is filled with rebuke, the Lord
rebuking the prophets and the priests of Israel. He rebukes the people, too, for
their sins, but especially the prophets and the priests because
they'd compromised his word. They'd misrepresented his word
and his way and caused the people to stumble. Look back at verse
7, chapter 2. Malachi says the priest's lips
should keep knowledge. His mouth ought to be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord and the glory of God. And they should seek the word,
the law. A lot of times the law means
the word of God, not just thou shalt not or thou shalt, but
People should seek the word at the mouth of the prophet, the
preacher, the priest. He's the messenger of the Lord.
Isn't that what he is? That's what it says. For he's
the messenger of the Lord of hosts. He ought to speak the
words of God, the truth of God, gospel of God. Is that too much
to ask of a messenger of God? His lips should keep knowledge.
He should speak the word of God. But he said, you are departed
out of the way. You've left the Word of God.
You've caused many to stumble at the Word. You've corrupted
the Word. You've perverted the Word. You've
denied the Word. You've explained away the Word.
You put a question mark on the Word. That's our day, too, is
it not? Most of these people that I see
on television preaching call it preaching, but they don't
even use the word. They tell their dreams and their
visions and experiences. They don't read the word of God.
He's rebuking these fellows here. He said, you've corrupted the
covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore, and this
is the result, and we see this today. Therefore have I also
made you contemptible and base before all the people." What
vocation or what profession in this day, in the eyes of the
people, is more contemptible than preachers? That's a fact. You've denied
my word, you've compromised my word, you've corrupted my word,
you've withheld my word from the people, and I've made you
a laughingstock. I've made you contemptible and
base before all the people, according as you have not kept my way and
have been partial in the Word. And look at verse 17. Drop down
there to verse 17. He said, you have wearied the
Lord with your word. You have wearied the Lord with
your words. That's what he said about Job's
friends. You remember? They have not spoken
of me the things that are right. And you've wearied me with your
words, with your sermons and your messages. You've wearied
the Lord. Wouldn't that be a horrible thing
for me to hear tonight? You've been standing here preaching
all these years and you've wearied me with your words. And they replied, they said,
well, where, where on earth have we wearied him? I'll tell you, now watch this. When you say, and this is what
they say, when you say everyone who does
evil, wicked, unbelievers, is good. in the sight of the Lord. You say everyone who does evil
does not believe God, love God, or worship God, he's still good.
My son doesn't love the gospel and doesn't love God, but he's
a good man. Isn't that what we say? He's a good man. This person,
that person has no regard for God and he's He's wicked, but
he's really basically a good person. I saw it in a principal's
office one time, a sign that says, no such thing as a bad
boy. You say he that doeth evil is
good in the sight of the Lord, and God delights in him. God
loves him. That's what you're saying. The Bible says God's angry with
the wicked every day, but you say God delights in the wicked. Now I'm unhappy with that, the
Lord says. I'm weary with that. You say, the Bible says God is
angry with the wicked. The Bible says God hateth the
workers of iniquity. But you say it. He delights in
them. He loves them. God's not angry
with anybody. The Bible says there's none good,
no not one, none good, none righteous, no not one. Even our Lord Jesus
Christ here in the flesh, when the rich young man called him
good, he said, now wait a minute, why do you call me good? There's
none good but God. None good but God. There's none
good, no not one, there's none that understand it, there's none
that Seeketh the Lord. They're all unprofitable. Man
at his best state is altogether vanity. There's not a just man
on the earth who'd do it good and sin it not. That's what God
says. But you say they're good in his
sight. The Bible says, he that believeth
not on the Son of God, the wrath of God abideth on him. Isn't
that what the scripture says? He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath and judgment of God abideth on
him. Now how did you come to this
conclusion? That's interesting. How did you, how did preachers
come to this conclusion? That everyone that doeth evil
is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them. then
what's this next and you say this or this you say this well
where is the God of judgment where's the God who's angry where's the God who's just and
righteous and holy and hates iniquity despises rebellion where
is he We don't see him acting. Why doesn't he rise up and show
himself to be the judge of the earth? Shall not the judge of
the earth do right? Where is he? Where is this God
of judgment, you pray? God of righteousness. Doesn't
look like righteousness is reigning to me. That's what they're saying.
