05/17/2009

Sunday morning class: Prov 30:11. "There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; 12. those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; 13. those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; 14. those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.

Scripture reading: #783

Vesper’s @ 5 – prayer time

Wednesday evening @ 7 – pp 188-194?? “Luke sees Christian life as an alternation of two activities: prayer & kindness, each feeding on the other.” Luke deals with the “Lord’s Prayer,” other prayer, and parables on the dangers of being stingy.

Who can endure the day of His coming? (Malachi - 450-430? bc)

Malachi 3:1. "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. 2. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap.

3. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4. and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

5. "So I will come near to you for judgment. 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 aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty. 6. "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

A few years ago I heard Squire Parsons sing a song on a Gaither Homecoming video. The song that Mr. Parsons had written and sang so marvelously was “Sweet Beulah Land.” I really enjoy hearing him sing that song.

“Beulah” land is a term that comes to us from a prophecy in Isaiah 62 (verse 4).

Isaiah 62:1. For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. 3. You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

It is a ‘new name’ that God said He would give to Israel when Israel became “righteous” and exhibited the “Glory” and “Splendor” of being God’s Hand extended.

The caveat is being “righteous.” We get that clarifier in Malachi 3:7 where, among other things, God expects the righteousness of Israel to include paying laborers their fair wages, taking care of widows and the fatherless, providing justice and treating equitably the “aliens” among them, and holding God in awe.

Now, as the Apostle Paul has written, we are ‘grafted-in’ children of God – and as such are under that same calling of being “righteous” as God had place upon those who, under the law, had called themselves by His Name.

Since we are in a relationship with God through Grace, our opportunities escalate in that we have the great privilege and responsibility of bringing Grace along with ‘fair wages,’ care-giving and hospitality.

This third chapter of Malachi deals with fairness, to God and to others. We can’t rob God and get by with it. We can’t short change, or treat begrudgingly, those in society who are weaker than us – and get by with it. God is watching.

If we are wanting to inherit our little portion of “Sweet Beulah Land” we have this unwavering responsibility because He, “…the Lord does not change.”

And, He is coming near to us for judgment! Who can endure His coming? He is coming to do the laundry. He won’t tolerate ‘spots’ or ‘wrinkles.’ He is coming in judgment for a people “…without blemish,” “washed by the Blood of the Lamb,” walking in righteousness.