The Blessingless

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 

Malachi 2:1-2

 

I don’t know about you, but I just love this text here. It’s one of those good news, shouting texts, a stomping ground in days of old if you will. If you won’t, that’s entirely up to you. Just know though, you’re missing out on so much more. See, there’s some deep places in God to which he would go. Would you not rather wish to walk with him willingly there, rather than be hauled off to glory never having known. When he says, ‘follow me’ as the priests were so often want, he really, really means it. How great is this good God’s care for his people. So often though, some of us would rather not go. You’re missing out on his mercy and goodness if you don’t, my friends. Remember last time, the feast seen in the house. How much more would you not rather wish to be of this a part. Then too is the picture of the unwilling priest yet to be seen. He comes in even now to the feast muttering about not having anything fit to offer the Lord. But the table’s set and the people gathered round. The priest it seems, as the host of the house, apart from the Lord would have done well to set something out. In the waiting then for the great King to come, how small a thing to ask for the keeper to show forth his goodness. He kept his house, see, and should’ve known him quite well. Knowing him then did nothing for such a one as this. He said God was good sure, but then went and offered the wrong thing up to the Lord. Better still he offered nothing at all. The thing he chose was corruptible, and not a pure sacrifice without spot, blemish, and wrinkle upon it indeed. Sure, the sacrifice really should have been washed white in the blood of the Lamb. There’s a place then to which these things go, even before the Great King of all, Jesus Christ our Lord. You know, the kings of the earth, of which they are many all pale in the light of his glory and grace. My, it almost reminds me back in the days of old, how many came before some earthly rulers for justice to be had. Yet here comes in the Lord, the great King, a judge and justice in all rights his own. How well the earth knows him, having been trodden by him well. For such a cause as this then, do all know and fear his name. He’s already come in having set the issue right and with him the rest of his servants well. Now is there plenty in the house, a feast spread upon the table of the Lord, bought with his own dear precious blood. Come on now, what madness is this. Some of the other keepers who have now come in, it seems cannot stop eyeing the blessings which he has given. The issue here isn’t with the blessings, but rather lies within the Lord. It seems his servants, the priests, and keepers well, rather ought to trust him all their days. In the such much and his house being filled, these too have missed sight of the one doing it, even that of the Great King. Come now, this isn’t some place lost and far away from home. The Lord then assumes his rightful place, as foremost in our hearts. Then so do the blessings follow him as well.