The Pulpit Commentary — Malachi — Section 55

Ver. S.-Defraudimg God. The people of Malachi's d11.ys met his reproof in a. quibbling and self-justifying spirit. Men who are self-satisfied can resist all appeal. Religious formalities have this as their supreme peril-they satisfy men, and prevent them from feeling moral and spiritual anxieties, and ·from responding to moral and spiritual demands. These men could not see that there was any sense in which the:r were depriving God of his rights. The prophet puts his finger on one thing. That suffices to prove his accusation. They were withholding and limiting the tithes and offerings due to God's house. How could citizens be loyal who neglected to pe..y in those taxes of the king which were the very sign of loyalty? "One might reasonably think such a presumption could not enter into any man's thoughts, as to rob God of those things which a.re dedicated to his service; when he considers that he bath received all things from him, and therefore ought in gratitude to set apart some share of his subst.ance for the maintaining of his worship and the public exercises of religion"· (Louth). Consider- - 1 •, I. WHAT GoD's CLADIS ON HEN ARE. 1. His natural claims, as the Author, Designer, Creator, practical Arranger of man's body, life, relatiotl's, and associations. See the rights of a man in the honse he builds, the garden he 111.ys out, the machine he makes, the child he rears. Of everything that a man does he expects some appropriate form of return. 2. His revelational claims. Israel was under special obligation because it bad received special revelation. 3. His experimental claims. He had gained rights, and reasonably formed expectations, out of his pitiful and gracious dealings through long years. II. ON WHAT BASIS DO Gon's CLAIMS XEBT. Not merely the supreme rights of Deity; but here especially man's own acceptance of his claims. Claims are sterner things when they are both made and accepted. . , III. How GoD'B CLAilllS HAY BE NEGLEOTED OB REFUSED. 1. By the delusion· that those claims have been relaxed. 2. By the hope that something can: be put in place of obedience to them. 3. By sheer listlessness. 4. By persistent wilfulness. 5 .. But it is more subtle and see.rching to say-God's claims are now chiefly missed through man's over-occupation. The world and self fill men up. IV. How IB SUCH m:GLEOT OP GoD's CLAIMS TO BE DEALT WITH? 1. Call it by its right name--robbiDg God. 2. Bring discipline to bear upon the neglecters, eto.-'R T. Ver. 10.-&ognitwn of pra.di,caJ, penitence. "Bring ye all the tithes into the ~torebouse." All must include those which ought to have been brought and bad not.· lt was the paying up of old debts which would show the practical and sincere charactor of tbe peniteoce. Sin brings its own punishment. God will treat us relatively to our rreatment of him. He recompensed this restored nation of Israel according to their doings. He blighted their fields and blemished _their flocks, so that the land groaned beneath the curse. The only way to remove the evil was for the people to turn from the evil of their way. The sign of such return would be an earnest effort to fulfil their religious obligations. Of such fulfilment the offering of tithes might be a repre- sentRtive in.stance. "· .:._·HE MOR.AL HELPLE8SNE88 OF SENTlllENT.AL PENITENCE, Remorse is the cariC:L- ctt. Ill. 1-18,) THE BOOK, OF /,MALACHI. 55