Chris Katulka: Hey, thanks for joining us for The Friends of Israel Today. I'm Chris Katulka, your host and teacher. I want you to go to foiradio.org because it's there that you can connect with us. I don't know if you're familiar with The Friends of Israel Today, but we are a part of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry and we want you to connect with us right there at our website, foiradio.org, where actually we have a decade worth of content, biblical content, on the site with insightful teaching about Israel and the Jewish people along with various interview guests. Again, that's foiradio.org. Recently I was in Redding, California for our very first Proclaim Conference of 2025. What a great turnout and time that we had learning about prophecy. But let me ask you something. If someone asked you, are we living in the last days? Would you know how to give them a biblical answer?

Well, we have two more Proclaim Conferences this year located in the Midwest and Northeast. This two-day conference is aimed to give you confidence on how you can answer questions about what the Bible says about the last days. Our next location will be in the beautiful town of Winona Lake, Indiana, July 18th and 19th, and we would love for you to join us, our president and CEO here at the Friends of Israel, Dr. Jim Showers, will be there along with Dr. David Gunn and Dan Price. You can learn more about this free conference in other locations at our website, foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. Now today we have a fantastic episode for you. We're actually going to be diving in and continuing our conversation on the prophet Malachi. Malachi is an interesting prophet because he's the last prophet writing in the Old Testament, but even more importantly, he actually uses this really important word to describe the altar of the Lord.

He's the only writer in the Bible that calls it this, but he calls it the “table of the Lord.” So today we're going to be continuing our conversation about Malachi and looking at this unique word that he uses to describe the altar, the table of the Lord. But before we get to that, here's what's happening in the news. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the IDFs expanded operation in Gaza aims to take full control of the territory to prevent Hamas from seizing humanitarian aid. He defended the decision to allow aid deliveries emphasizing it was necessary to maintain support from key allies, including US senators who unconditionally back Israel. To ensure proper distribution, the aid will be handled by an American organization at the Israel Defense Force's secured points with the first site expected to be ready in just a few days. 

Well, here's my take. This is the right action taken by Israel. As journalists report that there's a famine in Gaza, they neglect to mention that Hamas has taken foreign aid and neglected to distribute it to its own people for years. According to Israel, even the IPC's own analysis confirms there's no current famine in Gaza and its projections of a potential famine are based on flawed assumptions that have repeatedly failed to materialize. Leave it to Israel to care more about the Palestinians than Hamas does, their own leaders.

Chris Katulka: Today we continue our series on the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, the final prophet to speak before the New Testament era. Our series is titled, “Giving God the Best Because the Best is Yet to Come.” Well, in this second message we're going to explore deeper into Malachi chapter one and chapter two, focusing particularly on the unique use of the word “table" by the prophet and what it symbolizes for our relationship with God. As we discussed last time, Malachi ministered to a generation of Jewish people who have returned to their homeland after experiencing one of the darkest moments of their history, the Babylonian exile. After Israel's persistent sinfulness, God allowed his chosen people to be judged severely by the Assyrians and Babylonians. The Assyrians conquered the northern tribes of Israel while the Babylonians captured Judah in the South destroying Solomon's temple and exiling the people.

Yet even during these painful periods, prophets like Jeremiah provided hope, assuring the Israelites that God would one day restore them, physically bringing them back to the land and spiritually renewing their hearts. So really to help us clearly grasp the context of Malachi's message, let's begin to recap, and I had mentioned this last week as well, but let's recap the three significant periods of Old Testament history surrounding this dark moment in Israel's history. First, there's a period called the pre-exilic period, which really encompasses all the events prior to the temple's destruction in 586 BC. This includes the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It's the story of the Exodus, the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, the conquest led by Joshua, the reigns of kings like Saul, David, and Solomon. Second is the exilic period lasting approximately 70 years marked by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar's exile of the Jewish people.

Prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel ministered during these dark times offering both reflections of sorrow and powerful messages of hope and future restoration. Finally, we have the post-exilic period when the Persian empire which had defeated Babylon permitted the Jewish people to return to Israel. And it was during this time of return and rebuilding that leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah worked over time to restore Jerusalem and the temple. Prophets like Zechariah, Haggai and our prophet, Malachi, ministered during this critical rebuilding phase. Now listen, if you didn't get a chance to listen to last week's program on Malachi or maybe you're new to The Friends of Israel, you can go to foiradio.org and there you can find last week's message and more than 10 years of biblical teaching right at your fingertips. Again, that's foiradio.org. Now, let's talk about sacrifices in the Old Testament as we dive into Malachi and specifically the altar that God instructed Moses to build at the tabernacle and for Solomon to build at the temple.

