What does it mean to honor God?

The first distinguishing mark of this remnant is that "they feared the Lord" (Mal. 3:16). This is in striking contrast to the religious mass by which they were surrounded, who, while making a high religious profession, showed only too clearly by their low practice that they had cast off the fear of the Lord. The Lord details many grievous sins that call for judgment, but they are all summed up in this great sin, the people "fear not Me, says the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 3:5). Looking upon the mass, the Lord has to say, "Where is My fear?" (Mal. 1:6); looking upon this godly remnant, He delights to own that they "feared the Lord" (Mal. 3:16). The man who fears the Lord is governed by the Lord and not by man. He obeys the Lord rather than men. He refers everything to the Lord, and has the Lord before him in all his ways. He allows no man, whatever his position and gift, to come between himself and the Lord. In a word, he gives the Lord His right and supreme place, and this is very precious in the sight of the Lord.

A further truth comes before us in the closing verses of the chapter — that God will not allow the evil condition of His professing people to go unjudged though, as ever, He warns before He judges. Thus a man of God is sent with a solemn testimony, and warning, to the aged Eli. He is first reminded of the high privileges of his office. He was chosen, says the Lord, to be "My priest to offer upon Mine altar … before Me." His offence is then plainly stated. "Wherefore," says the Lord, "do ye trample upon My sacrifice and upon Mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above Me" (N. Tr.). Actually the sons were the guilty persons, but, inasmuch as Eli took no action against them, he is charged with their offence. It is true he had raised protest, but the evil was of such a character that to protest and yet continue with those against whom the protest was made was to sanction their evil. The secret motive that governed Eli is disclosed in the words, thou "honourest thy sons above Me." The relationships of nature, and the friendships of life, were set above the claims of the Lord. He was chosen to walk before the Lord, but having honoured his sons above the Lord, he has to hear the solemn word, "Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed."

Has not the solemn failure of this pious old man a warning voice for God's people in all ages? In very different circumstances, and in varying degrees we can easily slip into the snare of honouring our brethren, our friends, our kindred, above the Lord. Again and again has the truth of the Lord's words been proved, "Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." If God in His grace has chosen us to walk before Him, we shall only be kept in safety as we act upon the word of the Psalmist, "I have set the Lord always before me" (cf. 1 Sam. 2:30, and Ps. 16:8).

Thirdly, we are exhorted to "fear God." This is a wholesome word, but one that is very little in use in these days. Further on in the same epistle the apostle explains the character of this fear. He says (chap. 3:15), "but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts." This is a quotation from Isaiah 8:13, where we find these additional words, "and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread." The "fear of God," then, is not a craven fear, but rather the setting the Lord always before us, not doing or undertaking anything without reference to Him. Alas! how many things we do, and perhaps never consult Him at all. As long as it is not anything absolutely wrong, we seem to think we can do pretty much as we like. "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts." Who from this time will begin to do it? It is not talking much about it, but "in your hearts." It is having the heart continually in the presence of God. This is the blessed life, that everything should be "begun, continued, and ended in Him." This was the life of the Lord Jesus: "I have set the Lord always before Me."

Thus is man's religion always; he can observe such a religion as this, and deck himself with it as with a glory. But he cannot get real holiness in this way, and this is evident to the eyes of God, who sees all that goes on in the heart. True holiness shews itself in the practical walk; one may fail, but the soul sustained by grace only seeks the approbation of God; it has the consciousness of failure, and rejoices in God, for it is He who dwells in the soul, and keeps it humble. But the Pharisees and Sadducees amongst the Jews profited by their reputation and position to induce the pious to give many gifts to God, whom they represented. Thus duties towards parents were slighted, and God's law countermanded. They honoured God with their lips, but their heart was far from Him. They drew near to Him with their mouth, but not with their heart; this was full of covetousness and iniquity. God refuses altogether this kind of honour. "In vain do they worship me," says the prophet Isaiah, and the Lord repeats it. God wants a pure heart sanctified by the Spirit and by the truth; and He wants a worship which is to be rendered in spirit and in truth: the Father seeketh such to worship Him. He wants grace, but the truth is required to be able to draw near to God, a heart where the divine life exists. All this human religion, outward, Pharisaical, priestly, is judged of the Lord once and for all times. God demands a pure heart and true obedience. Men put on this kind of religion, giving honour in it to antiquity and to the traditions of their ancestors, to which man's imagination attributes great value. All that is seen through the shades of antiquity is imposing enough; but with God it is a question of the heart, and it was the same then as it is now with us: we are before God, and He sees us just as we are. Man's actual state is the question.

