The Pulpit Commentary — Malachi — Section 26

HOMILETICS. Ver. 2.-0ur 'blessi'111!s oorsed. The cursing of blessings is e." strange work" to the blessed God," the Father of mercies," who rather delights to turn curses into blessings. We may note- I. THE CAUSES OF TBIS CURSE. It me.v be traced to two things. 1. A disreuard of the great end of life, " to glorify God." The motto of every creature, and esp~cially of every redeemed sinner, should be the.t of Ignatius Loyola in its best sense, "Ad majorem glorie.m Dei." No grander object ce.n be sought. To fail in the endeavour to "give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Ne.me" is to begin to lose "the promise" which godliness gives of both worlds. It empties our " blessings" of their true blessed- ness, and begins to corrupt them with a curse like- " The little pitted speck in garnered fruit, The.t rotting inward slowly moulders all." 2. Neglect of God's appeals and warnings. He remonstrates, as he did age.in e.nd age.in with the Jews, by his prophets. But if we neither hear nor heed, and will not le.y these warnings to heart, the corrupting process goes on, the curse is ripening, "the rod he.th blossomed ; pride he.th budded" ( cf. J er. vi. 16-20; Zech. i. 3-6; vii. 11-14). The remedies being cast aside, the disease holds on its course till " the whole head is sick.'' etc. (Isa. i. 5, 6). It is natural to God to sweeten the bitter waters of life e.nd to neutralize its poisons (2 Kings ii. 19-22; iv. 38-41). But sin reverses these miracles of mercy, e.nd constrains God to tnm our water into blood, our food into poison, to curse our blessings. II. THE SIGNS OF THIS CURSE. It may manifest itself in various ways; e.g.: 1. Withholding the gifts which God delights to bestow (Amos iv. 6-9; He.g, i. 9; eh. iii. 10, scarcity implied). 2. Withholding the power to enjoy the gifts which God does bestow. It may be the food of a wealthy invalid (Eccles. vi. 1, 2) or the money of a miser haunted by fear of the workhouse (Job xx. 22). The loss may be in the spiritual sphere-the power of receiving impressions of truth and duty may have been "taken away" (Matt. xiii. 12-15), because sinned away. The talents of e.n ungodly minister may be rather a curse than a blessing to him and to his flock, just as the blessings pro;10unced in words by these ungodly :r>riests (Numb. vi. 22-26) me.y have become practically curses to the people. 3. Blessings themselves may be turned i □ to curses. lliust. : The high wages of the working classes in recent years, and the ;'.eneral prosperity of the country, leading to a great increase of extravagance, self- iudulge □ ce, and intemperance. The blessing of enjoying free-will and the power of self-guidance and control may become a most terrible curse when we" lean on our own ur,dernta.nding" and pursue "a way which seemeth right" in our eyes, but the end wLereuf is death (Prov. xiv. 12; Ps. lxxx.i. 11, 12). Our highest privileges may CH, tt.1-11,] THE BOOK OF MALACBt.