Episode 1652
Malachi, the Nations, and the End Times – TS Wright
Malachi, the Nations,
and the End Times
TS Wright
The conversation centers on the profound relevance of the Book of Malachi, which is often mischaracterized as merely a text about tithing. He posits that Malachi serves as a prophetic warning, not only for the Israelites of antiquity but also for contemporary society, suggesting that the ancient words may encapsulate critical insights into current global dynamics. She and Scott Wright, the episode's guest and a recurring contributor, delve into the implications of God’s message as articulated through Malachi, emphasizing the necessity of reverence and trust in the divine amidst a culture increasingly reliant on technology. They explore the idea that many individuals are substituting genuine faith with artificial intelligence, potentially leading them away from a true understanding of God. Ultimately, the discussion invites listeners to reconsider their relationship with God, urging a return to authentic faith and submission to His will in a world rife with distractions and superficial commitments.
Takeaways:
- Pastor Bob emphasizes that the book of Malachi serves as a prophetic warning to both ancient Israel and contemporary society regarding spiritual apathy and disobedience.
- Scott Wright discusses the pervasive theme of the fear of the Lord in scripture, suggesting that it is foundational to understanding one's relationship with God.
- The dialogue highlights a growing concern that modern believers may be placing their trust in technology rather than in God, which could lead to spiritual decline.
- Both speakers argue that the final words of the Old Testament should be viewed not merely as historical context, but as urgent messages relevant to today's church and culture.
- Throughout the episode, the necessity of returning to a heartfelt devotion to God is reiterated, stressing that mere ritualistic practices are insufficient for true worship.
- In closing, they call for believers to actively engage with God's word and to seek a deeper understanding of His character as essential for spiritual growth.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email: tswright@ghnglobal.net
Book: “God Centered Concept Journal: Making God’s Word My Ways.” - on Amazon
Podcast: The God Centered Concept
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Transcript
Welcome to the Kingdom Crossroads podcast with Pastor Bob Thibodeau.
Speaker A:Pastor Bob conducts personal interviews with Christian influencers from around the globe, helping Christian authors, recording artists, CEOs, entrepreneurs, non profit leaders, and yes, pastors and ministry leaders to get the word out about what they are doing to impact the world with the gospel.
Speaker A:Our podcast has been rated in the top 1/2% of all podcasts in the world by ListenNotes.com so you know your message will be heard.
Speaker A:Now here is your host with today's interview, Pastor Bob Thibodeau.
Speaker B:Hello, everyone, everywhere.
Speaker B:Pastor Bob Thibodeau here.
Speaker B:Welcome to the Kingdom Crossroads podcast today.
Speaker B:We're so blessed you're joining us.
Speaker B:Malachi is often called a bridge book between the Old and the New Testaments.
Speaker B:Malachi 3:1 speaks of a coming messenger preparing the way before the Lord.
Speaker B:But let me ask you something.
Speaker B:What if the final words of the Old Testament weren't just a closing chapter, but a direct warning to our generation today?
Speaker B:Could the ancient words of the prophet Malachi hold the key to understanding what's happening in our world and what's still to come?
Speaker B:Well, our guest today is going to explain all that.
Speaker B:He's no stranger to this podcast.
Speaker B:Scott Wright's the founder of the God Centered Concept Podcast and the author of the God Centered Concept Journal and a frequent contributor here.
Speaker B:And he just brings deep insight into scripture and how it applies to the world we live in today.
Speaker B:Now, like I said, today we're going to dive into the book of Malachi and how its prophetic message still speaks loudly to the church and to the nations today.
Speaker B:Help me welcome back to the program our good friends, Scott.
Speaker B:Right, Scott, It's a blessing to have you back here with us again today, brother.
Speaker C:Hey, I'm, I'm just grateful to be here and looking forward to another, more fun, fruitful discussion.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:Well, you know, many believers overlook Malachi as simply the book about tithing, but it's a lot more than that.
Speaker B:How does Malachi serve as a prophetic warning not just to Israel, but to the modern church?
Speaker C:I'm sorry.
Speaker C:When people say that, and I hear people say that.
Speaker C:I'm sorry, Pastor Bob.
Speaker C:It, it, it.
Speaker C:I just, I just break down and laugh.
Speaker C:There's.
Speaker C:That's like a, that's like a spec.
Speaker C:Minochill speck of this book.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's like one sentence in the book.
Speaker C:Oh, my word.
