In the last book of the Old Testament, God rebuked His people for failing to respect Him (Malachi 1:6-14). Even though they offered some type of worship, He was not pleased with it. What was wrong with their worship?
First, they were “presenting defiled food upon [the] altar” (Malachi 1:7). God demanded and deserved an unblemished sacrifice. Yet they were offering blind, lame, and sick animals to God that they would not even present to their governor (Malachi 1:8).
Second, they were “profaning” the name of God (Malachi 1:11-12). Rather than exalting His name as being “great among the nations” (Malachi 1:11), they treated their service to God as something that was common.
Third, they saw worship as “tiresome” (Malachi 1:13). It was too much of a chore for them to worship God in the way He prescribed, so they offered an inferior substitute.
We need to guard against the attitude of the people in Malachi’s day. We must view worship as a privilege rather than a burden. We are doing it to praise Him, not to satisfy ourselves.
So remember that our worship must honor God. This is done by worshipping according to His instructions. He is worthy of our best efforts and thoughtful obedience.