God is not pleased with leftovers. He deserves our very best.
Key Verse:
“‘Where is My honor?’ says the Lord of armies to you priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’” —Malachi 1:6 (NASB)
Background Context:
Malachi 1 opens the final book of the Old Testament with a blunt message from God to His people—and especially their priests. Though they continued to offer sacrifices, their worship had become casual, even disrespectful. They brought blind, lame, and sick animals before the Lord. God, through Malachi, confronted this hypocrisy, calling out their failure to honor Him.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
God’s Love for Jacob
1The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.
2“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob; 3but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” 4Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins”; thus says the LORD of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the wicked territory, and the people toward whom the LORD is indignant forever.” 5Your eyes will see this and you will say, “The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel!”
Sin of the Priests
6“ ‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7“You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised.’ 8“But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. 9“But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. 10“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you. 11“For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts. 12“But you are profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13“You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD. 14“But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations.”
Reflection on Malachi 1:
God doesn’t want rituals—He wants reverence. The people of Israel were still going through the motions of worship, but their hearts were far from Him. They gave what cost them nothing, and in doing so, revealed how little they valued their relationship with God.
We, too, can fall into this trap. We show up at church but tune out the message. We pray distracted prayers or serve only when it’s convenient. Like the priests of Malachi’s day, we may wonder, “How have we despised Your name?” But when we give God our leftovers—our leftover time, energy, or resources—we fail to give Him the honor due His name.
Malachi reminds us that God is great among the nations and deserves our best. He is not fooled by empty gestures. He desires wholehearted devotion.
Application:
Examine what you are offering to God. Is it your best time, attention, and effort? Or are you giving Him what remains after everything else is done?
Take a practical step today: whether it’s in how you worship, how you give, or how you serve—choose to honor God with your first and best, not your last and least. Set aside time to truly focus on Him and offer Him your full heart.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve brought You only what was convenient or leftover. You are worthy of all honor and all praise. Help me to worship You with my whole heart and give You my very best in every area of my life. May my life reflect the reverence You deserve. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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