The Daughter of Another God - Malachi 2:10

Hey, man.

I just thought we had a really good day. We had a good crowd this morning and brother, Greg Did a really good job I thought and I'm always I think I think it was really like sometimes we just run across people in our lives to do a particular thing may be a preacher teacher and we have you found to be 1 but be several but you just like them there's just something about him you like you like something about their passion or maybe the way for the way they do something. What was that? I can't think of that pastors name now. But anyways, the famous told evangelist. Is he he said in a Pastors conference one time song about X-rays. I like it. Was there a surgeon or a doctor and I just think the church is blessed that away to the church has different people that God has blessed with different skills different things and then he Supernatural his spirit so that we can carry on and do the things we need to do. Thanks again miss Ladonna and your team for the wonderful job y'all did it was so it was so good. So so good. over the top as usual to Malachi chapter 2 and verse 10 then she turning over there. I wanted to mention up. A friend of mine still a friend of mine. But you know, I don't know a lady who had taught in the school system for years were going to be Malachi chapter 2 verse 10, but keep it in the school system for years. She did a little stand as a sum type of a soup or something like that. And then she came back to her old home to throw her old school where she had an actually graduated from and talk for a short. Of time and that but she had changed, you know, she had gone out in the world and she you know, the the statement the prophet is not without honor saving its own country. And so she could come back home and she was close to retirement age. She was about to be in her senior years and I was a senior in high school at that school where she came back and I was surprised how she came back and she struggled a little bit because some of the old People that knew her, you know, we're still there some of the people that knew her as being younger even knew that she was there and she had these new ways, you know, she had new teaching ways whatever new and a little town we were from there and Claire it was a small little town, you know there in Oklahoma, but I remember her struggling but I'm not one person that she affected that was and is a as a student there at my high school and even though she was barely five foot nothing and just under a hundred pounds. I know, you know a couple of times she got in my face and she said you might do you think you're going to be here in Calera Oklahoma the rest of your life, but you're not excuse. I don't know what God is going to do is you're going to be doing something one of these days say, it's that nice. She got really got on to me a couple of different times, you know. And we all need somebody like that in our lives, you know, that kind of encourages us inspires us can see over the curb as it were when you think about the priest that we've been studying about this introduction to Malachi. The priests were kind of those Visionaries whenever remember we had talked about in our last Bible study. There was one shoe if you really know anybody who knew that God, who were you supposed to go to the priest who was going to intercede for you for the with the offerings the priest and so most of this is dealt with most of what we have read about so far has dealt with the priest and a failure in a failure of them about tonight's message is entitled to daughters of a foreign God and I want to be very specific because what we're dealing here in the Old Testament, you have to remember in the Old Testament. It was a it was trying to keep the blood pure before spiritual reasons Okay. The reason the foreign gods were the foreign women as it were we're not acceptable or a somebody born out of the race of the Jews was not acceptable in many in many different levels and answers to because of the spiritual effect and have anything to do with necessarily a biological physical thing. But since Calvary since the cross, it's just we won the victory at the cross now, we now we do have a a blood Victory and we also have a spiritual Victory and so just keep that in mind as we go as we read the description or I want to say that the beginning to say that if I said chapter 2 verse 10 Here's a second accusation the got the Lord's about to bring the light just do we not all have one father has not one. God created us. Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother? So as to profane the Covenant of our fathers Judah has dealt treacherously an Abomination has been committed in Israel. And in Jerusalem for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which he loves and has married the daughter of a foreign God. OK verse 12 as for the man who does this the Lord cut off from the 10th of Jacob everyone who awake awake and answers or Who present an offering to the Lord. This is another thing you do you cover the altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with groaning because you no longer regards the offering or exception with favor from your hand. And so he's going to ask the question for them to remember. There's that rhetorical tool that he uses here. Text Jewel tuell. He says yet you say for what reason because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth against him. You have dealt treacherously though. She is your companion and your wife by Covenant but not the one but not one who has a remnant of the spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking a Godly Offspring take he then took to your spirit and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your you take you see where the you see where the momentum for this is there. So there's a wrong it's taking place in Israel. One of the wrongs just against God and His Covenant marriage in the others against these unprotected women verse 16 says for I hate divorce says the Lord the god of Israel and in him who end. Him who covers his garments with wrong says the Lord of hosts. So take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously father. Please just help me with this tonight and help us to Cedar God your word help us to to handle it correctly dear Lord and father help us to see the underlying theme shared your lord. What's your what you