1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,200 My name is Gordon. I'm one of the pastors here. 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:03,880 It's great to have all of you here. 3 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,880 It's great to see familiar faces as always. 4 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,760 We also at Vita, we just love, we can say every single week 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,840 there's people visiting, looking for a home church or just trying 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:15,960 to figure out who is Jesus. How do I follow him? 7 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,360 So if you're new here, it's very, very. 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:23,160 It's great that you're here. Why don't you open up to the 9 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,600 book of Malachi? Malachi. 10 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:31,200 We're in a different book for a few weeks while you flip there. 11 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,080 One clarifier, if you're coming to intro to Veto, I want to make 12 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,320 sure you know where to go. It's in our kids building in the 13 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,080 elementary room. So around 12/12/15, go across 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,040 the way to our kids building and you'll find find the class 15 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:49,120 getting set up in there. OK, Malachi, how many of you 16 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,880 have read Malachi before? OK, All right. 17 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:58,600 That's more than I thought. You know, one of our one of our 18 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,320 other pastors, Josh, who was just up here, he keeps calling 19 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,120 it Malachi. And I think that's that says a 20 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,120 lot. They're like, I've never read 21 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,200 this before. How do you even pronounce it? 22 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,360 Who's this Malachi guy? And then the follow up question 23 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:18,360 might be, why in the world are we going through Malachi in our 24 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,280 Sunday services? We wanted to take a break from 25 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,240 John just for a few weeks. There was a natural break in the 26 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,040 book. We'll get back to the book of 27 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:31,200 John after this. But here's why Malachi. 28 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,120 Of all the books, here's why Malachi. 29 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,440 I need some participation here, so raise your hand if you've 30 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,480 ever felt apathetic as a Christian. 31 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,320 You ever felt apathy dry? Have you ever felt indifferent? 32 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:51,960 I have you ever had thoughts like I know I should be XYZ but 33 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:53,800 I don't? OK. 34 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:56,520 Have you ever thought what's the point? 35 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,040 What's the point of what's the point of going to church again? 36 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:00,720 What's the point of reading my Bible? 37 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,760 What's the point of these things? 38 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:05,520 I know I should be doing that. I'm not. 39 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,080 Have you ever thought he deserves it? 40 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:09,199 I get it. He deserves it. 41 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:10,280 Yeah. I wish that. 42 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,200 I wish that I could find it in my heart to do these things. 43 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,480 But OK. That's why we're in the book of 44 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,880 Malachi, you and I. We're not that different from 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,760 the God's chosen people from 450 BC. 46 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:28,320 OK. Long, long time ago. 11 Little 47 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:33,760 note, if you're new here, maybe newer to the faith, maybe you 48 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:35,160 wouldn't call yourself a Christian. 49 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:39,120 You come in and all these people look really put together, don't 50 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,200 they? But did you see how many hands 51 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,200 were raised? We are not put together, OK? 52 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,600 We're the, the truth of the matter is any Christian you see 53 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,880 is just trying to figure out how to live faithful to God. 54 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,000 We're just trying to figure out how to honor him. 55 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,120 And we do not have it all put together. 56 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,360 And that's why we need Malachi. The aim of Malachi is simple. 57 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:03,480 It's calling God's people to honor him through faithful 58 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,400 living. Calling God's people to honor 59 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,760 him through faithful living. So Malachi, maybe you found it 60 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:11,800 page numbers on the screen. If you want to use one of our 61 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:18,680 Bibles, it's OK Anyone got it? What was 8 O 18 O1? 62 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:19,840 There you go. Thanks. 63 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:25,560 All right, so before we read Malachi, just the first 5 64 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:31,800 verses, one thing we find very helpful to do before is get a 65 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:34,600 give ourselves a chance to prepare our hearts to get right 66 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,800 with God. We come in with all kinds of 67 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,680 stuff. And so this is a chance we're 68 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,280 just going to before I read the verses, just have a time of 69 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,240 quiet. And I would encourage you during 70 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,280 that time, just pray. God help me if you have sin, God 71 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,080 forgive me if you find yourself distracted, God help focus me. 72 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,600 And for all of us, pray that God would prepare our hearts to hear 73 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:20,560 from Him today. Malachi chapter one verse one, 74 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:26,880 the Oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi I have 75 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,400 loved you, says the Lord, but you say, how have you loved us? 76 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,080 Is not Esau Jacob's brother, declares the Lord. 77 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,960 Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated. 78 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,520 I have laid waste his Hill Country and left his heritage to 79 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,280 jackals of the desert. If Edom says we are shattered, 80 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:49,200 but we will rebuild the ruins. The Lord of hosts says they may 81 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,120 build, but I will tear down and they will be called the wicked 82 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,760 country and the people with whom the Lord is angry forever your 83 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,960 own eyes shall see this and you shall say great is the Lord 84 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:06,200 beyond the border of Israel. Father, we asked you today, and 85 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:10,680 I pray on behalf of all of us, we ask you today, Lord, that You 86 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,600 would help us to honor you as you deserve. 87 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,480 All of us that would call ourselves Christians, we got a 88 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,080 long way to go. You are faithful. 89 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,720 You've loved us from the beginning. 90 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:22,920 You'll get us where we need to go. 91 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,040 But for where we're at right now and for all the things that we 92 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,920 find ourselves struggling with, Father, we ask that You would be 93 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:33,160 faithful to us. I ask, Lord, that for each 94 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,040 person that came today, You would send them away with like 95 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,200 rations for the next leg of the journey. 96 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,920 And we know that you're a God who can do far more abundantly 97 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:44,840 than we can ask or think or imagine. 98 00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:47,240 And so even those things that we're not aware of or we don't 99 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,800 think to ask, I pray, Father, help us. 100 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,200 We pray all these things in your name, Jesus, Amen. 101 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:00,920 OK, So some of you, as we were reading through the verses, 102 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,760 you're like, oh boy, what's Gordon going to say about this 103 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,160 one? I've been asking the same thing 104 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,480 all week. What am I going to say about 105 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:10,960 this one? You know, one thing that I love 106 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,000 about preaching through books of the Bible is you can't wiggle 107 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,880 out of the hard verses. And one thing I love about the 108 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,880 Bible is that it's not just what we think we need. 109 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,760 It's the things we need that we don't know we need, right? 