MALACHI 2:1-9
God's Denunciation of the Priests for Perversion
of the Law
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Priests in the economy of Israel
were divinely appointed leaders of the people. They were mediators between God and His people (Ex. 28:1ff)
and teachers of Israel (Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:10; II Chron. 15:3). Priests were supposed to know
the law and teach it to the children of Israel.
B. The source of the evil in Malachi's
time was the priests and God rebuked them for their carelessness about sacred
things. God will punish priests
more grievously if they are careless or scandalous in their office. NOTE: It is a serious thing to be appointed a teacher of the Word of
God, for with this office comes the greater discipline from God (James 3:1).
II. JEHOVAH'S WARNING (2:1-3)
A. "And now, 0 ye priests, this commandment is for
you." The Lord
made a warning or threat against the priests. NOTE: God holds
them more responsible because they are leaders among the people.
B. "If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to
heart, to give glory unto my name"
The chief end and aim of the priests was to bring glory to
God in their ministry, but they would not obey or have a right
heart attitude towards God. NOTE: Ministers are to do their ministry unto
God and not to men (Gal. 1:9-10).
C. "Saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse
upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart." The "blessings"
refers back to the "fruit" and "meat" (1:12). God says He would curse the
blessings because of their disobedience.
The very revenue the priests got out of the sacrifices and tithes
would become a curse to them. Because
the priests refused to glorify God, Jehovah, based on His Word,
cursed them (Deut. 27:15-26; 20:15-68).
D. "Behold, I will corrupt your seed," This refers to the
physical crops. While
the priests never tilled the soil, their whole livelihood came from the tithe
of the people who did till it. Since
the priests were dependent on the increase of the harvest
for their tithe, they would inevitably suffer if God cursed
the seed. God cursed these priests
by giving them little to fill their bellies. NOTE: The minister who teaches and preaches the Word of God faithfully
will be blessed by God and He will meet all his material needs.
E. "And spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of
your solemn feasts; and (one) shall take you away with it." "Dung" was
animal refuse and there was a great deal of it on feast days when
there was much sacrificing of animals. This dung would be scattered on their faces and this would
be rather embarrassing and disgraceful. Animal dung was taken outside the camp and burned (Ex.
29:14; Lev. 4:11; 8:17; Num. 19:5). These priests would be taken away with the
refuse to the dung pile as an abhorrent thing which is the proper place
for such filthy people. NOTE: These priests were disgracing God secretly
but God will disgrace them openly.
III. JEHOVAH'S EXAMPLE (2:4-7)
A.
"And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment (warning) unto you,
that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts." God made a covenant with Levi and established
the priesthood (Num. 25:12-13). This
was an institution which they were not free
to twist and bend according to their
own whims.
B. "My covenant was with him of life and peace" Malachi contrasts the despicable
conduct
of the ungodly priests of his day with the godly character and manner of life
of their ancestor with whom the Lord had made the priestly covenant (Ex.
32:25-29; Deut. 33:8-11). "Life"
must refer to physical life, especially to longevity, so it speaks of the
Levitical priesthood and its continuance.
"Peace" speaks of the happiness and prosperity
that comes from God. NOTE: The thought of loosing this
high gift by disdain or carelessness was too horrifying to Levi, and the
preservation of this covenant by
faithfully
attending to its duties was to be his anxious concern.
C. ÒAnd I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared
me, and was afraid before my name" Levi had fear for Jehovah
which is the beginning of wisdom and the basic condition
for experiencing life and peace.
D. "The law of truth was in his mouth" Levi taught the true law
or Word of God (Ps. 119:161; John 17:17), but these false priests
perverted the law. Levi and his
true followers spoke the true word, for what comes out of the priest's mouth
is the Word of God (Ezra 7:10; Deut. 33:9ff; Lev. 10:11; II Chron. 15:3; Micah
3:1). NOTE: What people know and do will be what the
minister tells them, for sheep follow the shepherd. The sheep must sit under faithful shepherds
(II Cor. 4:1-2).
E. "And iniquity was not found in his lips" Levi did not depart from
that which was right, for turning from the law is lawlessness. NOTE: Deviation from the Word of God leads to
false doctrine and practice (Ezek. 33:1-9). A minister is not only a betrayer of
the truth when he transgresses but when he fails to teach the truth he knows or
when he fails to defend the truth when it is challenged or broken. Laetsch says,
They taught
not their own views, human theories and speculations, but the infallible,
invariable truth the Lord had revealed in His Word. They taught without addition or diminution, without fear or
favor. They were reliable,
trustworthy witnesses of God's will.
F. "He walked with me in peace and equity" Levi had a spiritual walk
with God that resulted in inner joy and a life free from obstacles;
that is, nothing was put before service to God.
G. ÒAnd did turn many away from iniquity" The priests had a
testimony before sinful men. This
is speaking about conversion which is turning from evil to God
(Jer. 18:8; Mal. 3:7) and is initiated by God (Jer. 31:8) and carried out by
man (Jer. 24:7); yet God always holds man responsible for not turning (Hosea 5:14). The first priests were concerned for
the salvation of souls (I Cor. 9:19-22).
H. ÒFor the priest's lips should keep knowledge" The priest must live and
love the knowledge of God. NOTE: Ministers
should be educated in God's Word before they are permitted to
teach it to the people.
I. ÒAnd they should seek the law at his mouth" Priests should constantly
be seeking God's will from God Himself. They should observe, guard and keep God's knowledge. As the divinely appointed teachers of
God's people, they shall teach God's Word, no more, no less.
J. ÒFor he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts." Priests are God's
messengers, a great honor which neither the priests nor the people were
to forget or ignore. The
priest is a messenger because he intervenes between God and man, and announces
the things of God to the people. Therefore, priests ought to be learned men and heralds of
God's truth.
IV. JEHOVAH'S DISGUST (2:8-9)
A. ÒBut ye are departed
out of the way" They had become rebellious
and stubborn towards
God. NOTE: Every
priest knew that a rebellions son was to be stoned to death (Deut. 21:18).
B.
"Ye have caused many to stumble at the law" By their false interpretation of the
law and their bad example, they induced others to violate the law. The people were led astray by the
priests. The people did not know
what was right and wrong but the priests were responsible to teach the
people God's law.
C. ÒYe
have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts." They violated
the covenant of Levi by making
it
inoperative through their disobedience. They were covenant breakers and
revolters against God's charter with Levi.
D.
"Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the
people." Because
the priests treated the law of the Lord with contempt, the Lord made
them base before the people. They
lost the respect of the people and they would not listen to the
priests. NOTE: Laxity in applying the law of God and partiality
in its administration will naturally lead to contempt of the law.
F.
"According as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the
law." The
people's contempt for the priests was in direct proportion to the priestsÕ contempt
for God. God would repay them
"measure for measure." NOTE: Whatever a person or minister sows that
is exactly what he shall reap (Gal. 6: 7-8).
The vilest of creatures is a wicked man,
The vilest of men is a wicked Christian,
And the vilest of them is a wicked minister.
(Matthew Henry).