Our text this morning will come
from Malachi chapter 1. It's the last book of the Old
Testament, or you can turn to Matthew and just turn back a
book, but Malachi chapter 1. There are some that give little or no credence to
the Old Testament. They see it as just a book of
history. Years ago, I can remember, many
years ago, being in a church building and all they had was
copies of the New Testament. That was it. That puzzled me. Paul wrote this in Romans 15,
he said, whatsoever things were written aforetime, they're written for our learning. There's a purpose for these things,
that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope. So look here with me this morning
at Malachi, beginning with verse one. Malachi writes, the burden of
the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. The burden of the word of the
Lord. I was thinking about this this
week. Why is it called a burden? You know, we rejoice. We rejoice,
the believer rejoices in God's Word, but it truly is a burden
to preach it, to deliver a message, to bring a message from God's
Word. And for a number of reasons, one, this, when a man brings
a message, not a sermon, but a message, a true message, it's
a message. Not from the man, it's a message
from God. This morning, and I pray every
time I stand here in this place or any man stands here in this
place, Jason, Isaac, whoever, that it's a message from the
King. And I have no desire to tell
you anything other than what God's Word says. Paul, writing to the Corinthians,
he said this, he said, I received of the Lord that which I delivered
unto you. It's a burden in the sense that
one day I'll give an account for what I've told you. Every true messenger of God is
going to give an account for what he's told people, for what's been said from the
pulpit. We're told, obey them that have
a rule over you and submit yourself for they watch for your souls
as they must give an account. They might do it with joy, not
with grief. That's unprofitable. An account,
these are serious, serious matters. A burden, a burden of the word. It's a burden in the sense that
it's preached to all men. And this is something I know
and this is something I rejoice in, this message Some are going
to believe it. Some are going to believe this,
and we rejoice in that, don't we? But I also know this. Some will not. Some will reject
it. Some will refuse to believe it. Over in Acts chapter 28, Verse 23, it says, When they
had appointed him a day, there came many to him in his lodging,
to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading
them concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, both out of the law of
Moses and the prophets from morning till evening, And some believed. Some believed the message that
was preached to them. Some believed the things which
were spoken. And some believed not. That's a burden. That's a burden. Some will believe and rejoice,
and listen, will rejoice with them. but others will not believe."
There were those who did not believe the words that came directly
from the mouth of our Lord. You know, I've heard men say
this. You probably have too. Well, I just don't see it that
way. That's not the way I read it. I don't think that's what it
means. Our Lord once told that parable
of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus in Luke 16. And that beggar died and he woke up in Abraham's bosom.
And the rich man died and he was buried. And he lifted up
his eyes in hell. And he said, I pray thee therefore.
He said that thou would send someone to my father's house.
He woke up in torment. He said, I have five brethren.
Would you go and testify to them? Would you go and tell them, lest
they also come to this place of torment?' And Abraham answered him, and
he said, They have Moses and the prophets. They have the word
of God. Let them hear them. And he said,
Nay, father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead, they
would repent. And he said to them, If they
hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
even though one rose from the dead." We need to hear what God's Word
has to say. We need to listen to God's Word. That leads me to my last thought
on why this is a burden. It's a burden It's a burden and
he says it's the burden of the word of the Lord. This is God's word we're dealing
with. Not the opinion of man, not the
words of man, not the thoughts of a man, but God's word. God's word which declares the
truth about Almighty God. He's just. He's righteous. He's holy. A God that must punish
sin. He's King of Kings. He's Lord
of Lords. He's sovereign in all His ways. This Word declares the truth
about man. What does it say about man? man's
fallen, man's corrupt, man's full of sin, he's unrighteous,
he's ruined, he's condemned. Paul said this, in this flesh
dwelleth no good thing. Not one good thing. This word
declares the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
Man. yet the Son of God. In fact, He is God. The Lord
Jesus Christ is God in human flesh. He's the Savior of sinners. He came to this earth, He suffered
and died in the room instead of His people. He bore the judgment
of God. He bore the penalty of sin for
His people and He died. and he was buried,
and he's risen, and he sits at the right hand of the Father
on high. This Word declares the truth
about salvation. What does God's Word say about
salvation? Man says a lot about salvation.
