The Servant Of All

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

Malachis Prophecy 1:5-7

You know, sometimes prophecy sounds rather startling all on its own. This little text right here is known as one of the prophetic books or one that tells the future before it has ever begun. Is that not just like the Lord. He knows

the end from the beginning and what was not from whatever was as Jeremiahs Prophecy 46:10 declares. Last time we had seen how that God had meant good towards his people. In all our trials then can we rest in the certainty that our God is working and so will bring us safely back out. It might be a trial right now. Yet when God is in the house, it will not be for long. Sickness must bow before him. All else must flee from his presence.

Then too can we only be still before him, this God who holds within so much power. Found within the promise then of him bringing good from all things

lies the quiet certainty of this truth. Look at it now with me if you will. The only proper response to this God who holds all things in himself is that of the servant and child. How often do servants have just one response to their Lord. So too do that of the children, calling him Father who has done such for them. Should we not then give of our own selves, whether in life or in service for him in return.

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

It seemed there was only one small problem with that as seen in the text. He lacked his fear and honor of all he had done, this God, and Father, and Lord. Maybe some of you remember that mustard tree seed that had been stolen and so carried off. In anothers field it grew straight and tall yet still quite far away from home. Now perhaps some of us do not quite despise his name just yet. Speaking of his name, it is a strong tower indeed to whom in Proverbs of Solomon 18:10 the righteous run and thereby are safe. How much rather should we ought then to lend our bodies, mind, soul, and spirit back to the One who has made us. For we are his people and the sheep of his pasture as seen of Book of Psalms 100:3 in right relation back to his Son. Sure, none of us would ever do it intentionally, much less try our Lord as we do not understand. But see this thing here. The whole thing hinges on the role of the priests.

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

See, it was up to the priests to offer sacrifices to God under the Levitical law for sins and the like. Now that Christ has come and in himself fulfilled them all, just as our sins and our sorrows he had also borne, there is a different problem to be seen as of yet. The priests then, those who offer ought to the Lord have had two main issues. The first is their despite of the Lord in their treatment of both the pollution and that which follows after. The second concerns that of their treatment of the body, the vessel, even that of themselves. For are we not as vessels fit for the Masters own use. So then, the vessel is used to contain that of the offering fit to give to the King.

Only is he not the King of all we could bring. There is an issue here in all that you see. The last thing then is simply this. By his goodness in all his providing, there remains the question of the goodness of his table. Perhaps the thing set before you seems empty and bare. But in all that, there remains the goodness of God to his people and the certainty of there remaining a portion appointed. It better be good I know that for it comes from the Lord. So herein does the goodness of God yet appear. He delights in doing good

and being good to his children, it seems, for he is our good, good Father even one yet to be seen.