Malachi 2: Tough Love

​Key Verses
1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you….
 
Meditation
God’s love meets us where we are but never leaves us as we are. God redeems and restores. God justifies and He sanctifies. God’s truth transforms in the context of covenant relationship.
 
After demonstrating His covenant faithfulness by returning the exiled Israelites to Jerusalem and empowering the rebuilding of the temple, today’s reading records God speaking truth to Israel’s priests and people. The sting of truth spoken in love is transformative, bringing fruitfulness.
 
God’s word to the priests (v. 1) is designed to reform their leadership and practices. God warns of curses if priests do not repent (vv. 1-3) because they have violated agreed upon standards (vv. 4-7) and failed to meet God’s mark (vv. 8-9). God loves His people too much to allow the leaders to pollute His blessings.
 
As the priests betrayed God’s design, so the people betrayed God and one another. Private sins were leading to public fault lines which divided marriages and families through senseless divorces. The people’s faithlessness to God led to faithlessness to one another (vv. 10-12) causing avoidable grief and pain. Husbands betrayed wives and marriages betrayed children, missing God’s design and messing up society in general (vv. 13-16).
 
God loves His people too much to allow them to sit in sin and struggle. The truth of the prophet points to the Greater Priest, Jesus Christ, who was betrayed so sinners like us can be welcomed by our Father’s love. Jesus is the perfect priest who became the sacrifice we need so unfaithful people can find forgiveness and freedom to walk in a newness of life.
 
Today’s Reading
“And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. 4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Judah Profaned the Covenant
10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[f] And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

The Messenger of the Lord
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
 
Richly Dwelling
-Where do you see the tough truth designed to transform woven throughout this passage?
 
-Why is truth tough to receive even in the context of loving relationship? How does betrayal spoil God’s desire to bless?
 
-Grace gives us ground to repent and return to God for fruitful relationship. Where do you need to allow God’s truth to transform your heart and life, returning to Him for fruitful relationship? Be specific.
 
Key Verses
1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you….