J Alan R- J Alan R
Parade of Prophets: Malachi
Before the Silence
I have loved you, but you ask,
“How have You loved us?”
You have despised Me, but you ask,
“How have we despised You?”
You defiled My Name, but you ask,
“How have we defiled Your Name?”
You may build, but I will throw it down.
You may offer sacrifice, but I will reject it.
You may worship, but I will not hear you.
Before the silence,
My wayward children,
Take Me now to heart,
Stop your sin.
Malachi 1
We Weary the Lord
We weary the Lord
With our words
When we say right is wrong
And wrong is right.
We weary the Lord
With our deeds
When we take what You say
And make it a fight.
We weary the Lord
When we hear Your word
But taking it to heart
We do not delight.
Malachi 2
The Eyes of God
Edom I hated
And laid to waste its mountains
And left its heritage
to the jackals of the wilderness,
But Israel I loved
And restored to splendor its land
And led its heirs
to fly with eagles in the skies.
Like Cain, Esau asks why?
Though Abel and Jacob know:
When you offer the blind,
lame and sick as sacrifice,
Is that not evil?
The eye of the devil.
When you sacrifice at all,
offering with a weary sneer,
Is that not evil?
The eye of the devil.
When you profane to honor,
yet despise my Holy name,
Is that not evil?
The eye of the devil.
Yes, Esau I hated,
But Jacob I loved.
I have no pleasure in you,
None for what you don’t do.
I’m sure to you that sounds odd.
I’d much rather you so sought alone
The Eyes of God.
Malachi 1 and 2*
*God loves whom He chooses to love (the Israelites and not the Edomites), but He also chooses to love those among whom He loves (His priests) who take His love to heart and
God of Might
All people of this world,
Have we not all one Father?
Did not one God make us?
We are brothers and sisters
of one spirit and one blood.
Why do we then treat each other
with such contempt?
Who are these you call god?
What is to gain by seeking the will
of those with no ears or tongue?
Why proffer help from the evil one?
Such gods only delight
in saying wrong is right.
Choose true the only God of might!
Malachi 2
In Harmony
Levi feared God
for he revered His name.
Truth was in his mouth
and justice on his lips.
In harmony
he walked with God.
Should we no less?
Malachi 2:4-9
Because
Because
you have not kept My ways,
Because
you do not take Me to heart,
Because
you no longer Me fear,
As I have been witness,
I send the voice of one
crying in the wilderness
To prepare My Way,
For I must come
Like a refiner’s fire
Like a launderer’s soap
To purify My filthy ones,
So as in the days of old
I may come near again.
Malachi 2:2, 9,14 and 3:5
They Shall Be Mine
Once for all,
I do not change,
But why must I ask:
“Where are you, child?
What have you done with him?”
For the proud are now
called blessed,
Those who do wicked
are raised up,
And those who tempt Me
are set free.
Hear this!
Those who fear the Lord,
They shall be Mine.
Malachi 3:6,7-18
In the Land of the Sun Rise
The day is coming
in the land of the sun rise
When fire will burn all stubble,
leaving neither root or shoot
anywhere on the ground.
The day is coming
in the land of the sun rise
When fatted calves will dance
with joyful feet upon all the
ashes strewn around.
The day is coming
in the land of the sun rise
When the Sun of Righteousness
will burn evil like in an oven
or heal hearts as loves abound.
Malachi 4
The Big Mend
Remember the law
Which will be fulfilled.
Welcome the prophet
Whom I will send.
And in the silence
Await the Big Mend.
Malachi 4