~snapshot of week 7 of 10, BHT study~

Snapshot of week 7 of 10, Lesson 6: "Before His Throne" GCC Womens' Bible Study
Submitted by Leah Page on Fri, 10/30/2009 - 4:40pm

Welcoming the Lord's Discipline as his Kindness which leads to Repentance

Intro: "The Two Birds" ~ see previous post for text.


Part 1: We read through the first two chapters of Malachi and the first 5 verses of chapter 3, bringing us up to the verses comprising our study for this past week. Then started in with highlight of Malachi 2:17 ~

17You have wearied the LORD with your words Yet you say, "How have we wearied Him?"
In that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them,"
or, "Where is the God of justice?"

Or to put it another way ~
What's the point, God? You let the unrighteous get away with murder!
Why should we even bother with being righteous - what's it gonna get us?
If you were so concerned about justice and righteousness....
[dot dot dot]

(How often do we say, in effect, this same thing?!) These unfaithful ones receiving the Lord's rebuke in the book of Malachi (cf also end of book of Nehemiah for context) dare put the blame back on God! But it exposes their own hearts - in their accusation, they completely ignore the fact of their own unrighteousness, and expose their own sinful hearts - desiring the gifts rather than the Giver. (idolatry)

What is the root cause of their idolatry? (cf Malachi 3:5 ...they do not fear the Lord.)

In chapter three, the Lord begins to move from his REBUKE to his PROMISE, and we see mention of this one who will come to prepare the way of the Lord (Malachi 3:1) - So we visited the New Testament, and took a look at Matthew 3:1-3 regarding who was this messenger to clear the way for the Lord? John the Baptizer - and what was his Gospel message and why: "Repent! for the kingdom of God is at hand!" It is the cry for repentance that is the means by which the people are made ready for the Lord (see also Luke 1:13-17). Said again, Repentance! prepares the way of the Lord. (I think it has been credited to Martin Luther, as no doubt many other faithful followers of Christ, for saying that a believer ought to be "always repenting.")

Part 2: Getting into Malachi 3:2-3, we started to break this down - what is the means by which God (in his kindness!) leads people to repentance?

Threefold:

Disciplines us as sons (Hebrews 12:4-11)
Refines / Purifies us as Silver (James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9)
Enables us to endure Sufferings as Christ (John 15:8-10, John 16:32-33)

df. "refine"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/refine

1.
to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities: to refine metal, sugar, or petroleum.

2.
to purify from what is coarse, vulgar, or debasing; make elegant or cultured.

3.
to bring to a finer state or form by purifying.

4.
to make more fine, subtle, or precise: to refine one's writing style.

–verb (used without object)

5.
to become pure.

6.
to become more fine, elegant, or polished.

7.
to make fine distinctions in thought or language.

—Verb phrase

8.
refine on or upon, to improve by inserting finer distinctions, superior elements, etc.: to refine on one's previous work.


df. "purify"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/purify
–verb

1.
to make pure; free from anything that debases, pollutes, adulterates, or contaminates: to purify metals.

2.
to free from foreign, extraneous, or objectionable elements: to purify a language.

3.
to free from guilt or evil.

4.
to clear or purge (usually fol. by of or from).

5.
to make clean for ceremonial or ritual use.

(used with object)
–verb (used without object)

6.
to become pure.


Lastly - we didn't have a chance to get into this very much Wednesday night, but our week of study lands on Malachi 3:3-5 and I wish we would have had the time to break this down.

Please take a moment to again read these verses, and then ask, "What does the Lord promise to do for his people in these verses?"

Then ask, "What are the after-effects of what the Lord does?"

Here's a hint ~
Once again, we are talking about: what pleases the Lord? what kind of sacrifice pleases the Lord?

And just for good measure, because we cannot repeat this too much, how are we made to be a sacrifice which is pleasing to the Lord? (Ephesians 1:3-8; Hebrews 9:13-14)

Blessings as you continue in your studies this week, ladies!
~Leah

Groups: Women of Grace