Sunday School Lesson

1. Malachi 2:1-16
“The Results of Bad Preaching”
May 24, 2015
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?

3. The Glory of God!
http://eat-art.org/images/uploads/The_Glory_of_God_(1).jpg

4. MEMORIAL DAY
Remembrance of American war dead

5. May Memory Verse
2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV
Each of you should give what you have decided
in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

6. Pray for
2015 FBCJ Committee on Committees
Beth Aldridge
Chris Maddux
Kendall Smith, Chairman
David Gibbs
Elizabeth Rich
Eddy Waller
Sherye Green
Mike Lowe
Jim Merritt, Jr.

7. Malachi
• Last Minor Prophet and book of Old
Testament
• Capstone prophecy of Old Testament
– God’s message of judgment on Israel for their
continuing sin
– God’s promise that the Messiah will come
– 400 years of silence from God after Malachi

8. Malachi’s Ministry 400 BC

9. The 400 Silent Years
• Daniel had interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s
dream in 530 BC that foretold the world
powers that would rein during this time.
• “Statue” in dream in Daniel 2 represents a
prophecy of a timeline of history.

10. Statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

11. Preview of Malachi 2:1-9
• God exposes and condemns the unfaithful
priesthood of Israel.
• Examples of what a priest should be – the
example of Levi.
• Application today would be for preachers who
teach false doctrine.

12. Malachi 2:1-2a
1 "And now, O priests, this commandment is
for you.
2a If you will not hear,
And if you will not take it to heart,
To give glory to My name,“
OT version of 1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you
do, do it all for the glory of God.

13. Malachi 2:2b
2b Says the Lord of hosts,
"I will send a curse upon you,
And I will curse your blessings.
Yes, I have cursed them already,
Because you do not take it to heart.
It = “to give glory to My name”

14. Malachi 2:3
3 "Behold, I will rebuke your descendants
And spread refuse on your faces,
The refuse of your solemn feasts;
And one will take you away with it.
(God will “rub their noses” in the internal waste
of the sacrificial animals so they will have to be
placed outside the camp and burned)

15. Malachi 2:4
4 Then you shall know that I have sent this
commandment to you,
That My covenant with Levi may continue,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

16. Malachi 2:5
5 "My covenant was with him, one of life
and peace,
And I gave them to him that he might fear
Me;
So he feared Me
And was reverent before My name.

17. Malachi 2:6
The True Levite Priest
6 The law of truth was in his mouth,
(Spoke for God)
And injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity,
(Walked with God)
And turned many away from iniquity.
(Turned many to God)

18. Malachi 2:7
7 "For the lips of a priest should keep
knowledge,
And people should seek the law from his
mouth;
For he is the messenger of the Lord of
hosts.

19. Malachi 2:8
8 But you have departed from the way;
You have caused many to stumble at the
law.
You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

20. Malachi 2:9
9 "Therefore I also have made you
contemptible (disgusting) and base
(humiliated)
Before all the people,
Because you have not kept My ways
But have shown partiality in the law."

21. Preview of Malachi 2:10-16
• The false teaching manifests itself in the
lifestyle of the priests and followers.
• The breakdown of the institution of marriage
reveals the moral collapse of the culture.
• Marriage is a covenant relationship and is a
solemn vow.

22. Malachi 2:10
10 Have we not all one Father?
Has not one God created us?
Why do we deal treacherously with one
another
By profaning the covenant of the fathers?

23. Malachi 2:11
11 Judah has dealt treacherously,
And an abomination has been committed
in Israel and in Jerusalem,
For Judah has profaned
The Lord's holy institution which He loves:
He has married the daughter of a foreign
god.

24. Malachi 2:12
12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of
Jacob
The man who does this, being awake and
aware,
Yet who brings an offering to the Lord of
hosts!

25. Malachi 2:13
13 And this is the second thing you do:
You cover the altar of the Lord with tears,
With weeping and crying;
So He does not regard the offering
anymore,
Nor receive it with goodwill from your
hands.

26. Malachi 2:14
14 Yet you say, "For what reason?"
Because the Lord has been witness
Between you and the wife of your youth,
With whom you have dealt treacherously;
Yet she is your companion
And your wife by covenant.

27. Malachi 2:15
15 But did He not make them one,
Having a remnant of the Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
And let none deal treacherously with the
wife of his youth.

28. Malachi 2:16
16 "For the Lord God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one's garment with violence,"
Says the Lord of hosts.
"Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously."

29. How does this scripture relate to
today’s world?
• It describes our world today!
– False teachings
– Preachers who ignore the Scriptures
– Assault on marriage
• “the Lord’s holy institution which he loves”
– Divorce
– Turning away from God in our society
• “Apostasy”

30. Warnings about Apostasy in End Times
Matthew 24:3; 10-12
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples
came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this
happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of
the end of the age?"
10 "At that time many will turn away from the faith and
will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false
prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most
will grow cold,"

31. 2015 Survey of
Pre-tribulation Study Group
• 17 Prophecy experts who believe that the
Rapture will occur before the Tribulation
• Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries
• “From the view point of end times prophecy,
what do you think is the most amazing thing
going on in the world today?”

32. Amazing Prophecy Developments
by Dr. David Reagan
1. The regathering of the Jewish people from
the 4 corners of the earth (40,000 in 1900
and 6,000,000 today).
2. The re-establishment of the State of Israel in
May 14, 1948.
3. The reclamation of the land of Israel – went
from desolation to productive farmland.

