Those who Fear the Lord
Malachi 3v16-18
8th October 2021
Last time, we read:
Malachi 3v13-15
"You have said harsh things against me," says the Lord.
"Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?'"
"You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying
out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?
But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and
even those who challenge God escape.'"
Criticising God is both illogical because He's perfect, and unwise because He's Lord of the universe and Judge of all the earth. Having rebuked those among His people who choose to criticise Him, God now gives words of comfort to those who give Him proper respect. Speaking through the prophet Malachi, God says:
Malachi 3v16-18
Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord
listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.
"They will be mine," says the Lord Almighty, "in the day when I make up my
treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and
spares his son who serves him.
And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God and those who do not."
We have a choice. We can join in the complaining to God about how much we suffer, and how evil men grow rich and escape God's wrath for a time. Or we can believe that they'll know the full wrath of God's judgement at the proper time, and will receive the proper penalty for their crimes against humanity and against God. And we can believe that we God loves us and we'll spend eternity with Jesus.
We can choose to talk with each other. We can weep over the suffering evil people cause. We can agree to do what we can to promote godly values and to preach God's forgiveness. And we can pray together. Whenever we do these things, God hears.
All the evildoers in this world who've died have now discovered that there's a scroll of remembrance about them. All their sins are in God's book. They will pay the full penalty for every sin they committed. And all the evildoers who are still alive will find out soon.
And you and I, people who care about righteousness, love, peace, joy, goodness, godliness, forgiveness and kindness, will find that there's also a scroll of remembrance about us. Every selfless act, every kindness, every prayer, every song of worship, every act of witness, every time we obey the Holy Spirit and use one of His gifts, every time we go to the prayer meeting, every meal we cook for others, every time we wash up after Sunday worship, every time we visit the sick, every time we take somebody to church, will be remembered.
And one day, God will open the scrolls:
Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth
and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and
books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The
dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up
the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what
they had done.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire
is the second death.
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown
into the lake of fire.
Our work, telling people about Jesus any way we can, is more than a matter of life and death; it's a matter of eternal life and everlasting damnation.
Jesus told us:
Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in
the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
We will be comforted. We will inherit the earth. We will be filled. We will receive mercy. We will see God. We will be called His children. Ours is the kingdom of heaven. We're blessed when we're persecuted for the sake of righteousness. As Jesus tells us, rejoice and be glad!
We who meet to talk and pray about righteousness, who seek ways to influence at least a few people for God and His kingdom, who endeavour to share the Good News of Jesus with our neighbours, who weep over the state of our nation, will be God's for ever. We will be spared for eternity. We will always know God's Fatherly compassion. We are God's treasured possession.
And we will see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. We'll be there on the Day of Judgement. Jesus says:
Matthew 25:31-34
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
he will sit on his glorious throne.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the
people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are
blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world.'"
And:
Matthew 25:41
"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are
cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'"
Being a Christian is not a game; it's the greatest privilege a human can experience. It's not a lifestyle choice; it's transfer from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ. It's not a burden; it's a joy. It's not optional; it's commanded. It's not futile; it's the most rewarding, valuable, fulfilling life there is, if we throw ourselves heart and soul into it. And it lasts for ever.
Is it futile serving God? You must be joking! There's no better way to use the life God has given you.