Explore the Bible Lesson Preview Faithful Background: Malachi 2:1-17 Lesson: Malachi 2:10-17

Transcription

1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview Faithful Background: Malachi 2:1-17 Lesson: Malachi 2:10-17 Motivation: What does the Bible say about honor in marriage? We have a clear principle in Malachi 2:16. As we teach this truth, we must speak the truth in love. Examination: I. Warning to Unfaithful Priests (2:1-9) A. The Curse of the Priests Therefore, this decree is for you priests: If you don t listen, and if you take it to heart to honor My name, says Yahweh of Hosts, I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart. (1-2) Spiritual leaders are judged with a stricter judgment (James 3:1). The priests had broken God s covenant (5) and now are under the penalty of judgment. HCSB, p.1592: 2:1-3 In addition to the positive motivation of 1:2-5, God decreed that if the priests attitude and behavior did not change, He would treat them with contempt (as they had treated Him) and would remove them from service (Lv 10:1-3; 1 Sm 2:29-36; Ezk 44:6-14; Hs 4:6-8). The waste consisted of the dung and unclean sacrificial remains after a temple festival that were disposed of outside the camp (Ex 29:14; Lv 16:27-28). God had entrusted the priests with the spiritual well-being. B. The Consequences of Disobedience Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants, and I will spread animal waste over your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices, and you will be taken away with it. Then you will know that I sent you this decree so My covenant with Levi may continue, says the Lord of Hosts. (3-4) Anyone 1 / 8

2 who has stepped into animal waste left by an inconsiderate pet walker knows the revulsion of the smell plus the feeling of being unclean. In addition to making the priests feel unclean, the waste would make them ritually unfit for service. C. The Conduct Expected of Spiritual Leaders (5-7) 1. Fear God My covenant with him 3. Walk daily with God He walked with Me in peace (6b) (Micah and fairness 6:8) and turne 2. Be Truthful True instruction was in (6a) his mouth, and nothing wro 4. Faithfully teach God s For Wordthe lips of a priest (7) should guard knowledge, an HCSB, 1592: 2:4-9 The covenant with or of Levi in verses 4 and 8 refers not to a covenant with the son of Jacob but to the covenant of peace that God made with the Levite Phinehas, Aaron s grandson. God promised Phinehas and his descendants a perpetual priesthood in return for his zeal in protecting Israel from the corruption of idolatry (Nm 25:1-13). The entire tribe of Levi had earlier been set apart by God after a similar act of faithfulness at Mount Sinai (Ex 32:26-29). They were assigned responsibility for the sanctuary and worship (Dt 10:8-9; Neh 13:29). The tribe s function was to teach the law to Israel (and in that sense to be God s messenger and to officiate at the altar (Lv 10:8-11; Dt 33:8-11). The Levitical covenant was renewed in Jr 33:14-22 in connection with the Davidic covenant, though it was narrowed in Ezk 44:10-16 to the descendants of Zadok (1 Sm 2:35; 1 Kg 2:27). Although the priests had violated the covenant, 3:3-4 shows it would remain in effect. That teachers of God s Word could be described as messengers implies the ongoing relevance of God s past instructions and shows the continuing importance of the role of biblical teachers among God s people. 2 / 8

3 D. The Conduct Condemned of Spiritual Leaders You, on the other hand, have turned from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have violated the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of Hosts. So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in your instruction. (8-9) 1. Breaking God s Law turned (8) from the way 3. Violated God s covenant (8) 2. Causing others to caused stumble many to stumble (8) 4. Showing partiality in your instruction (9), not applying it equally or fairly. II. Irresponsible Behavior (10-12) 1. In Community Don t all of us have one Father? Didn t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our Fathers? (10) In vss 10, 11, 14 and 15 we see the Hebrew word bagad translated act treacherously. It speaks of betrayal both to God and His covenant. Here we see that the betrayal of the covenant is against one another. God s people live in community; thus, a betrayal of God s covenant is a betrayal of one another. A New Testament example would be Ananias and Sapphira in Acts In Covenant Marriage Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the Lord s sanctuary, which He loves, dealt treacherously, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. To the man who does this, may the Lord cut off any descendants from the tents of Jacob, even if they present an offering to the Lord of hosts! (11-3 / 8