33. Amazing Prophecy Developments
by Dr. David Reagan
4. The revival of the Hebrew language.
5. The re-occupation of the city of Jerusalem
after the Six Day War in 1967 (Jerusalem
Day).
6. The resurgence of the Israeli Military.

34. Amazing Prophecy Developments
by Dr. David Reagan
7. The refocusing of world politics on Israel.
8. Apostasy in the Church- redefining truth,
marriage and morality.
- Focus of lesson today
9. Theory of Convergence – signs and events
coming together rapidly.

35. Apostasy in the Church
• Apostasy = “a defiance of an established
system or authority; an abandonment of
faith.”
• False teachings that “exchange the truth of
God for a lie” Romans 1:25.

36. The Forms of Apostasy
1. A “falling away” from key and true doctrines
of the Bible into heretical teachings that
proclaim to be “the real” Christian doctrine.
- Salvation, Jesus, Scripture, Marriage
2. A “complete renunciation” of the Christian
faith, which results in the full abandonment
of Christ. (Begins with a falling away #1)

37. Is Apostasy Happening Today?
• 2014 Pew Research Center Survey results
released May 15, 2015
• 2014 results compared with same survey data
from 2007
• Sample size was 35,000 participants in United
States

38. Pew Research Sample Center
Sample Questions
• What is your present religion?
– Protestant, Roman Catholic, Mormon,
etc…..atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular”
• Do you think of yourself as a Christian, or not?
• Thinking about when you were a child, in what
religion were you raised?

39. Pew Research Center Findings
1. Christians are declining both as a share of the
U.S. population and in total number
– In 2007, 78.4% identified with Christian groups
– In 2014, 70.6% (7.8% decline)
• This represents 5,000,000 souls

40. Pew Research Center Findings
2. The decline of Christians in the U.S. has
corresponded with the continued rise in the
share of Americans with no religious
affiliation (termed the religious “nones”)
- Includes atheists or agnostics and those who say
their religion is “nothing in particular”
- In 2007, 16.1%
- In 2014, 22.8% (Increase of 6.7%)
- Mississippi’s rate went up from 6% to 14%

41. Pew Research Center Findings
• Nearly one-in-five U.S. adults (18%) were
raised as Christians or members of some other
religious group, but now say they have no
religious affiliation (“nones”).
• For the age group 18-to-26 year-olds:
– In 2007, 25% were unaffiliated (“nones”)
– In 2014, 34% (Increase of 9%)

42. Pew Research Center Findings
3. The share of Americans who identify with
non-Christian faiths, such as Islam and
Hinduism, has grown modestly
– In 2007, 4.7%
– In 2014, 5.9%
– Muslim population increase from 0.4% in 2007 to
0.9% in 2014 for U.S.
– 28% of world population are followers of Islam

43. The Characteristics of Apostasy
Jude 1:4
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who
long ago were marked out for this
condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the
grace of our God into lewdness and deny the
only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

44. The Characteristics of Apostasy
1. Apostasy can be subtle (crept in unnoticed)
A. W. Tozer Quote:
“So skilled is error at imitating truth, that
the two are constantly being mistaken for
each other. It takes a sharp eye these days
to know which brother is Cain and which is
Abel.”

45. The Characteristics of Apostasy
2. “Ungodly people” - those who use God’s
grace as a license to commit unrighteous acts
– Jude describes these unflattering traits: morally
perverted, denying Christ, defile the flesh, rebellious,
revile angels, self-destructive, grumblers, self-
satisfying, worldly minded, unsaved, etc.

46. The Characteristics of Apostasy
3. Deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus
Christ through their unrighteous behavior
Titus 1:15-16
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those
who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure;
but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they
deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and
disqualified for every good work.

47. How do I recognize a false doctrine?
1. Know the truth – study the Bible.
2. Judge all teaching by what the Scripture says.
3. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your
thoughts and studies.
1 John 4:1
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test)
the spirits whether they are of God; because
many false prophets are gone out into the
world.

48. How can I recognize a false teacher?
1. What does he/she say about Jesus?
2 John 1:9
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in
the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He
who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both
the Father and the Son.

49. How can I recognize a false teacher?
2. Does this teacher preach the gospel?
– The good news concerning Jesus’ death, burial and
resurrection according to Scripture.
– The complete message of Jesus as the only way of
salvation.

50. How can I recognize a false teacher?
3. Does this teacher exhibit character qualities
that glorify God?
Jude 1:11
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way
of Cain (Pride), have run greedily in the error of
Balaam for profit (Greed), and perished in the
rebellion of Korah (Self-promotion).

51. Question of the day?
Is there a connection between people turning
away from God (Church) and Pastors (clergy) not
preaching and teaching the truth of the
Scriptures?
Malachi 2 says “YES”

52. Closing Scripture
Who is behind this turning away from the faith?
2 Corinthians: 11:14-15a NIV
14 … for Satan himself masquerades as an angel
of light. 15a It is not surprising, then, if his
servants also masquerade as servants of
righteousness.

53. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me.”

54. Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve
death, died in this life to pay the penalty for our
sins.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the
second death explained in Revelation 21:8.

55. Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,
murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

56. Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I
will be his God and he shall be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to accept
Jesus as our Savior.

57. Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord
Jesus and believe in your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD
shall be saved.”

58. If you have questions or would like to know
more, Please, contact First Baptist Church
Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/