110 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,200 There's the whole, all of Scripture. 111 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,960 First Timothy says all of Scripture is breathed out by God 112 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,800 profitable and it goes on to say so that the man of God may be 113 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,040 complete and equipped for every good work. 114 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,600 And so we need Malachi, the 1st 5 verses to be complete and 115 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,560 equipped. It's God breathed and it's 116 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:46,600 profitable and I have to I get to teach it today. 117 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,920 Now I honestly, I'm really excited for the verses. 118 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,240 I think it's very a very, very good setup for the rest of the 119 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:58,240 book. So could we first, though, I 120 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:02,040 need to give some context. This is an Old Testament book, 121 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:03,400 OK. And we're going to go through 122 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,520 Malachi for a few weeks. And just like when you go 123 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,240 through a new course, those of you who are students, you go 124 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:11,960 through a new course. It's unfamiliar territory. 125 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,600 They have a syllabus. Before we do anything in the 126 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,040 course, I just need to walk you through the syllabus. 127 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,360 And so the first few minutes is just going to be that. 128 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,280 So hang with me and then we'll get into the verses. 129 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,400 There's three things I want to say about the book of Malachi. 130 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,880 First that you need to know. 1 is that it's prophetic 131 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,200 literature. And so from Isaiah is a prophet 132 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,040 or a messenger of God. They speak on God's behalf to 133 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,520 God's people from Isaiah to Malachi. 134 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:42,640 Malachi is the last one that is prophetic literature and Malachi 135 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:47,120 is the second thing you should know a minor prophet, but it 136 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,440 doesn't mean it's not important. It just means it's a shorter 137 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,680 book. And so Isaiah, if you read it 138 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:56,120 like major prophet, a lot of chapters, there's four for the 139 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,800 minor prophet Malachi. The other thing you need to know 140 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:03,040 about Malachi is it's structured in the form of 6 disputes. 141 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,280 OK? So we'll go through each dispute 142 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:10,280 that God is is having with his people, OK? 143 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,320 It's this back and forth where he is. 144 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,520 The people aren't necessarily even voicing these disputes. 145 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,520 God is just an omniscient God, meaning he's all knowing. 146 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:24,000 He knows what's in their hearts and he calls out the secret 147 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,560 thoughts and then he pushes back on them. 148 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,120 And so there's six disputes through the book and that's kind 149 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,880 of the structure. Now there's three terms that you 150 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:35,400 need to know before we go through the book of Malachi. 151 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,600 These might you might call them themes or just helpful terms. 152 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,360 The 1st is Israel. OK, we we hear Israel and 153 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,440 sometimes we don't always distinguish like Israel was a 154 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,200 person. OK, we'll see. 155 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,200 Jacob mentioned in the text. Jacob was renamed Israel. 156 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:57,120 The 12 tribes came from Israel, OK, but then you've got the land 157 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:01,800 of Israel, and there is still a nation of Israel, but the land 158 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,840 of Israel is kind of representative of a dwelling 159 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,920 place with God. And so that's just packed. 160 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,400 But Israel, we need to know it's a person in the land. 161 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:14,880 Another term we need to know in jumping into Malachi is 162 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,280 covenant. OK? 163 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,320 How often do you just toss around the word covenant today? 164 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,920 The closest thing we might have is the covenant of marriage. 165 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:26,400 But a covenant is different than a promise, maybe even different 166 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,000 than a vow. OK, promises today, you know how 167 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,960 those are like pinky promise, very different from a covenant. 168 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:34,920 A covenant is relational in nature. 169 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,840 It's between two parties. So a covenant between God and 170 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,960 man, for example. A covenant has terms and 171 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,320 agreements. OK, there are stipulations here. 172 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,280 It's like in a marriage ceremony, there's vows, like 173 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,800 here are the stipulations, Here's what I promised to do. 174 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,720 But a covenant also has consequences agreed upon. 175 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:58,480 If you do not carry out the covenant as agreed upon, this 176 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,720 will happen. If you do, this will happen. 177 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,680 There's blessing, there's cursing. 178 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,720 And before making the covenant, we have all the data and we say, 179 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,200 yes, I want to enter into that covenant. 180 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,080 And so there's a covenant in the background of Malachi that the 181 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,080 people have broken. That's important to know. 182 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,880 The reason why the aim of Malachi is calling people to 183 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,240 honor God through faithful living is because they've been 184 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,240 unfaithful. And you say unfaithful to what? 185 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:30,280 The covenant, the terms, OK, it's not God doesn't have like a 186 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,240 moving target and every day there's a new rule that we 187 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,160 didn't know about God reveals to us here's the target, here's 188 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:38,520 what it looks like to live faithful. 189 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,520 Here's what we've agreed upon and when we've broken those 190 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,760 agreed upon terms, we have been unfaithful to the covenant. 191 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,320 So let me give you an example. Joshua 24, you don't have to go 192 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,000 there, but just listen, I'm going to kind of bullet point 193 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:58,440 skim and Joshua 24, Joshua comes along to God's people and he's 194 00:10:58,680 --> 00:11:02,240 calling them to renew their covenant that they've already 195 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,520 been unfaithful to. There will be lots of renewals 196 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,120 even before Malachi comes along. So it shows. 197 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,600 But here's what Joshua 24 walks through. 198 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,560 Joshua says, I gave you a land on which you had not labored in 199 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:17,720 cities that you hadn't built. I calls them now. 200 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,600 Therefore fear the Lord and serve him in in sincerity and 201 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,000 faithfulness. And then he's laying out terms 202 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,440 for them. Joshua says, but As for me in my 203 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:31,200 house, we will serve the Lord and then the people say we will 204 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,640 not forsake God. We agree to these terms, we'll 205 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:35,200 follow him according to the covenant. 206 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:39,240 Then verse 19, Joshua said to the people, you are not able to 207 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,600 serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. 208 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,680 He is a jealous God. And the people said to Joshua, 209 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:49,400 no, but we will serve the Lord. And then Joshua said to the 210 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,400 people, all right, you are witnesses against yourselves. 