A Covenant People, Profaning the Covenant.

Scripture Introduction: Open your Bible to Malachi chapter 2. We return to our theme of giving God what He deserves. In chapter 1 we recognized the tall order that this is and we were left at the mercies of His grace in Christ. In today’s text, God doubles down on His inditement agains His covenant people. Please follow along as I read Malachi chapter 2, starting in verse 1.

Sermon Introduction: Have you even been told, “You know better.”? ... This is where God begins here in chapter 2. If there remains any suspicion in your heart about the Jealousy of God expressed in chapter one, chapter two goes to show that God’s arguments against Israel are entirely valid because they are based upon violations of God’s covenant with His people. God’s not just upset that their are people out there who are not recognizing His majesty (though this certainly is the case), this is to be expected from the heathen. God is upset because the people He entered into a close, covenantal relationship with have violated those terms. God had graciously set His love upon a people, and what have they done in return? They have abounded in dishonor and profanity toward their God. One might expect this from the enemies of God, but the evil stings all the more when it’s coming from home. The issue in Malachi’s day is that God’s people have betrayed their God in so many ways, and God makes sure to fill them in on all the little details. That’s what we see here in chapter 2, A Covenant People, Profaning the Covenant.

II. A Covenant People, Profaning the Covenant.

God wastes no time as Malachi turns his attention to a specific group of people, a group who had been entrusted with a wonderful gift, but who had profaned it. This group was the priesthood, and to them could be given the charge from Christ in .

A. “To whom much is given much more will be required” (verses 1-9).

Before we really appreciate everything going on in this text we must consider first the priesthood: expectation vs. reality...

The priesthood: expectation vs. reality.

When you think of a priest, what comes to your mind: a person in clerical robes; a religious official; sacrifices; incense? Certainly these things all have their part (one way or another) in the priesthood, but fundamentally a priest is a person who serves as a conduit, a channel between God and man. Now such an office would, as you might expect, place several expectations on the priests.

The essence of the priesthood was holy devotedness to God.

The priests where the representatives of the people before God and they were entrusted with making petitions to God through oversight of the offerings and sacrifices of the people of God.

This means that in a sense, the priests worked in close proximity to God and therefore had to purify themselves for this role. The priests were to epitomize holiness, both ceremonially as well as personally.

In the Old Testament the priesthood was an exclusive office reserved for those in the tribe of Levi within Israel. All this speaks to the reverence and respect that the office both demanded of the people and that they demonstrated toward God.

However… Something was wrong in Malachi’s day… The priest were those specifically given charge to lead people in the way, but they themselves have gone out of the way. God will not give them a pass, He is no respecter of persons this we see explicitly in verses 1-4 (read verses 1-4).

The priest were those specifically given charge to lead people in the way, but they themselves have gone out of the way. God will not give them a pass, He is no respecter of persons this we see explicitly in verses 1-4 (read verses 1-4).

The reality was that the Levitical leadership who where the peculiar of God’s peculiar people, had neglected their office responsibilities.

(verses 4-6)

The priests were a vital link in the chain of communication between God and His people, yet verse 2 indicates that they had turned their attention away from heaven. God’s commands and instructions were falling on deaf ears and the result was the casual, disrespectful worship referenced in chapter 1. The priesthood and their offspring bears the brunt of the responsibility.

It’s as if God was saying to the priest, “You had ONE job, y’all! What are you doing?!” God says that because they had lead the people into dishonor, they too would reap the curse of those who cheat God in their sacrifices because the priests should have put an end to such violations (1:14).

In verse 3 we see that God uses scatalogical language to push the point of how offensive their breach of office was in His sight. This is a bit gross, all the more to prove the point of how repulsive casual, disrespectful worship is in the sight of God. This dung that God is referencing is that which would inevitably come from the slain carcasses of the sacrificial animals, it was a constant threat of defilement for the priests and the purity of the offerings (in fact Exodus & Leviticus give specific instructions for it’s removal and incineration), and God is saying that just as you ought to carry away the dung from the altar, so will you be removed and relieved from service because the shame of this defilement is in your face. Have we begun to see how seriously God takes His worship?

Now verse 5 returns again to the expectations of the priesthood, referencing the ideal that God had established with the tribe of Levi (read verses 5-7).

