Malachi 3:12-18, Malachi 4:1-6

Topic: the book of Malachi is so important because it's the last time God sent a prophet to Israel before He cut them off because of their behavior and attitude. So this is the last warning God gave Israel.

Vs12: when are the nations going to call Israel blessed? God is telling the nation of Israel to straighten up and behave, so He can bless them. He says, “Israel, if you will give me what's due Me, I will bless you to overflow and the surrounding nations will be envious of you and call you blessed. The reason you don't have any of this yet if because you have robbed Me of what is due Me.”
Vs13: God says Israel is talking very bad about God, being very sarcastic. Every time God tells Israel what their doing wrong, Israel comes back with a sarcastic remark, denying the accusations.
Vs14: Israel says, “Why should we serve a vain God, serve Him to get something in return? We've kept your ordinances, sacrifices, fasts, and all that. But it's gotten us nothing.” Here's God's answer to them: “Your sacrifices were not from the heart. They were just actions with no feeling. In your heart, you hate Me.” It's not how much you give, it's how much you give of what you have, and the intent and feeling behind it. Man started making up his own religion, doing his own thing. But that's not how it works. Vs15: All the nations around Israel are succeeding in a material way, and Israel is looking at them,thinking, “why them and not us?” The successful surrounding nations....