211 00:11:52,560 --> 00:11:55,560 You've chosen to serve the Lord. And they said, yes, we are 212 00:11:55,560 --> 00:11:57,920 witnesses. And Joshua goes back through the 213 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,960 terms again. And then Joshua made a covenant 214 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:05,000 with the people that day and put in place statutes and rules for 215 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,560 them at Shechem. And then the last verse in the 216 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:11,160 section, it says Joshua sent the people away, every man to his 217 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,520 inheritance and hold on to that verse and that word inheritance, 218 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,360 because that's going to be the third term we need. 219 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,200 But Joshua was right, they have been unfaithful to this 220 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,880 covenant. And he's saying you can't serve 221 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:26,360 the Lord, you can't be faithful. And history would prove that to 222 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:30,200 be true. Now, inheritance, he sent them 223 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,600 away to his inheritance. And there's the third big theme 224 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,760 that we'll see through the book of Malachi this term that we 225 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:36,080 need. We're almost done with the 226 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:37,800 syllabus. OK, OK. 227 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,560 When you see inheritance, what do you think of? 228 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:46,160 OK, money, possessions, a will. OK. 229 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,520 For them, they would have thought land, OK, when I'm left 230 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,920 an inheritance, I'm left land which is materials possessions. 231 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,920 It's prosperity, it's refuge, it's safety. 232 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,880 OK, there's these, all these material possessions that come 233 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,440 with an inheritance, but it's so much more than that, OK? 234 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:08,440 When you see the verses in Malachi, it's going to use words 235 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:13,720 like country, borders, heritage. And when you see those words, 236 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,320 it's not just material inheritance or possession, it's 237 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,960 spiritual inheritance, spiritual possession. 238 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:25,880 The best thing in the Garden of Eden was not the abundance, was 239 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,280 not the materials, was not the prosperity, was not the safety. 240 00:13:29,560 --> 00:13:34,000 The best thing in the original Garden of Eden, the land was 241 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,680 that God was there. They dwelled with God. 242 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,560 And so when God's giving them a promised land and inheritance, 243 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:44,200 he's saying, OK, it's material inheritance, it's material 244 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,680 blessing, but it's much, much more than that. 245 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,640 You have me. I shall be your God. 246 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,680 You shall be my people, OK. And that's huge when we look at 247 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:56,800 the verses here today, is that it's much, much more than just 248 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,280 land and heritages. It's dwelling with God. 249 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:02,680 OK? I think that's all the terms. 250 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:07,280 Now we can go into Malachi, the main point for today. 251 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:11,720 God begins by saying I have always and I will always love 252 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,400 you. That's the main point. 253 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:18,520 So look at verse 2. God says I have loved you, says 254 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,360 the Lord, but you say, how have you loved us? 255 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,560 And so there's a question again, buried in their hearts. 256 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,160 They're not necessarily like waving their fists in the air 257 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,000 saying God, how have you loved us? 258 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:35,120 Maybe they are, but for the most part it seems like a voiceless 259 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,480 doubt, a suspicion. God, how have you loved us? 260 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:44,280 God sees that wondering in their heart, How have you loved us 261 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:48,400 now? There's many reasons. 262 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:52,760 There's many reasons why people might find themselves doubting 263 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,360 God's love. How have you loved us? 264 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,880 There's many reasons why someone might forget or wonder. 265 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,120 God, do you? Do you still love me? 266 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,760 But here's if you were to trace them down, here's often where 267 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,920 they start. Often. 268 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,640 God, my situation is not as you promised. 269 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,480 It's not as I expected. It's God. 270 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:19,840 Look at my situation. I'm hurting, I'm weary, I'm 271 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,080 struggling. How have you loved me? 272 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,280 It's not as promised. God, you promised abundance and 273 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:28,040 prosperity and material blessing. 274 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:34,120 This doesn't doesn't seem like or is it because you've broken 275 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,680 the covenant, but it doesn't seem like it. 276 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,960 OK, Israel would find themselves exiled from their land, their 277 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,120 inheritance. They came into the promised 278 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:45,160 land. The 12 tribes spread all over 279 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,360 the place. They were one great nation as 280 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,120 promised. And then God the the what he 281 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,960 warned them about. If you break the covenant, 282 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,840 you're going to be scattered. Other nations will come and 283 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,280 dispossess you, and that's what's happened. 284 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,840 Israel has been marched out of their land by Babylon. 285 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:05,760 They have been scattered and divided. 286 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:07,240 They're no longer a great nation. 287 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:11,480 There's a small few that by this point has been able to return, 288 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,120 but under Persian sponsorship. So they're under their thumb. 289 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,360 They don't have their own king. They're not mighty. 290 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:19,160 They're not greater than the other nations. 291 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:20,800 They aren't what they used to be. 292 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,840 This is not as promised. Lord, look at my situation. 293 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,480 How have you loved me? Or as expected? 294 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:32,000 OK, even if even if this is technically as promised, this 295 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,640 was in the terms, it's not as expected. 296 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,360 God, we returned. We've been faithful to you 297 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,200 again. We're with you again. 298 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,440 We realize that we sinned. We know why you exiled us. 299 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,120 But we've returned, haven't we? This isn't. 300 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,240 We should be farther along. You were supposed to bless me 301 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,000 sooner. I don't like waiting. 302 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,760 God, look at my situation. There's many reasons we could 303 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:55,840 doubt God. Often it's because we look at 304 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,840 our situation and it's not as promised or expected. 305 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:02,520 Would you agree? Have you felt that before? 306 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:07,880 God, look at my situation. This isn't what I thought, you 307 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:09,720 know. How have you loved me lately? 308 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,480 I can barely pay rent. How have you loved me lately? 309 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,720 God, this isn't as promised. You told me I'd have everything 310 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,400 I needed. I still have pain. 311 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:22,040 I've been praying. Why am I not healed yet? 312 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,440 Why did that tragedy happen? Lord, that wasn't supposed to 313 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,160 happen. How have you loved me lately? 314 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,520 My kids, they're walking away from the faith. 315 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,360 God, this isn't as promise. This isn't as I expected. 316 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:38,600 How have you loved me? God? 317 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,280 I returned. Why am I not flourishing as a 318 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,800 church? We might say we're 20,000 behind 319 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,520 budget. Lord, why haven't you loved me? 320 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:48,600 This isn't as promised or expected. 