What does God's Word say about salvation? Salvation is of the
Lord. Salvation, it's not by the deeds
of the law, it's not in the preacher, it's not in ordinances, not by
what I do or what I don't do. That's not what man wants to
hear. The natural man does not want to hear those things. They
want a God that they're equal with. They want a God that they
can do with as they please. They want a Savior that they
can, that's not a Savior. They want one that they can help.
that they can be a part of. Man wants to hear about what
he can do, opposed to what the Lord Jesus Christ has done. What does the Bible say? What
does God's Word say? Salvation is of the Lord. The burden, the burden of the
Word of the Lord. Now turn back with me to Malachi
1 and let's look at this passage together. These just first three
verses here together this morning. Verse 2 says, I have loved you,
saith the Lord, yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us? was not Esau, Jacob's brother,
saith the Lord. Yet I loved Jacob. The Lord declares to his people
through Malachi, I have loved you. I have loved you. And the people, they ask this
question, wherein? Wherein have you loved? loved
us. And this is the Lord's answer.
He says, was not Esau Jacob's brother? Turn with me to Romans
chapter 9. Romans chapter 9. Look at verse 10, Romans 9. Not only this, verse
10, but when Rebecca also had conceived even by one, even by our father Isaac,
for the children being not yet born, neither having done any
good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." Two brothers,
Jacob and Esau, before they were born, before they had done any
good, before they had done any evil, what do we read here? That the purpose of God according
to election might stand." The purpose of God. His eternal purpose. Romans 8.28 says, And we know
all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are called according to His purpose. God has a purpose. Listen, to
them that love God, How can I love God? How can a
sinner love God? How is that possible? Scripture
says, because He first loved me. To them that love God, to
them that are called according to His purpose, His purpose,
His eternal purpose, the promise of eternal good, the promise
of the well-being of His people. That's not a blanket promise
to the world. It's a promise to His people.
Not to all men, but those who have received the Lord Jesus
Christ. Those who love the Lord Jesus
Christ. Those who've been called by His
grace to saving faith in Him. Listen, apart from Christ, There
is no mercy. Apart from Christ, there is no
grace. Apart from Christ, there is no
salvation. God purposed. That's what we
just read here. God purposed to save Jacob. That choice was made according
to the purpose of Almighty God. That's the foundation and source
of all mercy, the sovereign will of Almighty God. Paul wrote this
in 2 Timothy 1. He said, Be not thou therefore
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner,
but be thou a partaker of the affliction of the gospel according
to the power of God, who hath saved us and called us. with a holy calling, not according
to our works. Did you hear that? Not according
to our works. Then how did he do it? How did
he save us? According to his own purpose
and grace which was given in Christ Jesus when before the
world began. Two boys here. Think about that. Jacob and Esau. They were twins.
Same parents. Same parents, Isaac and Rebecca.
They were raised in the same home. Naturally speaking, they
had the same advantages. One didn't have an advantage.
I guess, in fact, if either had the advantage, it would have
been the older one, right? That's where the birthright went to,
or was meant to go. Two of them. Yet God in mercy is pleased to
save one. He had mercy on one. He loved one and he passed by the other. He hated the other. Was not Esau Jacob's brother? Look back again at Malachi 1,
2. Was not Esau Jacob's brother,
saith the Lord? Yet I loved Jacob. Let me ask you a question before
you get caught up. It's easy for us to get caught
up in this question. How can God hate Esau? Listen, here's the question.
How can God, how can a holy God love Jacob? Jacob, again, whose
name? It means supplanter. It means
thief. Listen again to verse 2. Ye say,
wherein hast thou loved us? Wherein? I look that word up. I don't think I ever use that
word in daily language. Wherein? It's a word of interrogation,
okay? And it's the same as asking three
separate questions. Wherein? It means how. It means
why. It means when. It could be said like this. Have you loved us? Why have you
loved us? When? When did you love us? Well, first, how? That's a good
question, isn't it? How have you loved us? How can God who is holy, how
can God who is just, how can God who is righteous, Love us. Love us who are just like Jacob
of old. Well, there's only one way. And that's in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Turn with me to Revelation chapter
1. Let me begin with verse 4. John,
to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace be unto you, peace
from him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and
from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from
Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is
the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth unto Him, unto Him, unto
the Lord Jesus Christ that loved us and washed us from our sins
and hath made us kings and priests unto God. He washed us from our
sins, where? In His own blood, cleansed by
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's made us kings. He's made
us priests unto God and His Father, to whom be glory and dominion
forever and ever. And how's He in that? Amen. So
be it. So be it. How has He loved us?
In Christ. in Christ, in His Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in His
own blood. The next question, why? Why have you loved us? There's a song we sing. Should He love me so? That's
that same question. Why should He love me so? Listen
to these words. Love sent my Savior to die in
my stead. Why should He love me so? Meekly
the Calvary's cross He was led. Why did He love me so? Nails pierced His hands and His
feet for my sin. Why did He love me so? He suffered
sore my salvation to win, why did he love me so?" Oh, how he
agonized there in that place. Didn't he suffer like our Lord?
