Psalms 2

 Psalms 2:1 says, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?  David asked why the heathen raged against God and imagined a vain thing.  We can easily ask the same questions today.   We only have to listen to the news to see examples of these two things.  Verse two adds, The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,  The earthly rulers aligned themselves against God.  Even when they may disagree with each other about many things, many of the rulers of the world today are aligned against God, either denying His existence or the power and truth of His word.  Verse three continues, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.  These rulers believed that they could defeat God.  No matter how big an army or how strong a nation may be, God will never be defeated by anyone.  Verse four declares, He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.  David said that the One Who sits in the heavens would laugh at them.  God is not up pacing and worrying about the world overcoming Him, but He is sitting and holding them in derision.  Verse five adds, Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.  Even though the rulers of the world may believe that they are not subject to God, one day He will speak to them in wrath.  The only way to avoid the wrath of God is through faith in Jesus Christ as one's Savior and Lord.  Verse six states,Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.  This King is Jesus Christ, Who the people of Israel looked forward to then and Who we look back on now.  Verse seven declares, I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.  Again, this refers to Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.  That is the distinguishing factor between Jesus Christ and all others.  He is the only begotten Son of God.  Verse eight says, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.  If we wish to be victorious over those who deny God, we need to look to God for the victory.  Through Jesus Christ, God has already secured the victory, and we simply have to accept this by faith.  Verse nine adds, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.  God said that those who followed Him would be as powerful as a man with an iron rod fighting against a man armed with pottery.  We have no reason to fear anyone if we are living by faith in God.  Verse ten states, Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. God calls on the rulers of the earth to be wise, and wisdom comes only from God.  Verse eleven adds, Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  No matter how powerful we may be in the world, when we come before God it must be with great humility and respect.   We cannot stand proudly before God.  Verse twelve concludes, Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.  We are to come before the Son, Jesus Christ, with love and honor for Him.

Psalms 1

Psalms 1:1 says, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  David said that the man, and we can add woman, is blessed if they do not follow the council of the ungodly or follow the way of the sinners and the scornful.  If we would be blessed by God today we need to heed this advice.  I don't believe that this means that we are to completely withdraw from the world, though, since God tells us to go into the highways and hedges to spread the gospel.  Instead, I believe it means that we are not to allow ourselves as followers of Christ to be ruled by the wisdom of the world. We are to be in but not of the world.  Verse two adds, But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  David said those who would be blessed would delight in and meditate on the law of the LORD day and night.  In other words, we are to continually be guided by God's word, and in order to be guided by His word, we must study it.  God's word should not be something we meditate on once or twice a week, but should be something that guides all times. times.  Verse three states, And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  David said that when we avoid the council of the ungodly and delight in God's law that we will be like a tree planted by the waters.  We will be fruitful and will not wither and whatever we do will prosper.  I believe this refers to spiritual, and not material, prosperity.  Verse four declares, The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  David also gave a warning to the ungodly.  He said that they are like the chaff, which blows away when the good grain is separated from the bad.  Those who do not follow God will one day see all their accomplishments in this world blown away by God.  Verse five adds, Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  David stated that the ungodly would not stand in God's judgment, nor would sinners be found in the congregation of the righteous.  Unless a person accepts Jesus Christ as His or her Savior and Lord, he or she cannot be made righteous in God's eyes, and therefore cannot stand in His judgment and be a part of His congregation or kingdom.  Verse six concludes, For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.  We do not determine if we are righteous or not, but God does.  If we are to be declared righteous, we must put our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Malachi review

First, the book speaks of the burden of the word of the LORD.  God is burdened when His people do not listen to His word, and so should we be as followers of Christ.  God spoke of His love for Jacob, because Jacob was sincere in his relationship to God.  God also said He hated Esau, or I believe more accurately Esau's actions.  Esau had concern only for the material things of life and not his God given heritage.  Though God loves everyone, He expects people to be obedient to His will and value their relationship with Him.  God also said that Esau's descendants refused to turn to Him in obedience.  They were not the only ones though, as even the descendants of Jacob, through Isaac or Israel, many times refused to acknowledge God as their Father and give Him the respect that He deserved.  God does not accept us as His children simply because of where we were born or who are parents are.  The people of Israel had polluted their worship of God and He said that He would reach out to the Gentiles with His gift of salvation.   The people of Israel were supposed to reach the world with the message of God, but they chose to ignore His commands.  We as followers of Christ are now commissioned to reach the world with the gospel, and we need to remain true to that calling.  God then directed His disappointment to the priests, who had totally failed in their calling.  As followers of Christ, we are a part of the priesthood of believers, and we need to be dedicated to doing what God calls us to do.  God said that empty worship was useless.  We may go through the motions and show all the emotions, but if they are not sincere, then they mean nothing to God.  God then said that the people of Israel were robbing Him by offering less than the best that they had to Him.  He also called on them to bring all the tithes into the storehouse.  We need to give God our best today and not just what we have no real use for or need of.  This includes our time, talents, and material possessions.   God then concluded by saying that He was sending a Redeemer to those who would accept Him.  Jesus Christ has already brought salvation to everyone, but we can either accept it or reject it.  

