rom 8:16).

So let us ask ourselves:

Do I recognise His great love towards me? 

Do I see how God has sustained and continues to abide with me each day I live? 

And if I do, then have I loved Him back with likewise so great a love?

Have You Honored and Revered Him?

Because God is the Almighty Creator, our relationship with Him should also consist of honor and reverence.

Just as a child is expected to honor his father, and a servant his master (Mal 1:6).

If a child truly honored his father, he would ensure that whatever the father asks of him, he would obediently submit and do his best to fulfill his father’s wishes. This is because in the eyes of the child, his father is of higher status than he. 

On the other hand, the Israelites did not respect God for His status. 

They kept what was good for themselves and brought defiled offerings before God, all while complaining that offering to God was a weariness to them (Mal 1:12-14).

If they had truly understood what is meant to be offering to the LORD– the One who created all things and rules over all things (Isa 41:2-4), they would have taken their offering more seriously.

Our relationship with God can be measured by how much we honor and revere Him, which is revealed through the offerings that we bring to Him.

Today, our offerings take a different form from sacrificial animals and fruits. Most of us would offer our material wealth in the form of tithes and our time and energy in the form of worship and service.

But just like the Israelites, we can choose to selfishly keep the best for ourselves such as preparing for our church duties only at the last minute as compared to the many hours we spend preparing for our exams and work presentations. 

Or just like the Israelites, we may also complain that it is weariness for us to serve God and shirk taking on more responsibilities in church despite the needs of the church.

Conclusion

How has our relationship with God been? 

Let us not fall into the same trap as the Israelites and be conscious of the true state of this relationship. 

If we find ourselves lacking in love and honor towards God, let us return to the Lord who awaits with open arms. 

Love Him more by recognising the great grace of being chosen by Him and His daily providence.

Honor Him more by remembering God’s status as the creator and give our best to Him.