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(Cont. from Page
831).
832.
MALACHI. (Cont.)
(Chapter 2. Verse 12)
Faithful
anointed sons of God are "sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel"
as members of the priesthood of God. (Rev 7:4.
5:9,10). But Jehovah will cut off from the "tents of Jacob"
any man acting as a priest who is "awake" to the
aforementioned profanations against God but allows them to continue, or is
"answering" by continuing to commit these offences after receiving
corrective instruction from God. Their "gift offerings" will not
be accepted by the Life-Giver Almighty God, and they will be cut off from Him.
Up to this point, we have studied Jehovah's complaint against those acting as
priests that say, "The table of Jehovah is something to be despised",
and have explained how they are 'saying' this.
(Verses 13-16)
Here Jehovah begins His second
complaint. Between Jehovah and His anointed priests on earth today there exists
a spiritual "altar", and upon it He sees before Him their priestly
service and their dealings before the people in His Name. But because the
dealings of unfaithful men acting as priests have been treacherous, even
toward their own wives, Jehovah refuses to receive their "gift offerings".
Because of their sins, Jehovah finds no pleasure in them. But each faithful
anointed son of God is "one who did not do it", including the
messenger of this pronouncement. They each have what is "remaining of the
Spirit", the "seed of God". That is why they must not act
treacherously toward the "wife of your covenant" and fabricate
reasons for divorcing them.
(Chapter 3. Verses 1-5)
Jehovah has sent
the Spirit of "Elijah" as His messenger to clear a way before Him,
to facilitate the removal of the spirit of uncleanness fostered by apostate
priests in the spiritual "land" of God. (4:5.
Zech 13:2). It means the removal of apostate priests of baal adulterating
themselves with the "children" of "that woman Jezebel".
(Rev 2:20 23). Then Jehovah, who is the true Lord, and Christ Jesus His
"messenger of the covenant" in whom faithful members of spiritual
"Israel" delight, will suddenly arrive. Because Christ will be
like the "fire of a refiner" in the spirits of all those in the
spiritual "land" of God, only those who have remained loyal in their service to
Jehovah will be able to put up with "the day of his coming" and
present to Jehovah a "gift offering" in righteousness. In that day
of Judgement, Jehovah will be a speedy witness against occupants of His
spiritual "land" who are found to be sorcerers, adulterers, swearing false oaths
to Him, defrauding wageworkers, widows and fatherless boys, and those who by
their words and deeds dissuade the "alien resident" from fearing
Jehovah and worshipping Him.
(Verses 6-8)
The spiritual requirements of
Jehovah and His eternal purpose remain unchanged. While on earth, those
called and chosen for priestly service must obey the regulations of God.
Because certain men considered to be among the "sons of Jacob"
have turned aside from the regulations of God, they have denied themselves
Jehovah's blessings. Jehovah will return to them only if they
return to Him by faithfully carrying out His regulations and stop robbing Him in
the "tenth parts" and in the "contributions".
(Verses 9&10)
Why would Jehovah say that those
acting as His priests are robbing Him in the "tenth parts" and in
the "contributions" robbing
the whole nation? These "tenth parts" are Spirit disciplines from
God issued to each member of the spiritual "body" of The Christ with their due
measure of accurate spiritual understandings ("contributions") to
offer in their service to God. Anyone disallowing these "contributions"
for the people and instead promoting unfit persons as "offerings"
to God, are not only robbing Jehovah, but all beloved people of God. Only when
apostate men and their spirit of uncleanness is removed from the spiritual
"land" of God, and all the "tenth parts" issued to faithful
anointed priests made public, will Jehovah open the "floodgates"
of heavenly blessings until there is no more want.
(Cont. on Page 833).
5/2/78.
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