“My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Incense and pure offerings will be presented in my name in every place because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of Armies.
“But you are profaning it when you say, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible.’
Malachi 1:11-12
Last time we continued on with Malachi’s prophetic burden directed at the priests, grateful for a gospel which we cannot earn, but a call to be missional we can’t ignore. Today we see more clearly some of the “why” behind this rebuke.
For from the rising (mizrach – the place of the sunrise, from the root word zarach – to rise, come forth, shine) of the sun (shemesh – sun rising; From an unused root meaning to be brilliant; by implication, the east).
This one strikes me deeply as we got up before 6:00 this morning to catch the sunrise on the beach. Brilliant is an understatement.
“From the place of its going down:”
Mabo – entrance, a coming in, entering, place of its setting, sunset, west.
“Great shall be my name:”
Gadol – great, high, prominent from gadal – grow up, advance, magnify, promote.
And shem from last time – fame, renown, report, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character; possibly “from sum [through the idea of conspicuous position]- to place, appoint, pay attention, required.”
“From the coming forth of brilliant rays to the place they set and begin again on the other side of the globe, high and promoted shall be My fame. Magnified, utterly conspicuous, none can miss it among the nations.”
“And in every place incense shall be offered to my name:”
Incense here is qatar – burn incense, sacrifice upon, kindle…the idea of fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants; Turn into fragrance by fire, especially as an act of worship; denominative verb of qetoreth – smoke, odor of burning sacrifice incense.
In every place His uniqueness and renown will have incense presented. A Name which represents a Being so holy, we cannot stand in His presence. Smoke and holiness sound familiar:
When Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
The priests were not able to enter the Lord’s temple because the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord.
All the Israelites were watching when the fire descended and the glory of the Lord came on the temple. They bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground.
They worshiped and praised the Lord:
For he is good,
for his faithful love endures forever.
2 Chronicles 7:1-3
Incense also sounds familiar. Did you catch that part of the definition: “Turn into fragrance by fire?”
When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.
Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slaughtered,
and you purchased people
for God by your blood
from every tribe and language
and people and nation.
You made them a kingdom
and priests to our God,
and they will reign on the earth
Revelation 5:8-10
The prayers of the saints are a lovely fragrance to Him. And how much more when they’re lit by the fire of suffering, adversity, grief? As I saw on social media yesterday by a widower, “Prayers from a broken heart hit different.”
“…and a pure offering:” Pure is tahor – clean, fair, pure, and offering is minchah from last time- gift, tribute, offering, sacrifice [bloodless and voluntary].
This one is difficult as it is in direct contrast to the offerings the priests have been giving. The Lord just two verses ago said He wouldn’t accept such minchah from them and wants them to shut the door to the Temple. But, just like all things that involve the One Who set everything in motion, the right offering will be sacrificed. The incense will be burned. His Name will be praised.
He is holy; there is no other way. Even the rocks cry out.
I thought about ending this section here, focusing purely on the certainty of the worship of Yahweh among all nations. But, as this is a prophetic burden, and the thought is not yet complete, it seemed right to continue.
“But you profane it:” You is attah – you yourselves, and profane is chalal – to pierce.
Something about that “pierce” in this context makes me think of the times Yahweh behaves like a wounded Lover in the Word, betrayed by His people.
“in that you say the table of the Lord is defiled:” Lord here is our Adonay, and defiled is gaal – defiled, stained.
“and its fruit, its food, is contemptible.” Fruit is nob – fruit, produce, which comes from nub – to bear fruit, flourish, flow, increase, make cheerful. Food is okel – eating, food, mealtime, meat, prey, and contemptible is bazah – careless, contempt, despicable, despise, disdained, think to scorn, vile person, to disesteem.
But you yourselves, My own people, pierce My name. You say Adonay’s table is stained, its produce and meal vile.
I wonder if the people thought to themselves, “When have we ever said that?”
Perhaps those words had been uttered, but more than likely, His renown was being pierced in the way we explored the past two sections: by directly disobeying what was offered to Him in Temple.
If we, if I, have idols which need to topple, may we cooperate with God in doing so. May what happens among us personally and communally never be portrayed as a stained table or vile meal.
The table of our Adonai was offered to us by laying on it Himself as sacrifice. The meal we eat, His blood and body, is the ultimate pure offering. May we never treat it carelessly or contribute to it appearing contemptible to a watching world. But may its effect on our lives flourish, flow into the world by His Spirit, and bear much fruit as we abide.