have been trying to do since you brought Adam and Eve together, dear Lord in the garden. You were speaking for yourself Godly seed father. We ask you to bless us tonight. And in our study in Jesus name, we pray and all God's people said amen. Amen. So probably not a more difficult subject to study today because of the when we think about the theme or a divorce and how it is affected is not one of us the room cuz know somebody who has has has a child or friend of grandson granddaughter. Something is has gone through this and so when we look back to the old Testament in the Old Testament Dynamic Hair. Remember what we said? Why did God want Israel to keep his people separate from these boring guys everything in the Old Testament when we're dealing with this purity of blood has to do with a spiritual consequence. Now, they called Solomon was the wisest man and all his room, but he had five hundred wives and you remember his downfall. I don't know what wise man has 500 wise but he had 500 wise and what was that? What was Solomon's downfall? The Y hours and it wasn't the women and of themselves, but it was the foreign gods that they brought in to his life. They let him away and that can happen. Either way. We can see that and jump back into the 21st century with me. We see where a young a strong Christian woman marries a man who is not solid and its faith-based in his face. He can lead a wife away from the war Wings SeaWorld and vice-versa where you can leave the husband gets LED away from the Lord by marrying a woman who has not doesn't really know the Lord doesn't have that relationship. So when he visits this this priest he talks about several different aspects in verse 10. One of them is a violation of the Covenant as it goes back to the Old Testament than the major establishment. Okay. I'm going to give you today life or death. If you do these things you're going to live. If you do these other things you're going to die. And so one of the things that they are doing and abandoning who cuz they were supposed to marry in the of their own people because they I worship the same god Jehovah God. It's another one of the things that they did was say, it was a violation of the Covenant. Okay, they violated the agreement a second verse 10 is that it was a violation of Covenant but it was a violation against God know where the promise we get into a lot of times when we think about a relationship with the Lord is one of my church going to think about it me or what is the you know, what is that scripture going to say to me about that or what? Am I going to what is God didn't think about that when we are trying to be successful in a relationships or friendships and our marriages in our churches. We think about all these for you know, we think he would not disrespect the pastor's on the offer here for a minute or two of Pastor trying to grow their church is trying to see if people saved and all this what if I displease this person what if I displeased that person what if we're not I who am I going to do some disappointing God? Interested that should be our focus and burst any talks about a violation of the Covenant. He talks about a violation of the relationship with God and then it's also a violation of the unity and one of the commentators I was reading talked about how that God was one of the reasons that this particular sand the marrying of a foreign daughter was so egregious because it affected the unity of Israel affect the unity of God's covenant. Why why is the church so affected with the same statistics today that are that affect all the world? I mean everything that's happening in the world statistically is happening to the church. Well, I can't prove it but I mean I can allude to it and I think it was a reason just because I couldn't I can elude to it. Is it because you know Christians are supposed to marry Christians believe it's just supposed to be engaged with Believers. Paul talks about that cramped and she says what part does light have with Darkness what part does Belial have with that which is holy and so people out here in the world who are really not committed Christians they get to going through life and perhaps they've I found a boy or a girl and they get married and that person is not really a Christian. And so that person what happens at weekends that we can see family. How many of our Christians do we have quote unquote Christians in the church are really Chris Really born again sold out passionate for God Christian one of the places in our life that we will we can compromise sometimes it's who we marry who are friends who are good friends are who people are we going to spend our time with these things matter is so this was the third thing that it affected the unity of Israel and I can make a 21st century application. But the fourth thing that was the victimization and I really believe this is so behind behind affecting the Covenant Buffet affecting the relationship with God. I really think that what they thrust of this text here is talking about and it's a legitimate is stated all through these verses we just read is the victimization of the women and what they were going through when they got this rid of divorce if they got the rid of divorce there were two different Old Testament rabbis in there tar gums Road about the one of them said that you could divorce your wife or anything that made you unhappy and she wasn't allowed to remarry so she had no Record, she had no one to protect her. She had no one to feed her. She had no, she had no rights or standing in the community. So you see the incredible power that these men would have over these women. That's why God is that's why God is about to say I don't I'm not answering your prayers. I'm not I'm not regarding your offerings because you have victimized these women do these things for why this was so displeasing to God again in verse 10. One Towne Center talked about what I do in my life is my own business. Mascot Pride that's got that's a Pet Sounds like a tax statement that in it. I do whatever I want to do. Nobody's going to tell me what I did what you know what that is really reflective of is a self-centeredness self-centeredness. None of us is an island unto ourselves. But how we live our lives without what are the things that go on our lives? It affects the unity of the body shop Mt real quick, and then we'll go on to that next verse Psalms 133

