Year 6, Day 273: Malachi 1

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Father, King

• Father: This is the pinnacle of the Covenant Triangle.  God is the Father.  He is the creator.  He is love.  Our relationship with the Father is rooted in His love for us.  We get our identity through Him.  When the Father is in our life, obedience becomes clear.
• King: This is the pinnacle of the Kingdom Triangle.  When we look towards God’s position in the universe, we acknowledge that He is an omnipotent king.  Authority comes from Him.  Power comes through His authority.  He is looking for representatives for His kingdom.

In this chapter, God gives Malachi two images to present to the people.  God can either be a father or a master.  This is an interesting choice.

In the first case, God is father.  One loves a father.  One is also protected by the father.  To have God as a father implies relationship.  It also implies a certain amount of familiarity.  With God as father, we want to please because we desire His pleasure upon us.  We want Him to be proud, so we obey and live up to His gracious love.  We offer our best effort and obedience to the father because of our relationship with Him.

In the second case, God is king.  One respects the king.  One might even fear the king.  One is protected by the king.  However, one gives tithe to the king.  One gives homage to the king.  One gives the best of the flock to the king because he deserves it.  While one is not usually in relationship with the king, we still give our best effort because the king is the king and he is empowered.

Of course, our God can be both Father and king.  We can be in a relationship that reflects His love.  We can be in a relationship that honors His power over us.  This chapter in Malachi reflects the fact that His people are not responding in either way with respect to God, but we do not need to reflect this dynamic.  We can be in relationship with a God who is Father and King.  We can give Him his due not just because He deserves it but also because of our relationship with Him.

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