Malachi, 1
2. I have loved you, says the LORD; but you say, "How have you loved us?"
2. I have loved you, says the LORD; but you say, "How have you loved us?"
Malachi 1 is a chapter that talks about the lack of reverence and proper worship that the people of Israel were offering God. The priests were bringing sick and crippled animals to be offered in sacrifice rather than healthy and perfect animals. God rebuked the people for this attitude and warned of the consequences of their disobedience. Here are five verses related to the topics addressed in Malachi 1:
Deuteronomy 15:21: "But if there is any defect in Him, like wearing or blind, or any serious defect, you will not sacrifice it to the Lord your God." This verse talks about the importance of bringing sacrifices without defect to God, which is an important theme in Malachi 1. He shows that this expectation was known and observed since the days of Moses.
Leviticus 22:21: "Anyone who offers a sacrifice of communion to the Lord must offer him from his own will and acceptably; it must be without defect, without spot or defect." This verse talks about the offer of accepted sacrifices to God and is relevant to the rebuke God made in Malachi 1 about the crippled animals that were being brought to the temple.
Isaiah 43:22-24: "But you did not invoke me, O Jacob; you did not give me work, O Israel. This did not bring me lambs to your burnt offering, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I did not make you serve with offers, I didn't even get tired with incense. " This verse shows the lack of proper worship that the people of Israel were offering God, which is a central theme in Malachi 1.
Jeremiah 33:18: "It will not even lack the levites man before me, to offer holocausts, and burn cereal offerings, and to make sacrifices every day." This verse talks about the importance of priests in offering God's appropriate sacrifices and is relevant to the message of Malachi 1 about priests who were offering inappropriate sacrifices.
Psalm 51:17: "God's sacrifices are the broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou shalt not despise." This verse talks about the importance of the broken and contrite heart in worship of God. It is relevant to the message of Malachi 1 about the importance of offering sacrifices that are truly acceptable to God, not just healthy animals, but the worshiper's heart as well.
“Deus não opera prodígios onde não há fé.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina