Thursday, November 7, 2013

Malachi and the Windows of Heaven

Malachi delivered a message which is especially meant for today's priests. “O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces… and ye shall know that I have sent this commandment to you (Malachi 2:1-4).” This announcement is purposed to get the attention of righteous priests, and cause them to listen to God's messengers, for these words verify that priests who are refusing to receive the newly revealed truths of prophecy, are already being punished. This book is God's testimony wherein he lifted his hand and sworn that he is grieved against priests, and that he will correct them. The covenant message, is, in essence, God's voice, for it rehearses God's very words. Wherefore every priest who refuses to hear and receive the newly revealed truths of the covenant message will suffer God's affliction, for they have irresponsibly withheld truth from the people, and they given the congregation over to the end time pestilences.

In the testimony which God delivered through Malachi, God spoke directly unto priests asking them why they are doing things which displease and grieve him: Why do you offer up incomplete truth's in your sermons (Malachi 1:8)? Why are you more loyal to your religion than to your God (Malachi 2:11)? Why do you despise the newly revealed truths of prophecy, and profane your covenant (Malachi 1:7; 2:10; Joshua 1:8-9)? “The Lord will cut off the man that does this (Malachi 2:12).” Priests are called to stand before God's people with a clean heart, and with a pure conscience. Many of today's priests have already heard the newly revealed truths of prophecy as well as the instruction of God's word, and yet they continue to stand before God's people and promote religion's lies. This is abomination (Ezekiel 34:2). “Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off (Zephaniah 3:7).” Priests who claim to be a child of God should believe the evidences of scripture, and they should do all things according to God's word.

God informed his people that he would send them a prophet before the great and terrible day of his coming. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5)." This is evidence, so hear this evidence and believe God. The prophet whom God promised to send was to be a messenger who would deliver the covenant message. "I will send my messenger… even the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1)." This is the message of the covenant: for it boldly declares the new covenant, and along with that news came the newly revealed understandings of prophecy, and all of this was delivered before the great and terrible day of his coming. In other words, God's prophecy concerning Elijah has been fulfilled. "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness (Malachi 3:3)." The objective of this message is to change the hearts and minds of believing priests, so that they might acknowledge their offense, change their teachings, and get God's people prepared and ready for that day (Psalms 13:3).

“Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; Lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited (Jeremiah 6:8).” The counsel and instruction of the covenant message is awarded to priests for their good, and for the good of all of God's people. “Whoso loves instruction loves knowledge (Proverbs 12:1).” God caused the understandings of prophecy to be sealed up and misunderstood until the day that he clarified their true meaning (Isaiah 48:8; Ezekiel 21:27). So priests had no way of accurately knowing everything that was prophesied to come upon believers at the time of the end. Therefore forget everything that was previously taught and believed about end times, for end times will be according to the newly revealed truths of prophecy. Believers will need to study and pray for wisdom and understanding: for God intends to destroy every false and mistaken belief of every religion. Don't presume to know anything. Find evidence of everything in his word. “The soul that does presumptuously… the same reproaches the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him (Numbers 15:30-31).”

The curse which will come upon the priests who continue to ignore or reject the revealed truths of prophecy, was eluded to, and prophesied about, throughout the testimonies of God's word. Here are some of the evidences: "O ye priests... I will even send a curse upon you  (Malachi 2:2)." "Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats (Zechariah 10:3)." "All the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them (Ezekiel 39:21)." "Thou shalt mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof (Proverbs 5:11-12)." God will afflict the face of every priest who refuses to accept his end time truths, but Christianity's rebellious priests will be the first ones that will suffer his correction. "What is the vine tree more than any tree (Ezekiel 15:2)." "Judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God (1Peter 4:17)?" "Be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation (James 3:1).” "They shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh (Isaiah 66:24).""O ye priests... I will... spread dung upon your faces (Malachi 2:3)."

The covenant message has shown evidence that God groups likeminded believers together as one body of believers, calling them by one parable name. Malachi's prophecy concerning Elijah is an example of God calling many people by one name. The wilderness is what caused these believers to be grouped together in likemindedness with Elijah (John 1:23). "The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Isaiah 40:3)." To truly understand the prophecy concerning Elijah, believers must learn the parable of the wilderness: "Who can cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man (Job 38:26)?" God caused a rain to come down upon earth in the form of understanding, and it fell in a place where no man was: in a place where it was said, there is no way. "I will make a way in the wilderness (Isaiah 43:19)." "Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring forth (Joel 2:22)." The word 'wilderness,' in prophecy, pertains to every unaccepted believer who goes against the majority and its traditional way of thinking, and who ventures out to question the truths and beliefs which are being taught in today's pulpits. Believers who are in the wilderness are searching through God's word, and they are relying upon God for answers to their questions. "I make rivers in the wilderness (Isaiah 50:2)." Just one other quick little side note: the word, river, is another parable word in prophecy, and it signifies that the truth of God's word is flowing freely out of the mouths of his people. Therefore, in saying that rivers will flow from the wilderness, the implication is that priests will be teaching some of the newly revealed truths of prophecy, and their lessons will be flowing out from places wherein believers once thought: There is no way (Ezekiel chapter 47).

