III THE MESSAGE OF MALACHI III THE MESSAGE

III. THE MESSAGE OF MALACHI

III. THE MESSAGE OF MALACHI A. The People Had Changed Their Attitudes

III. THE MESSAGE OF MALACHI B. The Key Word Revealing The Condition Of The People Is “Wherein’

III. THE MESSAGE OF MALACHI C. The Significance Of “Wherein’

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION A. They Were Particular And Strict In Outward Observances But Their Hearts Were

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. ’ Mark 7: 6 NKJV

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION B. They Boasted In Their Knowledge Of Truth, But Responded Mechanically To That Knowledge

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without selfcontrol, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3: 1 -5 ESV

Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God … an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. Romans 2: 17, 20 NKJV

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION C. The People Were Saying: 1. They were innocent of God’s charges

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION C. The People Were Saying: 2. Serving God was useless

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION D. They Were Expected To Be Rewarded By God In Worldly Blessings For The Mere External Performance Of Acts Of Worship

IV. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONDITION E. These Attitudes Developed Into Two Well Known Camps In The New Testament

E. These Attitudes Developed Into Two Well Known Camps In The New Testament 1. The Sadducees (Liberals) – God doesn’t keep His promises

For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. Acts 23: 8 KJV

E. These Attitudes Developed Into Two Well Known Camps In The New Testament 2. The Pharisees (Orthodox) – It’s somebody else’s fault: I’m not like other people

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! Luke 18: 11 NLT

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority a. I have loved you … in what way have You loved us? Malachi 1: 2

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority b. O Priests that despise My name … in what way have we despised Your name? Malachi 1: 6

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority c. You offer polluted bread … in what way have we polluted You? Malachi 1: 7

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority d. You have wearied the Lord with your words … in what way have we wearied Him? Malachi 1: 17

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority e. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you … in what way shall we return? Malachi 3: 7

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority f. Yet you have robbed Me … in what way have we robbed You? Malachi 3: 8

The Cynicism Of The Great Majority g. Your words have been harsh against Me … what have we spoken against You? Malachi 3: 13