321 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:54,000 God, look at, look at all the others, other churches that are 322 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,560 teaching a false doctrine, prosperity gospel. 323 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,960 They're attracting way more people than us. 324 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,360 Look at them. Look at their situation compared 325 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:05,720 to us. How have you loved me? 326 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,880 It doesn't seem like it. OK, And I'm I'm dipping into a 327 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,080 second one. You might doubt because you look 328 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,040 at your situation. You might doubt because you look 329 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,680 at their situation. You look at another person, you 330 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,840 look at the wicked and you say, Lord, they're prospering. 331 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,080 How come? How have you loved me? 332 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,840 I thought I was in your family right with you. 333 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,800 I've done all these good things. I look around at my world and 334 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,480 look at them. They're prospering. 335 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:36,120 They're provided for. They can pay rent. 336 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,040 They seem happy. God, this isn't fair. 337 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,960 How have you loved me lately? OK, Edom is mentioned in these 338 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,160 verses, right? The heritage left to Edom. 339 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:53,280 OK, this was an enemy nation of Israel and Edom had not been 340 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,320 dispossessed. They were still for the most 341 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,720 part in their land. And so Israel might be looking 342 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,720 in on that. Say, God, look at our situation 343 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,600 and look at their situation. This is not fair. 344 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,640 Why do the wicked prosper? OK, I love Psalm. 345 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,440 Let's see, where is it? Psalm 37? 346 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,960 Go read the whole chapter. But here's the line that you see 347 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,480 throughout. Why do the wicked prosper in 348 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,240 their way? Why do the wicked prosper? 349 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,840 This is not fair, OK? It's a lament that every 350 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:25,600 Christian probably finds themselves in, not just once or 351 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,800 twice. This isn't fair, God. 352 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:35,080 Why is the wicked prospering? OK, Edom, an enemy nation. 353 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:39,320 Edom was the one that Psalm 137, eight through 9. 354 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,600 It says they were the ones on the day of Jerusalem that said, 355 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:47,520 Lay it bare, Lay it bare down to its foundation, O daughter of 356 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,880 Babylon, doomed to be destroyed. Blessed shall he be who repays 357 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,720 you with what you have done to us. 358 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,640 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them 359 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,560 against the rocks. OK, this is a horrid graphic 360 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,120 scene. When Babylon took Israel away, 361 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,920 Babylon was brutal. Babylon was an enemy. 362 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:09,200 And you know who participated? Who said, Yup, lay it bare, Lay 363 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,320 it bare the Edomites, and they're the ones prospering. 364 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,360 Some of you would look at their situation and it's much more 365 00:20:15,360 --> 00:20:18,760 severe. OK, there are there are men and 366 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:23,360 women who lack integrity, who cheat and steal and lie and they 367 00:20:23,360 --> 00:20:26,960 get the promotion and I don't. OK, we look around and we see 368 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,840 all kinds of wicked that doesn't seem to go addressed. 369 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,520 God, where are you? How have you loved me? 370 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:34,560 Don't you see the evil in our world? 371 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:36,840 OK, do you see the evil in our world, folks? 372 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,200 OK, where's God? How has he loved us? 373 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,240 This is not as promised and it's not as expected. 374 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,800 That's the spot that the people of Malachi find themselves in. 375 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,000 And here's what I want all of us to know. 376 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,720 Doubt is often the poison that leads to unfaithfulness. 377 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:00,920 Doubt is often the poison that leads to unfaithfulness. 378 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,920 OK clarifier. Doubt is OK. 379 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,480 Every Christian has probably had doubt once or twice in their 380 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:10,160 life. OK, But doubt unchecked and left 381 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,600 there is a poison that leads to unfaithfulness. 382 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:18,120 OK, so we would we would learn from the book of Malachi that 383 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:21,200 you have this verse. How have you loved me? 384 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,800 And then by chapter 314, you have the people that say it is 385 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,800 vain to serve the Lord. And so basically what you see 386 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,440 through the progression of Malachi is God. 387 00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:35,720 I can't think of anything you've done lately to love me. 388 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:38,160 I'm doubting, I'm wondering, I'm forgetting. 389 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,680 And it leads to the unfaithfulness that God is 390 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,440 having to correct. OK doubt is often the poison 391 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:50,400 that leads to unfaithfulness. Malachi is going to address half 392 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,480 hearted worship, holding back from God. 393 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,000 Malachi is going to address giving him the leftovers, the 394 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,600 scraps. Malachi is going to address 395 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:02,560 leaders not doing their jobs, they're corrupted. 396 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,360 Malachi is going to address not holding each other accountable. 397 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:10,200 Malachi is going to address marrying outside the faith. 398 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,440 Malachi is going to address divorcing the wife of your 399 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,920 youth, breaking that covenant. Malachi is going to address all 400 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:21,800 kinds of things that are dishonouring God and unfaithful 401 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:28,640 according to the covenant. But all of that, I think, often 402 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:32,120 can be tied back to God. How have you been faithful to 403 00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:34,360 me? How have you loved me? 404 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:36,960 You seem distant. I've forgotten. 405 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:41,760 Often when doubtless is unchecked, it's a poison that 406 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:44,480 leads to unfaithfulness. You could look at a 407 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,240 unfaithfulness in a marital covenant and what is it often 408 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:51,560 traced back to? They lost love. 409 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:53,720 Or you could say they forgot love. 410 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:57,560 How have you loved me lately? And then unchecked that will 411 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:02,320 lead to unfaithfulness often. So here's a take away. 412 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:06,360 As doubt is often the poison that leads to unfaithfulness, 413 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:12,520 remembering God's love is the antidote, OK if doubt often 414 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,200 doubt in his love often leads to unfaithfulness. 415 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,560 Here's what we need. We need to be reminded that God 416 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:20,160 loves us. That's the antidote. 417 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:26,240 OK Often what what a a marriage that's struggling and there's 418 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:30,640 unfaithfulness what what they're need is to be secure in each 419 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:32,480 other's love. OK. 420 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:36,600 When my wife starts to doubt if I love her, if she was to ever 421 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,040 say, how have you loved me, Gordon? 422 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,120 One, I've failed if she has to ask me that question. 423 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:46,120 But two, I would say, oh, I just, I need to build her up 424 00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:48,680 with my words. I need to show her affection. 425 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,720 I need to make her secure in my love. 426 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,040 And then naturally it's like you want to reciprocate. 