"Judgment shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field (Isaiah 32:16)." For a time religion will stay intact, and it may even thrive, but the seeds of God's ways have already been planted in the place where it is said, "There is no way." "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree… That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel created it (Isaiah 41:19-20)." The names of these four trees represent believers of the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths, as well as the priesthood; for these believers are the messengers who are grouped together under the name of Elijah, and they are bringing forth the covenant message. God planted them in the wilderness, therefore the wilderness will blossom and burst forth, in his time. “He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody (Isaiah 51:3).”

As soon as the covenant message is openly being heard and proclaimed, the parable of the wilderness undergoes a horrific change: for the threat which God made against religion, will be validated: "Plead with your mother, plead… Lest I strip her naked… and make her as a wilderness (Hosea 2:2-3)." Rebellious believers will find themselves cast out of God's presence, and they will become the unaccepted and despised minority in the wilderness. "I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger (Jeremiah 4:26)." "Who is the wise man, that may understand this? Who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perishes and is burned up like a wilderness, that none pass through (Jeremiah 9:12)?" "Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness (Jeremiah 12:10)." The work of studying the scriptures and searching to find out God's answers concerning the prophecies of end times, will be transferred from believers of the covenant message, unto those who are still cleaving to the traditional beliefs of religion.

A prayer revealing the hearts of the remnant who stand firm and continue to promote their religious beliefs, is recorded in the book of Isaiah: “Lord, thou art our father… Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold… we are thy people. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? Wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore (Isaiah 64:8-12).” God has not forsaken these believers, however they will be required to convert their understandings, as well as their teachings. "Except you be converted... ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3)." "Ye have done all this wickedness… Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both you and your king (1Samuel 12:20; 20:24-25)."

In the book of Malachi, God indicates that he hates the rebellion of the deceived. Before contemplating this truth, note that the parable word "dragon," in prophecy, pertains to priests who are telling lies (Jeremiah 5:14).  "I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness (Malachi 1:3)." This verse is testifying that God hates the rebellious, for God only hates those people who hate him. Esau's name in prophecy represents people who have never truly known the Lord, therefore they hate the righteous and despise hearing the newly revealed truths of prophecy (Genesis 25:34). God is angry with everyone that rebels against his word. "I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein (Amos 6:8)." "I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant (Jeremiah 9:11)." These verses verify God's anger, as well as his impartiality, for Jerusalem is the mother of us all, and her name in prophecy, represents believers of all four of the nations of Abraham (Galatians 4:26). Judah's name in prophecy, represents the priesthood (Psalm 60:7). Scripture also testifies that God's wrath is against Babylon, whose name represents backslidden believers. Babylon will be cut off, and it will remain desolate, for ever (Jeremiah 51:60-62). God is not a respecter of persons, therefore he is against the mistaken beliefs of every nation. "For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it (Jeremiah 4:28)." "Who hath disposed the whole world (Job 34:13)?"

"Saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Obadiah 21)." These words insinuate that people will learn the truth, and then they will come up to help guide and correct Esau. Are you among the stubborn and rebellious unbelievers that are grouped together under the parable name of "Esau?" These scorners refuse to accept and believe that God allowed faithful believers from all four of the nations of Abraham to inherit salvation, wherefore they need to hear and receive the evidence: God testified that Ishmael, who was the beginning of the Islamic faith, would become a great nation (Genesis 21:18). Factor into that his commandment concerning the birthright of the firstborn: "Ye may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed firstborn (Deuteronomy 21:16)." Would God, who chose faithful Abraham, and who established a covenant with him and with his seed, and who swore that he would be their God if they would be circumcised, would he turn and make void his promise by refusing to allow the circumcised sons of Ishmael and Esau to come into his presence (Genesis 17:7-14)? Islam's fathers refused to receive instruction, and they were recompensed for their err: Islam was given statutes which were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live (Ezekiel 20:25; Jeremiah 16:2-12; 43:7; 44:26-28). However, God swore that the sons of the wicked would not be liable for their father’s mistakes (Ezekiel chapter 18). Would God, who is a just, banish a faithful Islamic believer, and cast them out of his presence forever?

The book of Lamentations conveys a prophesied prayer which is meant to represent the cries and prayers of faithful Islamic believers (Lamentations 4:22). "Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach… Our necks are under persecution: we labor, and have no rest. We have given our hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread. Our fathers sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities… We gat our bread with the peril of our lives… The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned… Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?" (From Lamentations chapter 5). One of the primary reasons why God is destroying the laws of every religion at this time, is to insure that each and every prisoner who is bond in destructive religious practices is released from the fears which have kept them in bondage (Isaiah 42:7). "He hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death (Psalms 102:19-20)." "The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed (Psalms 103:6)." "They shall know I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them (Ezekiel 34:27)."

