Grace Baptist Church, Nokomis, IL.

Text:

“You have said harsh things against me, says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’ ” Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. They will be mine, says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” (Mal 3:13-18 NIV)

Following the pattern of Malachi, we again read about how Israel has been unfaithful to God (v. 13). Not only is Israel not obeying God’s commands, but they are actually speaking against God. Many atheists today actually believe in God, but they despise Him. The Israelites had become practical atheists. They may have still believed in God, but they didn’t honor Him. Although God has been faithful, we again see Israel depicted as a rebellious, ungrateful people.

Notice the two things that the practical atheist says to himself.

1. Practical atheists say, “It is futile to serve God” (v. 14). After all that God had done for them, the Israelites said that God had done nothing for them. They were only interested in their own gain. They considered serving God to be a boring chore. Serving God is no mere duty. It’s what we were created for! I’m not saying we should not be interested in our gain. But our greatest gain is Christ.

2. Practical atheists call the arrogant blessed (v. 15). The Israelites began to define being blessed as having worldly success. This can so subtly creep into our own thinking, too. We want to see our children to get good jobs. But maybe God wants your children to be poor missionaries. Would you support your children if they surrendered to God’s call to go to North Korea or a predominately Muslim country? We all desire someday to be able to retire and relax. But retirement is not the end of your service to God. Retirement can free up your time so that you may serve God more and expend yourself more for the gospel.

While many insulted God or lived as if there were no God, there was a remnant of true believers in Israel (v. 16-17). They continued to fear God. They continued to honor God’s name. It says they talked with each other. What did they talk about? Look at what it says they did. They wrote a “scroll of remembrance” about themselves. They knew the path ahead would be full of trials, but they committed themselves to the Lord.

Notice how God responded to these who continued to fear and serve Him. God listened to them and heard them (v. 16). God claimed them as His own treasured possession (v. 17). God spared them (v. 17). He showed them His mercy. They weren’t perfect. They still needed God’s mercy. God would not show His mercy to those who insulted Him. But God delights in showing His mercy to the humble.

It’s true that unbelievers seem to be blessed in the world today while believers suffer and scrape by. But this will not always be the case (v. 18). The tables are going to be turned. The Lord will return and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Everyone whose name has been written in the Book of Life will live forever with God. And all others will experience the torments of Hell. This should not be a comforting thought for us. We should not find pleasure in the death of the wicked. God doesn’t. Rather, it should cause us to be more fervent in evangelism. We desire that all people would be saved, to know Christ in this life, and to live with Him forever.

It’s interesting that this passage doesn’t give a solution to the accusation brought against the Israelites. Instead, they are given a future condemnation: the wicked will be judged! This is because this message is actually part of a larger message, one which I began two weeks ago, which answers the question, “God, how are we to return to You?” This is through Christ alone. To them, it would be the coming Messiah. We know Him as Jesus.