Where is he? Doesn't look like justice and righteousness and
holiness is reigning in this day. Where is your God of judgment? Why doesn't he rise up and put
down all wickedness and all wicked men? Why doesn't he rise up and
destroy all enemies of his glorious kingdom? Why doesn't he put on
their neck? Where is the God of judgment? Where is he? Why does he not
vindicate his faithful people? Why doesn't he vindicate them? Give proof to his true messengers. Acknowledge and give some evidence
that they're telling the truth. Why doesn't he act in this way?
Where's the God of justice? Why does he not set right all
wrongs? Set the captive free. Put an
end to evil, wars, unrighteousness, death. suffering and sorrow. Where is the Messiah? This is
4,000 years since the Messiah was promised. Malachi is writing
here. 2,000 years between Abel and
Moses and 2,000 years between Moses and this time he's writing,
where is he? Where is the Messiah? Where is the one of whom Jeremiah
spake when he said the Lord of righteousness? The King cometh,
and when he comes, he'll bring in righteousness, and in that
day Judah shall be saved. Where is he? You say they ought not talk that
way. Well, they talk that way today. Turn to 2 Peter. This is not reserved for those
days back then, 2 Peter chapter 3. Chapter 3 of 2 Peter, listen. This is at the end of the New
Testament. And Peter says in chapter 3 of 2 Peter verse 1,
this second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both
which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that you
be mindful, don't Mindful of the words which were spoken before
by the Holy Prophet of the commandment of us, the
apostles of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, know this first. There shall come in the last
days scoppers walking after their own lusts and saying, where is
the promise of his coming? Where is the Messiah? Where is
the returning Lord? returning Redeemer. Where is
he? Where is the God of righteousness? Since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.
Every imagination of man's heart desperately, deceitfully wicked
above all things. Where is he? Thank God. Look back here at my text in
Malachi 3 verse 1. He speaks and he says, He's coming. You know, the whole
Old Testament, from Genesis to this last book of Malachi, the
entire book, has one clear-cut message, and
that is someone's coming. The Messiah, the Redeemer, the
Lord of Glory, our Redeemer is coming. He'll be a priest like Melchizedek.
He'll be a Passover lamb. He'll be a prophet like Moses. He'll be a king like David. He'll
be the desire of all nations. He's coming. He's coming. He's
coming. That's what he's saying here.
He's coming. To Him give all the prophets witness. He's coming.
Be patient. Wait on Him. He's coming. And Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John say, He's here. He has come. Jesus of Nazareth. We have found the Messiah. Jesus
of Nazareth. Can anything good come out of
Nazareth? He comes. He's here. He came. And the epistles from
Romans through Jews say He's coming back. There's a two-fold
coming. He came and He's coming back. This same Jesus which is taken
up from you in like manner shall come again as you've seen him
go. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare
a place, I'll come again and receive you unto myself. He's
coming. Here in this verse Malachi says,
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he'll prepare the way before
me. Who is this messenger? This John the Baptist. Over here
in Isaiah chapter 40, Isaiah wrote about John, Isaiah chapter
40. Those old kings back then, when
they made a journey, went to a place, a king went to a place,
he sent a messenger before him to prepare the way, to announce
his coming. And the heavenly father sent
John the Baptist, born of Elizabeth and Zacharias. John the Baptist
to prepare the way of the Lord. He's coming, and he's right.
Isaiah wrote about him a long time before he came. In Isaiah
40, verse 3 says, The voice, the voice of him that crieth
in the wilderness, the voice, prepare ye the way
of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our
God. Every valley shall be exalted, every mountain and hill shall
be made low, the crooked shall be made straight, the rough places
plain, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed. And all flesh
shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken."
