As God continues to reprimand His people for not keeping their covenant vows to Him, they consistently respond “Who, me? What did I do?” In Malachi 3, God chastises the people for concluding that they have gotten no benefit from following God’s ways.

Of course part of the problem is that they are, in fact, not following God’s ways. Instead, they are simply rationalizing. The people believe God should bless them while they are walking in disobedience. They are asking God “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2:17) while they themselves are living unjustly. 

In particular, the people are participating in sexually immoral pagan worship in His temple. They carried their sexually immoral practices further by being unfaithful to their wives. Because they have adopted the pagan cultural practice of seeking to fulfill their lusts through the exploitation of others, naturally the society is overrun with injustice. Their reaction is to blame God rather than take personal responsibility.

The reason God gives us His commands is because they work for our benefit. They are not just arbitrary rules to test our obedience. They are the best practices. When we love and serve others, we “salt” and shape our communities to be harmonious and self-governing. 

God’s command is not for us to make choices for others. That is essentially what blame is – trying to manipulate the choice of others. He asks us to make choices that are lined up with His design for us – to love and serve the best interest of others. When we do, we serve as “salt” and “light”. 

Our tendency is to seek our own ways and then wonder why God is letting the world go to ruin. God is just and we can trust Him to take care of the world. Meanwhile, He asks us to be His hands and feet in showing others a better way, His way. There are natural consequences when we do not steward this opportunity wisely. When we follow God’s ordinances, His Kingdom’s rewards flow, lifting us up “in due time.” 

“You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance?”
Malachi 3:14