It’s a bad day when the priests of God are the ungodly. Their rebuke continues.
The position of the priests was an honor and it came from Levi who walked rightly before God. So God gave him and his descendants a covenant of peace and life, that they would serve him throughout Israel. But the priests of Malachi’s time were spurning that covenant.
God tells them plainly that if he they persist in refusing to listen, he will curse their blessings. They received privileges as priests, but he would make this privileges sour.
He gives the role of the priests. They were to know and preserve knowledge of the Bible and to guide the people in the ways of God.
“But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble” (v. 8).
It sounds like so many supposedly godly leaders today who are teaching the people that carnality is acceptable. That God is so loving evil isn’t evil and there’s no need to repent.
But there’s another sin among the priests and God hates it. That is the sin of divorce.
First of all they married foreign wives and served foreign gods. The Lord has always said this was detestable as their gods would lead them astray.
Then they cry out to God and wonder why he isn’t pleased with their offerings? That’s like bringing flowers to your wife when she knows you have a girlfriend. And then getting angry that she isn’t pleased.
The LORD says these priests have broken faith their wives. They have violated their covenant with them. And yet God had made the one.
He tells them plainly that he hates divorce. He hates violates.
Then he tells them to guard themselves in their spirit. And not to break faith their wives.
Finally he responds to one of their questions. One in which they have wearied Him with their words.
They keep asking why God loves evil? Where is the justice of God?”
They said this because they saw evil prospering and no justice from God. He will answer in the next chapter. But he is going to deal with them.
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Let me allow myself to think aloud with you on this. In the past year, I have had more than one friend pour out their heart to me about their marriages. They and their spouses are Christians, but they are utterly miserable. And there is a common thread in all of them—extreme levels of selfishness on the part of their spouse.
They struggle as they know God hates divorce. But they feel like they are dying.
For some who are legalistic and harsh, there is only one response. God hates divorce. Deal with it.
But there’s also the reality of looking at suffering. And sin of all kinds harms others.
I don’t have the answers. But these real life things I’m seeing create in me a pulling in two directions. There really is so much suffering. And there’s also the truth that divorce is very harmful.
What does it truly mean that “God has joined them together.”. Of course I could pontificate on this if asked and speak about covenant and oneness. Just like about any Christian could. But what does it really mean?
