The Fear of God

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The Fear of God

January 04, 2008

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3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6

I am the Lord, I do not change. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Mal 3.6

In the midst of judgment, God shows mercy. Malachi describes the terrible situation prevailing among the Jews, and especially among the priesthood. Yet God in His mercy promises restoration.

There are three things about God that we can discern from our reading of the Book of Malachi. First, He is a God who chooses. He chose Jacob over Esau, Isaac over Ishmael. He rejects those of the flesh. Yet though He chose Israel, we find these words in Rom 9.27: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved.” God is looking for a remnant.

Then, He is a God who chastens, Mal 3.3. Those whom He loves, He chastens. [Heb 12.6, Rev 3.19]. He says, I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction, Isa 48.10. There is a baptism of fire, a fiery ordeal, whereby the chaff in us is burnt and only the pure grain remains.

Then, thirdly, He is a God who consecrates. In the Book of Malachi, we find God speaking of the ‘sons of Levi’, i.e. those who serve the Lord. We are saved in order to serve the Lord. But only those who are chastened by the Lord can be consecrated in the service of the Lord. This service cannot be done half-heartedly; we cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the church. We must be whole-heartedly devoted to the Lord.  There is no compromise.

The Levites are God’s ‘firstborn ones’. They are Mine, says the Lord. [Num 3.12,13]. Yes, in the beginning, God says, ‘Israel is My firstborn’ [Exod 4.22], but after the incident of the golden calf, when the majority of Israel followed the path of self-gratification, we find the Lord choosing the Levites, who boldly stood for His honor and glory.

Now, who are those who stand for the honor and glory of God? They are those who ‘fear the Lord’. [Mal 3.16, 17]. There you find the Lord saying, ‘They are Mine; they are My own possession, My special treasure…’ Only a remnant will stand for the Lord. They are those whom the Lord has separated unto Himself.

As a church of born-again believers, we are ‘being built up into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood’ [1 Pet 2.5]; we are a ‘chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession’ [1 Pet 2.9], called to proclaim the excellencies of God and to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him. Only those who have gone through a deep experience of the cross, who are truly ‘crucified with Christ’, who have a great reverence or fear of God, can effectively serve Him. We cannot take God lightly, for He is a consuming fire. There is no grace at the expense of righteousness. Our God is a holy God and He demands holiness in His service. 1 Pet 1.15. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob, ye sons of Levi, are not consumed.