Speaker B:But that's, but if you ask somebody, what's Malachi all about?
Speaker B:Oh, tithing.
Speaker B:That's what they'll say.
Speaker C:Oh, my word.
Speaker C:Oh, heavens.
Speaker C:Well, you ready?
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:Go ahead.
Speaker C:So here's what I'm going to say.
Speaker C:Malachi is a book of a warning is what it is.
Speaker C:It is a warning.
Speaker C:It is.
Speaker C:It's kind of.
Speaker C:It's.
Speaker C:It's what we really understand about the Old Testament.
Speaker C:And so I'm going to.
Speaker C:There's really three perspectives the Old Testament gives us.
Speaker C:It gives us the perspective a lot of times of the kings or the rulers.
Speaker C:It gives us a perspective of the priests.
Speaker C:But then it also gives us a perspective of the prophets.
Speaker C:And it comes usually from one of those three points of view.
Speaker C:And obviously the first five books come from, quote, the great prophet Moses.
Speaker C:And then much of the Old Testament is embedded with the other course major and minor prophets.
Speaker C:You know, you had the five majors and that, and we have the books of wisdom and the historical books and all that stuff.
Speaker C:But, you know, so you have all those segments, but it always just.
Speaker C:It always comes from one of those three perspectives.
Speaker C:And what people need to understand is that Malachi is a warning both for then and.
Speaker C:And now.
Speaker C:And it has.
Speaker C:It's really been a warning ever since it was written to every nation on earth.
Speaker C:So what I'm going to do just real quick is I'm going to read the very end of chapter one, because I think, to me, this really symbolizes the book.
Speaker C:And here it is.
Speaker C:It's.
Speaker C:It's verse 14.
Speaker C:But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord.
Speaker C:For I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is to be feared among the nations.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker C:That right there, him saying, for I am a great king, and then my name is to be feared among the nations.
Speaker C:Nowhere in that does it talk about love, does it talk about grace, does it talk about mercy?
Speaker C:But it talks about fear of the Lord.
Speaker C:And what everybody needs to understand is the.
Speaker C:The entire subject and the theme of fear of the Lord is reflected almost 500 times throughout the Bible more than any other theme.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker C:If you go back to the Israelites, they were trembling with fear at the base of the mountain and asking Moses to go up the mountain for them.
Speaker C:They were terrified of God.
Speaker C:They were absolutely petrified of him.
Speaker C:And I'm guessing had we had an account of Pharaoh after them being washed away in the sea, he became terrified of the name of God.
Speaker C:And we can go throughout the Bible and see how terrified that these prophets a lot of times were after things would happen, such as the whole captivity in Babylon and them being marched off in the city being destroyed and all this stuff.
Speaker C:So we've got all these stories to understand why you should be.
Speaker C:And really the Old Testament serves as.
Speaker C:That is kind of that model.
Speaker C:Well, Jesus reiterates this model when he says, do not fear the one who.
Speaker C:That can kill the body, but fear the one that can kill the body and throw you into hell.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And then Paul in, in most likely, we think Paul probably wrote Hebrews, but it could have been, you know, there's Apollos, there's Barnabas, I mean, there's some other ones that potentially could have wrote in Hebrews.
Speaker C:So we're not totally sure.
Speaker C:But it also says if you go to Hebrews chapter 12, for God is an all consuming fire.
Speaker C:Well, that automatically.
Speaker C:And all consuming fire brings fear.
Speaker C:So this fear of the Lord thing is important.
Speaker C:And he's telling the nations that they need to fear him.
Speaker C:And so here's.
Speaker C:And if you come off of our last episode about us talking about automated technology and automated intelligence, artificial intelligence, what I see happening right now, and what is, is I'm being led to share is that people are turning their faith into automated and artificial intelligence and automated technology.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Instead of trusting God and his word and who he is.
Speaker C:And it's really about trusting who he is.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:And you and I were talking about it before the show.
Speaker C:The red letters.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:You know, Jesus, Jesus's words.
Speaker C:Well, Jesus is the word of God and he is speaking the word of God and his is the words that are going to outlast everything.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Well, you know, Jesus said, you know, the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.
Speaker B:How does that foundational truth basically echo in the message of Malachi?
Speaker C:Well, again, what is going on during Malachi?
Speaker C:And it's really.
Speaker C:And he describes it, they are not, they're not even following the laws of Moses anymore.
Speaker C:They're just.
Speaker C:When they're sacrificing animals to bring them to, to be offered to the Lord, they're just given whatever animal that they don't need.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:They're not bringing the firstborn of their flock, the unblemished, and they're doing it with a heart of.
Speaker C:Well, I'm just doing this to check off the box.
Speaker C:How many people walk into church and just check off the box?
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:Are you a check off the box Christian?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Or, you know, are practicing what I call churchianity.
Speaker B:Yeah, I, I've talked on this last, I mean, last Sunday's program that, you know, there are some people, you know, they don't want to.
Speaker B:The subject that I was talking on was tithing.
Speaker B:And, you know, they don't want to pay the ties because it's a lot of money in their eyes.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:But they don't want to write a $5 check and say, what?
Speaker C:Dr.
Speaker B:So and so only gave $5, you know, type thing back in the back, and they don't want to put it on a debit card thing.
Speaker B:That transaction says, you know, Dr.
Speaker B:So and so only gave $5.
Speaker B:So what do they do?
Speaker B:They wad it up and fold it up in the little tiny square and drop it in the offering plate as it goes by.
Speaker B:So nobody knows who gave what until they get in the back, start counting, and say, then you're untying this money that was tied up in a little cute little Square, and it's $5.
Speaker B:But, you know, that's, that's part of what you were just talking about.
Speaker B:They just, they don't want to give what God says to give.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker B:You know, but yeah, they want all the blessings.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:And, and, and so what is the Book of Revelation?
Speaker C:I'm going to say this, and I've alluded to this already, and maybe I've said it just in plain speech, being the old coach, I am, we, we typically just like to say it like it is in plain language.
Speaker C:The book of Revelation.
Speaker C:What Jesus was revealing to John is what was going to happen when everybody had abandoned the word of God, when they had abandoned his will, when the earth itself was turning to something else to lead them.
Speaker C:What always got the Israelites in trouble when they give themselves over to foreign gods that could not hear, see, or even really were pointless and meaningless.
Speaker C:Well, what is people giving themselves over to?
Speaker C:They're giving themselves over to technology.
Speaker C:Yeah, I, I'm going to say this, and this is, and I've said this a couple of times.
Speaker C:I believe what's going to happen is down the stretch here that it's going to be AI models that take over, because people don't trust government.
Speaker C:They don't trust conservative governments.
Speaker C:They don't trust liberal governments.
Speaker C:They're all corrupt and they see them as all corrupt.
Speaker C:So what they're going to do is turn themselves over to an AI that they think is neutral.
Speaker C:What they don't realize is that that AI and this automated technology is actually pulling them away from trusting God, and they're going to trust in it.
Speaker C:God is not about morality.
Speaker C:God is about you trusting him, period.
Speaker C:And he says, fear me and trust me.
Speaker C:That's it.
Speaker C:That's all we, that's, that's how we love God.
Speaker C:That's how we follow the first commandment.
Speaker B:On that point, you can see that being implemented right now.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:With, you know, the, they're going into the, all the government agencies and running these AI programs saying, where's the fraud?
Speaker B:Where can we cut back?
Speaker B:Where can we do this?
Speaker B:This is just stage one.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, right.
Speaker B:I mean, just think what you just said.
Speaker B:You know, they say, oh, wow, okay, yeah, we saved all these trillions of dollars, so let's go ahead and use that program.
Speaker B:So every time, you know, we, well, every month we'll hit the button, see what kind of fraud and stuff we can cut out.
Speaker B:And pretty soon, what's the thing about AI, it's constantly learning from every interaction that goes on.
Speaker B:It's learning.
Speaker B:And soon it'll get to that point where if we do this, this is going to happen, which will cause a reaction here.
Speaker B:So let's intercept that reaction right off the bat.
Speaker B:And you know, and I could just see what you just said.
Speaker B:We're in the first stages of it right now.
Speaker C:Yeah, I, we're seeing it.
Speaker C:I mean, it's, it's already happening.
Speaker C:There's already people who are using AI models to make life decisions.
Speaker C:Well, that's God's, that's God's place.
Speaker C:His place is to make those decisions for us.
Speaker C:We submit to him and he reveals his will to us and then we obey.
Speaker C:That is the path, if you want to truly understand the process.
Speaker C:And we, we talk about this with the God centered concept.
Speaker C:And when we're doing the discipleship series is that we have four standards.
Speaker C:Well, the first standard is embracing not knowing, but embracing the truth.
Speaker C:And the truth is that it is, first of all, it is submission to God.