There were many different types of sacrifices. Not all of them were sin offerings. Many of the sacrifices of the Old Testament were also in categories called the fellowship offerings or whole burnt offerings. That means the offerer would bring his best gift to God. He would offer his approved animal to the Lord on the altar, and then the meat that was cooked on the altar at the tabernacle or at the temple would be given to the offerer to share with his friends and family, and the priest would also receive a portion of the meal as well. That's why these are called fellowship offerings. You know how we have our fellowship time at Church at Fellowship Hall, they're called fellowship offerings or even wellbeing offerings. It was often a way to say thank you to God for the way he provided or protected or poured out his grace for the offerer.

Now, let's go to the priests. According to Leviticus 10:10, the role of a priest was to teach the Israelites to distinguish between the things that were holy and common and between the things that were unclean and clean. That's what it says in Leviticus 10:10. It was the job of a priest to make sure the Israelites understood the difference between the things that are holy to the Lord and the things that are common because God can only live in the holy. They were also to instruct the Israelites on the things that are clean and unclean. Why? Because, well, God can only exist in the world of clean things. That's where the altar comes into play. The altar is the place where the Israelites would meet with God. It's where they would bring their clean and approved offerings to a holy God, and it was the priest who facilitated this sacred space to ensure that God was honored and the Israelites met with their creator.

This historical background on the concept of the altar helps us understand better why Malachi would call the altar a “table.” Malachi is the only book that refers to the altar as the table of the Lord. You can read about that in Malachi 1:7,12. The distinctive imagery emphasizes the intimacy and fellowship and communion that God desires with his people. See, in Malachi's context, the altar wasn't merely a place of sacrifice but represented the sacred space where God met with his people, a place for genuine relationship and spiritual communion. However, Malachi is going to sharply criticize the people's treatment of God's table rather than approaching it with reverence and offering their best, the people brought flawed, blemished sacrifices demonstrating a heart condition of spiritual apathy and disrespect. We talked about that last week. Malachi's rebuke is pointed, asking whether these poor offerings would even be acceptable to earthly rulers, let alone a sovereign God of the universe.

Now, historically and culturally, the concept of a table carries deep implications. Families gather around tables to celebrate, to mourn, to reconcile, to grow in a relationship. Friends come to tables to enjoy each other's company and to share life's experiences. Similarly, God intended the altar or as Malachi calls it, the table of the Lord to symbolize this sacred space of relational closeness, deep communion and genuine fellowship between himself and his chosen people. However, Malachi reveals that the reality among God's people was tragically different. Instead of honoring this sacred table with reverence, holiness and their very best, the Israelites and especially the priests were disrespecting it through unacceptable offerings. Malachi vividly describes their actions presenting blind animals, sick livestock, and blemish sacrifices, each a stark violation of God's clear requirements for sacrificial offerings that you can read about in Leviticus 22:17-25. These inferior offerings exposed a deeper heart issue among the Israelites like apathy, disrespect, and spiritual complacency toward their relationship with God.

Malachi's rhetorical challenge is pointed. Would they dare offer these worthless sacrifices to their Persian governor? Would he accept them? That's what he says in Malachi 1:8. Well, clearly such offerings would be offensive to any earthly ruler, so how much more so to the Lord of hosts, the sovereign Creator of all, who has redeemed and preserved Israel?” Their actions communicated loudly that God was neither worthy of honor nor deserving of their best. See, Malachi intensifies this rebuke by highlighting that even the priests supposed spiritual leaders were complicit and deeply involved in this disregard. Priests were specifically charged with safeguarding God's holiness, teaching his laws accurately and modeling genuine worship. Instead, they were the primary offenders, allowing and encouraging disrespect toward the table of the Lord. See, their negligence had profound spiritual consequences, fostering an environment where reverence toward God diminished dramatically. In chapter two, Malachi's indictment becomes even more severe.

