WEBVTT 00:00:00.919 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:08.880 in a year. Today we'll be going through the entire 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.980 book of Malachi, chapters 1 through 4. Chapter 00:00:12.980 --> 00:00:16.579 1 The Burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel 00:00:16.579 --> 00:00:20.339 by Malachi I have loved you, says the Lord, yet 00:00:20.339 --> 00:00:23.420 you say, in what way have you loved us? Was not 00:00:23.420 --> 00:00:26.760 Esau Jacob's brother, says the Lord? Yet Jacob 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:30.199 I have loved, but Esau I have hated. and laid 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:32.659 waste his mountains and his heritage for the 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:35.460 jackals of the wilderness. Even though Edom has 00:00:35.460 --> 00:00:38.439 said, We have been impoverished, but we will 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:41.679 return and build the desolate places. Thus says 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.299 the Lord of hosts, They may build, but I will 00:00:44.299 --> 00:00:46.780 throw down. They shall be called the territory 00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:49.399 of wickedness, and the people against whom the 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:52.560 Lord will have indignation forever. Your eyes 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:55.920 shall see, and you shall say, The Lord is magnified 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:58.979 beyond the border of Israel. A son honors his 00:00:58.979 --> 00:01:02.320 father, and a servant his master. If then I am 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:05.000 the father, where is my honor? And if I am a 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:07.519 master, where is my reverence? Says the Lord 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:10.540 of hosts. To you priests who despise my name, 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:13.540 yet you say, in what way have we despised your 00:01:13.540 --> 00:01:16.700 name? You offer defiled food on my altar, but 00:01:16.700 --> 00:01:19.819 say, in what way have we defiled you? By saying, 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:22.900 the table of the Lord is contemptible. And when 00:01:22.900 --> 00:01:25.579 you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not 00:01:25.579 --> 00:01:28.480 evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:31.200 it not evil? Offer it then to your governor. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.099 Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept 00:01:34.099 --> 00:01:37.159 you favorably? Says the Lord of hosts. But now 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:39.640 entreat God's favor, that he may be gracious 00:01:39.640 --> 00:01:42.439 to us. While this is being done by your hands, 00:01:42.620 --> 00:01:45.319 will he accept you favorably? Says the Lord of 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:48.519 hosts. Who is there even among you who would 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.480 shut the doors, so that you would not kindle 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:54.620 fire on my altar in vain? I have no pleasure 00:01:54.620 --> 00:01:57.709 in you. says the Lord of hosts. Nor will I accept 00:01:57.709 --> 00:02:00.250 an offering from your hands, for from the rising 00:02:00.250 --> 00:02:03.209 of the sun, even to its going down, my name shall 00:02:03.209 --> 00:02:06.209 be great among the Gentiles. In every place incense 00:02:06.209 --> 00:02:09.229 shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering, 00:02:09.469 --> 00:02:11.530 for my name shall be great among the nations, 00:02:11.729 --> 00:02:15.389 says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it, in 00:02:15.389 --> 00:02:17.689 that you say the table of the Lord is defiled, 00:02:17.830 --> 00:02:20.889 and its fruit, its food, is contemptible. You 00:02:20.889 --> 00:02:24.400 also say, O what a weariness! and use near at 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:27.120 it, says the Lord of hosts. And you bring the 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:30.020 stolen, the lame, and the sick. Thus you bring 00:02:30.020 --> 00:02:32.960 an offering. Should I accept this from your hand, 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:36.379 says the Lord? But cursed be the deceiver, who 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:39.479 has in his flock a male, and takes a vow, but 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:42.340 sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For 00:02:42.340 --> 00:02:45.319 I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts, and 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:50.340 my name is to be feared among the nations. Chapter 00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:53.979 2 And now, O priests, this commandment is for 00:02:53.979 --> 00:02:56.860 you. If you will not hear, and if you will not 00:02:56.860 --> 00:02:59.780 take it to heart, to give glory to my name, says 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:02.639 the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, 00:03:02.699 --> 00:03:05.340 and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have 00:03:05.340 --> 00:03:07.639 cursed them already, because you do not take 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:10.780 it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your descendants 00:03:10.780 --> 00:03:14.080 and spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:16.719 your solemn feasts, and one will take you away 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:19.699 with it. Then you shall know that I have sent 00:03:19.699 --> 00:03:22.300 this commandment to you, that my covenant with 00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:25.360 Levi may continue, says the Lord of hosts. My 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:28.120 covenant was with him, one of life and peace, 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:31.020 and I gave them to him that he might fear me. 00:03:31.099 --> 00:03:34.120 So he feared me and was reverent before my name. 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:37.639 The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:40.719 was not found on his lips. He walked with me 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:43.780 in peace and equity, and turned many away from 00:03:43.780 --> 00:03:46.629 iniquity. For the lips of a priest should keep 00:03:46.629 --> 00:03:49.069 knowledge, and people should seek the law from 00:03:49.069 --> 00:03:51.810 his mouth. For he is the messenger of the Lord 00:03:51.810 --> 00:03:54.629 of hosts. But you have departed from the way. 00:03:54.770 --> 00:03:57.849 You have caused many to stumble at the law. You 00:03:57.849 --> 00:04:00.710 have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the 00:04:00.710 --> 00:04:03.849 Lord of hosts. Therefore I also have made you 00:04:03.849 --> 00:04:06.870 contemptible and base before all the people, 00:04:06.969 --> 00:04:09.789 because you have not kept my ways, but have shown 00:04:09.789 --> 00:04:13.550 partiality in the law. Have we not all one father? 00:04:14.009 --> 00:04:18.509 Have not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously 00:04:18.509 --> 00:04:21.370 with one another, by profaning the covenant of 00:04:21.370 --> 00:04:24.670 the fathers? Judah has dealt treacherously, and 00:04:24.670 --> 00:04:27.750 an abomination has been committed in Israel and 00:04:27.750 --> 00:04:30.649 in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the Lord's 00:04:30.649 --> 00:04:33.790 holy institution which he loves. He has married 00:04:33.790 --> 00:04:36.529 the daughter of a foreign god. May the Lord cut 00:04:36.529 --> 00:04:39.170 off from the tents of Jacob the man who does 00:04:39.170 --> 00:04:42.420 this, being awake and aware. yet who brings an 00:04:42.420 --> 00:04:45.139 offering to the Lord of hosts. And this is the 00:04:45.139 --> 00:04:47.500 second thing you do. You cover the altar of the 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:50.480 Lord with tears, with weeping and crying, so 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:53.060 he does not regard the offering anymore, nor 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:55.480 receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:58.060 you say, for what reason? Because the Lord has 00:04:58.060 --> 00:05:00.439 been witness between you and the wife of your 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:02.959 youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously. 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:06.399 Yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 00:05:06.740 --> 00:05:10.079 But did he not make them one, having a remnant 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:14.290 of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. 00:05:14.829 --> 00:05:17.689 Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none 00:05:17.689 --> 00:05:20.389 deal treacherously with the wife of your youth. 00:05:20.670 --> 00:05:23.509 For the Lord God of Israel says that he hates 00:05:23.509 --> 00:05:26.629 divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence, 00:05:26.850 --> 00:05:29.569 says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to 00:05:29.569 --> 00:05:32.129 your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously. 00:05:32.350 --> 00:05:35.290 You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet 00:05:35.290 --> 00:05:38.620 you say, In what way have we wearied him? In 00:05:38.620 --> 00:05:41.540 that you say, everyone who does evil is good 00:05:41.540 --> 00:05:43.779 in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in 00:05:43.779 --> 00:06:04.579 them. Or, where is the God of justice? But who 00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:07.019 can endure the day of his coming, and who can 00:06:07.019 --> 00:06:10.319 stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:13.579 fire, and like launderer's soap. He will sit 00:06:13.579 --> 00:06:16.699 as a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will 00:06:16.699 --> 00:06:19.920 purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:22.899 and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an 00:06:22.899 --> 00:06:25.620 offering in righteousness. Then the offering 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.939 of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the 00:06:27.939 --> 00:06:31.120 Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years. 