Book: Money and
Possessions: The Quest for Contentment
Pages: 66-67
Scripture: Malachi 1:1-2a, 11-14
This post is Part 2, a prophecy, from the study from MalachI 1.
Some personal findings unrelated to
the questions for this day:
As I studied this section of
Malachi, I found a prophecy in verse 11 that really blessed me:
"For from the rising of the sun
even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every
place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is
pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the Lord of
hosts."
First I asked, Is this a prophecy?
As I read that verse, I thought of
the phrase from our history studies about the 1800s, "The sun never sets
on Great Britain." So I started pondering "from the rising
of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the
nations." Hmmm… That means that the One true God's
Name will be known all over the earth, just like Great Britain was all over the
earth in the 1800s. Now, this book was written 433 years before
Christ was born so, I thought, this must be a prophecy :-)
Yes, it is a prophecy because
"incense is going to be offered"-- that's future-- "My name will
be great"-- that’s also future.
Then I asked, What is the incense?
Before studying this inductively, I
thought that our prayers were an incense to the Lord; but I discovered
something a little deeper.
Sweet smelling savor (3744):
·
Eph 5:2: And walk in love, as Christ
also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice
to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Christ Himself is the ultimate
sacrifice that was offered, and it's the Incense from that offering that is
pleasing to God. God savours Christ's sacrifice. Through Him, God's
Name is great in all the world.
Like I said, I always thought that
our prayers were the incense. Although David did ask in Psalm
141:2 that his prayer be like incense before the Lord, I don't see
that our prayers are the incense. Rev. 5:8 does say that the vials
are full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.
However, Rev 8:4 indicates that the
smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up
before God. What I did find is that Christ (specifically His
sacrifice) is the Incense; and our prayers rise up with Christ (Rev.
8:4). Again, this speaks of abiding. Our prayers reach
Father-God because He is pleased with the Incense Who is Christ (Eph
5:2). As we abide in Christ, His sacrifice which is the
sweetsmelling savour to God is the offering that pleases God; and in that
offering are our prayers that rise up. God sees our prayers wrapped
in the sweetsmelling incense of Christ's sacrifice. That's a whole
new meaning for me, at least. Thank You, Lord! My prayers
don't have to be great because You, Father-God, are receiving my prayers
through the sweetsmelling Incense of Christ. Who is great. You see
Christ when I pray!
Once I have this understanding that
Christ is the Incense, my doings will also be pleasing to the Lord as I
abide. For example:
·
John 12:3: Mary wiped
Jesus' feet with her air and ointment; and the house was filled with the
incense or odor of the ointment.
·
Phil 4:18: The
Philippians gave Paul things, a sacrifice that was like an incense/odor of a
sweet smell, wellpleasing to God.
Being (in Christ) always comes
before doing (in Christ). It is Christ Who pleases God. I
am so thankful I can be-in-Christ and please God too, not because of what I do
but because of what He has done.
"I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me." On our way home from D.C., I asked
my kids what this Bible verse means to them, and my 15-year-old daughter said,
"If I want to fly, I can start jumping up and down and flap my
arms. I may 'fly' a few inches; but I'm not really
flying. But if I really want to fly, I need a powerful engine and so
if I walk into a plane, the pilot will start the engine and take me to soaring
heights. Jesus is that Pilot and the Engine and the
Plane. So if I want to fly, I need to hop on board. I can
do all things-- fly-- through Christ who strengthens me. And my
flying will be much better if I board that plane." I told her
she was describing 'abiding.' Being-in-Christ always comes before
flying-in-Christ :-) Christ in me; I in Christ.
Then I asked, What is a grain
offering?
This discovery was my
favorite! If you've ever studied the Levitical sacrifices, you're
familiar with the grain offering, Who is Christ. The grain offering,
which is a bloodless offering, speaks of His life.
Conclusion
So the Incense speaks of Christ's
death; the grain offering speaks of Christ's life. Verse 11 is a
prophecy about Christ. And that prophecy comes right after the
people ask, "How have you loved us?" God answers them with
Christ!!!! Christ is the Answer to, How has God loved
us? I was so blessed to receive this revelation as I studied.
These people had to look forward to
Christ and believe, which is why this verse is a prophecy. We now
look back to Christ and believe. We who believe Christ are the Church.
When these people profaned the Name
of the Lord, they were profaning Christ. Let me never profane Your
Name, Lord-- the Name of Christ.
Lord, thank You for answering our
deepest longings with Christ, the sinless Sacrifice Whose sweet savour pleases
You. Thank You for wrapping our prayers in the Incense Who is
Christ. Thank You that we abide in the place of holiness You have
given us simply by accepting the Gift of Your Son. Let us never
defile Your altar by despising Your Son. Thank You for Your
love. Keep us content with the lot You have chosen for
us. Help us to stop doing and start being/abiding. May
any works You do through us… fly. We praise You and thank You.
Linda
Moderator
No comments:
Post a Comment