SERMONS (write up)

Malachi 2:1-9
My Covenant With Levi

(Typed 2 September 2024 – Labor Day) The address to the priests in today’s verses is direct and, well, scary. If you actually believe that the word is from the Lord, then it logically follows that you believe in the Lord. Words don’t come from nowhere. Rather, they indicate an intelligence is behind them.

Such intelligence is seen in the sequencing of DNA. There is coded information in DNA that isn’t simply linear. It isn’t even three-dimensional. Rather, it is four-dimensional. DNA builds things into three dimensions, but it does so at preprogrammed times. As such, the dimension of time is a part of the process.

This sequencing is thus far beyond anything man has even come close to accomplishing. We can preprogram things to occur at certain times, but we have no ability to have things write their own timing programs, setting their own conditions to do things as they go along. We can write code, and whatever instructions are in the code, that is what it will do.

As for the word given by the Lord. Unless one believes the Lord is somehow fickle or incompetent, then that person would be an absolute fool to intentionally reject what He says and go do his own thing.

Despite that, we all do this at one time or another to some degree. That isn’t what I’m talking about concerning the absolute fool (even if it is absolutely foolish).

The priests of Israel were the stewards of the law. They had the responsibility to do what the law said and to instruct it to others. And yet, they completely rejected the premise behind doing those things, which is to honor the Lord who sanctified them.

Concerning this precept, the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says, “The priests in particular are reproved, as their part was to have led the people aright, and reproved sin, whereas they encouraged and led them into sin. Ministers cannot sin or suffer alone.”

When I read that, it (as it should) put the fear of God in me. I am not only responsible for my own actions, but what I do (preach, teach, advise, etc.) in regard to the word of God bears upon each person I interact with in this way.

For me to teach incorrectly, if unintentional, is something I shouldn’t do and yet it may not be considered absolutely foolish. Through misunderstanding, misinterpretation, a lack of thorough study, etc., I would be guilty, and I would then be judged for that, according to James 3:1. But for me to intentionally lead others astray through purposeful manipulation of the word would certainly make me an absolute fool.

God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7). He will hold us accountable for the things we say and do. For ministers of His word to purposefully ignore or manipulate it, I cannot think of a more terrifying place to be.

Think about that, and then think of what is going on in churches all over the world. Just a day before I typed this sermon, I was sent an article entitled, Chicago Pastor: Ruth and Naomi Were in a Lesbian Sexual Relationship.

He claimed that Ruth seduced Boaz after getting him drunk because she needed a sperm donor. From there, he suggested that anyone who taught differently probably doesn’t read the Bible. This person is, without any contestation, an absolute fool.

Text Verse: “…holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” Titus 1:9

The Hebrew of today’s passage is, at times, extremely precise, and poorly translated by most and analyzed incorrectly by innumerable scholars. You will see this as well. However, most translators and scholars have simply misunderstood what is being conveyed and presented their work with the right intent, even if the result is wrong.

When I first translated the passage, after I finished evaluating the verses, I made corrections to the final translation. These were because there has to be a right understanding of the rest of the Bible to clearly see what the Lord is telling us.

Many of my thoughts and translations are quite different than what you may have previously read and that means that either I have wrongly evaluated what is being said or they have done so. I find it scary because when I present my sermons to you, it is with the intent that the information is exactly right.

I know that I will have to face the Lord and give an account for what I have done. Because of this, you can rest assured that I would never willingly present an inaccuracy. But I still ask you to consider each sermon or study and verify the information.

The word is too precious not to have this attitude from each of us. We are even shown this in today’s passage. Great things, such as rightly presenting the word of God to His people are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Life and the Peace (verses 1-5)

“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.

v’atah alekhem ha’mitsvah hazoth ha’kohanim – “And now, unto you, the commandment, the this, the priests.” There are at least two possibilities concerning the meaning of commandment. The first is a literal commandment, as in, “You are commanded to do this.”

The second is that the word is being used as a decree. Thus, it would mean something like, “This is the decree against you, O priests.”

If the former, then the words are looking to the next verse which says, “To give honor to My name.” The meaning would then be the priests are being commanded to amend their ways and do their obligation as priests who minister before Yehovah.

If the latter, it would mean something like, “If you don’t give glory to My name, I decree the following against you.” Both are possible, and scholars come down dogmatically on one side of the debate or the other. Simply because the word generally signifies a commandment, the first option seems fitting. This is because it goes back to the very inception of the priesthood –

“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. ² So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. ³ And Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke, saying:
“By those who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy;
And before all the people
I must be glorified.”’
So Aaron held his peace.” Leviticus 10:1-3

There was no explicit commandment to Aaron before the death of his sons, and yet, it was understood from their consecration as priests that they were to be considered holy. If they were holy, then Yehovah, who made them holy, was to be glorified as such.

Everything about their ordination, from their garments to the food they were given, set them apart to the Lord. And yet, throughout Israel’s history, the priests continually failed to maintain the dignity of their office. In so failing, they failed to glorify Yehovah.

A classic example of this is found during the time of the Judges and the punishment upon the men is not unlike that promised to the priests in the verses ahead –

“Then the Lord said to Samuel: ‘Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. ¹² In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³ For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. ¹⁴ And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.’” 1 Samuel 3:11-14

The sons of Eli had disgraced the priesthood by treating the offerings of the Lord as contemptible (1 Samuel 2:12-17). In turn, they brought contempt upon the name of the Lord. Eli, the high priest, did not restrain them, and so the family was cut off from the priesthood for their failings. With this understood as the likely meaning of “the commandment,” Yehovah, through Malachi next proclaims…

² If you will not hear,
And if you will not take it to heart,

im lo tishmeu v’im lo tasimu al lev – “If not hear! And if not set upon heart!” The word im, if, cannot mean a conditional “If you will do this, then I will do that.” It is beyond that point as will be seen in the clauses ahead. Rather, the if is an affirmation that means something more like “as.” The Lord is saying, “As you will not hear! And as you will not take it to heart!”

To hear means more than hearing an audible sound. The meaning extends to obedience, such as, “As you will not hearken to my words.” The priests had been given their instructions and they were to faithfully apply them to their lives. Because they did not, and because they did not mentally acknowledge the commandment of the Lord (set upon heart), there were to be consequences.

As noted, their conduct was to be based upon the commandment, which is…

^{2 (con’t)} To give glory to My name,”
Says the Lord of hosts,

latheth kavod lishmi amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘To give honor to My name,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

The word is kavod, the same word used in Malachi 1:6, where the Lord asked, “Where My honor?” It literally means “weight,” as in something heavy. We use the same terminology today when we speak of words or a matter being weighty and thus important.

This is what the Lord called for in Leviticus 10 at the death of Aaron’s sons where the verb form of this word is used. The Lord is telling the priests that they are accountable to bring Him the honor He is due. If they fail to conduct their duties in accord with that premise, they will be held accountable…

^{2 (con’t)} “I will send a curse upon you,

Rather: v’shilakhti vakhem eth ham’erah – “And sent in you the execration.” The word is meerah, an execration. It is not simply “a curse,” but “the execration.” It means an angry denouncement. It is not used as a verbal attack levied at someone. It is a word against a person, his livelihood, his possessions, his family, etc. The exact phrase is used in Deuteronomy 28:20 –

“Will send, Yehovah, in you (sg., meaning Israel), the execration [ham’erah], the confusion, and the rebuke in all outstretching your hand which doing until you destroyed, and until you perish quickly from faces badness your deeds which forsaken Me” (CG).

