You have wearied the Lord with your words. (Malachi 2:17)
God’s people have a history of grumbling. Things were no different in Malachi’s day. In this fourth argument, the people voiced two main grumbles against God. “First, Lord, you’re treating the bad guys like the good guys. Second, you’re sitting in heaven doing nothing when you should come and judge the wicked.” They wanted the God of the ten plagues and Mt. Carmel to zap their enemies. It’s not that they were consumed with zeal for the Lord’s glory. They just wanted their problems to go away. So they grumbled.
We are grumblers too. We’re too busy, too bored, we don’t have enough money, we’re not appreciated, we don’t like our church, our sports teams stink, we don’t look good, don’t feel good, we’re too skinny, too fat, too short, too tall, our clothes are worn out, our car’s a lemon, we’re single and we wish were married, we’re married and we wish we had kids, we have kids and we wish we could be single again. We moan and murmur like a whiney two year old.
But God calls us to patience and longsuffering. And he calls us to confidence too. When we are assured that God is working all things according to his good purpose, we are freed to “do everything without grumbling or complaining” (Philippians 2:14).
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Then I will draw near to you for judgment…” (Malachi 3:5)
The Israelites were accusing God of turning a blind eye to sin. They wanted him to strike down the wicked like the good old days. How surprised they must have been when the Lord granted their request and promised to come near to them for judgment. The Israelites had a bad case of foot in mouth disease. They had the “gift” of knowing exactly what was wrong with the world. It was simple, the problem was always somebody else. They never thought that asking God to fix things might entail God fixing them.
Thankfully, the Lord didn’t come just for judgment. He came to refine. He came to make covenant keepers out of covenant breakers. God came to hammer the sword out on the anvil that he might see his reflection in it. Godliness comes only through the refiner’s fire.
If we want holiness, if we want God’s presence, if we to be worshipers, then it might mean hardship and rebuke, because I for one need a lot of pounding and a lot of fire before I’m going to shine. But only those who have been through the flames will be able to stand on the day of the Lord. So let us say with David, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:71).
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“For I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6)
The fifth of six arguments in Malachi begins with another theological fact. The theological term is immutability. It’s the belief that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He certainly responds and reacts. But his character, his attributes, his sovereign will, his providential care over all things are unchangeable. “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29).
God’s immutability is the reason the sons of Jacob were not destroyed. The Lord is saying, “Because I chose you, because you are my people, and because I am an unchanging God of mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, you will get another a chance. Ever since I called you as a people you have been stubborn and hard-hearted. You have turned away from me and my decrees time and time again. You should be out of chances, but I am not out of mercy. Return to me, and I will return to you.” If we come to God broken hearted for sin, wanting to change, and call out for mercy in Jesus’ name, he will not turn us away. We may have changed, but his character has not. Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8).
