Honor, Reverence, and Fear of God

Bible Passage: Malachi 1:6–2:9; Ephesians 3:14-19

I. God wanted Judah to know who He is? (1:11, 14)

1. The Great King (verse 14)

(a) Psalm 47:2: The Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth
(b) Psalm 95:3: For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods

2. Great among the nations (verse 11)

3. Feared by all (verse 14)

II. God saw inconsistency between the claim and deeds of His people (1:6-14)

1. They professed God to be “Father” and “Master” (1:6)

2. But their deeds were inconsistent with their profession (1:7-14)

(a) They offered to their God blind, crippled, and dead animals (1:7-8, 13b-14)
(b) They developed an attitude of liability towards their God (1:13)
(c) Their claim and service were just superficial
(d) God would not accept their service which were insincere and full of defilement (1:10)

3. They were in denial of God’s disputation (1:6b)

(a) Verse 1:7: But you ask, “How have we defiled you?”
(b) They continued their meaningless religious practices (verse 9)
(b1) Which was an insult to God
(b2) Loss of delight in God led them to passionless worship
(b3) John Piper: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”
(b4) G. K. Chesterton: “more a theory than a love affair”
(b5) Richard Taylor: A “loss of gratitude and delight in worship is a sign of spiritual decay that could lead to a shipwrecked life”

4. They wanted God to remain gracious to them despite their attitude towards Him (1:9-11)

5. What are the causes?

(a) Incorrect assessment: Our assessment of God is reflected in our responses that we make towards Him—not necessarily in the claims we make about Him
(b) Familiarity
(c) Failed priesthood (who did not have reverence, true instruction, compromised life with sin cf. 2:6-9)
(d) They honored their human leaders more than their God (1:8)

III. When we deserved nothing, God chose us (Ephesians 1:3-10)

1. Has blessed us
2. Has chosen us
3. Has predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ
4. Has granted redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ (verse 7)
5. Has given us forgiveness of sins in abundance (verse 7)

IV. Just like the people of Judah, we may also become careless or insensitive to the awesomeness of God. Consequently,

1. We develop cold-shoulder towards God
2. We offer to Him passionless worship
3. We lead a lukewarm relationship towards Him

Take Away

Ephesians 3:14-19: Assess your present life and desire to KNOW the Father more intimately