Thus, this is a general denouncement of the livelihood and state of existence of the priests. The verb being in the perfect aspect (sent) means that it is a done deal. There is no way around it. As you have failed in your duties, I sent upon you the execration…

^{2 (con’t)} And I will curse your blessings.

v’arothi eth birkhotehem – “And execrated your blessings.” Again, the verb is in the perfect aspect. As for what “your blessings” is referring to, some think it is speaking of the active vocal blessings of the priests upon others, such as the priestly blessing of Numbers 6, where it says for the priest to pronounce, “The Lord bless you,” etc. This seems forced, but it is possible.

The other possibility, which seems the natural consequence of the execration is the temporal blessings of the priesthood. This would follow with Deuteronomy 28 where the people could expect good or evil based upon their conduct.

In leading the people astray, the priests would suffer along with the people as Yehovah brought the execration upon them. Thus, it would be inclusive of, but not limited to, the blessings of the priests upon the people. Understanding that, it next says…

^{2 (con’t)} Yes, I have cursed them already,

v’gam arothiha ki – “And also execrated it.” In other words, the execration is already pronounced. As the verb is singular (execrated it), it means that the previous clause is parenthetical –

“And sent in you the execration.
(And execrated your blessings.)
And also execrated it.”

This analysis is bucking against translations that say something like “I have cursed them” and against scholars who say something like “The suffix … is to be taken distributively: ‘each particular blessing’” (Keil).

In other words, the singular “it” is not speaking of the execration but of all of the blessings in the singular.

I disagree. The Lord sent the execration by execrating the blessings, and then He emphatically affirms that He has execrated the execration. This is actually confirmed by the use of the word in just this manner in the next chapter –

“In the execration, you execrated.
And Me you robbing,
The nation – it all.” Malachi 3:9

And all of this is…

^{2 (con’t)} Because you do not take it to heart.

ein’khem samim al lev – “For naught you setting upon heart!” This takes us right back to the first two clauses: “If not hear! And if not set upon heart!” As noted, I said that the “if” was not conditional but an affirmative statement. As such, the exclamation points, both there and here, express the intent while maintaining the translation as literal.

The Lord is exceedingly displeased with how the priests have treated His honor. But think about it! These priests are of the people of Israel who returned from Babylon. They were told that if they failed the Lord, they would be punished, and then exiled. They failed the Lord, they were punished, and they were exiled.

But the Lord returned them just as His word said. This time, there was no Israelite king to lead them. Therefore, it was up to the priests to maintain the religious order of the people, while the social order was maintained by foreigners.

What an enormous weight the priests carried to ensure the people remained properly connected to the Lord, and yet, they refused to fulfill their responsibility.

The words of a British poet, name unknown, reflect the substance of this verse in Malachi –

“Thus God’s best gifts, usurped by wicked ones,
To poison turn by their con-ta-gi-ons.”

Next, the terrible and terrifying state of the priests continues to be called out by the Lord through Malachi…

³ “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants

The translation is completely rong, and it blows the emphatic finish: hinni goer lakhem eth hazera – “Behold Me! Rebuking to you ‘the seed.’” This is not speaking of descendants. Rather, it is speaking of the blessings which Yehovah has execrated. The Lord has purposefully rebuked the seed sown into the field.

The tithes, the Lord’s portion, were set apart every year. Once every three years, these tithes were to be doled out according to the law. A portion of these tithes, one-tenth, was to be given to the Levites. From there, the best portion of those tithes, one-tenth, was to be given to the priests.

The Lord is saying that He will rebuke [gaar] “the seed,” meaning the seed which would lead to the tithes. If Israel suffered from a lack of harvest, the priests would likewise suffer. To confirm this analysis, the opposite, the blessing, will be seen in Chapter 3 where the same word is used –

“‘And rebuked [gaar] to you in the devouring,
And no ruins to you fruit the ground,
And no miscarries to you the vine in the field,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.” Malachi 3:11

These are “the seed” being referred to. It is the fruit of the ground and the vine in the field. Next, He says…

^{3 (con’t)} And spread refuse on your faces,
The refuse of your solemn feasts;

v’zeriti pheresh al p’nekhem peresh khagekhem –

“And scattered excrement upon your faces –
Excrement your festivals.”

The meaning is found in the sacrificial offerings. The people would come before the Lord during the festivals to make sacrifices. One sacrifice was the sin offering, such as that detailed for the Festival of Tabernacles in Numbers 29.

A portion of the sin offering was to be removed and burnt upon the altar. However, the rest of it was mandated to be carried outside the camp and burned in a clean place. This explicitly included the excrement of the animal.

However, the Lord is essentially saying that instead of it being burnt in the manner of a sin offering, the excrement would be flung back at the priests, right in their faces. This is in response to the words of Chapter 1 –

“And when (surely) approach blind to sacrifice – ‘Not evil!’
And when approach lame and rubbed – ‘Not evil!’” Malachi 1:8

In treating Him with contempt by claiming their sacrifices were not evil, He was going to bring upon them the greatest of disgraces by rejecting their sin offering and casting its dung right back at them. The ultimate point is that the sin offering is not accepted, and their sin remained unatoned for.

^{3 (con’t)} And one will take you away with it.

The meaning of these difficult words is disputed: v’nasa ethkhem elav – “And lifted you unto it.” Ellicott says, “ye shall be treated like it,” meaning the priests will be treated like the dung. Cambridge equates the phrase to their names being called dung. Barnes, Keil, and others, along with many translations, say that “lifted” is to be taken in the sense of being carried away, either in exile, death, etc. Or that the dung would take the priests away with it.

None of these commentaries or translations explain the matter. Rather, this is to be equated with the thought of bearing a burden, including guilt, as is seen in Exodus and Leviticus. For example, it says of Aaron in Exodus 28:30, “And lifted, Aaron, judgment sons Israel upon his heart to faces Yehovah continually” (CG).

In other words, as the high priest and the Lord’s mediator, Aaron bore the judgment of the people before the Lord. This is true of the Azazel, the Scapegoat, of Leviticus 16. These and other examples show what is being conveyed.

The rejection of the sin offering by the Lord meant that the guilt returned to the priest, meaning, his mediation was not accepted. In turn, the guilt of the nation would remain unatoned.

⁴ Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you,

Using the future tense completely destroys any possibility of understanding the meaning: vidatem ki shilakhti alekhem eth hamitsvah hazoth – “And known, for sent unto you the commandment, the this.” This isn’t speaking of something that will occur. It is speaking of the word of law that came at the establishment of the covenant – “And you have known, because I have sent unto you this commandment.”

These priests are the stewards of the law. It wasn’t something they were left in the dark about. Rather, the law is the set procedural manual for everything they were to do, down to the minutest detail. It is incredible to think that they were so willfully violating the word. It is this law, which the Lord had given in order…

^{4 (con’t)} That My covenant with Levi may continue,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

Rather: lihyoth b’riti eth levi amar Yehovah ts’vaoth –

“‘To become My covenant with Levi.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

Of this, Ellicott says, “so that this new decree, which I have been compelled to make against the house of Levi, may be my covenant with him instead of the old one, of which the prophet goes on to speak.” Some argue “Because my covenant was with Levi,” while others say, “That my covenant might remain with Levi.”

None of the commentaries rightly explain the words because they are supposing that what is being said is happening at the time the Lord is speaking to them. Rather, the Lord gave the commandment in the past that it would become a covenant with Levi.

This is explained in Hebrews where a point is being made about the greatness of Melchizedek. However, the point explains the meaning here in Malachi –

“And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham.” Hebrews 7:5

Even though the law of the tithe is only a single commandment, it is a part of the law which is “the commandment” being discussed since verse 1. This commandment is a part of the Mosaic covenant. As Levi administers the covenant, it is a covenant pertaining to Levi and so…

⁵ “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace,

The words are almost universally taken in the genitive, indicating possession, such as “of life and peace.” Rather, they are nominative where the nouns are the subject of the verb: berithi hay’tah ito ha’khayim v’hashalom – “My covenant became with him the life and the peace.” It is the covenant that is the life and the peace, not that it is a covenant that gives life and peace.

