Malachi 3:12

Malachi 3:12 says, And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that when that the nation of Israel would be called blessed and would be a delightsome land when they were once again obedient to their covenant relationship with Him.  Verse thirteen adds, Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?  God said that His people had spoken stoutly, or loud and strong against Him.  They asked Him when they had done this.  They were so far away from God that they didn't even know when they spoke against Him.  As followers of Christ, we should always know what God's word says, and we should be so close to Him through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we never speak against Him.  We definitely should never speak strongly against God and not even realize that we are doing so.  Verse fourteen continues, Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?  God said they had spoken stoutly against Him when they asked what good it did to serve Him.  They said that there was no profit in serving God, though He had given them the land they lived in and had always met their needs.  Some people who profess to be Christians turn away from or at least speak out against God when they suffer any problem in the world instead of continuing to give Him the praise He deserves.  Verse fifteen concludes, And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.  God said that His chosen people now called those who were filled with self-pride happy and those that worked wickedness were set up as people to be admired.  No matter how rich a person may be today, if they are full of self-pride instead of giving God the glory for their success, then we do not need to look up to them as an example.  We certainly do not need to look up to them if they have become successful through wicked, or ungodly actions.  Verse sixteen declares, Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.  Not everyone spoke out against God.  Some still gathered in His name and listened to His words.  Their names were written in God's book of remembrance.  This is where we need to be today, gathering in God's name.  When we continue to worship and praise God no matter what through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, our name will be written in the Lamb's book of life.  It is faith in Jesus Christ that allows our name to be written in God's book of life, but we are still called on to be obedient to Him.  God will never forget those who are truly His.  Verse seventeen adds, And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.  God said that those who were faithful to Him would be His forever.  He would spare them as a man spares His own son.  This would be made possible because God did not spare His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  Verse eighteen concludes, Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.  God said that when He restored His people that they would be able to discern between the righteous and the wicked and between those who served Him and those who didn't.  This still applies to us as Christians today.