Malachi
2 -Corrupt Priests
God
through Malachi was reprimanding the priests for their ungodly sacrifices. They
were offering animals that were sick and blemished. The priest’s despised God’s
name and practiced blasphemy. God held the priests responsible for what they
taught the people. Even today we are responsible for what we teach others.
In
those days the Levi Priest’s were given the best of everything and were blessed
more than the rest of the Israelites. Now He is telling them they will no
longer be blessed but cursed. They will be made unclean so that they cannot
even enter the temple. The priests did not honor God with their ways, so He no
longer honored their positions.
When
the Levi tribe was made priests they were selected because they honored God and
followed His commandments but after being in captivity for 70 years, they no
longer honored Him or followed His commandments. They were no longer good
examples for the rest of the people. They were supposed to be the messengers of
the Lord, but they were not. The Levites dealt treacherously with God and with
each other.
When
the Israelites came out of captivity they saw the foreign women and left their
wives to marry them. Thus, idols came into their homes and they worshiped them.
The Lord told them that whoever did this whether priest or person, they would
be cut off from them. The wives they left came to the altar weeping and God
heard their cries, so God no longer noticed the offerings of the priests but
let them do as they please. Ho no longer accepted them as His messengers. The
Hebrew wives were the wives they made a covenant to God with and that is the
only marriage God would accept.
We
are God’s children, poor or needy, we will be accepted by Him and will enter
His kingdom. God sees our obedience to Him and will reward us in the end.
Please
read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.
If
you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans for You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
Dr.
David Jeremiah Study Bible. Through the Bible by J. Vernon McGee.
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