This is seen, for example, in the words of Moses, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Life and peace may be a result for the people, but the state of those things belongs to the covenant itself.

^{5 (con’t)} And I gave them to him that he might fear Me;
So he feared Me

vaetnem lo mora vayiraeni –

“And gave them to him – a fear.
And feared Me.”

This is seen, for example, in the account of Phineas –

“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. ¹² Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; ¹³ and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’” Numbers 25:11-13

The covenant set forth life and peace. In upholding the covenant, the life and the peace are realized because they are a point of fear to someone of faith. Those of faith in Levi feared because of them and acted accordingly…

^{5 (con’t)} And was reverent before My name.

u-mipne sh’mi nikhath hu – “And from faces My name terrified, he.” The word is khathath. It signifies to prostrate, but in the sense of collapsing from fear or being shattered by an external force. One can think of Phineas being literally dismayed at what he saw.

The honor of the Lord was being abused and what was happening in the congregation because of it terrified him, people dying of plague before his eyes. This is the fear of the Lord that honored Him before His people. The priests had no such fear.

Profane fire is offered to the Lord
Wrath and indignation are the result
First and foremost we should have checked His word
What has happened is our fault

The Lord has shown us what is right and good
What is proper is carefully laid out
His word is not difficult. It can be understood
In careful study, we can be sure – having no doubt

But it is so much easier to have our ears tickled
Careful study is hard work. It causes the head pain
But if we allow ourselves to stew and become pickled
We will throw our heavenly rewards right down the drain

Help us Lord, to be attentive to Your word
May we pay attention to the instruction we have heard

II. You Veered From the Way (verses 6-9)

⁶ The law of truth was in his mouth,
And injustice was not found on his lips.

The words are a form of grammar known as antithetic parallelism: torath emeth hay’tah b’phihu v’avlah lo nimtsa bisphathav –

“Law truth became in his mouth,
And iniquity not found in his lips.”

The positive is stated first, followed by the negative. The words “law truth” are a general statement concerning the law. In other words, the law is emeth, truth, because it is the word of God.

At a previous time, Levi was right with the Lord and his doctrine of the law was rightly established. Hence, the words “in his mouth.” The place where words are fashioned was rightly forming the law as provided by the Lord.

That leads directly to the law proceeding from his lips, the continued means of conveying speech. In teaching the law, it was given to the people. As it is a law of truth, and because Levi rightly spoke it, there was no avlah, iniquity, being conveyed to the people. Thus…

^{6 (con’t)} He walked with Me in peace and equity,
And turned many away from iniquity.

The contrasting structure continues: b’shalom uvmishor halakh iti v’rabim heshiv meavon –

“In peace and in level, walked with Me,
And many turned from perversity.”

Levi’s walk with the Lord was in harmony with the walk of the Lord (in peace), and it was unwavering as he walked (in level). Because of this, he was able to be an example to those who were following a wayward path, turning them from it to the proper path.

The avon, perversity, is contrary to the way of the Lord. He is holy. Those contrary to Him are morally evil and thus unholy. One can think of any sound preacher who is willing to properly teach people what is right, call out what is wrong, and explain to others why they need to turn from their evil and do what is right.

This is what Levi was doing at one point. This was no longer the case with the priests of Malachi’s time. But this was not how it should be…

⁷ “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge,
And people should seek the law from his mouth;

The words form standard parallelism with the words, lips, and mouth now reversed from the previous verse: ki siphthe khohen yishm’ru daath v’thorah y’vaqshu mipihu –

“For lips priest guard knowledge,
And law seek from his mouth.”

The verbs are third person plural, “their knowledge” and “they seek.” In this case, one can think of the lips as the locking door on a repository. They guard the right knowledge that is inside, not letting anything foreign enter, and they only allow what is proper to pass out. The words of this clause fit exactingly with the words of our text verse, Titus 1:9.

That is set in parallel to the external seeking of the law of truth (as stated above) by the people which was to proceed from the priest’s mouth. This is how it was to be. If he failed, the people would be led astray, but he was not to fail. This is because…

^{7 (con’t)} For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

The words are emphatic: ki malakh Y’hovah ts’vaoth hu – “For messenger Yehovah Sabaoth – he.” The word is malakh, a messenger. It is the same word used in reference to the coming of both John the Baptist and then Jesus in Malachi 3:1.

The Levite was designated as the messenger of the Lord under the Old Covenant. There were, at times, angelic messengers who came directly from the Lord, but as the standard for daily life, the Levites represented the Lord to His people. If they mishandled the Lord’s word, they were being unfaithful messengers.

The word comes from an unused root signifying to dispatch as deputy. The deputy is charged to do a job for which he has been deputized, not going out on his own, but representing the will and intent of the one who sent him. As the Lord set up the Levitical priesthood and the other Levites who ministered to and for them, they were to only do the will and intent of the Lord…

⁸ But you have departed from the way;

v’atem sartem min ha’derekh – “And you veered from the way.” There is the right way, and there is departing from that way. The priests veered off the path, meaning they were no longer on it. With the nature of God, concerning the law, there are no shades of gray. The priests, out of all of Israel, were supposed to know this.

In veering from the way, the consequences are next stated…

^{8 (con’t)} You have caused many to stumble at the law.

Rather: hikhshaltem rabim batorah – “Wavered many in the law.” Saying “at” does a disservice to the point of the law. What Paul says about the law in the New Testament is true. It is good and holy. It is not something that causes people to stumble all by itself. If that was true, then it ostensibly could have caused Jesus to stumble.

Rather, the poor or false teaching of the law by the priests caused the people to stumble in the law that they were still accountable to, even if they didn’t know it. Along with this…

^{8 (con’t)} You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

Rather: shikhatem berith ha’levi amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘Ruined covenant the Levite,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

First, it is not the covenant of Levi. It is “covenant, the Levite.” Also, the v’atem, and you, of the first clause covers this clause as well. It is like bullet points being shot out to the priests in succession. In veering from the way, they have ruined “covenant, the Levite.” The article before Levite takes us right back to verse 4 –

“And known, for sent unto you the commandment, the this.
To become My covenant with Levi.”

The terminology is explained in Hebrews 7 –

“Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?” Hebrews 7:11

The covenant, the Levite is represented by the Levitical priesthood. In ruining “covenant, the Levite,” they have ruined the covenant that is administered by the Levite. This occurred because the priests were fallen men, incapable of maintaining such a covenant. That is why Hebrews continues with –

“For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.

¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest ¹⁶ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For He testifies:
‘You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.’

¹⁸ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:12-19

⁹ “Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base
Before all the people,

The words are emphatic: v’gam ani nathati ethkhem nivzim ushphalim l’khal ha’am – “And also, I, I made you disesteemed and abased to all the people.” The words take us back to the priests’ attitude of verse 1:6 –

“Son honors father,
And servant his master.
And if Father, I –
Where My honor?
And if Lords, I –
Where My fear?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth to you, the priests, disesteeming My name.”

The priests treated the table of the Lord with disesteem. They continued to disesteem His name through all of their other actions, building upon the thought of verse 1:6. Therefore, the Lord now repays them in kind.

Saying “before all the people,” certainly means that as the people fall from the law, they will fall from the provisions of the law, which included tithes and offerings. The priests would thus lose out on those things and have to fend for themselves.

