Defiled Food

I've been studying the book of Malachi this morning, in preparation for recording the final series of teachings on "God's Grace In The Old Testament." I've really enjoyed going through the OT for the past 39 months and lifting out glimpses of grace from these books. I encourage you to consider getting this resource to help you in your grace walk.

In the first chapter of Malachi, God's prophet reprimands the priests for presenting "defiled food" on the altar in His house. What is this defiled food? It is the blind, crippled and diseased animals they allow the people to bring before God in an attempt to gain His acceptance. Only one thing will satisfy our Father when it comes to the basis of His acceptance of us and that is a perfect sacrifice, one without spot or blemish.

The people of Israel had missed that point because the priests had failed to tell them. They were bringing deformed, diseased offerings to God when they possessed the only sacrifice God wanted. We live in a similar day. Through Malachi, God told His people, "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord."

The only Sacrifice God has ever required to cause us to be accepted by Him is Jesus. We have Jesus, but still often bring our own crippled, religious efforts, determination and activity to Him in an attempt to gain His favor (grace). The good news of the gospel is that we don't have to offer our lame attempts to please Him. He is pleased with us because of Jesus and His finished work. We cheat ourselves and place ourselves under the curse of the Law when we fail to recognize that His sacrifice is enough. All we need to do now is to worship the God who fully accepts us.