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.790 And I will come near you for judgment. I will 00:06:33.790 --> 00:06:36.769 be a swift witness against sorcerers, against 00:06:36.769 --> 00:06:39.889 adulterers, against perjurers, against those 00:06:39.889 --> 00:06:43.550 who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, 00:06:43.569 --> 00:06:46.290 and against those who turn away an alien because 00:06:46.290 --> 00:06:48.550 they do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. 00:06:48.930 --> 00:06:51.829 For I am the Lord, I do not change. Therefore 00:06:51.829 --> 00:06:55.209 you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob, yet from 00:06:55.209 --> 00:06:58.269 the days of your fathers you have gone away from 00:06:58.269 --> 00:07:01.199 my ordinances and have not kept them. Return 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:03.420 to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord 00:07:03.420 --> 00:07:06.399 of hosts. But you said, In what way shall we 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:09.980 return? Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed 00:07:09.980 --> 00:07:12.759 me. But you say, In what way have we robbed you? 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.939 In tithe and offerings. You are cursed with a 00:07:15.939 --> 00:07:18.540 curse, for you have robbed me, even this whole 00:07:18.540 --> 00:07:21.279 nation. Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:24.199 that there may be food in my house, and try me 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:27.100 now in this, says the Lord of hosts. if I will 00:07:27.100 --> 00:07:29.639 not open for you the windows of heaven and pour 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:32.339 out for you such blessing that there will not 00:07:32.339 --> 00:07:35.540 be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke 00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:38.000 the devourer for your sakes, so that he will 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:40.439 not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:43.319 the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:46.360 says the Lord of hosts. And all nations will 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.660 call you blessed, for you will be a delightful 00:07:48.660 --> 00:07:52.220 land, says the Lord of hosts. Your words have 00:07:52.220 --> 00:07:54.939 been harsh against me, says the Lord. Yet you 00:07:54.939 --> 00:07:57.839 say, What have we spoken against you? You have 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:00.699 said, It is useless to serve God. What profit 00:08:00.699 --> 00:08:03.480 is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:06.040 we have walked as mourners before the Lord of 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:09.199 hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:12.139 those who do wickedness are raised up. They even 00:08:12.139 --> 00:08:15.379 tempt God and go free. Then those who feared 00:08:15.379 --> 00:08:17.959 the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.699 and heard them. So a book of remembrance was 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:23.180 written before him for those who fear the Lord 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:26.740 and who meditate on his name. They shall be mine, 00:08:26.899 --> 00:08:29.839 says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:32.779 them my jewels and I will spare them. As a man 00:08:32.779 --> 00:08:35.759 spares his own son who serves him, then you shall 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.259 again discern between the righteous and the wicked, 00:08:38.419 --> 00:08:41.379 between one who serves God and one who does not 00:08:41.379 --> 00:08:50.330 serve him. burning like an oven and all the proud 00:08:50.330 --> 00:08:53.789 yes all who do wickedly will be stubble and the 00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:56.389 day which is coming shall burn them up says the 00:08:56.389 --> 00:08:58.889 lord of hosts that will leave them neither root 00:08:58.889 --> 00:09:01.970 nor branch but to you who fear my name the son 00:09:01.970 --> 00:09:04.950 of righteousness shall arise with healing in 00:09:04.950 --> 00:09:07.730 his wings and you shall go out and grow fat like 00:09:07.730 --> 00:09:10.549 stall fed calves you shall trample the wicked 00:09:10.549 --> 00:09:13.370 for they shall be ashes under the soles of your 00:09:13.370 --> 00:09:16.129 feet on the day that i do this says the lord 00:09:16.129 --> 00:09:19.830 of hosts Remember the law of Moses, my servant, 00:09:20.029 --> 00:09:22.870 which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, 00:09:23.049 --> 00:09:26.409 with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will 00:09:26.409 --> 00:09:29.049 send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming 00:09:29.049 --> 00:09:31.909 of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And 00:09:31.909 --> 00:09:33.970 he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the 00:09:33.970 --> 00:09:36.490 children, and the hearts of the children to their 00:09:36.490 --> 00:09:39.850 fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with 00:09:39.850 --> 00:09:47.309 a curse. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as 00:09:47.309 --> 00:09:49.529 much as I did and I look forward to seeing you 00:09:49.529 --> 00:09:51.909 again tomorrow to continue on our journey. God 00:09:51.909 --> 00:09:53.230 bless you and have a great day.