Without their own inheritance of land to sustain themselves, they would be more disesteemed and debased than all others. And all of this has come about…

*^{9 (fin)} Because you have not kept My ways
But have shown partiality in the law.”

It is another contrasting parallel to finish our verses today: k’phi asher enkhem shomrim eth drakay v’nosim panim batorah –

“According to mouth which not you guarding with My ways.
And lifting faces in the law.”

The words back up to verse 7 –

“For lips priest guard knowledge,
And law seek from His mouth.”

The ways of the Lord were to be guarded. That was the job of the priest. Instead of this, they showed favoritism. The law is, by nature, unbiased. Further, it was to be administered as such, as our closing verse will show.

In doing what they were doing, they were disgracing the name of the Lord and violating the covenant they were designated to administer. From that steppingstone, the name of the Lord would be held in contempt by the people.

The same truth stands today in every church in the world. Where the people of God meet, the ministers of His New Covenant will either exalt the Lord through right application and instruction of His word, bringing honor to His name, or they will fail to uphold His word and bring dishonor to it.

Adam Clarke provides a well-reasoned thought for us:

See the qualifications of Levi:

1. “He feared me;” he was my sincere worshipper.
2. “He was afraid;” he acted as in the presence of a just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did.
3. “My law of truth was ever in his mouth;” by this he directed his own conduct and that of others.
4. “No iniquity;” nothing contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded “from his lips.”
5. “He walked with me in peace;” he lived in such a way as to keep up union with me.
6. “He did turn many away from iniquity;” by his upright administration, faithful exhortations, and pious walk, he became the instrument of converting many sinners.

This character suits every genuine minister of God. And as the priest’s lips should preserve knowledge, so the people should seek “the law at his mouth;” for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, Malachi 2:7.

The entire passage today takes us right back to Genesis 3. There was fellowship between God and man. Man turned from God, and that fellowship was broken. Mediation between God and man was fractured. Someone in the family may have mediated, or it may have been conducted by someone such as Melchizedek.

But the mediation was imperfect, except in type. From there, the law was introduced, but the imperfection of it is found not in the law itself but in the men who mediated it. As the knowledge of sin comes through law, and as a Redeemer (even if that descriptor was not used) was promised to restore all things (Genesis 3:15), then we can see that this Redeemer would first have to deal with the problem of law.

This is what Jesus came to do, and it is what He accomplished. John tells us of the giving law through Moses and the giving of grace through Jesus. His dealing with the law of Moses, by being born under that law and fulfilling it for us, is what allows the grace.

The Lord, through Malachi, is showing us this. He is taking us back to the Garden of Eden to learn the lesson so that He can, in reality, take us back to the Garden of Eden – meaning whatever He gives us in place of what we have lost. Thank God for Jesus who has made this possible, and may the Lord speed the day of its coming.

Closing Verse: “You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸ And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.” Deuteronomy 1:17, 18

Next Week: Malachi 2:10-17 The treacherous man, acting like a real Varmint… (Violence Upon His Garment) (5^th Malachi Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He has sent His Messenger to carry the good news to all people. Jesus! God promised, and God delivered. The time of the law has ended, and grace has come. Praise God for Jesus.

Malachi 2:1-9

“‘And now, unto you, the commandment, the this, the priests:

² If not hear! And if not set upon heart!
To give honor to My name,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
“‘And sent in you the execration.
(And execrated your blessings.)
And also execrated it.
For naught you setting upon heart!

³ Behold Me! Rebuking to you “the seed,”
And scattered excrement upon your faces –
Excrement your festivals.
And lifted you unto it!

⁴ And known, for sent unto you the commandment, the this.
To become My covenant with Levi.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

⁵ “‘My covenant became with him the life and the peace,
And gave them to him – a fear.
And feared Me,
And from faces My name prostrated, he.

⁶ Law truth became in his mouth,
And iniquity not found in his lips.
In peace and in level, walked with Me,
And many turned from perversity.

⁷ For lips priest guard knowledge,
And law seek from his mouth.
For messenger Yehovah Sabaoth – he.

⁸ And you veered from the way,
Wavered many in the law,
Ruined covenant the Levite,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

⁹ “‘And also, I, I made you disesteemed and abased,
To all the people,
According to mouth which not you guarding with My ways.
And lifting faces in the law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.
² 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.

³ “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.
⁴ Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you,
That My covenant with Levi may continue,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
⁵ “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace,
And I gave them to him that he might fear Me;
So he feared Me
And was reverent before My name.
⁶ The law of truth was in his mouth,
And injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity,
And turned many away from iniquity.

⁷ “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge,
And people should seek the law from his mouth;
For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
⁸ But you have departed from the way;
You have caused many to stumble at the law.
You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
⁹ “Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base
Before all the people,
Because you have not kept My ways
But have shown partiality in the law.”

 

 

Artwork by the amazing Douglas Kallerson

Malachi 1:9-14
For a Great King, I

(Typed 26 August 2024 – Jim and Rhoda’s birthday). There are times when my mind will stop whatever I am considering and mull the greatness of who Jesus is. It often happens right while I am closing up a sermon or at some other point when the fact that Jesus is God comes to the forefront of my attention.

It is so hard to actually grab on to this idea that the thoughts are not expressible in words. Even though the Bible tells us that God came in human flesh, and the way it came about is clearly stated in Luke 1:35, it is still something that defies proper description.

Mary was told that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Highest would overshadow her. And yet, how can we conceive of the infinite God of the universe uniting with humanity? It’s like considering the moment of creation: there was nothing and suddenly everything in an instant.

There was no time, and then time began passing. There was no space, and suddenly it existed. There was nothing solid, but then everything we are, everything we see, and everything that exists was there. How did things go from the first state to the next?

We know it happened, and we know that God did it. The Lord God is, and He is great. That is what Malachi tells the people of Israel. And yet they treated Him with absolute contempt in their conduct.

Jesus is the Lord God. Though there is the physical aspect in Jesus the Man, and there is the eternal, all-powerful, and all-knowing aspect of His deity. The Power behind creation and our continued existence is the same Power that united with humanity. And yet, how do we treat Him? Would Malachi’s words to Israel be even partly true of us in our conduct toward the Lord?

Text Verse: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 5:22, 23

The people and priests of Israel defiled the name of the Lord. They treated it contemptuously, failing to honor Him as their Sovereign. When Jesus came, they did the same to Him. They rejected Him and have suffered the punishment they deserve for this betrayal of the Lord their God. In failing to honor Him, they failed to honor the Father who sent Him.

But the “Christian” world has been no better. There are people walking around in poofy hats and flowing vestments who prey on little children, sleep with the wives of their congregants, and defile themselves and the name of the Lord through their actions, while pretending that they are holy to the Lord.

Televangelists enrich themselves with millions of dollars while spewing out cliches and false promises, ensnaring the people they should be leading to a right knowledge of the word.

And the people who accept these things are no better in their attitude towards the Lord. They are looking for easy religion that will never provide them with a sound understanding of Him and what He expects.

We all know that sound theology is hard work. Sunday mornings are not meant to add to the already long work weeks we have to go through, right? Our conduct and actions toward the Lord are dismissive of the fact that Jesus is God and that He is a great King.

May we make every effort to acknowledge Him with the honor and respect He is due.  It is a certain truth that is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Shut the Double-Doors (verses 9-11)

⁹ “But now entreat God’s favor,

v’atah khalu na phene el – “And now, rub, I pray, faces God!” The same word just used in verse 8 is used again –

“And when approach lame and rubbed [khalah] – ‘Not evil!’”
“And now, rub [khalah], I pray, faces God!”

It is debated whether this is actually a call for turning and entreating God or whether it is an ironic statement contrasting what has just been said. The latter seems more likely, and that is how I translated it. The priests were shoving defective sacrifices in the face of God, thus treating Him as defective, unworthy of proper sacrifice and offering.