Speaker C:It is him then revealing and then taking that revelation and you obeying.
Speaker C:That's how you live apart from sin.
Speaker C:You know, following, just following a bunch of technical rules written down, is not it?
Speaker C:What they do is they are a guide to show you what God's will is.
Speaker C:So when you are sensing his voice, then you know what's his voice and what's not.
Speaker C:That's why it's there.
Speaker C:That's why the Ten Commandments are there.
Speaker C:Because His Word, his voice will not violate those that, those Ten Commandments.
Speaker B:Yeah, Amen.
Speaker C:They just won't.
Speaker C:And so we have to walk in the truth and embrace it.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:You Know, given the.
Speaker B:The spiritual condition that Malachi describes, you know, apathy, corruption, rebellion.
Speaker B:Do you think this is why the end times have to come?
Speaker B:I mean, is it a necessary step in God's redemptive plan?
Speaker C:Well, our next interview, I'm going to actually talk about that.
Speaker C:I'm actually going to give you another biblical passage that everybody's familiar with, and we're going to dive deep into that, and I'm going to.
Speaker C:I'm going to kind of cut into it, but to give you just a shortened overall view.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Jesus knew that at some point that man would abandon God.
Speaker C:I mean, think about it.
Speaker C:If you read.
Speaker C:If you truly listen and read what is going on in the Book of Revelation, it's give.
Speaker C:It's really a historical book.
Speaker C:It's just giving you a history about the future.
Speaker C:It's a story about what's going to happen.
Speaker C:And what it is, is Jesus is saying that I have to come back to reestablish the way God wants us, the way my Father in heaven wants us to look, because man is going to completely abandon him.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:That's really what it is.
Speaker C:That's why it was written, and that's how it was written.
Speaker C:Because what is it?
Speaker C:Nobody will repent.
Speaker C:That's why he keeps bringing.
Speaker C:I mean, it's kind of like.
Speaker C:Think about it.
Speaker C:It's like when you discipline a child, okay.
Speaker C:You discipline them with something small.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Well, they don't listen.
Speaker C:So now you got to take it the next step.
Speaker C:Then you got to take it a next step, and you got to take it to the next step until they finally do what they're supposed to do and they finally, they're, you know, their hearts change and become obedient.
Speaker C:Well, guess what?
Speaker C:That's what's happening here.
Speaker C:It's just a parent discipline a child who will not change their heart and their attitude to obey.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker C:That's what.
Speaker C:That's what revelation is.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:And they still would not repent.
Speaker C:I mean, it's.
Speaker C:It's pretty clear.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And when you see that in the Book of Revelation, I mean, it even says they run into the caves and try and hide.
Speaker B:You know, I mean, you know, I mean, it's like.
Speaker C:Like you're gonna hide from God?
Speaker C:Are you kidding?
Speaker C:He created the caves.
Speaker B:He's got them all mapped out.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:I mean, you know, on some level, he's not laughing because he's.
Speaker C:He's angry, but on some level, he's got to be like, are you kidding me?
Speaker C:There's got to Be some are you kidding me?
Speaker C:Moments.
Speaker C:Do you really think I can't see that?
Speaker C:Do you really think I don't already know that?
Speaker C:Do you really think that I haven't seen all this before?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:I mean, man's wisdom in his wisest moments is nothing but folly to God.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:I mean, I, I sometimes I just imagine Jesus sitting up on the throne, right hand side of God, looking down.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:Are you serious?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Does he want me to go back?
Speaker B:And God said, not yet.
Speaker C:No, don't worry, it's going to get worse.
Speaker B:You ain't seen nothing yet.
Speaker C:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker C:Hey, remember, they actually have seen this in the days of Noah.
Speaker B:Oh, I know, I know.
Speaker B:But I can just, you know, remember the.
Speaker B:You might not be old enough.
Speaker B:The old Jackie Gleason show.
Speaker C:Oh.
Speaker B:Where he'd say, you know, he'd do his little monologue, then it'd be time for the.
Speaker B:The show.
Speaker B:And he's like.
Speaker A:And away we go.
Speaker B:And that's going to be Jesus.
Speaker B:You know, God's gonna say, now and Jesus, and away we go, you know, and it's not going to be pretty.
Speaker B:No, it's not going to be pretty.
Speaker B:But as we prepare for the Lord's return, how can Malachi's prophetic insights help believers basically live more intentionally and faithfully today?