verses 1 through 3

Remember, oh Lord on David's behalf is Affliction how he swore to the Lord how he vowed to the mighty one of Jacob surely. I will not enter my house. They're lying. My bad. I will not give sleep to my eyes or something to my eyes until I find a place for the Lord. I dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob and stove.

There's a first day early read another one here to you.

Cancel that coming into the sanctuary of Psalms 33 sing for the joy of the Lord you righteous ones. Praise is becoming to the upright give thanks to the Lord with the Leer praise to him with a harp string sing to him a new song play skillfully with the shout of the Lord for the Lord is upright and all his work is done in faithful as she loves righteousness and judgment and Justice. There's a person looking he loves righteousness and Justice in the earth is full of his loving-kindness. And so there's one that's a group text. I was using for my study tonight about the Brotherhood of the church in an arc what happens when we gather together as Christians to worship and the energy we have these things were being we're being affected by that. verse 11 Judah has dealt treacherously an Abomination and has committed and Israel and in Jerusalem for Judas profaned the sanctuary the Lord that he loves and it's Mary the daughters of a foreign foreign God again. We describe that Daughters of foreign God. I really want to go into the study tonight and talk about the different Godzilla, but they were the Canaanites interesting to us and I think treachery deals with betraying a trust Abomination a lot of the practices that went in that other these other cult religions were or at horn to God lot of practices that they had. Superfan means to destroy something that was pure but that's I think that's I think that's significant means to destroy something. That was pure do you think young people think about banking terms like this when they think about their looking for a mate most young people? I don't they know yourself some who doesn't love the Lord. Now. I've seen stories and we have to and I have to I have to concede here sometimes a non-believer will marry a non-believer. And guess what everything turns out. All right. I mean it does not safe. That's kind of New Testament. But really that God's plan God's plan is the ideal situation is both man and woman are born again Christians and one is a nominal Christian. That was a real strong Christian and strong Christian carries. Got to let alone know they both to have some level of Spiritual Development on the same level and they grow together. I mean, they both have their committed Christian. They may not know much they may not have any experience, but they go along together in life. 12 hardest battles you can have is a Christian is battling about going to church for battling about things lifestyle and how we're going to conduct Our Lives how we going to raise her children. Those are terrible battles that we have to go through whatever we read the word Sanctuary probably the temple there is a probably probably was talking about the temple verse 11 through 12. What is it else? It says it says As for the man who does this may the Lord cut off his chance Jacob for everyone may the Lord cut off from the 10th of Jacob everyone who awakens and answers or her present an offering to the Lord of hosts the hard Hebrew phrase there, but what it means is without a defense he's talking about let's whoever does this and goes and marries the daughter before and got a better translation of this is a difficult Hebrew translations the cafe, but what it means is without a defense and I'll tell you that. I've met a lot of Christian men and Christian woman who said you know, what that's what I should have done that but here I am in this particular situation and and we need help now and so I'm so glad because of the Cross of Christ and the blood did he provide because what was a hopeless situation? Estimate is now got to take any situation and he can begin to work in that situation now and make it right. I want to I want to read a couple of passages out of Deuteronomy and you might want to write these down the larger Bible. These are great for later study, but Deuteronomy 7 and 3 and then chapter 23 in Deuteronomy are both dark to good sections verses 3 through 4 and 7 through 8 and chapter 23 buttons chapter 7 verse 3.

