Mal 1:2 | KingComments | STEP | Malachi speaks to the people in a dialogue. The prophecy begins with the heartwarming declaration of God’s love for His people ( ). Before the consciences are addressed, God wants to touch the heart of His people. We see this also in the last message of John in Revelation 2-3, specifically to the lukewarm Laodicea. It is precisely to Laodicea that the Lord speaks about “those whom I love” ( ). But the reaction of the people, precisely on this expression of God’s love, shows the depraved state of the people. Because they do not experience that love, they raise the question how that love has been shown. The thought does not occur to them to look for the cause of this in themselves. They feel abandoned by God. They are also satisfied with themselves and that goes together with being dissatisfied with God. The question how that love would have been shown is the root of sin. It is not a sincere question, but a rebellious one, an audacity. They challenge God to prove that He loves them, as if all the evidence they have experienced is of no meaning. Would we dare to say something like that? We too are in danger of saying: ‘If God loves me, why does He allow misery in my life?’ If we think negatively and only see decline, we don’t know that love. We do not belong to the Lord because we have loved Him, but because He has loved us and made us His own. In His answer to their question about His love, the LORD asks them a question. It concerns the relationship between their ancestor Jacob and his brother Esau. God speaks of Esau as “Jacob’s brother”. In doing so He places special emphasis on the relationship between their ancestor Jacob and Esau. He asks it as a question, and of course they know it to be so. But in the light of their cheeky question about His love, it must become clear to them what an enormous difference there is between Jacob and Esau in their relationship to God. Although Esau was the oldest and as the firstborn was entitled to the inheritance, the love of God went out to Jacob. That was not because Jacob was more attractive to God than Esau, but because God chose to love Jacob. Jacob was the object of God's elective love. He showed this in the whole history of Jacob personally and in that of his offspring. The people have reacted to this love time and time again with unfaithfulness. In spite of that, a remnant of the people still lives in Jerusalem, with a temple and an altar.

‏ Malachi 1:2

A Declaration of Love

Malachi speaks to the people in a dialogue. The prophecy begins with the heartwarming declaration of God’s love for His people (Deu 10:15 ; Deu 33:3). Before the consciences are addressed, God wants to touch the heart of His people. We see this also in the last message of John in Revelation 2-3, specifically to the lukewarm Laodicea. It is precisely to Laodicea that the Lord speaks about “those whom I love” (Rev 3:19).

But the reaction of the people, precisely on this expression of God’s love, shows the depraved state of the people. Because they do not experience that love, they raise the question how that love has been shown. The thought does not occur to them to look for the cause of this in themselves. They feel abandoned by God. They are also satisfied with themselves and that goes together with being dissatisfied with God.

The question how that love would have been shown is the root of sin. It is not a sincere question, but a rebellious one, an audacity. They challenge God to prove that He loves them, as if all the evidence they have experienced is of no meaning.

Would we dare to say something like that? We too are in danger of saying: ‘If God loves me, why does He allow misery in my life?’ If we think negatively and only see decline, we don’t know that love. We do not belong to the Lord because we have loved Him, but because He has loved us and made us His own.

In His answer to their question about His love, the LORD asks them a question. It concerns the relationship between their ancestor Jacob and his brother Esau. God speaks of Esau as “Jacob’s brother”. In doing so He places special emphasis on the relationship between their ancestor Jacob and Esau. He asks it as a question, and of course they know it to be so. But in the light of their cheeky question about His love, it must become clear to them what an enormous difference there is between Jacob and Esau in their relationship to God.

Although Esau was the oldest and as the firstborn was entitled to the inheritance, the love of God went out to Jacob. That was not because Jacob was more attractive to God than Esau, but because God chose to love Jacob. Jacob was the object of God's elective love. He showed this in the whole history of Jacob personally and in that of his offspring. The people have reacted to this love time and time again with unfaithfulness. In spite of that, a remnant of the people still lives in Jerusalem, with a temple and an altar.