“Take A Good Look In The Mirror” – 3/19/25

 

The book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, is unique for many reasons. One of the main reasons is its style. God (through Malachi) makes a charge, anticipates the people’s response, and then answers their anticipated answer. This is seen in every chapter except chapter 4. God essentially answers these people’s responses before they can. There is a similar style of writing done by the apostle Paul, who, in several epistles, anticipates the Christians’ response, but nothing like the style of Malachi is seen in any other book of the Bible.

 

My mind reels at this section of questions and answers, for as I read them, I hear echoes of people today saying similar things. Tragically, some cry out to God, asking, “How have you loved us?” (Mal. 1:2). There are those who seem ignorant of their actions, asking, “How have we despised God’s name?” (Mal. 1:6), “How have we wearied God?” (Mal. 2:17), “How can we return to God?” (implying they hadn’t left Him, Mal. 3:7), “How have we robbed you?” (Mal. 3:8), and “What have we spoken against you?” (Mal. 3:13)!

 

We are a people who see the faults in others clearly but are blind to our own! Malachi shows us this truth, and Jesus does the same (Matt. 7:1-5). It is high time that we woke up (Rom. 13:11) and got serious about our attitude toward God and our souls’ condition. Too many times, we see people who, when corrected for wrongs done, will be quick to justify themselves by asking, “When did I ever do that?” That is a dangerous position to take. None of us can say we are free from error or immune to making mistakes. Further, no one can say they have not sinned (Rom. 3:23)! Many of the accusations God made against the people in Malachi’s day revolved around their sinful actions. Yet, they denied ever doing them! Indeed, there are none so blind as those who will not see! If God accused them of wrongdoing, then they did something wrong!

 

In like manner, we have God’s word in its written form. This word instructs, corrects, and teaches us how to live (II Tim. 3:16-17). The question is, will we listen, or will we ignore the truth? James once wrote, “ But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (Jas. 1:22-25). Ignoring God's word is not an option!

 

Are we spending time in God’s book to examine who we truly are? Are we making the necessary changes to grow closer to God (Jas. 4:8)? In light of what we read in the book of Malachi, I would say those folks needed to take a good look in the mirror. At the same time, we need to do the same! We cannot live without a good examination of our lives and where we stand before God (II Cor. 13:5). Then, once we observe, let us make the corrections God expects us to make and grow closer to Him. If we refuse, we will be in the same position as those in Malachi’s day, and that is not a place I want to be!

 

– Jarrod M. Jacobs