Malachi 1

Message: Our offerings to the Lord and giving God first fruits; being careful how we come to the Lord.

Time: After the completion of the second temple. Late 5th Century BC, possibly during Nehemiah's return to Persia -- 433-424 BC. 

What the Lord is Saying:

God says, "I have loved you."

You say, "How?"

The Lord shows that even if Edom (from Esau) rebuilds their city, the Lord will lay it down as waste. Interesting. If God chooses Israel to be His people then there are people that He chooses not to be His.

Priests, as leaders, can do wrong. God wants our first fruits or our best to be offered to Him. We often, instead, give Him what is left over. This is not simply acceptable, but rather evil. We think that we can present any sort of offering to the Lord and he will find favor in it and us. The passage talks about offerings that a governor (political leader) wouldn't find acceptable, so why do we think it is okay to give God those things?

I think often of why there is so much detail written in the Old Testament about offerings to the Lord--different types and each with specific requirements and instructions. And here I see that it matters how we present offerings. We need to be careful in all things. We need to be careful in how we present our offerings to the Lord.

The Lord's name is great and He is a great king. Treat Him as such.

Promise: God wants to receive our best. He doesn't find favor when we just give whatever. We are His called out ones and not called to do nothing with what He has given us.