Return to the Lord

Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-3

‘“From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statues and have not kept them. Return to Me and I will return to you,’ says the Lord of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’” (Mal. 3:6-7, NASB).

On April 20, 1999 two young men entered Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado killing and injuring thirteen students and teachers. I have noticed that since that time people are asking this question: “What can we do to make sure that this does not happen again?” Just recently, February 14, 2018 a young man entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He killed seventeen students and teachers and injured at least fourteen other students. Again, we ask, what can be done to make sure that this does not happen again? It has been nineteen years since Columbine and it seems that we are not any closer to a solution today. Why can we not come up with a solution? Maybe we are asking the wrong question. Let me explain.

My older brother serviced office machines and computers. A friend of mine had a car that continued to have problems. She would take it to one place for repairs. The automobile repair shop would make a diagnosis and fix the problem. The car would run well for a while, but then the problem would resurface again. Over the course of more than a year the car was in several shops with the same results. A diagnosis was made. The problem was fixed. The car would run well for awhile. The problem would happen again. I ask my brother why is it that each time that the car is taken to the shop the shop does a computerized diagnosis, but each shop comes up with a different diagnosis. My brother says to me: “When it comes to computers, ignorance in is ignorance out.” I believe that we have not come up with a solution for the killings in our schools because there are many opinions by many people. Currently, there is debate between those who advocate reformed gun legislation and those who blame mental illness as the reason for the violent killings in our school. The real problem is neither entirely guns nor mental illness. Ignorance in is ignorance out. We are asking the wrong questions, and we are getting the wrong answers. I believe that the book of Malachi can help us to ask the right questions and, it also gives us the right answer.

The prophet Malachi ministered to the Lord during the period when the Jews had returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. The people return, and they rebuild the temple (Ezra 6:14-15). Later, under the leadership of Nehemiah they rebuild the wall (Neh. 6:15). After Jerusalem is restored the people continue to have problems. As we read through the book of Malachi we discover that God tells the people that their problems stem from their fractured relationship with Him. This fractured relationship exists because the people have violated the covenant. The priests offer animals that are defiled upon the altar for sacrifices. The Law commands them to offer animals without spot or blemish. They offer animals that are sick, lame, and blind (1:7). These sacrifices the Lord will not accept. They profane the Sabbath (Neh. 13:10-22). They have disobeyed the law of the marriage covenant. The men divorce their wives and marry women that worship foreign gods; and thus they profane the sanctuary of the Lord (vv. 2:11, 16). It is here that we see that the Lord does not forbid mixed or interracial marriages because of race or skin color. Rather, they are forbidden because of religious practices and influence upon the people of God. ‘“Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin”’ (Neh. 13:26).

Let us go back to the beginning in Genesis 6. The men that followed God begin to marry women who did not follow God. This union results in godless and violent children as we can see in the statement: “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11, NASB). Today, we live in a society filled with corruption and violence. Schools are designed to educate and refine young people; to prepare them for adult life. However, school teachers and administrators are using valuable time dealing with violence, both verbal (bullying) and physical. What’s the point here? Simply put. When we see a violent culture, we see a culture that is not in fellowship with God.

So, the right question is not “what can we do to make sure that this does not happen again?” The right question is “what can we do to restore our relationship with God.” You see, as we read through Nehemiah 13 and Malachi it is apparent that when a people leave God they begin to think in ways that do not reflect the mind of Christ. When a people forsake the Lord they become selfish looking out for their own needs and desires, while at the same time they ignore the needs of others. In the Malachi text the offerings to support the Levites are neglected. Thus, the Levites had to go to their own farms to feed their families. The Levites begin to neglect giving the people proper instructions. The Sabbath is profaned as seen by lifestyles that violate the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy.

Malachi gives us a message from the Lord. The message is this: The people are suffering because they have left the Lord. Yes, they still observe the Sabbath, but their worship does not please the Lord. They still bring tithes and offerings, but their giving falls short of what the Lord requires of them. Now let us look at Malachi 3:7-10.

Malachi 3:7-10 is often used in churches to persuade the congregants to give a tenth of their income to the church. In my mind I can still see and hear the late Reverend Raymond White reciting this passage during the offertory period at the Evergreen Baptist Church. However, this passage is about more than giving money. The Lord says through the prophet that they have “turned aside from my statues (ordinances, KJV) and have not kept them” (v. 7). This refers to every charge leveled against them in the entire message of the prophet. They can eliminate their problems if they will return to the Lord. The Lord anticipates their questions: ‘“But you say, ‘how shall we return?”’ The Lord knows that the people have become so corrupt that they do not recognize their wrong doings.

The people are charged with robbing God. They ask, “How have we robbed You?” (3:8). Tithes and offering are mentioned first. I believe that the tithes and offerings are named because the neglect of the priests and Levites has left a void in leadership to the people and righteous instructions from the Lord. When the people receive right instructions from the Lord they will return to the Lord. The people will begin to obey all the commandments of God. The Lord will cause their crops to grow and the nations will see that the Lord blesses them (vv. 11-12). This is what God means when He says, “Return to Me.”

The seriousness of the Lord’s charge against the people is seen in verses 13-15. The people are arrogant to the point that they speak evil of the Lord. They see no need to serve God and keep His commandments. What God says no longer matter to them? They go about doing things their own way. “So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape” (3:15, NASB).

Verses 16-17 are eschatological; a time in the future when the Lord returns for His people. Those who fear the Lord will be remembered by God. God will “distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him” (v. 18).

We are called to make the world a better place. We will not eliminate all problems, but we do what we can. We do our best when we serve the Lord. The best results to our problems come when we return to the Lord. So, the question, “what can we do to make sure this does not happen again” is a good question. It motivates us to seek answers to our problems. However, our carnal minds are not able to discern the mind of God. When we return to the Lord He will return to us. He will give us His word and the Holy Spirit will guide us in our thought processes. We will learn His ways that brings peace and harmony between God and Human, and among people. His statues are given because when we obey the Lord we will enjoy the abundant Life (Jn. 10:10). Let us who believe in Jesus return to the Lord.