He addresses the priests directly, warning them that their casual approach to sacred responsibilities had corrupted their entire ministry and defiled the covenant relationship that they held with God. That's right. Malachi reminds them that the priests were descendants of Levi, a tribe specifically chosen by God for their zeal, their integrity, and their unwavering commitment to uphold his covenant standards. Instead, the priests had corrupted their calling, causing many to stumble spiritually and weakening the overall moral fabric of the Jewish community. God's displeasure is poignantly expressed through Malachi's vivid imagery. You know what he does? He threatens to spread the refuse of their worthless sacrifices on their faces. That's what Malachi says, graphically illustrating the utter contempt and rejection these offerings deserved. You could read that in Malachi 2:3. Such powerful language underscores the severity of dishonoring God through half-hearted worship and indifferent attitudes. Yet amidst the sharp rebuke, Malachi's message offers a profound opportunity for reflection and repentance.

The prophet's words are not merely a rebuke but corrective, intended to restore the true meaning of fellowship with God. The very use of the term “table” underscores the relational heart behind God's rebuke. God desires authentic relationships, sincere worship and genuine communion with his people. He longs for them to approach him with hearts of devotion and respect and gratitude, bringing their best to his table. The message of Malachi continues, I believe, to resonate so powerfully today. As followers of Jesus the Messiah, we understand that He Himself has become the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all fulfilling the sacrificial system that Malachi is referencing. Through Christ, believers have permanent, direct access..you ready? To God's table—a table of grace, forgiveness, and unbroken fellowship. Yet Malachi's challenge remains strikingly relevant even today. What are we bringing to God's table? See, when we come back, we're going to dive more into Malachi and ask ourselves, or at least I'll ask myself, what are we bringing to God's table? Stick around.

Steve Conover: Are you a new listener to our program? If you are, welcome. We're glad you're here. The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry exists to fuel your passion for the Word which should overflow to a compassion for God's Chosen People, the Jewish people.

Chris Katulka: Whether you're new to our program or have listened for years, we want to encourage you with our resources to help you see why God called us to support the Jewish people in Israel and worldwide. We have a free download, a digital version of our booklet, Whose Land is it Anyway? that we'd like to send you free today. Whose Land is it Anyway? takes the Jewish and Arab claims to the land and helps make sense of the common arguments surrounding the struggle. Whose Land is it Anyway? is an easy-to-read apologetic that will give you a clear answer as you think about Israel's right to the land.

Steve Conover: To get your free digital copy of Whose Land is it Anyway?, visit foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org.

Chris Katulka: Welcome back everyone. We're in the middle of a study on Malachi. Malachi is the only book in the Bible that calls the altar in the temple, “the table of the Lord.” We left the last segment with a challenge from the last prophet of the Old Testament. What are we bringing to God's table today? Our offerings may not be animals or grain, yet they are no less meaningful. God desires our heartfelt worship, our sincere devotion, our obedient lives, our sacrificial service. Just as in Malachi's day, our attitudes toward these offerings reveal the true condition of our hearts. Are we approaching God's table casually, offering the leftovers of our time, our talents and our resources? Or are we treating our relationship with God as something burdensome or routine? Malachi's call invites deep introspection and examination of our hearts. He urges us to remember that the table of the Lord is sacred.

It is a place of fellowship and communion where God meets us intimately, generously offering himself to us. See, Malachi reminds us how we approach this table profoundly matters. The question is, what are you, what am I bringing to the table? It echoes down through the ages demanding a personal and honest response. Practically, bringing our best to God's table involves intentionality in every aspect of life. It means prioritizing time with God in prayer, reading Scripture and personal reflection. It means serving others with a genuine compassion and generosity. Viewing such acts as sacred offerings that are pleasing to God. It also involves sincere, authentic worship—recognizing that worship is far more than singing songs. It encompasses every aspect of our daily lives offered up to God as acts of praise and thanksgiving. In our churches and communities, bringing our best means striving for excellence in our ministry efforts, teaching leadership and service.

It means never settling for mediocrity but constantly pursuing a higher standard, not for human accolades, but to honor the Lord that we serve. Finally, Malachi's message urges us to live with an eternal perspective. When we understand that the best is truly yet to come, that our ultimate fellowship with God awaits in the new heavens and new earth, we are inspired to give him our absolute best now. Our current offerings, no matter how sacrificial, pale in comparison to the future glory that awaits us. That's what the Apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 8. Yet precisely because the future holds such extraordinary promise, our present offerings must reflect our gratitude and reverence for the God who invites us to his table. Malachi calls us back to genuine reverence, authentic relationship, and wholehearted devotion. He beckons us to offer nothing less than our very best. Recognizing that God in his overwhelming grace and kindness has reserved the best for us in eternity. Let us move forward then. Give God the best today, fully assured that indeed the best is yet to come.