Oh the blessings of being a Levite: life & peace. God reflects on the history of the tribe with the ideal in mind, when the priests feared me, there was blessing upon blessing.

Verses 6-7 indicate the role that priests even had as the teachers of the righteousness and truth in the society of God’s people. They were the gatekeepers of the Word of God, and as long as they kept in step with God’s instructions, they could expect to prosper according to God’s delight in them. However, expectation gives way to reality... (read verse 8-9).

Again, disappointment by the ones whose sole responsibility was to prevent the people from backsliding into sin. It’s as if God is pointing out, “You know better.”

Truly things seem to go from bad to worse. Not only had the worship been defiled, but the failure of the priests had led to the defilement of God’s Law.

Verses 8 is set in stark contrast to the ideal service that God had ordained the priests for; “You were suppose to guard knowledge and to speak my Word, but instead you’ve given corrupt instruction (you’ve gone out of the way), you’ve caused the downfall of the people because of your corrupt instruction.

But God is not to be mocked. Verse 9 show how God brings about the consequence of the priest’s sin back upon their heads, “I will make you despised.” God will turn the tables on the priests. They had sought to appease the people through vain instruction and partiality (this means they were being people pleasers rather than a servant of God), but this will backfire and the people you sought to please will despite you once they reap the whirlwind of your godless counsel. Truly, to whom much is given, much more will be required, and few had been given such grace as the priests in the Old Testament.

But what about us today? How might we benefit from this message from Malachi? Well, we certainly would do well, again, not to think too highly of ourselves and isolate ourselves from this “elite” group of God’s grace (“Oh, boy, glad I don’t have to worry about sinning in that way because I’m not a Levite.”). Because the reality is that Christ, by His Spirit, has made us who have placed our faith in Him, an entire generation of priests. Malachi’s warning strikes close to home for you and me today.

We are a royal priesthood ()

We are told in

English Standard Version Chapter 2

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Gone are the days of insider and outsider distinctions being drawn along genealogical lines. In Christ we all get to give ourselves to the duty of the priesthood. But this looks different for us now; gone also are the days of animal sacrifice and ceremonial cleansing. Christ has ministered these, once and for all, on our behalf when He was lifted up as a substitutionary sacrifice for us.

But many of the essential aspects of priesthood do still apply.

We’re to pursue holiness in worship and godly living as this is the natural consequence of our union with Christ. This is an essential New Testament theme explained also in ...

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

We’re also still to bear the responsibility of guarding the truth of God’s Word as His messengers of the Gospel. catapults us into this service.

English Standard Version Chapter 28

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers liberates us from the dominion of religion and allows us to embrace our covenant relationship with God directly as a part of the body of Christ. Every Christian bears the duty of freedom in Christ (obedience), and so again, ‘to whom much is given, much more will be required.’ Though the work of our priesthood looks different than it did in the Old Testament, it is still a life-dominating task. There is more work to be done.

Next, in verses 10-16 God connects the...

B. The social consequences of domestic issues (read verses 10-16).

As if picking on the Levitical “sub-group” of Isreal wasn’t specific enough in overturning every cover of sin in the community, God goes to the bedrooms of every one of His people. And so what we have here is a bit of...

The priesthood: expectation vs. reality (verses 7-9)

Non-negotiable dating advice.

1. Non-negotiable dating advice.

The priests were not the only ones in Israel with a glaring issue in Malachi’s day. Widespread apostasy was taking place as men were committing themselves to marriage with pagan woman and their pagan gods.

Israel’s pagan fidelity meant spiritual adultery. And while the lines of marital discrimination for us today as God’s chosen priesthood are not drawn along cultural or ethnic grounds because Christ has broken down such divisions according to His grace, we are still to discriminate (make a judgment call) on spiritual grounds.

In one big sense, the American idea that ‘I can marry anyone that I want to’ doesn’t apply to the follower of Christ.

Unequally yoked () (verses 10-12).

Unequally yoked (verses 10-12).

