Windham Bible Training Center

In addressing the nation of Israel through the prophet Malachi, God speaks first to leaders.  He calls the priests and Levites, those who stand before the people representing Him, to accountability for their serving.  In chapter 2 verses 7 and 8 say, “’For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.  But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi,’ says the Lord of hosts.”  This is very sobering.  I know that I have not always represented the Lord in the way that I should.  It is heartbreaking to realize what that may have cost others.  The apostle Peter reminds us that whether we stand before people and speak or serve in a less visible way we must do it in God’s supply and to His glory (I Peter 4:11).  How do you work to keep yourself focused on His supply and His glory?

In Malachi chapter 1 and verse 2 God establishes love as the basis for His addressing the sins of His people.  As He begins to address them He twice, once in chapter 1 and verse 6 and once in chapter 2 and verse 1, speaks to the priests.  God starts with those who have been entrusted with the responsibility of serving the people with God’s Word and serving God with the people’s sacrifices.  The biblical principles involved are “from everyone who has been given much shall much be required” (Luke 12:48) and “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.” (James 3:1)  We are all tempted to be more conscious of titles than responsibilities.  What has God taught you about much being required of those to whom much has been given?

Our next stop on our tour of Minor Prophets is Malachi.  In Malachi God brings to light the sins, both in deed and attitude, of His people.  These things can be difficult to hear.  However, God states the basis for His addressing them in chapter 1 and verse 2 when He says, “I have loved you.”  His love for the people is the foundation and the background for His confronting them.  Most of us have been confronted by a boss, friend, or family member in a way that seemed accusatory and denigrating.  Love was not the motivation and we felt it sharply.  Correction is difficult enough with love, it is very difficult without.  I John chapter 4 says in the middle of verse 16, “God is love.”  It is impossible for God to act apart from love.  His correction is always right on both the facts and the motivation.  That changes everything.  How has the revelation that God is love changed things for you?

This summer we have been looking at the Minor Prophets, those with less written record of their prophecies.  Continuing with Zechariah, in the middle of verse 9 of chapter 9 Zechariah declares, “Behold your king is coming to you; he is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (NASB)  This declaration stands in stark contrast to the prophecies before and after it.  The kings of this earth often rule with a ruthless self-interest.  They demonstrate their strength in mastery of the poor and needy.  This text speaks of king who is different.  As Dr. Charles Ryrie has said, “In sharp contrast to Alexander, Messiah is just, brings salvation, and is humble.”  He refers to the king of verse nine as “Messiah” because of the reference to his mode of transportation.  While kings and conquerors typically ride large horses, this king will ride a donkey, and a small, young one at that.  This prophecy is perfectly fulfilled when Jesus enters Jerusalem, to shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” riding on the colt of a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11).  How much different would this world be if the kings of the earth were just, carried salvation, and walked in humility?  How do you react to hearing that your King has come with justice, salvation, and humility?

The book of Habakkuk is unusual in that it records none of the prophet’s prophecies.  The book is comprised of Habakkuk’s two questions of God and God’s answers to him.  Habakkuk’s questions, perhaps rising from anger, perhaps from disappointment, at a minimum from some confusion can be paraphrased as:  Why are the wicked permitted to live in Israel and how can an even more wicked nation (Babylon) be used to further God’s plans?  These questions or variations on them plague most of us from time to time.  In answering Habakkuk God addresses the heart attitude behind the questions.  He challenges the prophet to live by faith and not try to usurp God’s prerogatives.  God’s answers so impact Habakkuk that he turns from questioning God to proclaiming his unbounded commitment to Him.  The book closes with three verses which might be paraphrased as- even if things get much worse than ever seen, I will joy and be glad in the Lord, who gives me strength and sure footing.  The pivot is verse 18, which says, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”  Has God ever turned your anger, disappointment, or confusion into faith-filled rejoicing?  How did He turn you around?

The phrase, “the just shall live by faith” from Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4 is quoted three times in the New Testament.  Each quote gives us a different, complimentary view of the phrase.  In Romans chapter 1 and verse 17 the just are living by faith as they are recognizing the Gospel as God’s power to save and believing it.  In that way folks are passing from death into life by faith.  In Galatians chapter 3 and verse 11 the contrast is between trusting in God’s grace and working to obey the Law.  The just are living by faith as a means of receiving God’s power for resisting temptation, avoiding sin, and serving His good pleasure.  Faith is a lifestyle in contrast to obeying rules in our strength and wisdom.  In Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 38 the just are portrayed as living by faith in adverse circumstances, refusing to yield.  The contrast is between those who draw back, cower, and shrink from adversity, which leads to destruction and those who persevere in their believing, despite opposition, until they receive the saving, or gaining of their soul.  Which picture looks the most like your walk of faith lately?

In Habakkuk chapter two, verse 4 says, “Behold, his soul within him is arrogant [lit., “puffed up”], it is not upright, but the righteous shall live due to his steadfast faith.”  It has been said that the Hebrew term translated “steadfast faith” expresses reliability, confidence, continuity, and trust.  In this context “it refers to the confidence of the righteous in God’s reliability and indicates that the righteous will continue to trust in God despite adversity.”  When you encounter adversity, do you puff up your soul or place your trust in God?

We return to our Minor Prophets theme with Jonah.  The four chapters of Jonah are brimming with revelations and profound insights concerning God and humanity.  In chapter two, Jonah finally gets some clarity of thought while sinking through the sea towards death.  As he considers his condition, first in the depths of the sea, and then in the depths of the sea creature, he realizes that he is not in control, in the driver’s seat.  He realizes that his circumstances are not, all together his.  He also realizes that he is not as ready to die as he had thought.  He says to God, “While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to Thee, into Thy holy temple.”  As he cries out, vowing to bring sacrifice, thanksgiving, and faithfulness he proclaims, “Salvation is from the Lord.”  With that, the Lord speaks and Jonah is vomited onto dry land.  When have you needed to be “in the belly of the beast” to see that you had no negotiating position?  What turned your desperation to deliverance?

In response to his personal joy at seeing that the American forces had turned back the British in the Battle of Baltimore in 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem titled, “Defence of Fort McHenry.”  When set to music the poem is known as “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  The first three verses, including the best-known first verse, speak directly of his experiences in viewing the battle as a prisoner on a British ship.  The fourth verse expresses his conclusion and prayer:

“O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand,

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation.

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land,

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,

And this be our motto:  ‘In God do we trust.’

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave,

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

Two observations on liberty (see previous post):  First, basically liberty is about choosing.  If you can’t or won’t choose then you are not free.  Second, choosing wisely matters.  We don’t call it freedom when we use our choices to harm.

A third observation on liberty:  Our choices are never only about us.  They always affect other people.  Sometimes directly, and sometimes indirectly, but always others are involved.  Deuteronomy 30:19 highlights this when it says, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.  So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.”  Being free to choose is priceless.  Choosing wisely is profitable.  Choosing wisely with an eye to the others who I will affect is the love of Christ in me.