Love and Betrayal

Everton Park Church - Sunday 30th March 2014 am

Malachi
#1 - Love and Betrayal

Introduction: Historical context

1. The love of God for Israel

• Mal 1:2 "I have loved you" says The Lord. Yet you say, "In what way have you loved us?" Hubby and the missus
• "was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says The Lord, "yet Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated"
• Israel had no right to suggest that God didn't love them, because he chose them to be His special people. Rom 9:10-13
• Lisa Marie Presley and Nicholas Cage
• Jeremiah 31:3

2. The betrayal of that love by the very objects of His love

• The shift in imagery to Father/Son relationship
• The belligerence of the Israelites
• Mal 1:5-6 "You offer defiled food on My altar, but say 'in what way have we defiled You?'"
• The danger of ticking boxes
• Power playing with God / tit for tat / scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours - Deut 10:12
• Worship - what we want verses what God wants