God loves names.
From Adam to Jesus, there’s always been something about names for God. They are not trifling issues at all. The patriarch of faith could no longer remain Abram. At a given point in time he had to be Abraham. The father of the people could no longer be known just as Jacob – God’s people had to be know him and identify themselves as Israel.
It’s fitting then that just as a name communicates something of its purpose that God should communicate something about His purposes through someone whose name means messenger. Malachi evidently is in on the whole thing as his collection of works is littered with references to messengers. The fascinating aspect of these references, however, are how those messengers differ in style and purpose.
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:1 NLT)
What a statement. There’s what follows that statement, which is in itself incredible especially for the initial audience that hears it. Yet consider this statement: A message through a messenger to say that another messenger is coming to prepare the way for Lord. Also intriguing how the messenger of the covenant is described. Everything pointing back to that initial message that God sent when the people rescued from slavery finally agreed to their marriage with the Lord Himself. His message of how the relationship would operate – the covenant itself – was what was at stake.
Everything Malachi and his predecessors were ever talking about to Israel was referring to that covenant. That understanding of how the relationship could blossom and thrive. That very message that God’s people, time after time, would refuse to obey. That message they rejected often to pursue other gods, or in this context they disregarded to pursue selfish gratification that led to social injustice and pathetic offerings of worship.
The anticipated messenger of the covenant, however, was not coming to be pleasant to the people. The purpose was to sort out those that previous Malachi had informed should have been messengers of the people themselves – the Levites. The Lord was coming to sort them out, cleanse and purify them and the people so they could be about the business of being what they were called to be.
The end of the book of Malachi should hold intrigue to the reader as well,
“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai for all Israel.
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:4-6 NLT)
Malachi the messenger has a message to instruct people to remember the message from Moses and look out for another messenger Elijah to show up and bring about generational reconciliation. All with the intent that the law and the prophets together should point people back to right relationship with God. Every opportunity given to people to pay attention to the message that’s coming from the Lord before His day arrives. For when that day arrives there will be no time to pick sides.
It’s intriguing to read of Moses and Elijah highlighted in this section, because when the Messiah arrived, one of the intimate insights He gave to some of His followers was a glimpse of His glory as He conversed with … Moses and Elijah.
It’s also intriguing because after this message there ends the messages from God we have written down. The next people will hear from Him in terms of significant messages will be the messenger sent to prepare the way …
Reading this message and the messages as a whole in Malachi, it’s very clear that God is passionate for His people to return to Him. He doesn’t want them to stay in the rut of lifeless ritualism whilst their behaviours and speeches contradict their heart of worship. It’s clear that He has a message for His people to become the messengers that He called them to be. Messengers who offer in example as well as word what God is saying in the time and the day that will set them right in relationship with their Creator and Redeemer.
It’s a message fitting for it’s time filled with warning, correction and hope. It’s a message given for generations to learn from centuries afterwards.
(Photo by jesse williams on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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