4 12) The prohibition of intermarriage was well documented in God s Word (Deut. 7:3ff; Ezra 9:2-4; Neh. 9:8, 33; 13:27). The reason for the prohibition was theological as well as practical. God was the Father of Israel (10); from the Jewish nation would come the world s Messiah. God wanted His people to be separate and holy. Inevitably, when Jewish men began to marry heathen women, they adopted their idolatry to some extent. (I Kings 11:1-2) HCSB, p : 2:11-12 The most obvious way Judah was violating the covenant was by intermarriage with women who worshiped foreign gods, thus introducing a spiritually destructive element into the covenant community (Ex 34:11-16; Dt 7:3-4; Ezr 9:1-2 Neh 13:26; 2 Cor 6:14-17). A detestable act was one that caused such serious defilement that destruction or death was required (Lv 18:29; Dt 7:25; 13:15; Jr 44:22-23). Anyone who did this was cursed (Mal 2:12). Descendants is a reasonable rendering of a difficult phrase on the basis of parallels in 1 Kg 14:10; Is 14:22; Jr 44:7. The last clause (lit and presenting an offering to Yahweh of hosts ) probably explains more precisely why their sin profaned the sanctuary: they were continuing to sacrifice to God despite their sin III. The Marriage Covenant Reaffirmed (13-17) Divorce is very present in our society as it was in Jesus day and in Malachi s time. We cannot ignore the fact that in almost every class where this lesson is taught, someone will be present who is affected by divorce. A Christian approach to divorce must hold up God s standard while expressing God s love, forgiveness, and redemption. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin. Yet, in our day, as in the day of Malachi it often has tragic consequences: 1. Divorce has Spiritual Consequences And this is another thing you do: you cover the Lord s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning, because He no longer respects your offerings or receives them gladly from your hands. (13) Our spiritual lives are often both a reflection of and a casualty of the poor choices we make. Peter admonishes husbands to show understanding and honor to wives so that your prayers will not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7) The weeping and groaning was evidently not due to remorse for disobedience but rather because the men felt shunned by God. 2. Divorce has Marital Consequences Yet you ask, For what reason? Because the 4 / 8

5 Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have acted treacherously against her, though she was your marriage partner and your wife by covenant. (14) HCSB, p.1593: 2:13-14 To marry pagan women, some men were divorcing their Jewish wives to whom they had sworn faithfulness before God. Another thing you do is not the weeping of verse 13, but introduces the issue of divorce in verse 14 ( you cover could be rendered while covering ). Divorce was the second detestable act of treachery that was profaning the sanctuary (v. 11). The verb forms in verses are different from those in verses This may suggest that Malachi was even more concerned with divorce than with intermarriage. Divorce profaned the sanctuary because the people continued to offer their sacrifices (v. 13) despite their marital betrayals. God s refusal to respond favorable to their offering (hence their tears; see Gn 4:4-5; Ps 6:6-9) was probably linked to their continuing economic and social troubles (Neh 9:32-37; Hg 1:6, 9-11; 2:16-19). Persistent sin renders worship meaningless. Marriage partner renders a word for someone with whom one is bound by friendship, common goals and commitments, kinship, or covenant, the latter being the case here. On marriage as covenantal, see Pr 2:17; Ezk 16:8, 59-62; Hs 2: Divorce has Consequences for Children Didn t the one God make us with a remnant of His life- breath? And what does He seek? A godly offspring. (15a) This translation speaks to God s spiritual descendants, a holy nation in Peter s words (1 Peter 2:9) Another rendering and a result of a Christian marriage can be Godly offspring. Such a result becomes tremendously more difficult when one parent abandons the covenant. 4. Divorce has Consequences for the One Left So watch yourself carefully, and do not act treacherously against the wife of your youth. (15b) In Malachi s day, Jewish men were divorcing their Jewish brides ( wife of your youth ) to marry pagans. Usually, this reduced the abandoned wife to the status of a beggar. One wonders if we would have less divorce in our society if responsibility were stressed instead of rights. 5. Divorce has Consequences for the One Leaving If he hates and divorces his wife, says the Lord God of Israel, he covers his garment with injustice, says the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously. (16 ) H CSB, p. 1593: 2:16 5 / 8