Speaker C:I think the first thing that we have to do is get the proper perspective of who God is.
Speaker C:Because to really understand him, to hear his voice, and to really walk in him, you got to know who he is.
Speaker C:Everything is about knowing who God is.
Speaker C:And so one of the things that I did a couple of years ago, and it was actually right before you and I started, I started coming on the show and we started doing the every other week interviews, is that I did a full deep dive into all the names of God and then all the declarations of Jesus.
Speaker C:And if you don't know who God is and you don't know who Jesus is, that's where you need to start.
Speaker C:That's the starting point.
Speaker C:It's first of all submission to the gospel, which is God loves us and offers a wonderful plan for our life, but because of our sin, we've been separated from God.
Speaker C:Jesus is the one that bridges the gap.
Speaker C:We can't get to God on our own.
Speaker C:It's through Jesus that we get to him.
Speaker C:But it's not enough to know that you have to surrender to it.
Speaker C:That's it.
Speaker C:That's the gospel in a nutshell as far as our salvation.
Speaker C:But once we get to that point, then it's embracing truth, and it's really embracing the truth of who God is.
Speaker C:And the first thing he is, he is the creator and the owner.
Speaker C:He owns us.
Speaker C:We are not our own.
Speaker C:We don't.
Speaker C:And this is the hardest part in this culture.
Speaker C:And you want to understand my calling, Understand.
Speaker C:What I'm going to say right here is that it's to get people to realize this.
Speaker C:We.
Speaker C:We are being.
Speaker C:We're almost being a little bit.
Speaker C:We're being idolatrous, that we put our freedom as the highest value of our life.
Speaker C:And the freedom, though, that we do is our, quote, independence.
Speaker C:We do, and we worship it.
Speaker C:I mean, we worship our independence.
Speaker C:But the truth is, is when you surrender and submit to God, you become a slave to righteousness, a slave to God.
Speaker C:But the truth is, you already are.
Speaker C:You already are anyway.
Speaker C:You really don't have rights.
Speaker C:You.
Speaker C:You have a choice.
Speaker C:And that choice is you're either going to choose Christ or you're not.
Speaker C:And there is no in between.
Speaker C:He said, whoever is not for me is against me.
Speaker C:You cannot walk the middle ground with Christ.
Speaker C:He does not give you that option.
Speaker C:He's either to you a liar, a lunatic, or exactly what he claimed to be.
Speaker C:And that is the Son of God.
Speaker C:Those are the only three options he leaves to you.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:And he makes every person who has ever been born decide that for themselves.
Speaker B:Yes, he does.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:Well, Scott, as usual, you give us a lot to think about.
Speaker B:If someone has a question or, like, some more information, how can they get in touch with you?
Speaker C:Well, we now have our new email address and everything's up and running, and we're actually getting ready to start recording.
Speaker C:We got everything approved, and it is tsritenglobal.net Amen.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:I'll put links to this in the show notes below, as well as your book and the podcast as well.
Speaker B:Praise God.
Speaker B:Folks, if you've ever wondered whether God still speaks through the prophets, just look around.
Speaker B:I mean, the warnings of Malachi were not just for ancient Israel.
Speaker B:They're for us today, as you heard.
Speaker B:I mean, the call is simple but urgent.
Speaker B:Return to the Lord with your whole heart.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:Don't wait for the shaking to start waking you up.
Speaker B:Respond right now while there's still time.
Speaker B:If today's conversation stirs something in you, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
Speaker B:Amen.
Speaker B:Drop down the show notes.
Speaker B:Reach out to Scott right now.
Speaker B:While you're thinking about.
Speaker B:Be sure to subscribe to his podcast as well.
Speaker B:Oh man, Scott, thank you for taking the time to join us again today, brother.
Speaker B:It's been good.
Speaker B:I appreciate it.
Speaker C:Hey man, it's been great to be here and I look forward to more fun, fruitful discussions.
Speaker B:Amen, folks.
Speaker B:That's all the time we have for today for Scott Wright, myself, Pastor Bob, reminding you to be blessed in all that you do.
Speaker A:Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Kingdom Crossroads podcast.
Speaker A:Please subscribe to our podcast so you can be notified when another episode is published.
Speaker A: interviews and: Speaker A:Please visit our website@www.podcastersforchrist.com.
Speaker A:that web address again is www.podcastersforchrist.Com.
Speaker A:for more information.
Speaker A:Until next time, be blessed in all that you do.
Speaker C:Ra.