He suffered, he agonized under the weight of sin, under the
wrath of Almighty God, his Father. I ask you, why? Why should he
love me so? Nothing withholding my sin to
a face. Why should he love me so? Why should he love me so? Why
should he to Calvary go? Why, oh why? That's a good question,
isn't it? Why would he do those things? Ephesians 2, 4 says this, but
God, why did he love me so? But God who is rich in mercy,
for the great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins. And yet he hath quickened us
together with Christ by grace. By grace are you saved. Why would He love me so? For
His great love. For His mercy and grace. For the reason, for a reason
that could only be found in Him. The third question. Wherein? When? When did He love me? When did He love His people? Did he look down from all eternity
and say, well, there's some folks that, listen, I know they're
going to worship. I know they're going to do the
best they can. I know they're going to support
the gospel. Is that what he did? That's what men say. That's what
some think. Turn with me to Psalm 53. Psalm
53. Look at verse 2 of Psalm 53. It says here, God looked down from
heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that
did understand, if there were any that did seek God. What did he see? Read on. Every one of them is
going back. They are all together become
filthy. There is none that doeth good. No. We always got a question
there, don't we? We'd ask that, wouldn't we? If
that wasn't there, we still ask. None? No. Not one. When did he love me? When did
he love his bride? When did he love his church?
He says this, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving kindness
have I drawn thee, have brought thee to myself. Eternal love. He chose us. He chose His elect
in Christ before the world was, from before the foundation of
the world. He predestinated us to be adopted,
to be made His sons through Jesus Christ. according to his good pleasure,
according to his will, just as he loved Jacob, just
as he loved him. Again, Malachi 1, verse 2, was not Jacob Esau's brother,
saith the Lord." That's a pretty sobering thought, isn't it? These
two men, they were brothers, and that's the question. Was
not Jacob Esau's brother? Yet, yet have I loved Jacob. Back to Romans 9, one more time
here quickly, Romans 9. Romans 9 verse 9. This is the
word of promise. At this time will I come and
Sarah will have a son. Not only this, but when Rebecca
also conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth. It was said unto her, the elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved. Esau have
I hated." 2 Corinthians 13, Paul wrote this,
he said, in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every
word be established. I believe there's two witnesses
here this morning. There's Malachi and there's also
the Apostle Paul saying the exact Same thing. Jacob, again, supplanter,
thief. This man that deceived his own
father. This one that stole his brother's
birthright. A lot of folks get upset with this
text. How can God love one and hate
another? What's God's Word say? What's
it say? Jacob have I loved. That means to love an individual
man. It means to love Israel. It means to love righteousness.
Jacob have I loved. Esau, doesn't say loved him less. It says this, Esau have I hated. To hate as an enemy. Again, I ask you this, why would
he love any? Why would he be merciful to any? And I know this, if God will
have mercy on Jacob, if God can love Jacob, that gives me hope. That gives
me great hope. Why would he love any? Well,
again, sometimes we ask those questions when we think the reason
for that love is within ourselves, and it's not. His love is found in him. His
love is found in His Son. It's found in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Even so, Father, it seemed good in Thy sight. Do you still
have Romans 9? Look here at verse 14. What shall
we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? Natural man looks at this and
says, that's not fair. That's not right. That's not
what that means. Can God love one who's done nothing
good and hate one that's done nothing evil? Well, does that
make him unrighteous? Paul must have anticipated that
follow-up question. Is there unrighteousness with
God? What's the reply? What is it? Look at the last
two words of verse 14. I don't think you can say this
any stronger. God forbid. Not Paul forbid. Not any of us forbid. What did he say here? God forbid. Who am I? Who are any of us to
question His wise counsel? Who are any of us to question
His purpose? Look at verse 15. He saith to
Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion. Verse 16, so then
it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but
of God, but of God that showeth mercy. I ask you again, was not
Jacob Esau's brother? He was, and yet consider, Consider
what God did for Jacob. He loved him. We just read that.
He loved him. He had mercy on him. He gave
him a new name. He took away that old name. He's
no longer Jacob. It's Israel. Prince with God. In Genesis 28.15,
I won't have you turn there. You read it later this afternoon.
But God spoke to Jacob and He said this, He said, I'm with
thee. He said, I am with thee. He said, I'll keep thee. I'll
bring thee into the land. And listen to this, I will not
leave thee. I'll never leave thee. Well,
turn with me back to Malachi one and I'll quit. Malachi 1, verse 1. The burden of the word of the
Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet you say, wherein hast thou
loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother,
saith the Lord? Yet I loved Jacob. And I hated Esau and laid his
mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. I love Jacob. Isn't that what Christ has done
for his people? For his church, for his bride? Aren't we thankful for his love,
for his mercy, for his grace, for his goods, for his salvation? Not of us, but all, all of him.