The irony, then, is to be a tool of learning. Rather than offer a rubbed (meaning a defective) sacrifice to the Lord, the priests are being shown that they are to do the opposite. They are to rub (meaning entreat as if stroking) God’s faces and thus His favor. One can see the intent of this word from other passages, such as Daniel 9:13 –

“as it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil hath come upon us, and we have not appeased [khalah: to rub] the face of Jehovah our God to turn back from our iniquities, and to act wisely in Thy truth.”

Further, notice that in Malachi’s words it says “God,” not “Yehovah.” Yehovah is God, but the priests have denied this through their conduct, treating Him shamefully. The word “God” is thus set in opposition to “governor” of the previous verse –

“Near it, I pray, to your governor!”
“And now, rub, I pray, faces God,”

Who is greater? The governor appointed over the land by a foreign ruler, or God who governs all things according to His infinite wisdom? They would never think of treating a human governor with such disrespect.

Therefore, the priests should do their utmost to appease God through careful and attentive priestly conduct, and yet they have not. The irony continues with…

^{9 (con’t)} That He may be gracious to us.

Vikhanenu – “And He favors us?” Malachi includes himself among the collective people known as Israel. The priests represented all of them. How could the people receive God’s grace when they were treating Him with contempt?

Obviously, grace means getting what you do not deserve and so one could argue that this isn’t grace at all. But it is the priests who are the mediators between God and Israel. How does God pour out His grace on us now? Through our Mediator, Jesus –

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16

One can see, then, that the grace must come through the right actions of the representatives of the people. This is why it said this to the priests in Numbers 6 –

“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
²⁴ “The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
²⁶ The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’
²⁷ So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:23-27

With that, a parenthetical thought is next expressed…

^{9 (con’t)} While this is being done by your hands,

The words “your hand” are to be taken emphatically: miyedkhem hay’tah – “(From your hand became this!)” The Lord, through Malachi, states that this is just what the priests have been doing. They were responsible as the representatives of the people to administer the priestly functions of the Law of Moses. And yet, the Lord is charging them with violating it through their abominable treatment of Him before the people.

How can they pronounce a priestly blessing upon the people if they are disparaging the One who is the Subject of the blessing? Why would the Lord even consider blessing them through the lifting of their wicked hands?

To understand what is going on, think of any church in the world today not adhering to what the word says. They teach a false doctrine, and yet they petition the Lord to bless the people. They appoint adulterers, women, homosexuals, transexuals, etc., as their leaders, contrary to the word, and yet they expect the Lord to look with favor upon them.

The priests of Israel were appeasing their governor, but they were unwilling to please their God. But more, they were shoving their conduct right in His face. Pastors and preachers appease the government through their wicked appointments, and yet by their actions, they shove the grace of Christ right back in the face of God. When they do this, the ironic question is asked…

^{9 (con’t)} Will He accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.

zoth hayisa mikem panim amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘Lifts from you faces?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

The words mean, “Will He find you acceptable?” They are either speaking of the priests or the people in general. My guess is it is directed to the priests. Malachi included himself, and thus all the people, in a previous clause. Here, the words are in the second person.

As such, he is saying that the Lord will not accept the priests. That, in turn, means He will not accept the people. Next, Malachi again affixes the Source of His words to them, “Yehovah Sabaoth has spoken. I am conveying His words to you now.” With that, the word of the Lord to the priests continues…

¹⁰ “Who is there even among you who would shut the doors,

mi gam bakhem v’yisgor d’lathayim – “‘Who also in you, and shut double-doors!” The meaning, although debated, is probably a wearied exclamation, “O! Won’t one of you priests just shut the temple doors?” The Lord is completely fed up with them and their conduct.

It would be better for them to just shut the temple than to have to put up with their abominable conduct and worthless sacrifices. This reprehensible thought takes the reader back to the conduct of the priests before they were exiled –

“For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and turned their backs on Him. ⁷ They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. ⁸ Therefore the wrath of the Lord fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. ⁹ For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.” 2 Chronicles 29:6-9

The priests abandoned the temple, shutting it up, and neglected their duties given according to the Law of Moses. This was one of the causes of all of the trouble and distress that had fallen upon the people of Judah.

And yet, the Lord now says that He would rather be neglected by the priests than be served by them with their contemptible offerings. With the doors shut, it would preclude them from going in and conducting their abhorrent affairs, including…

^{10 (con’t)} So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?

v’lo tairu misb’khi khinam – “And no light my altar gratuitously!” The word khinam means gratis, without charge. Thus, they were entering the temple and lighting the incense altar – a picture of petitioning God through prayers for the people – in a manner that was wholly inappropriate and, as the NKJV rightly paraphrases it, in vain.

To avoid this, because the Lord would not respond to their prayers, He simply tells them to shut the double-doors and not come into His presence to petition Him. This is because…

^{10 (con’t)} I have no pleasure in you,”
Says the Lord of hosts,

ein li khephesh bakhem amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘Not to Me pleasure in you.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

What good would it be for the priests, the mediators of the covenant, to light the twice daily incense before the Lord? They had made themselves unacceptable to Him. In not accepting them, He would not welcome or receive their mediation on behalf of the prayers of the people, represented by the incense. And more…

^{10 (con’t)} “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.

u-minkhah lo ertseh miyedkhem – “And present – no accept from your hand.” The minkhah, or present (as in presenting an offering) refers to the grain offering of Leviticus 2 –

“When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. ² He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.” Leviticus 2:1, 2

Frankincense was added to this offering from the people. Thus, there was the sense of asking for favor on behalf of the people who offered. However, this was not accepted. Because the priests were defiled through their conduct, the people were not accepted through the priestly mediation.

Imagine it! Offering a defiled Jesus to God. But this is essentially what churches do when they ignore His word and claim they are petitioning God through Him. They defile what Jesus represents. Thus, the Lord will not accept their perverted version of Jesus. This is reflected in the words of Paul –

“For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” 2 Corinthians 11:4

People go to churches where another, a false, Jesus is on prominent display, and yet they put up with it. When a church ignores what the word says that church ignores what God has instructed. Their Jesus is not the Jesus described in the word, and God will not hear them when they call out to Him. Their gifts have been defiled by those who are supposed to proclaim Jesus as God has instructed.

The priests of Israel were defiling the people before God because they and their actions were defiled. They made the name of the Lord ignoble. In contrast to that…

¹¹ For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
My name shall be great among the Gentiles;

ki mimizrakh shemesh v’ad m’voo gadol sh’mi bagoyim –

“‘For from ascension sun, and until his descension,
Great My name in the Gentiles.”

Verse 11 has only two verbs, both in the participle form. The intent of them must be obtained from the surrounding context. Are they referring to the present or the future? They must be future. The words clearly anticipate the dispensation of grace, the ending of the Mosaic code, the inclusion of Gentiles in proper worship of God, and so much more.

In the time of Malachi, under the dispensation of the law, the temple in Jerusalem was to be the sole place for the worship of the Lord –

“Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; ¹⁴ but in the place which the Lord chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.” Deuteronomy 12:13, 14

This was said to be the place even for Gentiles who sought the Lord –

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake ⁴² (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, ⁴³ hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.” 1 Kings 8:41-43

Some Jewish and Christian commentators claim that because of what Malachi is saying, that the name of the Lord was already held in esteem by the nations of the world somewhat in a manner of Job. This is entirely incorrect.

Even in the New Testament, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:20 that the worship of the Gentiles, apart from coming to faith in Jesus, was not conducted in an acceptable manner to the Lord.