Well, I need to read this first part 2 it says in chapter 7 verse 1. When when the Lord your God brings you into the land where you were entering too possessive and clear way many nations before you to the hittite the icy amorites the Canaanites and the parasites the hibbitt. I suggest besides Seven Nations greater and stronger than you and the Lord your God delivers them before you and you defeat them. You should totally destroy them. You shall make no Covenant with them and show no favor to them and then verse 33 says for the more you shall not intermarry with them. You shall not give your daughters to their Stones nor should you take their daughters for your son? And so this was a very very popular thing to do is it is actually a smart thing to do whenever not talking about the Jews but the other tribes and regions of the world that was always to intermarry was one of the best ways politically militarily to pool your resources to one great family, or maybe not so great a family in one. Add Mary's into another family of a great tribe and the and the two families become a great tribe to get so it was a it was great. But not in God's economy in God's economy was his people he knew that if they intermarried with these foreign tribes that would leave their hearts with which is exactly what happened over and over and over again. They got caught in that vicious cycle. Let's look at a couple of silver 2323 three and four or moabite show enter the Assembly of the Lord none of their descendants even to the 10th Generation. Even to the 10th Generation show even interns assembly of Lord because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt and because they hired against you Balaam this time of year and teeth are pesos worth of Mesopotamia to curse you that wasn't just out of vindictiveness, but that it showed a it show today heart anger at an inch towards the people are so they were not to be allowed to be part of the fellowship until multiple generation. Most people would be left without us chapter 12 verse 3. He says

Let me see here.

OK or who presents an offering to the Lord that latter part of verse 12, one of the things the commentators think here is that there was a sense of false worship that was taking place here another word. So you had these let me look at it and chapter 2 verse 12 and then also on and then one in ten of Malachi. He says oh that we were one among you who would shut the gate that you might not used to sleep Kindle Fire on my altar. I'm not pleased with you says the Lord nor will I accept entering any offering from you buy contacts I've read was talking about how that it was a false worship that was taking place and show these people had Mary these priests some of these some of them probably priest that married into these for God and daughters and there was this mixture that was taking place and so the Lord wasn't blessing they're offering at the altar just so they were covering Alters with their chairs. And it was a shame. It was a it was a fake or Shannon worship. It was a fake worship. The one of the Hallmarks of true worship is you'll know as one of the Hallmarks of our church is doing really well and worship or not. There's repentance. Repentance just a kid and you almost sure nobody ever talk about repentance teachers preachers, you know, but that is key to whether you're really haven't got really haven't been true repentance is just not sorrow that we change our behavior and so these and these and Israel this time we're bringing these offerings and they had an angsty from these things. Another thing you do you cover the altar of the Lord do you cheers way thing was groaning because he no longer regards offering or accept favor from your hands with tears weeping. and repentance

may not have the tears, but you do need to repentance. I dare say to you tonight that that is something we should church Baptist has to do. We have to repent repent. How do you know where the money is always have to repent all of us do this better than nobody here is the right to judge anybody about anything. None of us can cast the first stone all of us deserve to Stone. We all deserve to Stone except for the shed blood of Jesus Christ. And God's never going to Blastoise we're ever going to do anything for him. Unless we repent repent of our personal sin repent of our corporate sent and this is hard for me to say but repent of the sins of the nation. Was Jesus Christ for the step down at ahead right now in the flesh and I had to I would want to be a member of another Nation. I'll be so shamed my nation. So repent of our personal sin are our citizens church, and then our national send. I haven't done anything now, but it's I'll tell you what, it's two are good. If our nation repent because God is going to judge the nation. He's going to judge assassination. First 14 days begin to a he asked this question. Here's that literary to again verse 14 yet. You say what reason because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your used against him. You have dealt treacherously and do she is your companion and you her wife by Covenant. Now in the Old Testament, what do we say? We said that there was this ethnic Purity that was trying to be maintained because it had to do is the spiritual effect and but here is a practical outcome of them. Not keeping God's word was that here's a practical outcome of them not keeping their their Word was God.

