Great Among the Nations
Today’s Verse:
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. ~Malachi 1:11
Paul said that "in the last days perilous times shall come." Associated with the evil of our day is the irreverence, profanity, and blasphemy against the name of the Lord. The third commandment tells us, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.” The Jews had profaned God’s name through sinfully pathetic worship. They brought less than their best to be sacrificed. In fact, they brought the very worst: their broken, blind, lame, and refused. They became weary, or tired, of the worship of the Lord. So, God tells the Jews that a day would come in which His name would be great among the heathen, or the nations of the world.
We see the demand.
First, God said, "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised." God’s name embodies His deity and attributes. His name represents He is God, Lord, and King. He is God alone. He is the Lord of lords. He is the King of kings. As His creation, He does not beg us, but rather, commands us to demonstrate our fealty through active, daily worship. Active, daily worship demands that the Lord’s name is to be praised from sunup to sundown. In our Bible reading, our praying, our service, our interactions, and whatever we do, we are to be cognizant of His preeminence, presence, power, and Person. Our every thought should result in the Lord’s name being praised.
We see the determination.
The Jews had ceased to praise His name. God is sovereign. God is greater than our sinful tendencies. God told them that in spite of their irreverence, it would not hinder His name from being praised by the people of the nations of the world. The Jews failed to seize the privilege of being His glorious testimony to the world. God tells them that in the bigger scope of things, His name would be praised and honored in every nation. We see a foretaste of this in Revelation 7:9-10, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” His name is exalted in the nations.
We see the device.
His name is exalted among the nations through the preaching of the gospel and the planting of New Testament churches. Worshippers of false gods are being converted through the gospel, and as Christians, they are praising God’s name. What was restricted to only the Jews has expanded because of the death of Christ for the sins of the world. The preaching of the gospel has brought salvation to those once trapped in the darkness of sin. Now, these believers are exalting Christ. Throughout every continent—Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe—and the uttermost parts of the Earth, God’s name is being praised in the language and tongue of people who are the redeemed of the Lord.
We see the devotion.
God said, "My name shall be great." He said, "I am a great King... and my name is dreadful among the heathen." We demonstrate the passion of our devotion when we magnify His name. This morning, let us worship and adore the name of the Lord from sunup to sundown. Be sure the Lord’s name is praised each and every day.
Have a God-exalting God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Corinthians 5-8