Rather, the words of this verse are set in contrast to the conduct of the priests in the temple where the Gentiles were to come and discover the proper worship of the Lord.

This system, set up and designed to anticipate the coming Messiah in every detail, had failed to produce anything but apostasy by the people. Its rites and rituals would end and a new form of worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23, 24), would come about.

As for Job, he lived at the tail end of a time when knowledge of the true God and the promise of His coming Messiah remained, passed down from the times of Noah. That worship was being lost and so the Lord called Israel to preserve those things until the time for Messiah was realized.

During this time, the world fell into a complete lack of proper worship of the Lord. Israel alone preserved this knowledge for a set duration. That time was to end with the coming of Jesus…

^{11 (con’t)} In every place incense shall be offered to My name,

uv’khal maqom muqtar mugash lishmi – “And in every place, incense approached to My name.” This is not to be taken literally, as in the RCC and other such churches. The “incense” that is offered is Jesus, the type anticipating the Antitype.

To fully understand this and all of the beautiful pictures involved in the incense, your homework for tonight is to go back and watch the Superior Word sermon on Exodus 30:22-38 (The Holy Anointing Oil and the Holy Incense).

The offering of Jesus will be acknowledged throughout the Gentile world. Thus, it is as if the incense that anticipated Him is being offered. Further…

^{11 (con’t)} And a pure offering;

uminkhah t’horah – “And present, pure.” In contrast to the defiled offerings of the priests of Israel, and like the incense, the minkhah offered by the Gentiles will be considered pure and acceptable. This is because Jesus is the fulfillment of every detail of the Levitical grain offering.

As additional homework for you tonight, please be sure to watch the Superior Word sermon Leviticus 2:1-16 (The Grain Offering). The type was given in anticipation of the Antitype, Jesus. It is through Him that the greatness of God is exalted…

^{11 (con’t)} For My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

ki gadol sh’mi bagoyim amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘For great My name in the Gentiles,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

In Genesis 4, it says –

“And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” Genesis 4:3-5

The rejection of Cain’s offering and the acceptance of Abel’s is not because of the type of offering. Both are noted as a minkhah. The reason for the difference is explained in Hebrews 11:4, saying, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.”

Abel had faith in what he presented to the Lord. Cain did not. The priests, if they had faith, would have aligned their sacrifices and offerings in accord with the law that mandated them. An offering of Jesus, meaning the true Jesus, is one of faith in Jesus.

People can and do go to church while not believing a thing. Others offer a false Jesus to God. Some just offer lip service to Him. But for those who have faith in Jesus as recorded in Scripture, their offering is that which exalts Yehovah Sabaoth.

Throughout the entire Gentile world, the message of Jesus, when properly presented, has been received by the Gentiles and it has brought honor to God, just as our text verse today says. Israel, however, contrasts how the Gentiles would exalt the name of the Lord…

Sweet smelling spices combined into one
To make a holy incense for Me
Every detail points to the coming Christ, My Son
This is the reason for such specificity

The work that He will do is revealed in each sweet smell
And the salt speaks of Him, and His work also
Every detail has a wondrous story to tell
Ponder each, and their meaning you will know

Look into these things as recorded for you
Consider them and take each to heart
In so doing, a marvelous sight comes into view
Wonderful things will this precious word to you impart

II. Behold! What Distress (verses 12-14)

¹² “But you profane it,
In that you say,

v’atem m’khal’lim otho beemarkhem – “And you pierce it in your saying.” The word is khalal, to bore or pierce. It is a word that can have several meanings based on the context. In this case, it would signify to wound or even kill.

In other words, this is contrasted to the Gentiles exalting the name of the Lord, making it great. Rather than that, the priests of Israel essentially slaughter it. They do this by saying…

^{12 (con’t)} ‘The table of the Lord is defiled;

shulkhan Adonay m’goal hu – “Table Adonai – defiled it.” The thought being presented returns and expands upon the thought from the previous sermon of verses 1:7, 8 –

“‘Son honors father,
And servant his master.
And if Father, I –
Where My honor?
And if Lords, I –
Where My fear?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth to you, the priests, disesteeming My name.’
And said, ‘In what we disesteemed Your name?’
⁷ ‘Approaching upon My altar bread defiled.
And said, ‘In what defiled You?’
In your saying, ‘Table, Yehovah – disesteemed it.’
⁸ ‘And when (surely) approach blind to sacrifice – “Not evil!”
And when approach lame and rubbed – “Not evil!”
Near it, I pray, to your governor!
He accept you or lift faces you?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

In this first clause, through their actions, they have made the table of the Lord, His altar, where He symbolically feasts upon their sacrifices, defiled.

When someone brings something unacceptable before the Lord as an offering, it is as if the priests actively call out, “Don’t worry about it. At least it’s not a pig. Just toss it on the altar. The Lord doesn’t care! By the way, if you have a pig, toss it on too. After all, the Lord has said ‘…every beast of the forest is Mine!’ (Psalm 50:12). He really doesn’t care!”

Their unholy attitude continues with the next words…

^{12 (con’t)} And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’

v’nivo nivzeh akhlo – “And His produce – disesteemed His food.’” The word is nov, produce, coming from nuv, to germinate. Fruit doesn’t really give the sense because it refers to what is placed upon the altar. Things were prepared, such as the grain offering with the frankincense.

This was then burnt to the Lord as His food. But through their conduct and actions, they had rendered this produce, which was to be the Lord’s food, as disesteemed. And more…

¹³ You also say,
‘Oh, what a weariness!’

v’amartem hineh mat’laah – “And say, ‘Behold! What distress!’” The word is a noun found only here in Scripture, mat’laah. It is derived from mah, what or how, and t’laah, distress. That, in turn, comes from laah, to tire.

The priests considered their jobs as menial and degrading. They had to make the same offerings every morning and every evening to the Lord. They had other sacrifices and offerings to make as required by the law and as necessitated by whatever circumstances brought them about.

If the priests believed they were offering these things to the Lord, they would treat their duties as an honor. But their attitude was that their offerings were required by Moses, not the Lord who spoke through Moses.

Believing they are unobserved will eventually wear out the priests from doing repetitive and seemingly menial tasks. Thus, their actions are those of men lacking faith. This was their job. No person saw whether they did it well, and so they trudged along from day to day, uncaring about how they performed it. And more…

^{13 (con’t)} And you sneer at it,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

v’hipakhtem oto amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘And puffed it,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

The sense is that of the priests doing their jobs while exhaling through their lips, “bpbpbpbpb! Man, this is such tedious, boring work. Why was I born in the line of Aaron? I need a day off… one that lasts forever.”

Adam Clarke and others take this to refer to the food rather than the duties. This is because the priests participated in eating many of the sacrifices and offerings of the sanctuary. Because of this, Clarke says the puff is “A metaphor taken from cattle which do not like their fodder. They blow strongly through their nose upon it; and after this neither they nor any other cattle will eat it.”

It is a possibility, but why anyone would puff at the pay they received, unless they were complaining about the amount, seems hard to reconcile. That would be the one thing about the job that was actually rewarding.

Rather, the context appears to refer to their duties and how they conducted them, completely lacking faith that they had any effect at all in pleasing the Lord they may or may not actually believe in. That continues to be seen with…

^{13 (con’t)} “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;

v’havetem gazul v’eth ha’piseakh v’eth hakholeh –

“And brought plucked, and the lame, and the rubbing.”

The word gazul signifies to pluck off. It is something seized away, torn away, robbed, and so forth. According to Leviticus 6, when something was stolen, it was to be restored and a fifth more of its value was to be given to the person from whom it was stolen.

