The Scroll Of Remembrance
(16) Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. (17) “On the day when I act”, says the LORD Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. (18) And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” Malachi 3:16-18
Where there is no fear of God, no good is to be expected. We often look around our society and those of us who have been around a while can look a little further back and we can see changes. Some of those changes are good, but there are many which are bad. Really bad!
Almost every generation thinks the world is worse than it has ever been. Each generation seems to think that the level of nasty has hit the gong at the top of the pole, sounding off to everyone that this is the most wicked the world has ever been.
Well, it is not so. Israel, the chosen people of God were pretty rough. The prophets, one right after another, went to them trying to bring them back to God. They were bad, as it appears, most of the time. But, there were worse in the world.
In Malachi, the prophet labored with the sinful nation of Israel, tugging at their hearts trying to get them to come back to God. God spoke through the prophet to His people, but most didn’t listen.
I’m sitting here writing this and thinking to myself, “I listen to God… or at least I try.” Yet, God could just as easily write this to the church today over the same generic problem. It may be that I am living in an illusion thinking I’m following God.
For those of us who serve God, there is a special testimony for us. In the picture contained in the verses above, God has a “Scroll Of Remembrance” being written right in His presence keeping up with who feared and honored His name. If that is you, your name is on the scroll. If you are not one who fears and honors His name, it is missing; and you really don’t want that.
God was numbering His remnant in this passage. This remnant has always been the redeeming factor for the land. And, do you know what? God still has a remnant. Israel as a nation professed His name as their God, but only a “scrap”, a remnant, got their names on the scroll. In today’s churches there are millions who profess His name, but if we are like Israel who did it in word only, most of the names are not written on the scroll. “And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
God will make the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve Him and those who do not. It will be made obvious on the day He chooses. But you and I need to remember whose names He put on that scroll. “A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.”
Reverence for Him in a worship filled life and honoring His name is what He calls us to do. I don’t know about you, but I want my name on that scroll.