Malachi 3

Corrupted Priests

In a sense, the PRIESTS – at this time in history – were the leaders of Israel [because Israel had no king at this time]. This section deals with the PRIESTS of Israel but gives them a specific COMMANDMENT[i]. God commands them

· To give GLORY to HIS NAME

· To keep the COVENANT that He had made beforehand with them

See Mal 2:1-4.

Malachi 2:1–4 NKJV

“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name,” Says the Lord of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart. “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants And spread refuse on your faces, The refuse of your solemn feasts; And one will take you away with it. Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,” Says the Lord of hosts.

God had chosen the tribe of Levi to minister in His Tabernacle as priests[iii] but now they had defiled the priesthood[iv]. Here He is giving them a chance to repent of their evil ways but, if not, He will remove the priesthood from them[v]. Indeed, God will remove the Levites from the priesthood in the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ[vi] because of their disobedience.

What ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES occured because of the DISOBEDIENCE of the priests of Malachi’s day?

[i] , .

[ii] See .

[iii] See ; ; . Note .

[iv] .

[v] Note “take you away with it [the refuse]”. This is referring to the offal of the sacrifices that were “burned outside the camp” [Cf , , ]. This is speaking, figuratively, of JUDGMENT that would come upon the priesthood if they did not repent of their sins.

[vi] See .

A Lesson for Us

Certainly, there is a powerful lesson for us today. God has made us believer-priests in His Assembly []. We even will have the opportunity to be kings and priests in the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ[1] - if we persevere to the end in our Christian experience. And we are under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.[2] But there are responsibilities that come with this privilege. This is spoken of in .

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (, NKJV)

In other words, if we fail to persevere in our fellowship with Christ we will FAIL TO REIGN WITH HIM in His eternal kingdom. Just as with the Levites above, there are also ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES for our failures and sins. May we live in light of the Judgment-Seat of Christ and not fail to reign with Christ.

What can we learn from their example of disobedience?

[1] See , and .

[2] ; .