427 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,520 There's faithfulness again, often what we need as the 428 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,400 antidote is security in God's love. 429 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,040 And that's why in God's wisdom, before he gives any of the other 430 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:10,960 rebukes in Malachi, he begins by securing them in his love. 431 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,280 They're asking, how have you loved me? 432 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,400 God? And he knows that's the, that's 433 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,880 the root of it. You need to know I love you. 434 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,400 And So what we're going to see today is a primary, We're going 435 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,400 to see lots of ways that God loves, but there's a primary 436 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,120 proof that God gives to that question or doubt. 437 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,200 How have you loved us? So let's go to the next part of 438 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:38,560 verse 2. God says is not Esau, Jacob's 439 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:43,120 brother declares the Lord. Yet I have loved Jacob Esau. 440 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,720 I've hated, I've laid waste his Hill Country and left his 441 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,320 heritage, important word, heritage to jackals of the 442 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,960 desert. OK, let me knock one thing out 443 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,400 of the way real quick. If you were here a few weeks ago 444 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,720 in the book of John, we actually saw this loved, hated contrast, 445 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:00,520 right? It's hyperbole. 446 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,200 OK, Kurt was explaining then, and it's the case here. 447 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,560 Hated and loved hyperbole. Hyperbole is an intentional 448 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,920 exaggeration to make a point. And so I could say we were 449 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:14,280 playing that game and I crushed you in that game. 450 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,320 I did not literally crush you. I'm exaggerating and I'm making 451 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,160 a point. Hated refers to rejection. 452 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,800 Loved refers to choosing. God is saying Jacob and Esau, 453 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:29,320 they were brothers and I've loved Jacob and I have, I have 454 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,360 chosen Jacob. I have rejected Esau. 455 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,600 And so it's about God's choosing love. 456 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:41,840 He's talking to the Israelites who are descendants of Jacob. 457 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,800 You remember the syllabus? Jacob was renamed Israel. 458 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,840 OK, The Israelites. He's reminding them, I chose 459 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:52,720 your lineage. So God's aim here for the people 460 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:57,200 of Malachi is to secure them in his love, to reassure them, to 461 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,680 comfort them. And he doesn't say notice as a 462 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:05,080 Heavenly Father, he doesn't say, how dare you question me. 463 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:09,200 And he's not the dad that says I've simply loved you by 464 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,200 providing for you. Don't you know you have food on 465 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,240 the table? I brought you back to Jerusalem 466 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:18,520 again. He, he reminds them, He secures 467 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,000 them. He reassures them, I chose you. 468 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,680 I chose you. OK, again, back to maybe a 469 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,160 hypothetical example between Anna and I, my wife, if she was 470 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:31,160 to ask how have you loved me, Gordon? 471 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:35,600 I could say lots of things to answer that, but one of the best 472 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,080 things I could say is, hey, I chose you. 473 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:45,400 Of all the girls out there, I rejected them and I chose you. 474 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:52,280 I have a seriously, I look, Anna, I have a specific love for 475 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:56,560 you that is unlike any other love that I have for any other 476 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,600 human, OK? I don't love any of you the way 477 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,480 that I love Anna. And I would hope that in 478 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:07,040 remembering that for her, she would be secured in her love, in 479 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,040 my love for her. She would be comforted. 480 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:16,560 She'd be reminded. I chose you again, before God 481 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:20,440 gives any rebukes, He just reassures her. 482 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:24,640 And there's a lesson in there somewhere for dads, for 483 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:29,200 husbands, for leaders. You begin with reassuring of 484 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,640 love. You make sure they know that 485 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,120 that's often where the unfaithfulness comes from. 486 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:39,640 So Christians, when you doubt God's love, I got a catechism 487 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:41,520 for you. You know what a catechism is? 488 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,560 Catechism is a doctrine or a truth from Scripture that often 489 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:48,520 comes in the form of question and response. 490 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,320 And we see it right here in Malachi is a good one where I 491 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,560 would say, Christian, how has God loved you? 492 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:59,160 And you would say he chose me. OK, let's try it. 493 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,520 Christian, how has God loved you? 494 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,240 He chose me. And you can recite that, recite 495 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,160 that catechism, that truth to yourself over and over and over. 496 00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:12,840 When you feel unsecure, insecure, when you feel doubt, 497 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:16,680 when you feel wondering, God, you feel distant, you feel far 498 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:20,320 away. I'm struggling, Lord, I'm weary. 499 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,880 Look at my situation. Look at their situation. 500 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:25,800 Christian, how has God loved you? 501 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:32,920 He chose me. Deuteronomy 76 through 8 will be 502 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:37,960 up on the screen. It says for you are a people 503 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:41,320 holy to your God. The Lord your God has chosen you 504 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:45,480 to be a people for his treasured possession out of all the 505 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,040 peoples who are on the face of the earth. 506 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:51,520 It is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath or 507 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,600 covenant that He swore to your Father's. 508 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,280 Hey, what's neat there is we've talked a lot about heritages and 509 00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:01,560 inheritances, right? It's a material and a spiritual 510 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,280 possession. The best part is that you have 511 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:06,120 God. But you know what that verse is 512 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:07,760 saying? God has you. 513 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:12,040 He chose you. You're His treasured 514 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:16,440 inheritance, possession. That's why there's a line 515 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:18,360 throughout the whole Bible. It goes like this. 516 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,480 You shall be my people and I shall be your God. 517 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,840 That's what it's all about in the Garden of Eden. 518 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:28,200 You shall be my people and I shall be your God to revelation 519 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,400 in the end, when we're with them again, I shall be your God and 520 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:34,000 you shall be my people. He is our possession. 