SCRIPTURE: Malachi 3-4

OBSERVATION:
The Jews wanted God to come and punish their enemies [2:17] but God says that He will judge His own people first, like a refiners fire.
As Judge, He will deal with their greed (not honouring God with their wealth) and their disrespect (saying it is futile to follow God) [3:6-15].
Those who are humble before the Lord will be treasured and blessed, but those closed to Him will discover that He is a serious God that deals seriously with sin and wilful sinners [3:16-4:4].
Jesus is the ‘messenger of the covenant’, the promised messiah who will judge God’s people to refine them. Before He comes, a prophet like Elijah comes to prepare the way. John the Baptist is the promised ‘Elijah’ [Matthew 11:7-15].
Just as this passage suggests, when Jesus comes, the Jews want Him to deal with their enemies, but He comes to judge them, to purify them, to deal with their sin. This is why so many rejected Him.

APPLICATION:
Many people want God or Jesus because of what they can do FOR them, but the real need is what they can do IN them.
Jesus does not come to fix the world for us, He comes to fix us for the world.
We need to have open, humble hearts to the refining judgment (discipline) of the Lord if we want to experience true joy and freedom, ‘leaping like calves released from the stall’.
Our best witness is not what the Lord does for us, but what He does in us. As He refines our character, people see and experience the positive effects of life-change and goodness.
Am I open to the refiner’s fire? Am I seriously and practically allowing the Lord to address issues like greed or disrespect or lust or pride, etc?
The best thing that I can do is open myself to His judgment, so that I will not ultimately be judged [see 1 Corinthians 11:31-32].

PRAYER:
Lord, Your purpose is not just to bless me, but to change me that I may experience the blessing. Help me be willing and open to Your gentle judgment, that I may repent and become the person You saved me to be.