And he's coming. That's John's message. I turn
to John 1. And let's see what John said
about this. John the Baptist. Behold, I'll send my messenger
before me to prepare my way. In John chapter 1, verse 19,
listen to what they said. And this is the record. John
the Baptist. The Jews sent priests and Levites
from Jerusalem. He was out there in the wilderness
preaching. And they went out there to ask him, who are you?
And he confessed and denied not, but confessed, I'm not the Christ.
They said, are you the Christ? I'm not the Christ. I'm not worthy
to lace his shoes. They said, well, what then, are
you Elijah? You remember they said Elijah
shall come before the Messiah. He said, I'm not Elijah. Are
you that prophet? Who's that? Well, Moses said
in Deuteronomy 18, talking about the Messiah, you'll be a priest
like Melchizedek, king like David, and a prophet like Moses. And
Moses said, the Lord will raise up from among you, flesh and
bones and blood among you, that prophet, him you shall hear.
They said, are you that prophet? No. They said, well, who are
you? We may give an answer to the
people that sent us to inquire. What sayest thou thyself? Here's
what every true God sent messenger Christ will say and how he'll
identify himself. I'm nobody. I'm nothing. I'm a voice. I'm a voice of one
crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the
Lord, the Lord, the Messiah, the Christ. I'm a voice. What is a voice? Well, a voice has something to
say. especially if it's God's voice. If he's commanding it,
if he's sent it, got something to say, something real, something
valuable, something eternal. Secondly, God means for it to
be heard. If he sends a voice, he gives
that voice something to say and he means for it to be heard.
Thirdly, after the voice speaks, and delivers the message and
the promise and the truth, the voice is still. That's what Isaiah
said about John, all flesh is grass, the glory of man is the
flower of the field, the grass withered, the flower faded, but
the word of the Lord, the promise lives on. Always talking to me about writing
a biography of Brother Barnard. That song that Mike sang and
John, a sinner like me. First time he came to Ashland,
remember he sang that? I tell him, don't write a biography
of any of God's servants. Write a biography of his Lord,
that he prays. Don't tell me about him, tell
me about his message. Tell me about his Christ. A voice
is to be heard, and a voice will soon be still and never speak
again. But if he preached the gospel,
it'll never perish. The word of the Lord endures
forever. Come on, preacher. I say, why
preach that which will crumble? Let's preach him who lives forever.
Our message goes on. Lord, he said of Abel. yet. He yet speaks, doesn't he? He yet speaks. He's been dead
for 6,000 years, but he still speaks. And a voice, listen,
he said, I'm the voice crying in the wilderness. John, listen,
didn't minister in the temple. He didn't minister in organized
religion. Our Lord, our Messiah, our Redeemer's
forerunner did not go down into the temple. He went out into
the wilderness. Because our Messiah is not identified
with a building or an organization or a nation. He's every man's
Messiah. Of every type, kindred, tongue,
and nation under heaven. Isn't that right? There's the
message out there on the wind, in the wilderness. on the breeze, a message to everybody, everybody in the wilderness. What's the message? All right,
get back to the text. What's the message? Behold, I'll
send my messenger. You prepare the way before me
and the Lord whom you seek, and the Lord. I don't know, maybe
you think I'm being picky, looking for something to find fault with. But to say in my life, I cannot,
I just cannot be satisfied hearing people refer
to my Lord by Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. He's the Lord Jesus. He's the Lord Jesus. They said,
Jesus saved. No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't. Not just Jesus. If he's just
Jesus, he can't save anybody. But he's the Lord Jesus. He's
the God man. He's just a man. He can't save
a flea. But he's the Lord from heaven. The disciples called
him Master. They called him Lord. And he
said, you say, well, so I am. And when Malachi gave his prediction,
he said Jesus. No, he didn't. He said the Lord.
Jehovah! That's who he says here. Jehovah
is coming. Our Lord said to the Pharisees
one day, they were looking for a Messiah. They were looking
for a king to set up a Jewish kingdom. He called him a Messiah.
