Precursor to Salvation

The Book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament. The close of the Book of Malachi signified a period of spiritual darkness, but left the people of Israel with a promise that the Word would return, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest God smite the earth with a curse.

It gives me pause to think that our immediate reaction to this Scripture is to say "Thank God that was in the Old Testament, so we don't have to worry about that any more." In so saying, we blind ourselves willfully to the clear truth that the same prophecy refers to our current dispensation of times: the New Testament, if you will. It's a sobering thought that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. I'm amazed that this truth stands as the reason God did not consume Israel after their continuous adultery against God via departing from his paths to serve other gods, or their own pursuits. My digression is intentional here, to show that the Holy Spirit highlighted certain topics in the Book of Malachi that would powerfully relate to the Word of God which came via Christ's sacrifice, and the establishment of the New Testament. In moving from generic associations to the specific, here are a few excerpts -

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:"
 from Luke 1 -
"And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
from Isaiah 61 -
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;"
and from Luke 4 -

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

The scriptures from Malachi and Isaiah are very similar, in that they are what Biblical scholars often refer to as "telescopic prophesies": these are fulfilled more than once, either historically, or yet in the future. These prophecies can also be filled in part, with other aspects to be fulfilled later in God's timeline. In Malachi and Isaiah, the prophets described fulfillment in a time of a "dreadful day" and the "day of vengeance of our God." When Zacharias and Jesus proclaimed the coming of these promises, they were only fulfilled in part; the dreadful day, the day of vengeance of our God is yet to come, when Christ returns with his Bride to execute the final judgment upon the earth (this is yet to come, in OUR future - something to think about).

Malachi highlighted three issues in his short book of prophecy: 1) disobedience regarding tithes and offerings to God 2) Adultery via divorce and subsequent remarriage 3) The blessings of God upon those that have the fear of the Lord (as opposed to the spirit of fear). Malachi's prophecy concluded with the promise that John the Baptist would come and prepare the way for Christ. Take a moment to review what Malachi brought out regarding this issue of adultery; read chapter 2 of Malachi, and return when you're done: Malachi 2
I could quote the whole chapter, really, but I'll reference only a few verses -

"But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts."

"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?"

"Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god."

"And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand"

"Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant."

"For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously."

To be honest, it's astounding to me that anything else needs to be said on the topic. Unfortunately, the masters and the scholars of our day have so polluted the clear teaching of Christ through Malachi, Christ through John the Baptist, and Christ in the flesh, that God's Word must again be broadcast from the rooftops, as the whole of our society has embraced adultery and called it a God-honored covenant. Is it any wonder? Jesus is looking at our world today and saying, "I told you so." He told us that men would be lovers of their own selves, that men would be married and given in marriage, that seducers would creep into the church and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness... doesn't anyone fear Him? Look at John the Baptist when he spoke to the Pharisees, who were coming to be baptized under hypocrisy.

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

Do you see the correlation? In Malachi, God was not honoring their offering, though they were coming to the altar. Here in Matthew 3, John rejects the religious leaders from baptism unto repentance, as they were only doing so for show, not with sincerity. Now see why John the Baptist lost his life. Mark 6:

"And king Herod heard of him [Jesus]; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her."

Now when John said "It is not lawful," to what law was he referring? Herod was not a Jew. John's instruction was always with regarding to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, as opposed to that contained in traditions and ordinances; if not, he would not have rejected the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to his baptism. And how unfortunate for John, that Herod had made an oath with the girl! His hands were tied! Nevermind Herod's divorce of his own wife in order to marry Herodias, or his disrespect of his brother Philip's covenant in marrying Herodias. He was willing to honor a covenant to strike down a man of God, this wicked covenant with hell and death, while willfully violating the holiness which God loves. Matthew chapter 11 gives some insight into what John the Baptist was going through after he was sent to prison for reproving Herod's adulterous remarriage: "Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Here was Christ's chance to correct John on his stance against Herod's remarriage. John must not have been aware of the 4 A's (adultery, abandonment, abuse, addiction). So let's see how Jesus counsels John on how the grace of God allows for a man to marry someone else's wife, especially since the wife and her husband were legally divorced. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." Hmm. That's not the current party line. Jesus told John "Keep your head up, you're blessed if you're not offended by My standards, though it brings you to your death."
So John the Baptist loses his head for bringing the same Word that God brought through Malachi regarding Marriage; and Jesus says "Well done." 

For the next post, research Jesus' own words regarding adultery, divorce, and remarriage. God bless you all to walk in love one toward another. In Jesus' name, Amen.