Malachi 2:10-17       Malachi Speaks

Up to this point in the book of Malachi God has been personally addressing the priests, who were in control of religious and legal life in Jerusalem. At this reading of the book the thing that amazed me was the speed of change from a believing society, which was ordered according to the Law of Jehovah, to a godless society flaunting its sin by ignoring the Word of God. At the centre of this change are the religious leaders who seem to have surrendered all religious and moral authority to the whims of an increasingly ungodly people. As I look back over the fifty and a bit years since I sought the Lord for forgiveness and was born again of His Spirit I realised that this seems to be a constantly recurring pattern that only ends when God judges and punishes the evildoers. In an age that does not recognise sin it seems that we must be drawing very close to the judgement that this land and its religious leadership so justly deserves. As I read God’s words to the religious leaders of that generation my prayer is, “God keep me true and faithful whatever the cost in terms of popularity”.  

At chapter 2:10, things change. It is Malachi, the prophet, who now speaks to the sinful, disobedient laity on behalf of Jehovah. It is no longer the priests who are addressed. It is the people generally. From this point on all the verses are in the third person.

The prophet begins by challenging the people, and asking “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another? Malachi 2:10.

The inhabitants of Jerusalem were no longer the close knit community that they had been when they were worshipping and working for the glory of God. Their covenant relationship with one another was no longer a factor in their treatment of each other.

Not only had they broken faith with one another, they had also broken faith with God. “ Judah has broken faith with God.” Malachi describes it as an abomination. Malachi 2:11

They have committed Idolatry.                                                    

A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves, by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.

Their idolatry, spiritual adultery, led to actual adultery. They have broken their marriage vows. Malachi 2:14 – 16.

 It is because the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not [the Lord] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. I hate divorce, says the Lord God of Israel, and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment, says the Lord Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

 As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord cut him off from the tents of Jacob — even though he brings offerings to the Lord Almighty.

While the law allowed divorce in some cases, Malachi  2:16 expresses God's firm disapproval of the practice Neither divorce nor polygamy has ever been God's plan. They are not good bases on which to rear godly families, for they violate the marriage covenant. Marriage problems always indicate underlying spiritual problems (2:10, 13-14).

Another problem was that they were demonstrating Remorse without Repentance.

You shed tears but you do not repent.                              

You flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.

They were wearying the Lord with their words. They were saying, “all who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them”, or, “where is the God of justice?”

 They tried to make their evil ways seem good through their insincere and silly talk. They mistook God's slowness in judging them for his approval of their evil ways (2:17).

It all seems so up-to-date and modern. People bemoan the evil that surrounds us in today’s society but they will not accept the Lord’s remedies. God still calls men and women to repent and to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness. With that as a starting point they can then go on to a new life in fellowship with God and with His people.