Jude 24-25
²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

ISRAEL’S POLLUTED OFFERINGS
MALACHI 1:6-14

A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ ⁷You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised.’ ⁸But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. ⁹“But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. ¹⁰“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you. ¹¹For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts. ¹²But you are profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is defiled. And as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ ^13” You also say, my how tiresome it is! And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery, and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD. ¹⁴ But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock, and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the LORD, for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and My name is feared among the nations.”                                    

Vs. 6 A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And i am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name? The people of Moses day were taught that they were the children of God and He was their Father, do you thus repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you (Deuteronomy 32:6). Then later in time He reminded Israel, to honor your father and mother (Exodus 20:12). Now if we have God’s Word instructing us to honor physical fathers, and our spiritual Father, do these priests in Malachi’s day have any excuse for their lack of honoring God? Servants will respect their masters. This situation has existed since the remnant returned from captivity with a few exceptions remember them O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood (Nehemiah 13:29). The priests under the covenant made between God and Levi were responsible to provide leadership by bringing God’s Word to the people and restoring proper worship and conducting the sacrifices. The question they ask the LORD when accused of despising His name reveals their ignorance. O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name? What are you really doing? A son honors his father this is just natural, where is My honor? Where is your fear of God? These erring priests should know two things that should convict them (1) Know that the LORD He is God; It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves (Psalm 100:3). (2) Cursed be the one who does the LORD’S work with deceit (Jeremiah 48:10).These priests are either completely ignorant of their duties (as priests) or they don’t care!

Vs. 7 You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised. The term defiled food was to be offered upon My altar making the table of the LORD to be despised. When any Israelite presents a sacrifice to the LORD to fulfill a vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or having a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the LORD, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the LORD (Leviticus 22:21-22).These offerings were to represent the Lord Jesus Christ, these priests were absolutely wrong. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You? A very bold expression which many in our day use when questioned regarding some action they have taken that is contrary to the revealed will of God.

Vs. 8 “But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. For emphasis the LORD presents the blind, the lame and the sick animals as evil, we have seen this in the previous verse, but now we have the matter spelled out clearly: if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness  or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 15:21). Anytime the Lord spells a matter out twice it is time to set up and pay attention. The priests were to instruct the people as to those animals they could offer for sacrifice, but it is obvious they were not doing it. When they accepted what was forbidden it is evil, or sin. Why not offer it to your governor? He would not be pleased with you or receive you kindly. The priests did not correct the people, they looked upon this as a way to make the sacrifice and get rid of that which nobody wanted, in their mind the height of efficiency and they were proud of it, but it was sin. Notice it is the LORD that is speaking to the priests.

Vs. 9 “But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. It appears that Malachi is the one speaking to the priests, by direction of the LORD, he asks will He receive any of you kindly. In an attempt to reveal to the priests their sin Malachi appears to try and search their hearts regarding their sins. It may be that the LORD looking for repentance by the priest’s desires to be gracious to the remnant in this matter.

Vs. 10 “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you. The LORD calls out for the doors to the temple to be closed and no fire be kindled on His altar. We read in 2 Chronicles 28:24 King Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD. This was Ahaz’s sin; but God in His displeasure with the priests says, “I am not pleased with you,” quit playing at religion.  Close the temple up as I will not accept an offering from you.

Vs. 11 “For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts. The sacrifices offered by the people were corrupt, the priests should never have accepted them, and Malachi speaks the LORDS word to all the Jews. The prophet tells them, the LORDS name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure, aprophecy of the sweet odor of the Lord Jesus Christ coming on the scene pleasing the Father. For My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts. The Son of God comes on the scene, without blemish, a unique perfect Lamb of God and offers Himself up a perfect  sacrifice made on the altar of the cross to redeem all of His people the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world, a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Vs. 12 “But you are profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ If the priests had been faithful in their duties, they would have had no complaints. You say, ‘the table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised; the word translated fruit, is sometimes used for speech in that you say, ‘the table of the Lord is defiled. Some commentators are of the opinion the priests were talking about the Word of God which commanded these sacrifices and the priests were to receive their portion from the altar. It would appear the priests expected God to perform a miracle and turn the garbage they had offered into fit food for them to eat.

Vs. 13 You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring that was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so, you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD. The service of the LORD is its own reward, but these priests were saying My, how tiresome it is! The priests had the unmitigated gall to disdainfully sniff at it expressing contempt, “why you bring that was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick, should I receive that from your hand?” Says the LORD. At this time in history, the Ceremonial Law was still in effect, and the priests were not only to obey it, but teach the people its precepts. The animals offered were either stolen or lame or sick, no one had cared for them so when they were taken from being boiled there was not much to them. The priests are found to be saying my, how tiresome it is to stand here and burn these worthless animals all day long, they turned up their nose and disdainfully sniff at it. They remind me of a spoiled child that wants to have his way without realizing what he is doing. Vs. 14 But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations.” The LORD calls a man that has a male in his flock and vows it but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord a swindler. There was no requirement for a man to make a vow, therefore the only reason a man would vow and bring a blemished animal would be to make a show to others as to what he is going to do, God looks on the heart and saw a hypocritical liar. Later in the New Testament we find Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit which cost them their lives. The LORD whose name is Jealous is great King!