But our Lord said to him one day, Now what think ye of the
Christ, the Messiah? Whose son is he? They said he's
the son of David. That's all. Son of David, a man. They would have called him Jesus.
They called him Jesus. But our Lord said, Then how come,
when David wrote about him, he said, The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit thou on my right hand. If he's David's son, how can
he be David's Lord? And those boys couldn't answer
that, because all they saw was a man. And preachers today and
whomever, be careful, is that all you see is a weakling? A man? The Lord from heaven,
the Lord, the Lord Jehovah, the Lord God. Under us a child is
born, under us a son is given, the government's on his shoulders,
and his name's called what, John? Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty
God, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father. That's who
he is. The Lord. Now what's this? Whom
you seek. Did they really seek him? Was Israel really looking
for a Messiah, for a Christ, for a Redeemer? In a sense, yes. They read about
the Messiah, they talked about the Messiah, they looked for
the Messiah, the woman at the well. You remember when our Lord
spoke to the woman at the well, and finally she became so frustrated,
she couldn't handle his questions, she couldn't deal with them.
And finally she became so frustrated, she said, well, we know the Messiah's
coming. We know the Messiah's coming. And our Lord said to her, I that
speak to thee am he. You can't be. You're just a man,
a despised man of sorrows acquainted with grief. They were looking
for a king. They were looking for a lion. They were looking for someone
to set up the kingdom. Will you now? His disciples thought
that. They said, will you now restore
the kingdom to Israel? They said to John, are you the
Christ? One of them said, tell us plainly. If you be the Christ,
tell us plainly. On another occasion, one of them
said, shall Christ come out of Galilee? Well, let me read about one that
was looking for a Messiah. Turn to Luke 2. God does not leave himself without
a witness. You know, when Elijah said, Lord,
I'm the only one left, he said, no, you're not. I've got 7,000
men that haven't bowed their knee to Baal. Any time we get
thinking small thoughts of God, let's be corrected. He said,
well, nobody was looking for the Messiah. He's in the world,
and the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own
knew him not. I know that. But listen to Luke chapter 2. Verse 21, and when eight days
were accomplished for the circumcision of the child, his name was called
Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived
in the womb, the man, Jesus. And when the days of her purification,
according to the law of Moses, was accomplished, they brought
him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Remember that, they
brought him to the temple when he was just a few weeks old.
As it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth
a womb shall be called holy to the Lord. And they came to offer
a sacrifice according to that which was said in the law of
the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, two young pigeons. Should they
bring a lamb, they didn't have enough money. Mary and Joseph
were so poor that the poor people could bring a bird for sacrifice,
turtledoves, pigeons. And behold, whoa, listen, behold,
there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And that
same man was just and about waiting for the consolation of Israel,
waiting for the Messiah, waiting for the Redeemer. And the Holy
Ghost was upon him. God taught him. It was revealed
to him by the Holy Ghost that he would not see death before
he had seen the Lord's Christ. You reckon there were others?
