The title of this lesson is simply, "Lessons in Giving," but the first portion of Scripture has no reference to giving, but to the service of the sanctuary, so that the lesson properly comes under two heads. Both portions of Scripture are so pertinent that they need to be reprinted, that everybody may read them. "A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a Father, where is my honor? and if I be a Master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And you say, Wherein have we despised your name? You offer polluted bread upon my altar; and you say, Wherein have we polluted You? In that you say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the Lord of hosts. And now, I pray you, beseech God that He will be gracious unto us; this has been by your means; will he regard your persons? says the Lord of hosts. Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do you kindle fire on my altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 1:6-11)
Whoever reads the book of Malachi entirely through will see that while it is addressed to all Israel, the priests are especially singled out. The people had departed from the Lord, but it was the priests that had led the way. "The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you are departed out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 2:7-8)
A great responsibility rests upon religious teachers and leaders. Apostasy begins at the head, rather than at the foot. It is the elders that draw away disciples after them. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:28-30)
If the people are going astray, be sure that the priests are still farther astray. Christ said that He sanctified himself, in order that His followers mighty be truly sanctified. "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." (John 17:19)
That is the true way, but it is seldom done. All reforms among the people have to be carried out in spite of the leaders of the people. The people are ready to follow the light, but they are hindered by the teachers of the law, who take away the key of knowledge, and will not enter in themselves, nor allow others to do so. (Luke 11:52) If a religious teacher or one in authority in the church is not far ahead of the people, leading them along, then he is far behind them, dragging them back. "You offer polluted bread upon my altar," (Malachi 1:7) says the Lord. How did they do this? How did it become polluted? By being in the unclean hands of the priests. "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, says the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean." (Haggai 2:11-14)
A clean person cannot make a thing clean by touching it; but an unclean person defiles everything that he touches. So the priests, who had unclean hands, made every offering polluted, even though it was clean when it came into their hands. "Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do you kindle fire on my altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand." (Malachi 1:10)
This scripture has often been quoted as showing how unwilling people were to do any service unless they were paid for it; but such use of the text is based upon a misunderstanding of it. Rightly read, it contains nothing about working with or without pay. Notice that the first words, "for nought," are in italics, indicating that they are not in the Hebrew. The Revised Version has a fairly correct rendering of the text, thus: "Oh that there were some one among you that would shut the doors, that you might not kindle a fire upon my altar in vain!" (Malachi 1:10,RV)
The Lord is not complaining because the priests and people would not work for nothing, but because they did any service at all. What He desired was that they should leave off all form of service in the sanctuary. For while people often think that Divine service consists mostly in form, and that things cannot be wholly bad if there is at least a form of godliness, the Lord tells us that under such circumstances it would be a relief to Him if there were no form of service, no going to meeting, no preaching nor praying. Compare with: "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? says the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear you. And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you: yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood." (Isaiah 1:10-15)
Surely this is enough for one lesson. If we learn it, we have learned all that we need to know. Service that is rendered to the Lord from an impure heart and with unclean hands, is an abomination. He would much rather that one did not profess to serve Him. "Divine service" does not consist in going to church, in saying or hearing prayers or sermons, and in singing, nor in keeping fast and feast days. In what does it consist? Hear the Word of the Lord: "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:16-17)
Service to God means the same kind of service that Jesus rendered, when He went about doing good.
• When He washed the feet of the disciples,
• When He fed the hungry,
• When He blessed the little children,
• When He cleansed the lepers,
• When He cheered the heart of the widow, and
• When He spoke words of compassion and courage to the repentant sinner, He was doing Divine service. The only kind of Divine service there can possibly be, is the service that the Divine Son of God does. If we allow God to work in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure, (Philippians 2:13) we shall render Divine and acceptable service.
Cannot a sinner then serve the Lord? Oh, yes. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)
The ointment that was poured upon the feet of Jesus by a sinful woman was far more pleasing than the grand feast of the self-righteous Pharisee. (Luke 7:36-50) God is pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, and He counts every sacrifice a sacrifice of righteousness, no matter how vile the sinner who brings it, when it is brought in contrite love.
There is a promise in this lesson, an assurance of a time when the Lord will be served acceptably by all. "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering." (Malachi 1:11)
Righteousness will prevail at the last, even though wickedness seem now to have the supremacy. Christ was never more powerful than when He hung up on the cross, the butt of all the ridicule that an unfeeling mob could heap upon Him. That despised cross was the power of God. By the power of the cross a new creation is to be effected. "If any man be in Christ, there is a new creation." (2 Corinthians 5:17,RV)
The power of the cross is the power that creates and upholds. The power that created the heavens and the earth in the beginning still acts. "Whatsoever God does, it shall be for ever;" (Ecclesiastes 3:14) therefore the new heavens and the new earth shall again spring forth from the cross which men despise. Then all shall know the Lord, from the least unto the greatest, (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:11) and every service will be acceptable. Every offering will be pure, for it will be brought by pure hands, the gift of a pure heart,--a heart in which God rules.
But that new heavens and new earth will not be created until it is seen that there is need for them, that is, until there are new creatures, who need a suitable dwelling-place. So even before the creation of the new heavens and the new earth, there will be a pure offering, an offering in righteousness. "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years." (Malachi 3:3-4)
Who will accept the transforming grace of God, so that every work of their hands will be acceptable (1 Peter 2:5) and will be established, (Psalm 90:17) because prompted by the Christ who dwells within?--Present Truth, November 30, 1899--Malachi 1:6-11; 3:8-12
E.J. Waggoner