IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

The Lord's Messenger Will Prepare the Way

Date: Jun. 29, 2021

Passage

Malachi 2:17-3:12 (ESV)

17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 2:3:1a

Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.

1. He will sit as refiner and purifier (2:17-3:5)

The Israelites had wearied the Lord because they didn't think the Lord cared about justice. But the Lord would send his messenger to prepare the way for him to come and purify and refine the Levites. After he has done this, the Lord would find acceptable the offerings of his people. The Lord would put his people on trial and testify against their wickedness. This messenger is Jesus. He came to purify us of our sins that the Lord may find us righteous.

2. 'Return to me…' (3:6-12)

Even though the Lord's people were continually disobedient, the Lord did not destroy them. The Lord's mercy saved them. The Lord's mercy is eternal. He never changes. All he asked is that they repent and return to him. They could show their repentance with their tithes. We can show our repentance with what we offer to the Lord. When the Lord's people repent, the Lord blesses them abundantly.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus, whom you sent to refine and purify us. Help us repent and return to you.

One Word: Return to the Lord and he will return to us.

Daily Bread

Countless Saved from God’s Wrath by the Blood of the Lamb

Revelation 7:1-17

Key Verse: 7:9-10

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

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