The guy had been a witness between you and the wife of your youth. And you have doubt. treacherously

Will you companion?

And the wife of your Covenant these three things.

Why should you use? Someone who's your companion? And somebody we had you had coveted with.

the

you just yelled at so have you don't have the I wish I could describe to you the challenge sitting down with the young couple. Agreeing to see what they're really doing what they're really about to do young couple young kids come in. They want to get married.

I have the cutest stories about how they met. They have the best intentions and I come from good families. You know, they may come from church families. What are they really fixing to do? And I was trying to get I was trying to say I have I've tried innumerable ways. Tell them stories about how where they want to end up on the other side of all this how how how to get to the end with your make.

But trying to get them to a place for them to stand that you are about to make a promise before the Lord. Incredibly it's incredibly Wei di wedding thing challenging thing to be able to do as a pastor. Sometimes. I sometimes you're able to make a case. Sometimes you're not speaking of bacon case. That's what he is doing here in verse 15. He's trying to make a case against these priests and against the people for having dealt treacherously treacherously with wife youth white gold versus 16. I'll tell you one of the things that this is probably a little bit of mine Calhoun here. I'm sharing with you a little bit but you know, Dwight God the way God has designed this thing called marriage is whoever you're married to. Did you live a long fruitful life together and you're with each other whenever you close your eyes and in this world and fast on Xanax. Hey Soul leaving your mate for a younger woman radio tell you that's one of things infuriates me more than I guess if anything else was some really they're made for just well for anybody it shouldn't be but just simply for fish curry have a woman who's a how many times we've heard this story where woman has been faithful faithful to your husband and you many many years and they get down towards it towards the end of it. He's having a midlife crisis and about a sports car. He does this has a mental breakdown and anyway, he runs off and How many times have I had to deal with that? You know that that scenario? And sometimes it's the other way. Sometimes it works out the other way mean. There's there's no innocent checks in this both men and women to do this, but I'll tell you I just a struggle at trying to find ways to illustrate two couples. every married to now

the death do us part A man. Hey, man. Well that all of this brings to a point here verse 16 God speaking in this Old Testament where she says for I hate divorce is the Lord the god of Israel and him who covers His Garment was wrong says the Lord of hosts. So take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously. Whatever you think that the passages might be the only one of the things and I'm bringing a save this for last is dead. He he did not want this unprotected population these women who depended on the protection of their mate. He did not want them being dealt with in the way. And in the manner they were being told you they were being dealt with Genesis chapter one talks about how God is the one who created the concept of them are bringing to a man and a woman together in Genesis chapter to use it and wedding ceremonies all the time at verses 18 through 24. I love that verse which says and God created the man and he let he let Adam name all the animals. Ceremony right here, but he name all the animals and he named them and I believe that I believe that really happened and you know a saddest thing in the world that happened though was when all those animals pass at Adam and name them out of notice something will who's for me? God In His Infinite Wisdom put Adam to sleep and rescinded his side and took out a rib and from the casino from the dust of the earth and the first DNA surgery can head out of Adam came a woman. And who and he heard I can't remember who it was. Maybe it was Chuck Swindoll set him and Adam saw evening says Woah, man. Natural Woman came from that's the cheesiest joke. I know that's what I haven't told a joke call 20/20. So that was my 23:1 chose. Wow, man. Yeah, and God said that she'll be called woman because she came out of man and those to dwell Proverbs 5 and 15 through 19 talk about the importance for monogamous relationship about a man and a woman staying faithful to one another.

I love talking in men's group stole and talk and get him to admit about the Temptations men and women have. And I'll tell him I loved him. I said guys listen all of us.