If we rendered obedience to God as a Lawgiver, we should honour His authority — but when we render obedience to Him revealing Himself in the grace and salvation of the Gospel, we honour Himself.

To glorify God in our body is not so much activity in service as subjection to His will. This may mean to suffer the utter subversion of our plans and the deprivation of all; but in every case it is heart-obedience to God. That we are enabled thus to glorify God unfolds the greatness of our redemption and the price paid. How this teaches us to bear our light momentary affliction, and to weigh everything connected with the body in the light of grace and truth! If the body is carefully adorned with the things of this world, if we indulge the desires of the flesh or the mind, how can we glorify God thus? Let us ever remember that we are bought with a price. "Wherefore glorify God in your body." R. B.

Whatever you need at this moment God is sufficient for. I would press upon you to lose no time to avail yourself of this wondrous fact. God has the power, and He also has the will, to fill your soul to overflowing. But do you ask, "How am I to begin?" Then begin thus: Give to God what He claims from you. Never mind others, or their thoughts. Everything you possess belongs to God, and you are only a steward. But while many readily own this in a general way, it is not all that we have to consider. God has a particular claim also beyond this. He claims a place in your every-day calculations - and not any place, nor a second place, but the first place. That is what we have here. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house." It is no particular quantity of your time, intellect, or money. You may give Him a large portion of these in a legal spirit, thinking you may then use the rest for yourself, and yet be far, far away from the blessing. No, it is not this. To give God His place is more to Him than giving Him any portion. The tithes are His. Abraham gave these to Melchizedek. God claims them as His right. The meaning is, that God must have the first place. Not your wants, nor the wants or interests of your family, but first God Himself in everything. We read, "Abraham gave Him tithes [not of some, but] or ALL." These then are the terms. Place is greater than portion. God will not accept a second place at your hands, and to offer Him one as Israel did is only to rob Him. Think of this. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings."

What was God to do? It was right that He should tell man what was right. And nothing else than this could be right, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart. ” Every reasonable person will acknowledge that if God be God, and our Creator, we owe this at least to Him that we love Him and honour Him as God. Then for His own glory and for the good of man it was right that God should give to man this command.

As a consequence, all are to ‘honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who honours not the Son, honours not the Father who has sent him’ (v. 23). It is the great privilege of Christian believers to honour the Son and to worship Him no less than they honour and worship the Father. All those who do not willingly honour Him will certainly do so when they stand before Him to be judged.

The other references to His name in the book of Malachi will produce this reverence for the name of God, this acknowledgement on our part of His supremacy, that He is to be obeyed, to be honoured and to be followed, that would touch us in every part of our lives. These actions are not done out of fear, such as marks the devotees of idols, whose lives are characterised by debauchery, but they are done out of a reverence for God, understanding the greatness and the glory of God. This is what is meant by reverence, God is so great that there is something demanded on my part in my approach to Him. It is not to be a careless, casual approach that would treat God as if He was of the same standard as myself, but there must be a sense of His greatness and glorious supremacy that would bow my spirit and my heart in wonder and adoration before Him. It used to be said that Britain was a God-fearing nation, but this is true no more, God has been thrown overboard. There are blind theologians who speak about God ‘being dead’, there are those who would throw overboard every principle that God has given for the conduct of man in every sphere of life that God has graciously given, it cannot now be said that Britain is a God-fearing nation; but it should be amongst those who belong to God, those who owe everything in time and eternity to His mercy and to His goodness. God-fearing should mark us who belong to God.