521 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,680 We are His possession. When we remember those things 522 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:41,800 that he chose us, we are secure in his love. 523 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:49,600 Now the this that that is the that is the reason why this 524 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:51,200 verse is in here. I've chosen you. 525 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:56,480 I've hated you, OK, but this is a classic text on the doctrine 526 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:57,960 of election. OK? 527 00:29:57,960 --> 00:29:59,520 And so I want to say a few things about it. 528 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:04,160 Election is the doctrine that says God elects to or chooses to 529 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,520 save some, not others. And it's a hard one. 530 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,800 I'll just be honest, OK, but this is it's in the text. 531 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,960 Got to say something about it. This is such a classic example 532 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,240 of election that it's what Paul uses. 533 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,840 The Apostle Paul in Romans 9 when teaching it, he references 534 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,200 this. So listen to Romans 910 through 535 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,760 12. And not only so, but also when 536 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:31,000 Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather 537 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:35,920 Isaac, though they were not yet born and hadn't done nothing 538 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:40,240 either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election 539 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:43,520 might continue, not because of works, but because of Him who 540 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:48,120 calls she. The mother was told The older 541 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,920 will serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I have 542 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,520 loved, Esau I have hated. And so it's referencing a true 543 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:58,840 story where Jacob and Esau's mom was promised before they were 544 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,160 born. The older will serve the younger 545 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,120 and this it's saying Paul is explaining this was not because 546 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:07,640 of anything good or bad that Jacob or Esau would do. 547 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:13,080 It was simply because of him who calls who chose God pre decided 548 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,640 that he would set his love on Abraham. 549 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,320 OK Abraham, the father of God's people. 550 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:21,480 He would make a covenant with Abraham. 551 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:24,800 He would carry it out through Isaac and then there would be 552 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,520 Jacob and Esau. But I'm going to favor Jacob, 553 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:34,320 and this is an example of it's salvation based on God, not 554 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,840 based on man. And then I'm going to try my 555 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:41,040 best to just say a few more things about it because we got a 556 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:42,480 lot of different people in the room. 557 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,960 Some of you, you don't flinch, You're like, Yep, I get it. 558 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,680 Others of you, it's a hard doctrine. 559 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:50,040 Some of you, you're hearing it for the first time. 560 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,320 OK. And so Malachi didn't go into 561 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,840 much depth because he's just talking to the Jacob people. 562 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:58,280 They get it, but I want to say just a few more things, but 563 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:01,440 realize people have written books trying to explain this 564 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,680 theology and I've got a few minutes and so I'm going to make 565 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,440 a little plug now. Download Church Center app, 566 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,720 register for our membership series class. 567 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:12,520 We'll go through our statement of faith and we'll say much more 568 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,800 about this doctrine. But let me say a few things I 569 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,480 said. One election is salvation from 570 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:21,360 God, not based on us. It is not based on merit, it's 571 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,960 not based on our goodness, it's not based on morality. 572 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:28,520 It's purely God's choosing. And then there's an objection in 573 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:31,920 Romans to this, right? So the objection in Romans is 574 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:35,320 some of your objection. You would say, well, if God's 575 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,440 sovereign to save, it's all about what he wills, who can 576 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:41,200 resist his will? That's the very question in 577 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:45,240 Romans that Paul is tackling. Who can resist his will? 578 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:49,000 Do we have any choice? OK, that's a valid objection to 579 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,240 which Paul would respond in Romans 9. 580 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,840 Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? 581 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,720 Will what is molded say to its molder? 582 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:01,680 Why have you made me like this? Has the Potter no right over the 583 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:05,800 clay to make out of the same lump 1 vessel for honorable use 584 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:07,520 and another for dishonorable use? 585 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:11,080 OK, that's one answer. That is one response we should 586 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,560 know. There is a heavenly vantage 587 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:17,840 point with God's sovereign will, and there's an earthly vantage 588 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:21,800 point with our free will. We do have free will, right? 589 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,920 And both exist in tandem together, OK. 590 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:31,360 As his sovereign will plays out from a heavenly perspective, so 591 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:35,680 does our will play out from an earthly perspective, and they 592 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:39,520 somehow go together. Here's two more things about 593 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:41,600 election. The first was God salvation is 594 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:45,680 from God. The second is God will not force 595 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,880 his spiritual heritage on anyone who chooses to reject it. 596 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:51,760 Sorry if this might be a mouthful. 597 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:58,080 God will not force on anyone his spiritual heritage who chooses 598 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,680 to reject it. So let's look at Esau from an 599 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:04,480 earthly vantage point, right? So you've got a guy like Esau. 600 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,120 OK, Jacob and Esau are born. Esau is older. 601 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:11,840 Esau would get to the point where he is the father's 602 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,080 favorite. He is the man's man. 603 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:16,360 He goes out and hunts and fishes. 604 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:18,560 And then you've got Jacob. He's the mama's boy that 605 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,840 literally says that he likes gardening. 606 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:24,400 OK, His father likes Esau. Esau's the son of promise. 607 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:27,639 He's the older. He's do the birthright, which 608 00:34:27,639 --> 00:34:31,440 again, Heritage's inheritances, birthright for the older son 609 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:35,440 meant double inheritance. OK, and what does Esau do? 610 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:40,600 He chooses to reject it. Jacob, I'm not commending this. 611 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:45,040 But Jacob comes along and tricks his brother into trading the 612 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,400 birthright for a meal. He finds Esau in a moment of 613 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:50,760 weakness when he's famished from being out hunting. 614 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:53,000 And he says, hey, I have a pot of Stew. 615 00:34:53,199 --> 00:34:54,760 I'll trade you your birthright for it. 616 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:56,960 And Esau takes them up on the deal. 617 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,720 Esau, remember birthright heritage. 618 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:06,760 Esau is promised the heritage of the nation of Abraham Isaac. 619 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:10,000 It could have been the nation of Esau, and I'm just playing 620 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,400 around here, but it could have been OK. 621 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:17,080 But he took all of that material possession, inheritance with 622 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:21,240 God, dwelling with God. He gave it all up for a single 623 00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:24,720 meal that he would eat within a matter of minutes, digest within 624 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:27,160 a matter of hours, and excrete the next day. 625 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,280 Think about it. He gave all that up for a meal, 626 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:34,520 and that's why Moses says thus Esau despised his birthright. 627 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:38,880 OK, Esau chose to reject a heritage with God, and God will 628 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:42,280 not force it on Esau if Esau chose to reject it. 629 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:46,640 So you see a sovereign heavenly will and you see an earthly free 630 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:49,960 will working together. Jacob, on the other hand, if we 631 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:54,120 looked at him from an earthly vantage point, Jacob, I'm not 632 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,520 commending it, but he tricked his brother into getting the 633 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,800 birthright. He tricked his father into 634 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,800 giving him the blessing at the end of his life. 635 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:04,560 OK, he was a deceiver. It's what Jacob means, the name 636 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:09,160 deceiver. OK, Jacob wanted the heritage 637 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,600 and it all, maybe not for the purest motives, we don't know. 638 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:17,520 But it all culminated with there's a story in Genesis 32 639 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,360 where he wrestles with a mysterious man who happens to be 640 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,600 God. And when Jacob wrestles with 641 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:27,520 that man, he strives with him all night and demands the 642 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:30,680 blessing. And when asked his name, Jacob 643 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:33,680 acknowledges my name is Jacob Deceiver. 