Mercy, Not Sacrifice

<p>In the book of Malachi, we see God’s chosen people imploring Him to be gracious to them even while they keep disrespecting Him and showing contempt for His commands.</p><p>.</p><p>By God’s law, they are to make unblemished animal sacrifices to God for their sins. Instead, they sacrifice blind, diseased, and injured animals. Even the priests offer God what they themselves do not want. God tells them He wants the whole tithe and offering from them, not leftover bits. He also calls out people who have broken faith by marrying unbelievers or divorcing their spouses without reason.</p><p>.</p><p>The actions of the people suggest that what they want is a savior, not a lord. They seek a cosmic genie to do their bidding rather than the ruler of the universe to rule their hearts. They don’t want to love God and their neighbor, and so they break God’s commands, ignoring Him and disregarding the vulnerable in their midst.</p><p>.</p><p>But God knows what’s going on in their hearts. In this last book of the Old Testament, He points to the Savior and Lord the people need: Jesus. Jesus will be the sinless, unblemished sacrifice people need to receive forgiveness for their sins and attain eternal life with God. God will make this sacrifice because He loves us. Jesus will die for us willingly, and once Jesus is sacrificed for the sins of all, the old laws with animal sacrifices will be fulfilled. People who put their trust in Jesus, believing He died and rose again, will be transformed by the Holy Spirit and be able to lead God-pleasing lives under grace and mercy, not sacrifice. • Ronica Stromberg</p><p>.</p><p>• How does the book of Malachi make it clear that everyone has fallen short of loving God and loving their neighbor? (If you want to dig deeper, read Matthew 22:36-40 and Romans 3:23.)</p><p>.</p><p>• How does Malachi point to Jesus, the Son of God, who has made the only way for us to have a right relationship with God? </p><p>.</p><p>“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offe