Steve Conover: Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life and ministry of Holocaust survivor, Zvi Kalisher.

Mike Kellogg: Recently, I unintentionally walked home by a different route, through Mea Shearim, the most religious quarter of Jerusalem. I was shocked when I saw three young, religious Jewish men gambling on the street.

I asked them, “Am I dreaming, or is it true what I see?”

The three looked at me with surprise, and one asked, “Why do you think you are dreaming?”

I answered, “Because the Bible says, ‘You cannot serve God and money’” (Mt. 6:24).

They said, “Who are you, that you think you can tell us what to do? We have our heads covered, but your head is uncovered, like the goyim.” They were calling me a Gentile.

I replied, “You think you must please God by covering your heads, but He desires your hearts to be covered with flesh and not stone.”

At this, one said, “Tell us who you are.”

“I am a Jew who is saved and believes in the living God,” I said.

Someone responded, “You think you must tell us how to live? We have enough teachers.”

I said, “But there is no one to tell you the truth about the Lord.”

They began to curse me, but the Lord has told us, “Bless those that curse you” (Mt. 5:44). As they were shouting, an elderly rabbi walked by. He was ashamed of their behavior and invited me to sit with him.

The rabbi said, “Tell me who you are.” I responded, “I believe in God and have been born again.”

“What!” he exclaimed. “You cannot mean you were dead and are alive again.”

“Yes, I was dead in sin, and now I am alive because I am born again in the Spirit.” He leaned close and said, “Please speak quietly; even the walls have ears in this place.” He seemed thirsty for God’s Word.

He continued, “I was born in Mea Shearim. I know every stone in this place because I have never left this area. I am the seventh generation of my family to be born in Israel, and I was educated here in Jerusalem.”

I told him, “I am sorry that you have lived all your life in darkness. Without God, man walks in darkness. You can see with your own eyes the picture before you. Now they are gambling, and after that—who knows?”

“How can we stop this?” he asked.

I replied, “One way is to obey God by trusting the Messiah Jesus and following Him in the waters of baptism.”

“What!” he exclaimed. “Never! This is what the traitors do.”

“To become born again and receive the Holy Spirit,” I told him, you must give your heart to the Lord. Baptism is a sign that you have received Jesus as your Savior.”

He did not want to hear about the Holy Spirit, so I asked, “Would you like to hear what our prophets have written about the Holy Spirit?”

“Yes,” he replied. I gladly read Ezekiel 36:25–27.

“How do you know these things?” he asked.

“Because I am walking in the light,” I replied.

He told me, “I have lived my whole life here. Do you want me to leave this place now?”

I responded, “How long will you continue in darkness? Do you want future generations to live in darkness also? Remember that Moses went to Pharaoh, even though he was afraid, because the Lord promised to go with him.”

He was close to crying and wanted to hear more. I pleaded, “My dear friend, leave all this darkness behind you and let us walk together in the light of the Lord Jesus, who died for you.”

Before he left, I said, “Remember, no more darkness,” to which he replied, “Only light.”

I thank the Lord He was with me and directed my path to that place. I pray this dear old rabbi and the three young men will come to know the true Light of the world.

Chris Katulka: Hey, thanks for joining us for today's episode of The Friends of Israel Today. Don't forget to get your free digital download of our popular booklet, Whose Land is it Anyway? on our website, foiradio.org. Now listen, next week we’re going to continue our series on Malachi and we're going to look at, specifically the messengers that Malachi is talking about. God’s going to send messengers. Who are those messengers and how should they encourage us to give God the best now.. Why? Because the best is yet to come. As mentioned, our web address is foiradio.org. Again, that’s foiradio.org. Our mailing address is FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Hey, write to us. I’m going to give you that address one more time. FOI Radio PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Or can call our listener line. That’s 888-343-6940. Again, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe. Edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Lisa Small is our executive producer. Sarah Fern is our associate producer. The late Mike Kellogg read Apples of Gold. Steve Conover is the executive director here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. And I'm Chris Katulka, your host and teacher. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's Chosen People.