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Texts -- Malachi 2:1-15 (NET)

Context
The Sacrilege of the Priestly Message
2:1 “Now , you priests , this commandment is for you. 2:2 If you do not listen and take seriously the need to honor my name ,” says the Lord who rules over all , “I will send judgment on you and turn your blessings into curses – indeed , I have already done so because you are not taking it to heart . 2:3 I am about to discipline your children and will spread offal on your faces , the very offal produced at your festivals , and you will be carried away along with it. 2:4 Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant may continue to be with Levi ,” says the Lord who rules over all . 2:5 “My covenant with him was designed to bring life and peace . I gave its statutes to him to fill him with awe , and he indeed revered me and stood in awe before me . 2:6 He taught what was true ; sinful words were not found on his lips . He walked with me in peace and integrity , and he turned many people away from sin . 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all . 2:8 You , however, have turned from the way . You have caused many to violate the law ; you have corrupted the covenant with Levi ,” says the Lord who rules over all . 2:9 “Therefore , I have caused you to be ignored and belittled before all people to the extent to which you are not following after me and are showing partiality in your instruction .”
The Rebellion of the People
2:10 Do we not all have one father ? Did not one God create us? Why do we betray one another , in this way making light of the covenant of our ancestors ? 2:11 Judah has become disloyal , and unspeakable sins have been committed in Israel and Jerusalem . For Judah has profaned the holy things that the Lord loves and has turned to a foreign god ! 2:12 May the Lord cut off from the community of Jacob every last person who does this, as well as the person who presents improper offerings to the Lord who rules over all ! 2:13 You also do this : You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan , because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. 2:14 Yet you ask , “Why ?” The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young , to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law . 2:15 No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God ? Be attentive , then, to your own spirit , for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Malachi

    [ebd] messenger or angel, the last of the minor prophets, and the writer of the last book of the Old Testament canon (Mal. 4:4, 5, 6). Nothing is known of him beyond what is contained in his book of prophecies. Some have supposed ...
    [isbe] MALACHI - mal'-a-ki: 1. Name of the Prophet 2. The Prophet's Times 3. Contents 4. Style 5. Message LITERATURE 1. Name of the Prophet: The last book of the Old Testament. Nothing is known of the person of Malachi. Because his...
    [nave] MALACHI Last of the minor prophets, Mal. 1:1. Reproves the church for its impiety, Mal. 1; 2; 3:7-15. Foretells the coming of the Messiah, Mal. 3:1-6; the judgments on the wicked and consolations of the righteous, Mal. 4:1...

  • Malachi, Prophecies of

    [ebd] The contents of the book are comprised in four chapters. In the Hebrew text the third and fourth chapters (of the A.V.) form but one. The whole consists of three sections, preceded by an introduction (Mal. 1:1-5), in which t...

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • Marriage

    [nave] MARRIAGE In family blood lines, Abraham and Sarah, Gen. 11:29; 12:13; 20:3, 9-16. Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 24:3, 4, 67; 28:2. Jacob and his wives, Gen. 29:15-30; see below, in the elaborated text. Levirate (the brother requ...

  • Levites

    [nave] LEVITES The descendants of Levi. Set apart as ministers of religion, Num. 1:47-54; 3:6-16; 16:9; 26:57-62; Deut. 10:8; 1 Chr. 15:2. Substituted in the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:12, 41-45; 8:14, 16-18; 18:6. Religious ...

  • Wicked

    [nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...

  • Idolatry

    [nave] IDOLATRY. Wicked Practices of Human sacrifices, Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:10; 2 Kin. 3:26, 27; 16:3; 17:17, 18; 21:6; 23:10; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Psa. 106:37, 38; Isa. 57:5; Jer. 7:31; 19:4-7; 32:35; Ezek. 16:20, 2...

  • Messenger

    [isbe] MESSENGER - mes'-en-jer: The regular Hebrew word for "messenger" is mal'akh, the Greek aggelos. This may be a human messenger or a messenger of God, an angel. The context must decide the right translation. In Hag 1:13 the pr...
    [nave] MESSENGER, Figurative Hag. 1:13; Mal. 2:7; 3:1; 4:5, 6; Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27. Of Satan, 2 Cor. 12:7.

  • ANGEL

    [ebd] a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of...
    [isbe] ANGEL - an'-jel (mal'akh; Septuagint and New Testament, aggelos): I. DEFINITION AND SCRIPTURE TERMS II. ANGELS IN OLD TESTAMENT 1. Nature, Appearances and Functions 2. The Angelic Host 3. The Angel of the Theophany III. ANGE...

  • Peace

    [isbe] PEACE - pes (shalom; eirene): 1. In the Old Testament: Is a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul. The Hebrew word is shalom (both adjectiv...
    [nave] PEACE. Exemplified By Abraham, Gen. 13:8, 9; Abimelech, Gen. 26:29; Mordecai, Esth. 10:3; David, Psa. 120:7. See: Charitableness; Nation, Peace of. Social Gen. 45:24; Lev. 26:6; Job 5:23, 24; Psa. 34:14 1 Pet. 3:11. Psa...

  • Husband

    [nave] HUSBAND. Gen. 2:23, 24 Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7. Num. 5:11-31; Deut. 22:13-21; Deut. 24:5; Prov. 5:15-19; Eccl. 9:9; Mal. 2:14-16; 1 Cor. 7:3, 5; 1 Cor. 7:14, 16, 33; 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18, 19; 1 Tim. 5:8; 1 Pet...

