The Blessingless

But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachis Prophecy 2:1-2

I do not know about you, but I just love this text. It is one of those good news, shouting texts, a stomping ground back in the days gone by of the Lord if you will. If you would not, that is entirely up to you. Just know though, you were missing out on so much here to see. It seems there is some deep places in God to which he would go. Would you not 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 wont, he , means it. How is this good Gods care for his people. So often though, some of us would rather not go.

You were missing out on his mercy and goodness that you would rather not known, my friends. Remember last time the feast seen in the house. How much 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 though the

table is already set and the people all gathered around. The priest it seems, as the host of the house, set apart from the Lord would have done well to put something there in its place.

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

In all this waiting then for the King to come in, how small a thing to ask the keeper to show forth the goodness even that of the Lord. These that were keeping his house, that of another, should have known him quite well. Knowing him then did nothing for such a one as we had just seen. He said

God was good to be sure, but then went and offered the wrong thing up to the Lord. Better still to have offered nothing at all. The thing he chose as To the Strangers Scattered 1:19 points out was corruptible, and not a pure sacrifice without spot, blemish, or wrinkle upon it indeed.

Sure, the sacrifice should have been washed white in the blood of the Lamb. There is a place then to which these things go, even before the King of all, Jesus Christ our Lord. You know, the kings of the earth of which there 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 King, a judge and justice in all rights his own. How well the earth knows him, having been trodden by him down well through the ages.

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.

For such a cause as this then, do all know and fear his name. He is 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 these have been given. The issue here is not with the blessings, but rather it lies within the Lord.

It seems his servants, the priests, and keepers ought to trust him for 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 Lord. Come now, this is not 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 the One who keeps them all being that they come from his own heart even that of

himself. His heart towards us can be trusted that it is as good as it seems.