The priests were to ensure the Lord was not robbed, and yet, they not only ignored the theft, but they willingly presented it to the Lord. They also brought offerings that were lame. As seen last week, this was a direct violation of the law. They also brought the khalah, that which is rubbed. It is the same word used in verses 8 and 9.

The Lord is incredulous and exclaims…

^{13 (con’t)} Thus you bring an offering!

v’havethem eth ha’minkhah – “And brought the present!” Despite what is being offered being completely contemptible and in total violation of the law, it is brought forward as an offering to the Creator God, Israel’s Redeemer. The Lord, through Malachi, thus asks…

^{13 (con’t)} Should I accept this from your hand?”
Says the Lord.

haertseh othah miyedkhem amar Y’hovah –

“‘Accept it from your hand?’
Said Yehovah.”

The question demands a negative response. Verse 1:8 asked if the governor would be pleased with them or accept them over such an offense. How much more should the King of the Universe despise their offerings and reject such people who would presume to treat Him so shamefully?

In these words, the actions not only include the priests who accept the offerings, but the people who have brought them forward. It was the priests’ job to ensure that what was brought was according to the law, but the people would know very well what most of the requirements were before coming forward with their offerings. This continues to be seen in the next words…

¹⁴ “But cursed be the deceiver
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—

v’arur nokhel v’yesh b’edro zakhar v’noder v’zoveakh mashkhath ladonay –

“And cursed defrauding,
And is in his flock male,
And vowing,
And sacrificing ruined to Adonai.”

The word nakal signifies to defraud. Such a person is cheating the Lord of his rightful due according to the precepts of the law. The violation is two-fold. First, when one made a vow, he was to present a male. Second, it was to be without any defect.

However, the implication of these words is that there is a male in the flock that is acceptable for a vow but that the ruined animal is a female. However, the law would accept neither –

“Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who offers his sacrifice for any of his vows or for any of his freewill offerings, which they offer to the Lord as a burnt offering— ¹⁹ you shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats. ²⁰ Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf. ²¹ And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.” Leviticus 22:18-21

The one vowing would know he had a better animal in the flock. The priest may not know that, but he would know that a female was not acceptable as a vow. Thus, at a minimum, there is guilt by the giver for being stingy and presumptuous, and the priest was guilty of accepting a ruined animal and a female.

This attitude was completely unacceptable. Unlike a governor who was merely a man and one who was appointed by a human king of a Gentile nation that the people would have despised, the Lord is God…

^{14 (con’t)} For I am a great King,”
Says the Lord of hosts,

The words are emphatic: ki melekh gadol ani amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘For King great, I,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

As with each such proclamation, the words from Malachi are stated as an authoritative fact that the Lord said (it is in the perfect aspect). Yehovah has emphatically proclaimed His greatness. He is not just a king, but He is great and worthy of respect, reverence, and appropriate sacrifices and worship. Further…

*^{14 (fin)} “And My name is to be feared among the nations.

ushmi nora bagoyim – “And My name feared in the Gentiles.” Like in verse 11, the verb is a participle. Whether this is in accord with a future proclamation (shall be feared), or whether the Lord is contrasting the attitude of Israel to the current state of the Gentile world who had come to fear Yehovah, either way, it is a truth.

The Lord’s name would be feared among the Gentiles through the exaltation of Jesus. But even at Malachi’s time, the Lord’s name was feared among the Gentiles. In Daniel 6, King Darius said –

“I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.” Daniel 6:26

Darius lived from 522 BC until 486 BC. Thus, it was after the time of the return of the exiles with Ezra in 538 BC and not long before the time of Malachi. The fear of Yehovah among the Gentiles would have been remembered, even if He was not properly worshipped at that time. But how quickly Israel, who was the center of His attention, forgot the greatness of their true King.

Because of their unholy and contemptible attitude, Adam Clarke rightly says –

“It was high time to break up this corrupt service; and after this time God does not appear to have paid any regard to it, for he sent them no other prophet.”

Malachi called out to the people concerning their conduct. He will continue to do so for three more chapters. But after that, no further word from the Lord would be forthcoming until the time when the priest Zechariah would be told of the birth of his son, John. It is he who would be the one to prepare the way of the Lord, the great King of Israel.

Only in honoring the Son do we honor the Father. This is because, as Jesus said in John 14:10, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” Jesus and the Father are One. Jesus is He who reveals the unseen Father to us.

As difficult as it is for humans to get their minds around this, it is what the Bible proclaims. The unseen God, who was able to simply speak everything we behold into existence, was willing to unite with His creation in order to return us back to Himself.

The humility of His incarnation, the stresses of His life, and the brutality of His death were all deemed as acceptable to God to purchase us from the power of the devil. We exist in the presence of absolute holiness and infinite greatness. How can we do anything but be fearful and have reverence for this great King?

Closing Verse: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Revelation 1:7, 8

Next Week: Malachi 2:1-9 I have kept it, but they went awry (My Covenant With Levi) (4^th Malachi Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He has sent His Messenger to carry the good news to all people. Jesus! God promised, and God delivered. The time of the law has ended, and grace has come. Praise God for Jesus.

Malachi 1:9-14

⁹ “‘And now, rub, I pray, faces God!
And He favors us?
(From your hand became this!)
He lifts from you faces?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

¹⁰ “‘Who also in you, and shut double-doors!
And no light my altar gratuitously!
Not to Me pleasure in you.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.
‘And present – no accept from your hand.’”

¹¹ “‘For from ascension sun, and until his descension,
Great My name in the Gentiles.
And in every place, incense approached to My name,
And present, pure.
For great My name in the Gentiles,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

¹² “And you pierce it in your saying,
‘Table Adonai – defiled it,
And His produce – disesteemed His food.’

¹³ And say, ‘Behold! What distress!’
And puffed it,
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.
And brought stripped, and the lame, and the rubbing.
And brought the present!
Accept it from your hand?’
Said Yehovah.”

¹⁴ “‘And cursed deceiving,
And is in his flock male,
And vowing,
And sacrificing ruined to Adonai.
For King great, I,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.
‘And My name feared in the Gentiles.’”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“But now entreat God’s favor,
That He may be gracious to us.
While this is being done by your hands,
Will He accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.
¹⁰ “Who is there even among you who would shut the doors,
So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?
I have no pleasure in you,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
¹¹ For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
My name shall be great among the Gentiles;
In every place incense shall be offered to My name,
And a pure offering;
For My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says the Lord of hosts.

¹² “But you profane it,
In that you say,
‘The table of the Lord is defiled;
And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
¹³ You also say,
‘Oh, what a weariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
Should I accept this from your hand?”
Says the Lord.
¹⁴ “But cursed be the deceiver
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—
For I am a great King,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“And My name is to be feared among the nations.

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

Malachi 1:4-8
Where Is My Honor?

(Typed 19 Aug 2024) The clock didn’t work on sermon typing morning. Therefore, I didn’t get up until about 4:15. Because of this on a normal sermon typing day, I would be pretty late in getting finished – even more late than usual.

However, an analysis of the style of presentation of the Lord’s word in Malachi doesn’t require as much difficult contemplation as in the other books we have gone through. So, even for a regular sermon typing day, I was done quite early.

The prophetic words still bear the weight and authority of the word of the Lord. They are to be evaluated carefully, considered prayerfully, and contemplated in a manner that will lead us to a more perfect understanding of the nature of the Lord.

They reveal to us His covenant-keeping nature, His directive hand in human affairs, and His expectations for those who are His people (whether they actually are or simply claim to be).

In these verses, the Lord uses Esau, the people, and Edom, their land, as examples of His hand against those who are prideful and arrogant towards His decisions. But His own people who stand before Him are not exempt from His directive hand of attention, both in a positive and a negative way.

