Jim M Macfarlane
Malachi 3: 13-17
Luke 2: 22-27 (to “temple”), 36-38
3 John 1-4
I should like to say a few words about the way in which there can be that which pleases God in difficult times, in days of decline like those described in Malachi. The history of the people of God is one of periods of prosperity and public power followed by decline and public weakness. This is seen in the history of the children of Israel and it is evident in the public history of the church. We read in Numbers of the children of Israel moving with purpose towards the land of promise, after the deep moral experience which required them to look at the serpent of brass and then to drink of the springing well in chapter 21. They moved resolutely forward, their enemies collapsing before them. Once across the river Jordan, their way into the purpose of God for them was obstructed by Jericho and its wall was demolished by a display of the power of God, in which the people were directly involved, Josh 6. Immediately after this, there was failure at Ai as a result of disobedience at Jericho. Ai was finally taken, as the people submitted to the detailed direction of God. The subsequent history of Israel over many centuries is one of cycles of failure and consequent decline followed by periods of restoration, attributable ultimately to the faithfulness of God.
A dreadful state of affairs is described at the beginning of the passage which we have read in Malachi 3. Earlier in this book, we read of the way in which the people recognise the requirement for sacrifice but have the effrontery to offer to Jehovah those animals which were not a commercial proposition. It was essential that a sacrifice should be without blemish, in order to represent to God what He would find perfect in Christ. All this had been lost completely. The people evidently felt obliged to maintain a traditional sacrificial system but it had become one of mere ceremony and procedure and anything which was unfit for other use was considered adequate for this purpose. The period in which this was happening was one which followed the recovery in the time of Nehemiah, when two choirs stood in the house of God, the service of God proceeded and “God had made them to rejoice with great joy; and also the women and the children rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.” chap 12: 43. God’s words by Haggai and Zechariah indicate that the energy of the people in the things of God was beginning to diminish, probably very shortly after the high point described by Nehemiah. By the time of Malachi, the prophet had to say, “Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah; but ye say, What have we been speaking against thee? Ye say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we keep his charge .... we hold the proud for happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and they escape”. The people were saying, in effect, that you can do what you like and you will get away with it.
However, in times as bad as these, there were those who spoke very differently. They are identified as those “that feared Jehovah” and they have an attitude of mind and a manner of life that is in complete contrast to what existed around them. That they “spoke often one to another”, and they “thought upon his name”, seems to suggest a whole manner of life. Their personal lives and their dealings with one another were pervaded by the fear of Jehovah; and “Jehovah observed it, and heard”. The prophet then proceeds to describe how precious this was to God, saying, “And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure .... in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him”. These verses are more familiar to us than many passages in the prophets and the warmth of God’s appreciation of those described in them is a source of great encouragement for those who live in difficult times.
The holy Scriptures are largely silent as to the hundreds of years which elapsed between the time of Malachi and the time of Simeon and Anna, of whom we read in Luke’s gospel. Daniel refers to it, and secular history tells us that the people of God suffered very difficult times. The empire of Alexander the Great split ultimately into four kingdoms. At different times, the people of God were subjected to two of them and the land of Judah was a battleground between them. The domination of the kingdom to the north of the land of Israel brought particularly severe persecution and there is a partial fulfilment, during this period, of the prophecy of Daniel 11, which speaks of the profaning of the sanctuary and “the abomination that maketh desolate.” The history books tell us that the king to whom Daniel refers burned pigs on the temple altar and compelled the people of God to eat pig meat. In Matthew 24, from verse 15, the Lord refers to further fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy. We might well wonder what could survive centuries of oppression of such severity, which, no doubt, had the character of the government of God on prolonged moral deterioration. Luke gives us a view of what comes through these times. We have read about Simeon and Anna, but there was also what God had in Mary, Elizabeth, Zacharias, and “all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem”. Simeon “was just and pious” and had a divine communication “by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see the Lord’s Christ”. There are three references to the Holy Spirit in respect of Simeon within three verses: the Spirit was upon him, he was open to communication by the Spirit, and he entered the temple in the Spirit. We might ask what could come through centuries of decline: the excellence of what is found in Simeon provides an answer. Luke describes what took place in Herod’s temple, and we might wonder what could be said in its favour. However, Jesus was there and so was a faithful man who was completely under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Finally, he receives Jesus into his arms, blesses God and speaks of His salvation and the immense consequent scope of blessing for the whole of mankind. As we consider the emergence in Simeon of a vessel of such capacity from difficult days, may we find encouragement for our own times and circumstances.
I read in John’s third epistle because, a few decades into the Christian era, we find a man in prosperity of soul in spite of prevailing decline. There was evidence of this in his holding fast the truth, his walking in the truth and in his faithful work towards the brethren, even if they were strangers, in setting them forward on their journey in a way that was worthy of God. If those who came along were strangers, he would have to exercise discernment in respect of them and John is confident of Gaius’s capacity in this regard. John’s desire is that Gaius, in all things should “prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers”. What a commendation, that a standard of prosperity should be set by a brother’s state of soul! I have much for which to be grateful in my health and general prosperity, in the Father’s goodness. The evidence for this is clear and it might be thought of me that it would be good if there was as much evidence of prosperity of soul. How remarkable that the prominent feature with Gaius was his soul prosperity!
When John wrote to Gaius, the public power of Pentecostal days had passed, but the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost was still here fortifying believers like Gaius, a service which He has continued to render for nearly two millennia since that time. John refers to a specific difficulty with which Gaius had to contend. There was a brother who was exercising oppressive rule in the assembly. Diotrephes viewed the Christian circle as an environment for self-promotion. This is an evil which began early, as we see from Paul’s address to the elders in Ephesus in Acts 20. He had to take issue with it at Corinth and it has continued to beset collective Christian experience through two millennia. In spite of the difficulties set by Diotrephes, Gaius continues to have testimony borne to soul prosperity which allows John to rejoice exceedingly. He would seem not to be alone: less is said about Demetrius but he “has witness borne of him by all, and by the truth itself”, v 12. May such prosperity, even in difficult times, be the portion of each of us.
Dundee
10th January 2012