Faithful Islamic believers who obey God's instructions, will do marvelously in that day (Psalms 60:8). One of the instructions which is especially meant for the Islamic nation, is a commandment instructing them in the way of peace. “Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations; Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord God (Ezekiel 36:13-14).” Violence, from henceforth, is an unaccepted practice, for it is a sinful practice against God. Prophecy contains evidence that God allowed for an Islamic nation, and that he made a high way for Islam's conversions. Nevertheless, God will punish every Islamic believer who refuses to accept his end time truths, just as surely as he will punish every rebellious believer in each of the other nations. “But to the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instructions, and casteth my words behind thee (Psalms 50:16-17).” “Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? (Obadiah 8).”

The book of Malachi confirms that the teachings of Islam will be destroyed forever. “Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They will build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel (Malachi 1:4-5).” The tyrants of Islam will not escape God's wrath (Jeremiah 25:21). "I will make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returns. And I will fill his mountains with his slain men... and I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and you shall know that I am the Lord (Ezekiel 35:7-9)." "He will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries (Deuteronomy 32:43)." God is in the wilderness with his people, but he will not inhabit the waste places of any religion. “I will stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness… and they shall know that I am the Lord (Ezekiel 6:14).”

“Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel (Malachi 4:4).” God is requesting believers to recall the covenant which he made with his people. The entire book of Deuteronomy, is that law and covenant. The prevailing theme of the covenant was to obey God's voice, and do his commandments. Within the law and covenant, God promised blessings upon the obedient, and cursing upon those who disobeyed him. Whereas God is instructing his people to recall Moses' law, he is, in effect, reminding his people that he has sworn and promised that he would bring blessings upon everyone who listens to his voice, and that he would curse those who refuse to obey him (Deuteronomy 26:17-18; 29:19-20).

The newly revealed truths of the covenant message require all believers to change some of their core religious beliefs. This is unnatural, and it takes faith. Therefore believers must prayerfully study the scriptures, along with the message. Our forefathers, the priests, misunderstood God's word. They made some false claims which were based upon their own mistaken interpretations of scripture, and they passed down their erred beliefs through their followers. Throughout the generations people used their forefather's mistaken claims and built their own mistaken interpretations upon the original ones, wherefore mistaken interpretations have become unchangeable laws. This is iniquity, and iniquity is responsible for causing many of God's people to backslide, and it has caused multitudes to become indifferent towards God (Deuteronomy 8:19-20). God is about to clean house. His people are being called back into the pure doctrine of his word (Nehemiah 9:29). Believers will have a new way to serve God, so that the mistakes of the forefathers are not repeated. The faithful will perish from off the land of their former religious beliefs, and the land of their mistaken beliefs will be destroyed forever. “When ye shalt begat children, and children’s children, and shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves… to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land… ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed (Deuteronomy 4:25-26).”

“Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? Neither do you kindle a fire on my altar for nought (Malachi 1:10)." The words "kindle a fire" suggest that the covenant message has already caused some priests to become more passionate towards teaching the truth of God's word; however the words "shut the door" imply that these priests are withholding the truth of it from God's people. Scripture testifies that Zion's doors will never be closed (Isaiah 60:11); but the doors to the kingdom of heaven are closed if teachers know the truth, and withhold it from the congregation (Ecclesiastes 12 3-4). How long will these priests continue to remain silent and let their congregations suffer the consequences of their fears?

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me... You are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me herewith… if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive (Malachi 3:8-11).” God is insinuating that priests have robbed him, and he is offering them a provocative challenge. The challenge begins with a reminder: The church receives tithes, but in addition, priests are required to bring the tenth part of all the tithes into the storehouse. “The Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house (Nehemiah 10:38).” To more fully understand God's challenge, believers must learn the parable of the storehouse, as well as the parable of the chambers. The storehouse's location is discerned by merging information from the two verses which are written above: the storehouse is the house of God. Chambers are rooms within the church, designed for those who do the service of the Lord. So according to the merged understandings of Nehemiah's instruction and Malachi's prophecy, if priests will bring a tenth part of their understanding of the covenant message into the chambers, and share it with their deacons, elders, their choir directors, and anyone else who is instrumental in the service of the church, then God will open the windows of heaven and he will pour them out blessings of the Holy Spirit and he will bless the people (Deuteronomy 31:28).

"The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouse, and in all thou settest thine hand to do; and he shall bless thee (Deuteronomy 28:8)." "Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord created it (Isaiah 45:8)." "I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26)." "For the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake (Isaiah 24:18)." "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring (Isaiah 44:3)."

One final thought concerning the prophesies of Malachi: In prophecy, God used the parable names, "husband" and "husbandmen," to pertain to priests (Joel 1:11); then he aptly supplied them with a suitable companion whom he lovingly termed, the wife: so the parable names of "bride" and "wife" embody all the deacons, elders, choir directors and anyone else who is instrumental in the life of the church (Ruth 1:8-9). Understanding of these parable words is necessary for interpreting some of the prophecies of Malachi. “Take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth (Malachi 2:15).” “She is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant (Malachi 2:14).” “For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith he hateth putting away (Malachi 2:16).” There are verses of scripture which are highly critical of the wife (Proverbs 19:13; Ecclesiastes 7:26); nevertheless, maybe now it is time for priests to discover the blessing that she truly is: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life… She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness… Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates (From Proverbs 31:10-31).”

“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted (Proverbs 11:11).”