July 28, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“‘So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear Me,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 3.5)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

“Let it be clearly understood.” This is how I would summarize this verse for today. God declares that when “…the Lord whom they are seeking will come into the Temple” those who are in covenant with God will be put on trial. Mighty ones, while in Malachi the focus seems to be on the priests and Levites who were serving in the Temple, the extension of this promised event will be played out on all those who are in covenant with God. Peter and Paul were clear to express their understanding about the body of Christ, all believers, to be under the covenant of God. Further, we are under the covenant of the Law of Grace and Love which Jesus gave to the disciples. That covenant declared “Love one another [as I have loved you.]” (John 13.34) It did not nullify the covenant of the Law by which God established His relationship with those whom He chose to serve Him on earth. [that is, the Shema.] It did not nullify it, rather it magnified it so that the real cause of trouble within the community of faith would be seen. In the apocalyptic teaching of Jesus recorded in Matthew 23-25, Jesus iterated, “As you have done it to the least of these, so you have done it to Me.” The focus had to be clear if there was to be any transformation of the heart, mind and soul of the people. That transformation was from the mindset of “being in the world of man” to “being in the Kingdom of God.” Yes, we are to “be in the world but not of it.” (John 17.14-16) Our failure to communicate exists in how we treat one another within the community of faith. We are guilty of not loving one another and thus not fulfilling the covenant which brings us into right relationship with God through Jesus Christ with sins of omission as well as commission. Sometimes the greatest harm occurs by the things we did not do. I believe that is what Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 25 where He identified “hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and imprisoned.” This was a powerful word which the King of Justice will speak upon His return to the world under the authority of the Kingdom. In Matthew 25, it is the righteous who will ask “when did we see YOU hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick or in prison”? How easy it was to disassociate themselves from those who were suffering in the world, especially within the community, and see their ONLY responsibility to that of ministering to Christ. Jesus responds in future tense to the present reality of the disciples who were with Him in that moment. It was another one of Jesus’ “gut check” teachings. He replied, “As you have done it to the least of these, so you have done it to Me.“

Malachi 3.5 is one of those “gut check” moments. God declares that when the One whom they pray for and seek out comes, they should have nothing to fear. They will stand in judgment under the Law like everyone else. However, because they “maintained” their covenant relationship to “Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul mind and strength” (as their first priority of being God’s people) as well as to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (their second priority of being God’s people), then they will be justified in keeping the faith. Their witness of faithfulness to be the righteousness of God will cause them to stand apart from those who covenanted with the world. Another way of saying that is simply, “You have done that, right?” What was said in the prophetic word of Malachi was the definition of those who had something to fear: sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, those who defraud laborers of their wages, those who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and those who deprive the foreigners among you of justice.” Let’s go back to that simplified question: “That isn’t you, right?” Before the judgment comes, the parameter of judgment was already given. While there were biblical examples given of such people like Saul the first king of Israel and many in that line of kings or of the sons of Eli and many in the line of priests, God was speaking directly to those who were in place in that moment. It is because of that list of examples of those within the community of faith who failed to keep the covenant of Law and Grace that those in the present day should benefit by not being “on the list.” It should not surprise any of us, mighty ones of God in Christ Jesus, that the mention of the Book of Life would appear in the Revelation given to John. God does not change. God is consistent in maintaining and requiring the standard of righteousness and justice. He does not change His mind in order to accommodate those whom He has chosen in their failure to abide by “the way, the truth and the life.” He does not open other doors and post welcome signs so that “just anyone and everyone” will enter into the fullness of the Kingdom of God when it is established on earth as it is already in Heaven. Instead, God issues the call to repentance, redemption and reconciliation. He does so before the moment of His arrival as Judge, Jury and Executioner. He asks the question ahead of time for that final exam saying, “You have nothing to fear, right?“

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works which bring others near to Jesus in faith, hope and love. AMEN.