6 This verse ends by repeating verse 15b with one significant change. After speaking to you in verses 13-15a, verse 15b switches back to third person her as in verses 11-12, ending literally, and with the wife of your youth let him not act treacherously. Then after a conjunction opening verse 16 (meaning because, if, when, that, or indeed ) is a verb that clearly means he hates, although most translations change it to I hate. But the subject apparently is the one who acts treacherously, and who also covers his garment with injustice. The one speaking is the Lord God of Israel, and contrary to KJV, NKJV, etc., there is no indication of indirect discourse ( says that ), so God cannot be the subject of he hates. This verse specifies how wives were being betrayed. Their husbands were hating so as to divorce (a Hb infinitive) them for no legitimate reason (Dt 24:3), which was a heinous injustice. Such a cold-blooded and unscrupulous traitor to his marital responsibilities, who would deny his wife the very things he had pledged to provide devotion, care, companionship, protection, intimacy, peace, justice (Gn 2:24; Ex 21:10; Dt 22:13-19; Pr 5:15-20) Stood condemned by God, and he wore the stain of his crime like a garment for all to see (Ps 73:6). God sees marriage as a holy covenant; in the New Testament it is compared to the relationship of Christ and His church. To tear the covenant is called violence. The one who tears it is said to deal treacherously. Sharing the Biblical view of divorce should be an encouragement to married Christians to stay together and honor their vows. Marriage is not a casual thing to be dissolved on a whim. Christians should stay the course, until death do us part. Malachi 2:14 reminds us of the covenant nature of our marriage vows. God s covenant with Israel is the backdrop of our covenant with God and our spouse. On the other hand, as you teach this lesson, you will be addressing many who were innocent partners trying to follow God and were abandoned or betrayed. Be sure that your spirit as well as your words does not condemn fellow believers because of harm done to them. People attending your class, by their very presence, are making a statement of allegiance to God. Let s encourage everyone: Those who are married to stick to their vows, those who are divorced to look forward in obedience to God. F. Doubt You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you ask, How have we 6 / 8

7 wearied Him? When you say, everyone who does what is evil is good in the LORD s sight, and He is pleased with them, or, where is the God of justice? (17) HCSB, p. 1593: 2:17 The people s treachery against one another (v. 10) was a form of injustice (failing to give someone his due), but they accused God of injustice for not coming to their aid and punishing people they considered evil (1:2; 3:15). God s ironic reply was to announce in a coming messenger of judgment (3:5; the same B word as justice ) who would purge an purify God s people, including the priests. Confusing evil and good strikes at the heart of God s justice. Paul writes Hate what is evil; cling to what is good (Rom. 12:9). Yet, the abandoning of absolute truth and the substituting of situational ethics has created a moral environment in which one can justify almost any evil thing as good. Application: 1. Spiritual leaders are expected to honor God. 2. Obedience to God s covenant brings blessing; failure to obey brings judgment. 3. Marriage vows are taken very seriously by God. Leader Pack item 5 Bookmark: Memory Verses (Malachi 2:10) No Illustrator Article Notes: **You may access David s Lesson Preview in MP3 format and notes at: lestudy.org 7 / 8

8 Dates: 5/25 Memorial Day church offices closed; 5/29 - HCHS Graduation; 5/29 HUB Summer Kick-off; 5/29 ReCreate Date Night; 5/ th grade launch retreat; 5/31 SPF Birthday Bash; 6/3,10,17,24 - SPF Summer Nights Bible Studies, HUB AMP & WIRED; 6/4,11,18 & 25 MetroLIVE; 6/6 Inspire Women s Intensive; 6/7 Promotion Sunday, Student led worship; 6/9-13 Elevate Choir Mission Tour; 6/8-13 Jr. & Sr. Intl. Mission Trip with College; 6/8,15,22,29&7/13 - HUB Nights; 6/14-7/13 Pastor Gregg on Sabbatical; 6/14 SPF B-day Bash; 6/14 Matthew Hoskinson speaking; 6/15-19 Camp Intersect; 6/16-21 NYC Choir & Mission Trip; 6/21 SPF Father s Day Luncheon; 6/21 Lee Strobel speaking; 6/24-27 Student Leadership U 101; 6/27 Men: Serve. 8 / 8