So he thought, I can't believe they were. I can't believe they
were. Others who waited for the Messiah,
who believed. And so he came with the Spirit
into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child
Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law, he took him
up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now let thy servant
depart in peace, according to your word, according to your
promise. I've seen all I need to see. I've seen thy salvation. All I need to see. The Lord, listen, go back to
my text. The Lord whom you seek, Simeon was seeking him. The Lord whom you seek shall
suddenly come to his temple. I believe the second coming of
our Lord is going to be just as sudden. He came unexpected, suddenly. There was a baby born
in Bethlehem. Oh, it was according to the fullness of time, the fulfillment
of God's purpose, but me and here were all totally ignorant
of that purpose and that time, and suddenly in Bethlehem, born
a child. He came to Egypt and he came
to the temple. The Lord whom you seek shall
certainly come to his temple. Brother May and is that the temple
that Solomon built it was destroyed in the rebuild yes it was the
rebuilt temple. Now over there in Luke you remember
He came as a babe to the temple. Mary and Joseph brought in the
child. Child is born, a son is given,
the God-man. Here's the fulfillment of Malachi's
promise. That day when Mary and Joseph
walked into that temple with the child Jesus. He's come to
this temple. Came unto his own, they received
him not, but he came to the temple. And then turned to Luke 2 again. He came again to the temple when
he was 12 years old. You remember? They came to Jerusalem
for special feast days, and when Mary and Joseph left the feast
and started back home, the Lord Jesus wasn't with them. They
began to search for him. They searched the whole day,
and finally they came back to Jerusalem. And listen to Luke
2, verse 44, 43. And when they had fulfilled the
days, as they returned, the child, he was just 12 years old, he
was a child, the child named Jesus, carried behind in Jerusalem,
and Joseph and his mother knew not of it, but they, supposing
him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey. And
they sought him among the kinfolks in Aquinas, and they didn't find
him. And they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. He
came to pass after three days. This is a 12-year-old boy. After three days, they found
him where? In the temple. Oh, our God moves in mysterious
ways, his wonders to perform. Israel was prepared for and talking
about and looking for a roaring lion, Emancipator on a white
horse, a conqueror of Rome, a reigning king, and here he comes to the
temple as a little baby, just a little big baby. Tender plant,
a root out of a dry ground. They wasn't looking for that.
Simeon was. See it takes anointed eyes. It
takes a heart filled with the Spirit of God to see God's purpose
and grace in that man, Jesus Christ. He came as a baby, fine. And then all those doctors, and
listen, three days later they found him in the temple sitting
in the midst of the doctors, the scribes and the Pharisees,
hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard
him was, at his understanding and his answers. But nobody said, this is the
Messiah. You see, they're not looking
for a lamb. They're not looking for a substitute. They're not
looking for a second Adam. They're not looking for the Lord
from heaven in flesh and bone. They're not looking for a sacrifice. a man to perfect the righteousness
and die on the cross. And they stood there and talked
to him, and he amazed them. And yet nobody said, could this
be the Messiah? And even his parents listened.
And when his parents saw him, they were amazed. His mother
said, son, why have you dealt thus with us? Why have you? thus dealt with us, your father
and I have sought you sorrowing." And he said, how is that? The angel told her he was the
Son of God. The angel told Joseph he was
the Son of God. Call his name Jesus, he'll save
his people from their sins. But to put that together, God
in human flesh, and he said, How is it that you sought me?
Wished ye not that I must be about my father's business? Matthew chapter 21, turn over
there a minute. He came to the temple. Yes, he
did. The Lord whom you seek shall strike you. Unrecognized, unknown. Came to his own. They received
him, not come to his temple. Matthew 21, 12. Look at this. Verse 10, Matthew 21, 10, And
when he was coming to Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying,
Who is this? And the multitude said, This
is Jesus. This is Jesus, the prophet of
Nazareth, Galilee. And he went into the temple of
God, and he cast out all them that
sold and bought in the temple. Just like Mary, when she gave
birth to a son, she had to bring a sacrifice to the temple. Well,
she had to purchase that somewhere. And when these people came for
feast days, they bought lambs and sacrificed lambs. People
had different offerings for different things. Marriage, birth of a
child, all these things. And these, these crooks, these
priests, and these Pharisees, They sold lambs, and bullocks,
and rams, and turtledoves, and sheep, and all these things. They set up their tables in the
temple and sold these animals for sacrifices to people who
came from other nations. They were money changers. People
would come there from one country and had to change their money
so they could buy the thing. They had money changers, sellers
of goats, lambs, and turtledoves. They just filled the temple.
And our Lord came to the temple as a babe. He came to the temple
as a boy. He came to the temple as the
owner of that temple. And he plaited a whip. And he
watched them as they sold these things, money changers. And he
plaited a whip, listen, and he overthrew their tables. And the
money changers, and the seats of them they sold down. And he
said, get out of here. It's written my house to be called
a house of prayer. And you've made it a den of thieves. He came to the temple, didn't
he? Yes, he did. He came to the temple. All right, look at this Malachi
3 again. shall suddenly come to his temple,
his temple, his temple. Even the messenger of the covenant,
now John was the messenger of the Lord. He said, I'm not the
light, I bear witness to the light. John was his messenger,
but he's the Father's messenger. God who spake to our fathers
with the prophets has spoken to us by his son. And his son
is a messenger of the covenant. Not the covenant made with Noah.