Nothing binds two people so closely together as the covenant of marriage, and for the Christian this means sharing a common bond as husband and wife in Christ.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

If you are a Christian, there are no justifiable grounds for you to date an unbeliever (PERIOD). No matter how you view the purpose of dating and no matter how good your intensions may be, God clearly instructs us not to yoke, or fuse, or lock ourselves into a bind with those who are still dead in their sins.

Now it’s easy to assume that this verse in 2 Corinthians is merely referring to dating and marriage, but it actually is a bit more broad in scope. And this is where...

2. Where “none of your business” meets “God’s business.”

Where “none of your business” meets “God’s business.”

Yes. God has a say on what goes on in your bedroom… God has a say on what is or isn’t acceptable in your sex life. God has a say on sleeping together. God has a say on shacking up (read verses 13-16).

Israel was living loosely with sex, marriage meant little to nothing, and people were being hurt by it all. Can I clarify this for you: God says to everyman, and that means every man here today, sexual intimacy is for a husband and his wife (PERIOD). And do you know what that doesn’t leave a loop hole for? “Well, having sex before marriage isn’t violating my wife if I don’t have one yet.” Wrong. The question that needs to be asked is, “Is this woman my wife?” If the answer is no, whether you’re married or not. She’s off limits. Do you see the heart of God here for the sanctity of the family unit (read verse 15)? God hand-crafted this unit before any other relationship, and He still holds it sacred even today, and when this falls away, everything else comes crashing down.

The consequences of this, though their certainly were societal, physical, and emotional repercussions, also were spiritual (verses 13-14). The people were enjoying a sexual revolution all the while trying to “do worship” at the Temple. God wasn’t having any of it. What you do on Saturday you take with you to worship on Sunday, Christian. There is no blessing to those who violate holy matrimony and who victimize women. Our world today would do well to listen to these words from Malachi. Lastly, verse 17 speaks of...

Can I clarify this for you

C. The great reversal (read verse 17).

A society has all but hit rock bottom when...

When what’s wrong is right, and what’s right is wrong.

1. When what’s wrong is right, and what’s right is wrong.

(verses 10-12) Unequally yoked

Such was the case in Israel. Verse 17 echoes of the time of the judges, when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, each giving assent and approval to the other. The moral compass of the people was broken and God’s patience had come to an end with this profane people; He has had ENOUGH! (verse 17)

God’s patience has come to an end; He’s had ENOUGH! (verse 17)

The priests had neglected to teach the Law of God and so the moral standard of society had gone into a nose dive. God is “weary” with the reversal of truth in society that had given way to fully fledged taunting of God and mockery of His justice. Of thus is born, Atheism.

The priests had neglected to teach the Law of God and so the moral standard of society had gone into a nose dive. God is “weary” with the reversal of truth in society that had given way to fully fledged taunting of God and mockery of His justice. Of thus is born, Atheism.

God is “weary” with the reversal of truth in society.

God is “weary” with taunting God’s justice.

Atheism: the product of disillusionment.

2. Atheism: the product of disillusionment.

Atheism: the product of disillusionment.

(verses 13-16) 1. Where “none of your business” meets “God’s business.”

(verses 13-16)

God’s patience has come to an end; He’s had ENOUGH! (verse 17)

God is “weary” with the reversal of truth in society.

Talk about a total complete reversal, the opinion of God’s covenant people in Malachi’s day was that the God of their fathers was no longer near and present. The word on the street was, “Do what you want, God doesn’t care or He’s not able to do anything about it.”

God is “weary” with taunting God’s justice.

Practical atheism, the product of disillusion. Where is it that those who once walked the Christian walk and who talked the Christian talk turned out of the way. It begins with disillusion. It begins when worship and personal holiness are uprooted from the mooring of a knowledge of God. The reality is that there are many people today calling themselves Christians but it all actuality they are practical atheists. The message of Malachi would guard your heart from this end, the message of Malachi is: Give HIM what HE deserves!

Conclusion: So how is it that God’s people, who’ve been given so much according to God’s gracious covenant, could end up in such a state? How must we take head, lest we turn out of the way and play the practical atheist?

First, we must recognize our standing in Christ and give ourselves to living in this grace as priests of God.

Second, we must give ourselves to God having His say in our lives, from what we do out and about, to what goes on in our bedrooms. Only this will free us in our worship to give Hime the glory that He deserves in our lives.