  • Priest

    [ebd] The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices. At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the famil...
    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Divorce

    [nave] DIVORCE. Ex. 21:7-11; Deut. 21:10-14; Deut. 24:1-4; Ezra 10:1-16; Neh. 13:23-30; Jer. 3:1; Mic. 2:9; Mal. 2:14-16; Matt. 5:31, 32; Matt. 19:3-12 Mark 10:2. Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10-17 Disobedience of the wife to the husband,...

  • Covenant

    [nave] COVENANT Sacred, Josh. 9:18-21; Gal. 3:15. Binding, Josh. 9:18-20; Jer. 34:8-21; Ezek. 17:14-18; Gal. 3:15. Binding, not only on those who make them, but on those who are represented, Deut. 29:14, 15. Blood of, Ex. 24:8. ...

  • Polygamy

    [nave] POLYGAMY Forbidden, Deut. 17:17; Lev. 18:18; Mal. 2:14, 15; Matt. 19:4, 5; Mark 10:2-8; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Tit. 1:6. Authorized, 2 Sam. 12:8. Tolerated, Ex. 21:10; 1 Sam. 1:2; 2 Chr. 24:3. Practiced, Job 27:15; by Lamech, Ge...

  • COVENANT, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] COVENANT, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - kuv'-e-nant (berith): I. GENERAL MEANING II. AMONG MEN 1. Early Idea 2. Principal Elements 3. Different Varieties 4. Phraseology Used III. BETWEEN GOD AND MEN 1. Essential Idea 2. Covenants R...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Glorifying God

    [nave] GLORIFYING GOD Commanded, 1 Chr. 16:28; Psa. 22:23; Isa. 42:12. Due to him, 1 Chr. 16:29; for his holiness, Psa. 99:9; Rev. 15:4; mercy and truth, Psa. 115:1; Rom. 15:9; faithfulness and truth, Isa. 25:1; wondrous works, Ma...

  • Fraternity

    [nave] FRATERNITY. Gen. 13:8; Deut. 15:7-15; Psa. 22:22; Psa. 133:1-3; Zech. 11:14; Mal. 2:10; Matt. 5:22-24; Matt. 18:15-18, 21, 22, 35; Matt. 23:8; Matt. 25:40; John 13:34 John 15:12. John 20:17; Rom. 12:10; 1 Cor. 6:1-8; 1 Cor....

  • Impenitence

    [nave] IMPENITENCE. Lev. 23:26-29; Lev. 26:21 vs. 22-24.; Deut. 29:19-21; 1 Sam. 15:23; Job 9:2, 4; Job 24:13; Job 33:14; Psa. 7:11, 12 v. 13.; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 32:9; Psa. 50:17, 21; Psa. 52:1, 7; Psa. 58:3-5; Psa. 68:21; Psa. 78:8...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This general assembly took place in late November or early December of 458 B.C. The people who were guilty agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to do this in various local towns that were convenient to their homes in the...
  • Nehemiah confronted this problem as Ezra had several years earlier (Ezra 9-10). The text records only Nehemiah's words to the people, but since we know what kind of person he was we can safely assume that he followed up his w...
  • Wisdom safeguards a person morally. The first part of this pericope shows how God protects (vv. 10-11; cf. vv. 7b-8). The last part presents the temptations one can overcome (vv. 12-15 and 16-19). When a person submits himsel...
  • "Haggai and Zechariah . . . are noteworthy for the chronological precision with which they related their lives and ministries to their historical milieu. This is not the case at all with Malachi. In fact, one of the major pro...
  • Malachi was one of the three post-exilic writing prophets along with Haggai and Zechariah, and he was quite certainly the last one chronologically, even though we cannot be dogmatic about a date for his writing.The first grou...
  • Malachi's style is quite different from that of any other writing prophet. Instead of delivering messages to his audience, he charged them with various sins, six times in all. His was a very confrontational style of address. ...
  • Malachi prophesied during the times of Nehemiah. The dates of Nehemiah's ministry were about 445-420 B.C. Possibly Malachi ministered during the time when Nehemiah returned to Babylon following the completion of Jerusalem's w...
  • I. Heading 1:1II. Oracle one: Yahweh's love for Israel 1:2-5III. Oracle two: The priests' illicit practices and indifferent attitudes 1:6-2:9A. The priests' sins 1:6-141. Disrespectful service 1:6-72. Disqualified sacrifices ...
  • This title verse explains what follows as the oracle of Yahweh's word that He sent to Israel through Malachi. The Hebrew word massa', translated "oracle,"occurs 27 times in the Prophets (e.g., Isa. 13:1 Nah. 1:1; Hab. 1:1; Ze...
  • The revelation that Yahweh gave Malachi for Israel consisted of six "heavy"messages. The first one reminded God's people of His love for them and of their ungratefulness.1:2a The Lord's first word to His people was short and ...
  • Whereas the emphasis in Malachi's argument shifts at this point somewhat from the sins of the priests to their possible fate, there is a continuing emphasis on their sins. In the preceding section (1:6-14) the cultic activity...
  • "The style of the third oracle differs from the others. Instead of an initial statement or charge followed by a question of feigned innocence, this oracle begins with three questions asked by the prophet. However, as at the b...
  • That another oracle is in view is clear from the question and answer format that begins this pericope, as it does the others. Verse 17 contains the question and answer, and the discussion follows in 3:1-6. The Israelites' cha...
  • 1:8-9 Zechariah was serving God faithfully by discharging some temple function as a member of his priestly division. There were so many priests then that the great privilege of offering incense on the golden incense altar in ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools : for they consider not that they do evil. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to u...
  • A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a Father, where is Mine honour? and if I be a master, where is My fear? saith the Lord of Hosts unto you, O priests, that despise My Name. And ye say, Wherein...
  • The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, out of the tents of Jacob, 14. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth,'--Malachi 2:12-14. (R.V.).IT is obvious from the ...
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