7/8/2023

Treasured Possession

Malachi 3:16-18 ESV
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.

They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.  Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.”

This is a prophecy of the end times. Malachi 3:1 starts out with a prophecy of John the Baptist and the Messiah, Jesus coming to earth. As we come down to these three verses in our devotion, God has listened and taken notice of the ones who will stand and believe in Him, trust in Him, and fear Him, despite what the multitudes are saying and doing.

In these last days, people are following the foolish blindly, without even thinking. Have we not seen this on the evening news? Haven’t we heard our own children, when they were young say, “but so in so is doing it, why can’t I?”

It is a trait that the worldly effects have on human nature; we want to follow someone. I have an idea, why don’t we become the leaders and let people follow us to Jesus?

In this passage today, God says, “In the day when I make up (bring them together) my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.”  We are God’s treasured possession; He will spare His children that truly know Him, and not just know about Him.

Verse 18 says, “Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked.”  God will make a separation in time, not now, but in time. God is holding back expecting us to reach the lost with the Gospel message, which is what is going to turn people to Jesus, the Gospel!

We are His treasured possession, never forget that, and go out and share the good news so others can be His treasured possession as well.

Prayer:
Father, I know we are Your treasured possession but sometimes I think we have failed You by not sharing the gospel. Instead, we rely on the church, or the preacher, or the evangelist. Help us to act like Your treasured possession and prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. In Your name Father, Amen!