644 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,560 He acknowledges his, you could say sin. 645 00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:40,160 And then he demands to get the blessing and he wrestles with 646 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,200 God until God gives him the blessing. 647 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:46,880 And that is the moment when Jacob would be renamed Israel. 648 00:36:47,720 --> 00:36:49,520 OK. And so the the third thing you 649 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:53,880 need to know about election, God will not withhold his spiritual 650 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,840 heritage from anyone who chooses to seek it. 651 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,240 OK, He will not force it on you, but he will not withhold either. 652 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:05,240 OK, here again you see God's sovereign will and our free will 653 00:37:05,240 --> 00:37:08,440 working together. And so you have to know with a 654 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,680 tricky doctrine, a hard to understand one like election, 655 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:16,400 you have to know if you want a heritage with God, he will not 656 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:19,920 withhold. If you want it, it's because 657 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:21,560 he's been choosing and drawing you. 658 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:26,680 And you have to know if you live a life stiff arming God, 659 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:30,680 rejecting the heritage, maybe you want the material blessing 660 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:34,400 like Esau the meal, but you don't want the heritage, the 661 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,240 birthright, the part that has makes you have to dwell with 662 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:40,280 God. If you reject God, God will not 663 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:43,160 force you into heaven. OK, I want to put a graphic up 664 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:45,600 on the screen just to map all this out. 665 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:48,680 OK, so here you see everything we've been talking about. 666 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:53,080 God has a path for his inheritance. 667 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:57,600 He has chosen Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and this is who he's 668 00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:01,600 carrying his covenant through. Through that covenant, the 669 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:05,200 recipients will dwell in the land of Israel, which represents 670 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,280 dwelling with God. And if you're like Esau and you 671 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:11,520 choose to sidestep God's blessing, you reject it. 672 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:14,080 He's not going to force you to live in the land of Israel. 673 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:16,600 You have chosen a life living apart from God. 674 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:20,360 Now let me let me show you one more verse it's in and you can 675 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:22,440 leave that up on the screen. Actually, David, I'll just read 676 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:26,240 Hebrews 12. It says that no one be like 677 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:30,400 unholy Esau. And so the writer of Hebrews in 678 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:33,960 the New Testament is looking back on this and giving us a a 679 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:38,040 wider interpretation. Esau was unholy who sold his 680 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:41,680 birthright for a single meal. Hebrews says, For you know that 681 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:44,800 afterward when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was 682 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:50,400 rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it 683 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:54,240 with tears. He did not have repentant tears. 684 00:38:54,640 --> 00:38:58,280 He was unholy and rejected God in need of repentance. 685 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,640 He had sidestepped God's blessing, and God was not going 686 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,040 to force him to live in a land that he did not want to live in. 687 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:08,680 Esau's descendants would go on to be the people of Edom. 688 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:11,960 Remember the ones that cursed Israel said lay it bare, lay it 689 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:15,280 bare, that was Esau. So all the descendants of Esau 690 00:39:15,280 --> 00:39:19,680 too, The land of Edom has rejected God, and God will not 691 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:21,360 force them to live in a land they don't want. 692 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:25,640 And then you've got Israel's descendants who would be the 693 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:29,160 twelve sons, the tribes of Israel. 694 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:34,600 There is a nation that still exists today that bears the name 695 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:36,600 Israel. Talk about a heritage. 696 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:42,320 OK, all of this can be traced back to Israel, Jacob choosing 697 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:48,400 God. Here's a take away for us. 698 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:58,680 Any situation with God is better than any situation without God. 699 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:01,320 OK. If you looked at Israel versus 700 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,920 Esau? And they're over here looking at 701 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,400 look at my situation. Look at their situation, Edom. 702 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,760 They're my enemies. God is reminding, hey, I've 703 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:14,240 rejected them and they've rejected me, and I've chosen you 704 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,320 and you have chosen me. We are in covenant together. 705 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:20,800 And despite what it looks like, they seem to be flourishing 706 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:22,040 because they're still in their land. 707 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:24,520 You've been exiled. You're under a Persian thumb. 708 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:30,600 Despite what it may look like, any situation with me is better 709 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:34,520 than any situation without me. And that's something you can 710 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:37,480 hold on to. Christian, you look around, I 711 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:40,680 don't understand God. But remember, don't look at 712 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:44,440 material possession, don't look at material situation. 713 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,840 Look at spiritual possession, spiritual situation. 714 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:52,080 And any situation with God is better than any situation 715 00:40:52,080 --> 00:41:07,030 without God. Give me just a SEC. 716 00:41:11,710 --> 00:41:13,950 Let me talk to the ones of you that are here and you're not a 717 00:41:13,950 --> 00:41:18,230 Christian and you hear all that and you realize there is a God 718 00:41:18,230 --> 00:41:20,710 in heaven that has a sovereign will. 719 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:24,240 And you might find yourself asking the question whether the 720 00:41:24,240 --> 00:41:27,280 God of heaven has chosen you. And I want to tell you that's 721 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:29,560 not the question you should be asking today, OK? 722 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:31,360 There's a heavenly vantage point. 723 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:32,600 There's an earthly vantage point. 724 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,720 The question is not whether the God of heaven from up there has 725 00:41:36,720 --> 00:41:40,160 chosen you. The question is whether you from 726 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,960 down here will choose him. That's our concern. 727 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:49,720 Will you choose God? Will you choose the Stew, the 728 00:41:49,720 --> 00:41:53,920 earthly pleasure you eat within a matter of minutes, digest 729 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:56,360 within a matter of hours it's gone the next day? 730 00:41:57,040 --> 00:42:00,200 Fleeting pleasures. Will you really give up a life 731 00:42:00,240 --> 00:42:05,640 and eternity with God for that? Will you opt for the material 732 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:08,240 possessions or will you opt for the spiritual one? 733 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:12,680 And remember, God will not withhold this heritage from any 734 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:17,920 who truly wants Him. To those that reject God. 735 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,400 God says in the verses we have today, I have laid waste his 736 00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:23,920 Hill Country and left His heritage to the jackals 737 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:28,840 representing a barren reality. A life without God is a barren 738 00:42:28,840 --> 00:42:31,360 reality. Will you trade that? 739 00:42:31,720 --> 00:42:36,800 Will you take that trading it for a reality of blessing, 740 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:40,080 prosperity, a future Kingdom, heaven dwelling with Him 741 00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:42,160 forever? And more importantly than 742 00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:44,360 anything, you possess God Himself. 743 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:50,320 Like Unholy Esau. Will you miss your chance to 744 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:54,000 repent, or will you find your chance to repent? 