Title: The Day the Differences are Revealed
Series: Malachi (6 of 6)
Author: Robert Dawson
Malachi 4:1-6
Growing up, we always got the local paper. From the time I was able to read I looked forward to the paper coming each day and not because I was interested in current events, politics or even the sports page. I looked forward to it because of the comic strips, or as we referred to them, the funnies. Beatle Bailey, Blondie and Dagwood, Family Circus, Marmaduke, Peanuts, the Born Loser and B.C.
I loved all of them. Better than the daily paper was the Sunday paper. On Sundays, there were even more comics. They were in their own little miniature paper and were in color. They also had activities in them. One of the activities was two almost identical pictures placed side by side and you had to find the differences between them. It might be something as simple as a shirt having 5 stripes in one picture and 6 stripes in the other.
If you did not look closely enough and with a discerning eye, you would swear the pictures were identical. Even when looking it could be hard to differentiate the two.
The people in Malachi's day, because they lacked perspective and discernment, were having a difficult time distinguishing between those who were blessed by God and those who were not. They felt as if God had mismanaged the distribution of blessings in this life.
A. From their perspective there were people prospering, living what they considered the good life, while others, like themselves, who were at the very least trying to honor God and maintain the forms of worship and service - even if their hearts and loyalty were divided - were not.
B. We know they had a very narrow definition of what it meant to be blessed by God. Money. Health. Success. Ease. Comfort. Based on the life others were living, it appeared that God favored others above His people.
C. If God is good, then God's people should have it good.
1. It should be obvious to everyone who G ...
Series: Malachi (6 of 6)
Author: Robert Dawson
Malachi 4:1-6
Growing up, we always got the local paper. From the time I was able to read I looked forward to the paper coming each day and not because I was interested in current events, politics or even the sports page. I looked forward to it because of the comic strips, or as we referred to them, the funnies. Beatle Bailey, Blondie and Dagwood, Family Circus, Marmaduke, Peanuts, the Born Loser and B.C.
I loved all of them. Better than the daily paper was the Sunday paper. On Sundays, there were even more comics. They were in their own little miniature paper and were in color. They also had activities in them. One of the activities was two almost identical pictures placed side by side and you had to find the differences between them. It might be something as simple as a shirt having 5 stripes in one picture and 6 stripes in the other.
If you did not look closely enough and with a discerning eye, you would swear the pictures were identical. Even when looking it could be hard to differentiate the two.
The people in Malachi's day, because they lacked perspective and discernment, were having a difficult time distinguishing between those who were blessed by God and those who were not. They felt as if God had mismanaged the distribution of blessings in this life.
A. From their perspective there were people prospering, living what they considered the good life, while others, like themselves, who were at the very least trying to honor God and maintain the forms of worship and service - even if their hearts and loyalty were divided - were not.
B. We know they had a very narrow definition of what it meant to be blessed by God. Money. Health. Success. Ease. Comfort. Based on the life others were living, it appeared that God favored others above His people.
C. If God is good, then God's people should have it good.
1. It should be obvious to everyone who G ...
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