I'll put a rainbow in the sky and never destroy the world by
water again. Not the covenant made with Abraham. I'll give
this land to you and your people forever. Not the Levitical covenant
built upon ceremonies and sacrifices. This is the everlasting covenant. He's the messenger. He's the
author. He's the builder. He's the revelator. He's the prophet. He's the surety
of that everlasting covenant. And his blood is the blood of
that covenant. He is the covenant. He's the
messenger of the covenant. And nobody will know anything
about that covenant of grace and mercy except he hears from
Christ. Hebrews 13, let's look at it
a minute. Hebrews 13. Listen to this. Hebrews 13, 20. Messenger of
the covenant. The prophet, author, revealer,
surety, finisher. He is the covenant. Hebrews 13,
20. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood
of the everlasting covenant, no beginning or end. make you
perfect in every good work to do his will, himself working
in you, that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ,
by Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever." Let me finish the verse, Malachi
3, the message of the covenant, whom you delight in, in whom you delight. The world
knew him not. These learned doctors listened
to that lad talk, and they knew him not. The Sanhedrin, the Pharisees,
the scribes, they knew him not. His own received him not, and
yet you and I delight in him, whom having not seen, we Though
now we see him not yet believing and rejoicing with joy unspeakable
and full of glory, my friend, this too is a miracle of God,
that we should believe in him. I'll read that to you, 1 Timothy
3. 1 Timothy 3. Turn over there. This is important
that I finish these next two statements. 1 Timothy 3. I'm
sure you've noticed this, 1 Timothy 3 verse 16, and without controversy,
without debate, great is the mystery of godliness. God was
manifest in the flesh. God was justified in the spirit,
vindicated. God in the flesh was seen of
the angels, ministered to by the angels. Every move he made
was announced by the angel. Preach to the Gentiles, not just
Jews, but Gentiles. Believe, John, in the world.
That's a miracle. That is a miracle. Who am I? Let's don't be too critical of
people who do not believe. If it weren't for His grace,
we wouldn't either. It's given unto us to believe
on Him. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of
the world. At least any man should be proud. But he asked this question, and
I close the message. Malachi 3, verse 2, he asked
this question. The messenger of the covenant,
whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. But who shall
abide the day of his coming? Who shall stand when he appears? Who will believe his words? Isaiah
said, Lord, he shall grow up as a tender plant, a root out
of dry ground. He hath no form, no comeliness,
no beauty. We should desire him. Who believes
our report? To whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed? Who's going to endure at his
coming? Who's going to believe him when he comes? He's the God-man. Who believes that? I do. I do. By his grace. His kingdom is not of this world.
It's a spiritual kingdom. It's not an earthly kingdom.
Who believes that? I believe that. His obedience and death is necessary
to enable God to be just and justify the understanding of
which men do not comprehend. I do. By His grace. Who shall abide? Who shall stand? He came to call sinners, not
the righteous. Do you believe that? Yes, I do.
His sovereign grace will cause division among religious people,
and bring priests to the hearts of his elect. Do you believe
that? He will not share his redemptive glory, but he shall have all
the preeminence, and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess
that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Who believes
that? As many as the Lord our God shall
call. You can't preach anything out
of here about Him that they don't welcome and receive. All right,
I hope that's a blessing to you. I know it is a blessing to you.
You love the Word. I know it is. I know. I don't
just hope it. I know it is. You can't get up
here and talk about Christ without this congregation rejoicing.
All right, Mike's going to sing the closing hymn. We started
the day. Remember what we started the
day with, the call to worship, how much I owe. How much I owe. I won't realize till I stand
in his presence how much I owe. It's been a good day. We're closing
the day now. We're going to talk about that
again. How much I owe. How much I owe.