The Altar of Our Heart: Offering Our Best to God
"Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible." - Malachi 1:7
The Book of Malachi serves as God’s reminder to His people about the importance of their worship and the offerings they bring. Malachi 1:7, which reads, "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible," invites us to reflect deeply on the quality of what we bring to God, not only in our worship but in every aspect of our lives.
In this verse, we see God addressing the attitude of His people – a lukewarm commitment and a casual approach to holiness. When God says, "polluted bread," He is highlighting the disappointment and dishonor associated with their offerings. In the context of ancient Israel, offerings were central to the worship life of the community; every sacrifice was to be an expression of love, respect, and reverence towards the Creator. Yet, the people brought offerings that were blemished and substandard. God was not merely concerned with the physical sacrifices but with the spiritual condition of His people.
The phrase, "ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible," strikes at the heart of their indifference. It reveals a heart attitude that undervalues God’s holiness and the sacredness of worship. This contempt was not just in their actions but also in their thoughts, demonstrating a disconnect between their understanding of God's character and their behavior. They were taking for granted the grace and mercy of God, presuming that any offering was sufficient and failing to grasp the enormity of their failure to honor Him.
As we ponder this verse, we must ask ourselves: how often do we come before God with "polluted" offerings? This can manifest in many ways in our modern context. Are we offering our best time and talents to God, or are we giving Him the leftovers of our day? Is our worship genuine and heartfelt, or is it performed out of obligation and routine? Are our prayers authentic conversations with the Creator, or do they consist of mere recitation of words we don’t truly believe?
The danger of offering polluted bread is that it indicates a heart that has become numb to the value of what we present to God. We may inquire, "Wherein have we polluted thee?" but rather than seeking to justify ourselves, we must remain open to God’s gentle correction. He longs for us to see the ways in which we might be treating sacred things with casualness. He longs for us to cherish and uphold the value of our offerings to Him, ensuring they are a true reflection of our love and commitment.
In the New Testament, we see the culmination of God’s desire for intimate relationship through the ultimate offering – Jesus Christ. Our gratitude for this sacrifice should compel us to respond with offerings of excellence and sincerity. Romans 12:1 urges us, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Here lies an understanding that our offerings extend beyond the altar; they encompass our very lives!
God desires quality, not quantity. He yearns for a relationship marked by authenticity rather than mere ritual. Each time we approach the altar—whether through prayer, service, or worship—let us reflect upon what we are offering. Are we bringing God the best of our abilities, time, and hearts? Are we honoring Him in the way we live and in our interactions with others? As we seek to align our hearts with His, let us remember that God desires our hearts, living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable before Him.
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Malachi 1:7 - "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible."
"Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible." - Malachi 1:7
Malachi 1:1 - "The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi."
"The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi." - Malachi 1:1
Malachi 4:1-2a
Malachi 4:1-2a
Malachi 2:7 - "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts."
The Last Prophet of the Old Testament Malachi
Malachi 2:1 - "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you."
Malachi 1:5 - "And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel."
Malachi 1:3 - "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."
"And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you." - Malachi 2:1
Malachi 1:12 - "¶ But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible."
Malachi 3:7 - "¶ Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?"
"For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." - Malachi 2:7
Malachi 1:9 - "And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts."
Malachi 1:8 - "And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts."
Malachi 1:2 - "I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,"
"And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness." - Malachi 1:3
Malachi 1:14 - "But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen."
"And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel." - Malachi 1:5
Malachi 4:1 - "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."
Malachi 1:10 - "Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand."
Malachi 1:13 - "Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD."
Malachi 1:4 - "Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall 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."
"¶ But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible." - Malachi 1:12
Malachi 3:1 - "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts."
Malachi 1:11 - "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts."
Malachi 1:6 - "¶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?"
Malachi 1:8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the LORD of hosts.