The Best Sacrifice

The Lord used a great prophet, Malachi, to talk to Israel for him concerning their repentance. The Lord wanted Malachi to tell Israel that he loved them very much. But if he was their father, where was his honor? And if he was their master, where was their fear. You would think after God won so many battles for them, they would honor him. If he really caused all those plagues in Egypt, and parted the red sea, and did many other wonders in their sight, why wouldn’t they fear him? God sure didn’t feel like he was their Father, nor their Master. They did not treat God right at all. In fact, they started to pollute the alter of God. They polluted the alter of God by not offering their very best to God. They started bringing in the sickly, the blind, and the lame and offering them to God. They wanted to keep the best for themselves. They offered things to God, that they wouldn’t dare offer to a King or Governor. Boy, how do you think God Almighty felt? How low could they get?

But you know, we do that too. We don’t always give God the best, do we? He deserves our best, but very seldom does he get it. How do you think God feels when he receives second best, and sometimes even third and fourth best? You know what God said about their offerings? Malachi 1: 10, God says, “ I have no pleasure in you, and neither will I accept an offering at your hand.”
I wonder, does God say that about our prayers and offerings sometimes? Something good to think about, huh? That’s like eating a golden ripe banana, and offering the peel to God, or eating a sandwich, and leaving the crust for God. God almighty is the one who gave you all things, and you’re going to leave him the peel, and the crust? That’s just what the Children of Israel did. God is the one who gave them all those goats, sheep, and cattle. Let us never forget where our blessings come from, and always offer God our best.

Well, in the very next verse God says that from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the sun, his name was going to be great among the Gentiles, (that’s us.) God told the Jews through Malachi, that he was finished with them, and was now turning to the heathen. Boy, I’m so glad God decided to give us a chance, aren’t you? The Bible says that his name would be great among the Gentiles. His name is still great with me. In churches all around the country his name is still great.

The Bible says in chapter two, verse thirteen, that they cover the alter weeping and crying out to God, but he will not regard them or receive their offerings. Do you know that today the Jews are still trying to offer sacrifices to God. They are still crying out and weeping over alters, but God will not hear them even today because they are not offering the right sacrifice to God. There is only one perfect sacrifice for sin today, and that’s Jesus Christ.

The Bible says in Hebrews chapter ten, and we will start with verse ten and go to verse nineteen. “ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. “

Praise God for the blood of Jesus Christ, the offering that was offered one time for all of our sins. The Jews need that offering today, nothing else will do for them.

God has been so good to us. He gave us his very best. Nothing could be greater than his own Son Jesus Christ. God Almighty gave us his very best as a sacrifice for our sin. Shouldn’t we give back our best for him?