Some Of The Problems With The People Are Due To Problems With Some Of The Pastors In The Pulpit

" 'And now this admonition is for you, O priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor My name,' says The Lord Almighty, 'I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor Me. Because of you I will rebuke your descendants ... so that my covenant with Levi may continue,' says The Lord Almighty. 'My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction; because he is the messenger of The Lord Almighty. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,' says The Lord Almighty. 'So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed My ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law." Malachi 2:1-9 (NIV)

After admonishing the people, the prophet Malachi admonished the priests. The priests were not providing a good example of Godliness for the people. Because they had caused many to stumble, God cursed them and caused the to be despised and humiliated before the people.

God does not expect any of us to be perfect. We are all sinful by nature and while we are wrapped in our earthly bodies, we will continue to sin. We were given the free will to choose to believe and to choose right rather than wrong. However, whoa be unto us if we cause others to stumble and sin. It would be better to have a milestone about our necks and be cast into the sea. (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, & Luke 17:2) And those who teach will be judged much more strictly. (James 3:1) Pastors and preachers need to be especially careful that they do not misinform or mislead God's people. The people need to be very careful who they follow and they need to study the Bible to make sure that what they hear is correct. Do not imitate behavior that is not Godly. Judgment is coming and it will begin with the Church. "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)

The Suffering Of Christ Predicted

"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)

More than 400 years beforehand, the prophet Isaiah predicted the rejection and suffering that Jesus Christ would endure during His earthly ministry. Isaiah stated that Jesus would be pierced and physically abused for our iniquities and transgressions, and that by His wounds we would be healed.

The physical suffering that Jesus would endure as payment for our sins so that we might be saved, was predicted by the prophet Isaiah and later verified by the apostles Matthew, Mark, and John, and by Luke, the physician and close companion of the apostle Paul. We ought to thank Jesus The Christ everyday for His role in our redemption and salvation.