745 00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:58,960 The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ came to bring a new 746 00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:03,760 covenant, that it has nothing to do with what land you're from, 747 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:06,920 your ancestry. Through faith in Jesus Christ, 748 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:11,760 anybody can seek this heritage from God and find it. 749 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:14,360 All it takes is you repenting of your sin. 750 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:18,040 You realize I have broken the covenant more times than I care 751 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:20,400 to admit. I have lived unfaithful. 752 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:24,440 I need a faithful one to stand in my place and live it for me. 753 00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:26,840 That's the only way the covenant can go unbroken. 754 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:31,120 Jesus Christ, sinless God, came from heaven to earth to live a 755 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:34,960 faithful life and honor the Father in a way that you and I 756 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:37,760 never could. If you repent of your sin and 757 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:41,080 place your trust in Jesus, He brings you into a new covenant, 758 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:46,360 a covenant of grace, and He will remain faithful to you until you 759 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:50,360 walk with me into the land of Israel, dwelling with God 760 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:52,880 forever. I would invite any of you here 761 00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:55,000 today. If you've not placed your trust 762 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:59,280 in Jesus but you want to tell him you're sorry, ask for 763 00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:02,400 forgiveness. Commit to I'm not going to live 764 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:05,840 this way anymore and choose Him and he will not withhold. 765 00:44:06,240 --> 00:44:08,240 We have a time of prayer at the end of our service. 766 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:11,680 And one of the things we hope and pray for every Sunday is the 767 00:44:11,880 --> 00:44:14,720 men and women like you would come up and we would have the 768 00:44:14,720 --> 00:44:18,600 privilege of being able to help welcome you into the land of 769 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:27,030 Israel. All right, let's move on to the 770 00:44:27,030 --> 00:44:30,680 next few verses, verse four and five. 771 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:33,920 If Edom says we are shattered, but we will rebuild. 772 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:37,640 The Lord of hosts says they may build, but I will tear down. 773 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:40,720 They will be called the wicked country and the people with whom 774 00:44:40,720 --> 00:44:44,920 the Lord is angry forever. And so God's judgment is fixed. 775 00:44:45,240 --> 00:44:48,720 If you spend the life rejecting Him, you can build all you want. 776 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:53,840 His judgment is fixed. Notice the posture in their 777 00:44:53,840 --> 00:44:58,640 hearts. We will rebuild and God says I'm 778 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:00,480 sovereign. I will. 779 00:45:00,560 --> 00:45:07,720 I will just tear you down again. There's a promise here. 780 00:45:08,080 --> 00:45:09,440 OK? God has already answered. 781 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:11,280 How have you loved us? He's already answered. 782 00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:13,480 I chose you. But he's saying another thing to 783 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:16,720 them I will do. I will judge justly your 784 00:45:16,720 --> 00:45:19,800 enemies. My justice will go out to your 785 00:45:19,800 --> 00:45:23,520 enemies, OK, The enemies of God and the enemies of his people. 786 00:45:23,720 --> 00:45:27,440 My judgment is fixed. It's another way that you shall 787 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:33,560 see how I have loved you. There's a thing that often 788 00:45:33,560 --> 00:45:37,040 happens in the prophetic literature called a double layer 789 00:45:37,040 --> 00:45:39,000 of fulfillment or layers of fulfillment. 790 00:45:39,680 --> 00:45:43,280 This would be fulfilled in one layer within the the days of 791 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:46,240 Malachi. They would see Edom get marched 792 00:45:46,240 --> 00:45:49,160 out of their land and this promise will come true. 793 00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:53,880 And then, ah God, you are watching out for us. 794 00:45:53,880 --> 00:45:56,880 You have loved us. And then there's another layer 795 00:45:56,880 --> 00:46:00,240 of fulfillment. One day all of those who have 796 00:46:00,240 --> 00:46:06,200 trusted in Jesus will stand at the gates of judgment, will see 797 00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:09,760 Jesus face to face, and he will March the wicked who have 798 00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:16,040 rejected him out of his land forever, and he'll call others 799 00:46:16,120 --> 00:46:20,320 into his land forever. And here's here's maybe the best 800 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:24,720 part of all these verses Whose eyes shall see it and say that 801 00:46:24,720 --> 00:46:28,200 he's great, your eyes. OK. 802 00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:30,840 It's not that when God judges the wicked. 803 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:36,240 It's not that they will finally say, oh, my gods are wrong. 804 00:46:36,240 --> 00:46:38,480 You're whoa, The God of Israel, He's great. 805 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:39,920 It's not. That will happen. 806 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,200 You'll see that through the rest of Malachi, the nation shall 807 00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:44,560 know that I'm the great king. OK? 808 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:46,920 Every knee will bow and tongue confess that I'm the Lord. 809 00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:50,000 Hey, that will happen. But what God's saying here is, 810 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:55,200 hey, my people, who I've chosen, when you see this, you shall 811 00:46:55,200 --> 00:46:59,200 know. You shall say the Lord is great 812 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:02,800 beyond the border of Israel. He's addressing doubt of love 813 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:04,960 and he's addressing doubt of his greatness. 814 00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:11,080 God will finally say, God, you really did have a perfect plan. 815 00:47:11,640 --> 00:47:15,560 You really were in control. You really have loved me. 816 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:20,840 It wasn't just within like our small little remnant of a 817 00:47:20,840 --> 00:47:24,000 nation, you woe. You are great throughout all the 818 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:27,760 earth beyond the borders of Israel and here. 819 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,480 Here's what's really going to get us again, this is for us. 820 00:47:30,480 --> 00:47:31,840 Here's what's really going to get us. 821 00:47:32,240 --> 00:47:35,560 Christians, you and I will be at Judgement Day. 822 00:47:37,040 --> 00:47:39,840 God will have the wicked, the enemies of God and the enemies 823 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:42,000 of us. He will have them marched away. 824 00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:48,600 But you know what he'll do then He'll smile at you and me, and 825 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:52,960 he'll say, come in, enter my rest, dwell in my land. 826 00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:56,560 You have me forever. And here's what's really going 827 00:47:56,560 --> 00:47:58,800 to get us. We will look at them going and 828 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:01,120 we'll look at us coming in and we'll be bewildered. 829 00:48:01,360 --> 00:48:03,120 You're like, are you kidding me, God? 830 00:48:03,440 --> 00:48:06,480 But I'm wicked. If only we'll see God, and we'll 831 00:48:06,480 --> 00:48:08,880 see our God. That should be me. 832 00:48:09,320 --> 00:48:12,200 I should be marched out. I should be in exile forever. 833 00:48:12,520 --> 00:48:16,280 I do not deserve God. If you know how unlovable I am, 834 00:48:16,520 --> 00:48:18,480 you know how unfaithful I've been. 835 00:48:18,640 --> 00:48:20,960 You know how many times I've broken the covenant? 836 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:26,200 Think about it, Christians. Do you deserve to be in the 837 00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:29,560 Kingdom of Israel, of heaven with God forever? 838 00:48:29,560 --> 00:48:32,000 Do you deserve to be in relationship with the holy God? 839 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:34,840 No. We'll see that happen and we'll 840 00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:40,720 say great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel. 841 00:48:48,570 --> 00:48:54,560 If Jacob had been saved based on his own merit, his own goodness, 842 00:48:54,560 --> 00:48:59,160 his own morality, the verse would end with great is Jacob 843 00:48:59,800 --> 00:49:01,680 right? Doesn't end that way. 844 00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:06,640 Salvation belongs to God. God chose you, and so great is 845 00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:08,520 the Lord beyond the border of Israel. 846 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:11,360 That's the culmination of these verses. 847 00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:16,240 We rest secure that God loves us, and one day we will know for 848 00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:21,800 certain that God is great. There's no one like him and 849 00:49:21,800 --> 00:49:24,760 we'll we'll get to be with him forever and have our heritage. 850 00:49:28,520 --> 00:49:29,960 You ready for the final catechism? 851 00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:32,800 Not the final, the same catechism, but we're going to 852 00:49:32,800 --> 00:49:35,800 end with that. Christian, how has God loved 853 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:42,000 you? Two takeaways to take home with 854 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:44,760 you today. Remember, His love is often the 855 00:49:44,800 --> 00:49:47,680 antidote of doubt and unfaithfulness. 856 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:49,560 We'll see that through the rest of Malachi. 857 00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:54,480 And 2nd, any situation with God is better than any situation 858 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:58,280 without God. Let's be a church that honors 859 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:03,040 God through faithful living because He is great and He 860 00:50:03,040 --> 00:50:03,840 deserves it.