And you you have to be prepared for that Temptation. You got to get people to do if you're being tempted. You got to stay away from places Temptation if it's a if it's a water fountain or it's a certain drug store or it's a supermarket stay away from that if there's a Temptation if there's someone

If there's a Temptation where your your wash right or so if you're not allergic to aspirin does radar ready usually knows she can kind of tell City. I mean, you know me. I'm just kind of falling through life. I don't know anything and she said we need to be careful about such and such, you know.

Education is always out there. But the blessings of a monogamous relationship for your faithful to one another. You can't put a price on it.

Matthew 19 verse for sick Jesus talks about the permanency. It's always been one man for for Wonder Woman for for all their life season 5 and 23 talk about the I almost wanted to go there tonight. It's just too much. They're going to get tonight. We'll come back to it. Maybe the next Sunday night Hebrews 13:4 talks about the casting. Keep you're keeping yourself pure. high enough in a marriage relationship as your 9 + 1 it was so important man in the Old Testament that in those reforms they put away their foreign. Why's it was great wailing and weeping, but they cleaned everything up and they had to get back to the right place. I'm glad we don't live under the Old Law anymore.

So what do we do? We talked about divorce today couple things aren't they? That's hard to hard teaching but it's from the word of God and it's for our benefit. Don't take out something. Number one divorce is not the unpardonable sin and one the failures of the church is it you can almost do anything else in life it whatever you do. Don't get divorced. Guess what? I'm over that everybody everybody here is to have somebody we love and care about and they're going through that have been through it and it is not the unpardonable sin. But we've the church people who made it church people try to make it but it's not in part of Asia. Anna doesn't mean God doesn't like divorce any more no more. He likes management tempted. What did you just say? You've already slept with somebody if you if you thought about it.

Ramifications may be different, but it's not the unpardonable sin. Number to the church should be a faithful place to teach about the subject of divorce. Will you be able to teach about it? We need to be able to talk about it. We need to be able to support one another when it goes through it. Do you know my battles battle strategy has been on it and I'm going to have to stick I don't change now is to do everything, you know to do to stop and try to keep it from happening. How many everything? But when it does happen. You don't let one shot of one iota of Your Love turn for the people who go through this. Nobody gets that big day with the intention of however many years later separating from one another under the worst circumstances. Nobody does that For the church out to be a place where we Faithfully teach and support one another minister to those who have gone through it. Council in the wake of it for churches ought to be church is a place.

People do not feel shame or guilt or embarrassment about it, but love and compassion. And support because the truth be told On Any Given Sunday morning if Jesus words are true. And I do believe they're true. If looking upon another person with last is justice is Justice and if you can play for them, they were all guilty minds work. Am I right? It makes a man. Y'all know. I'm right. Y'all know. I'm right. We're not proud of it, but it's the truth.

Last one I'd make on this subject were talking about was God's ultimate goal. And he's Old Testament passages. And then he's New Testament patches passages were to bring glory to himself marriage is designed so that we have Godly seeds or stable homes and he's bringing glory to myself ultimately and you know, what, do you have any kids now? They don't even know most kids don't even know that when the bride walks down a meets the ground. That's that's the gospel. The bride is the church and the groom is Jesus coming to get the church. That's why she wears waterpure a white church, send the groom and the esta gospel. Most kids don't even know that.

These are important teachings for our day in our time. Make sure you have any rocks in your pocket to throw someone get rid of because you probably don't have Rock don't let you to a man. It's not a place for cash this town, but I'm so glad that you can save me. I'm so glad that my Lord save me I tell you your pastor tonight that just by Harris breath. Just my hair's breath. I got to keep my wife. Back in the day and it wasn't anything I did. It was a lord. Are kindness and her mercy she went ahead and sex with me when almost any other woman wears a dude you need to get out of here. So I'm glad to be standing here tonight. She said everything's been done for me that woman did it they man.

Brother Rodger, I forgot your name for a minute. Would you please close this in prayer?

Play man. Thank y'all for coming to that.