Malachi 4:1

Malachi 4:1 says, For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.  God said His day of judgment was coming, and it still is.  In that day, everything that goes against God's word will be burned up, and those that do not put their faith in Jesus Christ will be sent away to the everlasting fires of hell.  It is up to each individual to decide where they will spend eternity.  He or she can choose everlasting life with God through faith in Jesus Christ, or everlasting punishment through rejecting Him.  Those are the only two choices.  Verse two adds, But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.  God then offered the opportunity of everlasting life through Jesus Christ.  Once more, each individual must make the choice of accepting salvation through Jesus Christ or rejecting His salvation.  If we accept Him, we have God's promise that He will keep us safe forever.  Verse three continues, And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that His people by His power under His guidance would tread down the wicked in the day that God prescribed.  We have no reason to fear the wicked of the world, because God has already secured the victory through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Verse four states, Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  God's people were instructed to remember God's law given to Moses.  It had not changed then nor has it changed since then.  Though our sins are forgiven by faith in Christ and we cannot be saved by the law, we are not exempted from obeying God's law as followers of Christ.  Verse five adds, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:  The prophetic age was coming to an end, but there would come on more great prophet with the same spirit that Elijah had, and that was John the Baptist.  He came to call on the people of Israel to make ready for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  After Jesus came, there was no need for a prophet.  For those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, when He returns it will be a great and dreadful day of the LORD.  Verse six continues, And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth withheld a curse. THE END OF THE PROPHETS.  Jesus does indeed unite those who put their faith in Him in love.  Those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ God will smite with a curse.  Again, it is up to each individual which he or she will choose. 

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. 

Malachi 3:7

 Malachi 3:7 says, Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?  God said that His chosen people who had entered into a covenant relationship with Him had turned away from the covenant and His ordinances for years.  God said that if they would return to Him that He would return to them, but they asked why they should return.  God will always stand ready to retore His people to Himself if they stray away and will even call them to return.  It is then up to them to acknowledge that they have turned away from Him and need to return.  Verse eight adds, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.  God asked a question.  Would a man rob God?  It seems that this would be a ridiculous question to ask of those who were supposed to be in a covenant relationship with God, but He answered by saying that they had robbed Him.  They then asked when they had done this.  We need to ask ourselves the same question today and look to God for the answer.  We are not the ones qualified to answer the question.  Only God is.  Verse nine declares, Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.  God said the whole nation was cursed because the whole nation robbed Him.  This was not just an isolated incident with a few of His chosen people.  God said the whole nation was robbing Him.  We need to make sure that even if everyone else in the nation is guilty of robbing God that we as an individual are not.  Everybody is doing is not an excuse or justification for not obeying God.  Verse ten adds, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  God called on them to bring all the tithes into the storehouse, not because He needed anything, but to show the obedience of His people.  We really have nothing to offer God that is not already His except our obedience to Him through our relationship with Jesus Christ.  We must put God and His commandments first if we are to successfully spread the gospel.  God said that if they brought the tithes  that He would pour out blessings that they would not have room to receive.  If we have needs today as followers of Christ, the way to have those needs met is to put God and His work first.  Verse eleven continues, And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that when they faithfully brought His tithes into the storehouse that He would protect and provide for them.  God has not changed this promise.  Verse twelve concludes,  And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that if they followed His command and put Him first that all nations would call them blessed.  If we want the rest of the world to call us a blessed nation, it must start by our being obedient to Him and putting the things of God first.

Malachi 3:1

Malachi 3:1 says, Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.   God said that He would send His messenger to prepare the people for the coming Messiah.  This is a prophesy of the coming of John the Baptist, called by God to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus Christ.  The people were told that the Messiah would come suddenly, and we are told that He, Jesus Christ the Messiah, will one day return suddenly.   It is our task as followers of Christ to share God's gospel so that people can accept His salvation and be prepared for His return.  They were told that the Messiah would come to the temple, the place of worship, and that those who put their faith in Him would delight in Him.  We know that when Jesus Christ went to the temple that the religious leaders did not delight in Him, but those who accepted Him as the coming Messiah did.  When we gather together in God's name today, we should delight in our relationship to Him.  Verse two adds, But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:  The people of Israel and Judah were asked who could stand before the coming Messiah, since He was coming as a refiner of the covenant between God and His people.  The answer was and is that no one can stand before God by their own merit, but must come through faith in the refined covenant brought by Jesus Christ.  Verse three continues, And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.  God said that when Jesus Christ came that He would purify the sons of Levi, the priests of Israel.  We also know that as followers of Jesus Christ that we are called a priesthood of believers, so our relationship with God should be purified by our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse four states, Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. God said that after the Messiah came and the temple was purified that the offerings of His people would be acceptable again.  If our offerings to God are to be acceptable to Him they must be presented through our relationship with Jesus Christ.  We can offer everything we have to God, but unless we offer it through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ it will not be acceptable.  Verse five adds, And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that He would be a witness against sorcerers, adulterers, and those who mistreated workers and widow and orphans.  God has always called on His people to help the less fortunate who are in need and to deal honestly with everyone.   He still expects this of Christians today.  Verse six continues, For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.  God said this was to happen because He was the LORD, and He did not change.  We must accept God for Who He is, and if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will not be consumed by the forces of evil in the world nor in the coming judgment of God.