Text Verse: “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:30-32

The idea of the Lord’s chastening is found throughout Scripture. In Deuteronomy 8:5, He says to Israel, “You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.” The words are singular, “You, Israel.”

That premise remains true for them to this day. Israel is an adopted son to the Lord. A son is chastened when He does wrong, and Israel has done wrong continuously. Their greatest wrong was rejecting Christ Jesus when He came.

And yet, instead of destroying them as a nation, the Lord has chastened them for two millennia. This doesn’t mean that all in Israel have been saved. Rather, only those who have received Jesus have been saved. However, as a corporate body, they have continued.

Those in the church are now sons of God through adoption. When we stray, we will receive chastening in an attempt to correct our conduct. However, it should be taken as an axiom that not all in the church are saved. There is the true church of believers, among whom are many who have never believed.

As long as we process such thoughts properly, our doctrine on matters of salvation will be aligned with Scripture. We may assume that Israel gets some sort of exception to God’s plan of salvation through Christ, but that would be erroneous.

Or we might get the idea that because we are born into a Christian home, we, too, are Christians. Pay attention to what the Bible says. In failing to do so, an eternity of difference may be ahead for yourself or others.

Such truths as this are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Territory of Wickedness (verses 4, 5)

⁴ Even though Edom has said,

The words at first appear to be gender confused: ki tomar edom – For says (fem. sg.) Edom.” The words are those of the land (Edom). Even if Edom the man is a masculine entity, the land (the inheritance of verse 3), which stands as the subject, is feminine as if she is a mother of the inhabitants. As such, it is as if the land is calling out on behalf of her people. Concerning Edom’s words…

^{4 (con’t) “}We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”

rushashnu v’nashuv v’nivneh khoravoth – “Demolished! And return, and build wastelands.” Here is a word found just twice in Scripture, rashash. It signifies to beat down and thus to demolish. Impoverished would be the result of the action, not the action itself.

As for their words, they are the response to the destruction of the land of Edom by the Lord –

³ “And Esau, I hate,
And set his mountains – a devastation.
And his inheritance to jackals wilderness.”

⁴ “For says Edom,
‘Demolished! And return, and build wastelands.”

The Lord states that He is ultimately the Force behind the destruction of Esau’s land. It was seen previously that the Lord gave the land of Seir to Esau and his descendants –

“And command the people, saying, ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. ⁵ Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶ You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.’” Deuteronomy 2:4-6

If the Lord gave, it was His right to dispense with it as He chose. Edom was devastated, and the people were exiled. This was the Lord’s doing. But as an act of defiance against His judgment, Edom proudly boasted, “Yeah, it’s demolished, but we will prevail! We will return to our land, and we will reestablish it from the wastelands that have arisen in place of our home.”

Because of this, the Lord continues with His own proclamation against their boastful words…

^{4 (con’t)} Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“They may build, but I will throw down;

koh amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth hemah yivnu vaani eheros –

“Thus said Yehovah Sabaoth:
‘They build, and I raze.’”

Here, the title Yehovah Sabaoth is introduced into the book of Micah. It will be used eight times in this chapter and twenty-four times in the book. It is derived from the verb tsava, to mass as an army or servants. Thus, Lord of Hosts expresses the idea well.

The words were in the singular, speaking of Edom as a single entity. Now, they go to the plural and refer to the people who comprise Edom.

Yehovah doesn’t dispute the fact that the people will return. In fact, the words presuppose it. They will build. Only something that is built can be razed. Edom had no prophecies of a permanent inheritance as Israel did. They had no prophecies that they had a future as a people for a set purpose, such as bringing forth the Messiah.

Yehovah had given the land to them. Now He had taken it away. Their attempts to regain and reestablish the land would be frustrated. The Pulpit Commentary notes –

“I will throw down. Edom never recovered its power; it became the prey of the Persians, the Nabatheans, the Jews under the Maccabees, the Macedonians, the Romans; and finally the Mohammedan conquest effected its utter ruin.”

The words here are similar to what transpired in the kingdom of Israel –

“The Lord sent a word against Jacob,
And it has fallen on Israel.
⁹ All the people will know—
Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria—
Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
¹⁰ ‘The bricks have fallen down,
But we will rebuild with hewn stones;
The sycamores are cut down,
But we will replace them with cedars.’
¹¹ Therefore the Lord shall set up
The adversaries of Rezin against him,
And spur his enemies on,
¹² The Syrians before and the Philistines behind;
And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.” Isaiah 9:8-12

The Lord pronounced judgment against the northern kingdom of Israel. They were crushed and exiled according to the word of the Lord against their conduct. But in their arrogant pride, they claimed they would possess the land and build it. Without a word from the Lord for it to be so, it was not to come about.

To this day, there is the same ongoing problem in the land of Israel. The West Bank area is contested land. That will not change until the time the Lord determines it. Thousands of years later, the overpowering influence of the Lord’s decisions remains.

As for Edom, despite claiming they would rebuild, the Lord said He would also raze. As such…

^{4 (con’t)} They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,

The words continue in the plural: v’qaru lahem g’vul rishah – “And called to them Territory Wickedness.” In Numbers 20:23, it says, g’vul erets edom, “border land Edom.” A border defines what lies inside of it. In the case of the people’s efforts to be reestablished against the will of the Lord, they will be called g’vul rishah – “Territory Wickedness.”

The words are based upon the defiance of the people against the will of the Lord. It is an act of wickedness, and thus, the territory is defined by their act.

The short book of Obadiah was written as a prophecy against Edom. As Jacob was being destroyed for rebellion against the Lord, Edom rejoiced over it and assisted in the ruin of the people. But Edom was a brother to Jacob. This was a great offense to the Lord, and their misdeeds would be remembered by Him.

“For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near;
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
Your reprisal shall return upon your own head.
¹⁶ For as you drank on My holy mountain,
So shall all the nations drink continually;
Yes, they shall drink, and swallow,
And they shall be as though they had never been.” Obadiah 1:15, 16

Therefore, the curse is pronounced against them…

^{4 (con’t)} And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.

v’haam asher zaam Y’hovah ad olam – “And ‘the people whom frothed Yehovah until vanishment.’” The word zaam signifies to foam at the mouth. Thus, one can easily get the sense. It is as if Yehovah’s mouth has frothed at them in anger and fury.

This anger was directed at those of Edom who presumed to stay and rebel against Him through their prideful resistance to His will. They were the object of His disfavor and raging anger. As a nation, they would never cease to be the object of His wrath. However, as individuals, this is not necessarily the case, nor can it be inferred.

This is the opposite of how many in the church consider Israel today. They accept the nation of Israel as a legitimate entity because God prophesied that they would be reestablished. However, they then equate this favor to all Jews, as if every one of them is accepted by God because they are in the land God promised them.

The idea is perverse. The abominations carried out within Israel by many today are like Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord neither approves of them nor their actions. The Lord’s favor or enmity toward a national entity does not logically follow to all of its citizens.

As for Israel and the lesson they are being taught through Edom…

⁵ Your eyes shall see,

v’enekhem tirenah – “And your eyes see.” He is speaking to the people of Israel in the plural. They will see what the Lord has done to Edom, just as He prophesied. As such…

^{5 (con’t)} And you shall say,
‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’

Rather: v’atem tomru yigdal Y’hovah me’al ligvul Yisrael –

“And you say,
‘Magnified, Yehovah, from upon to border Israel.’”

The border of Edom is being contrasted with the border of Israel. The words “from upon to border” do not mean “beyond the border.” Rather, they are speaking of Israel’s state –

“And called to them Territory Wickedness.”
“Magnified, Yehovah, from upon to border Israel.”

While the land of Edom was frustrated in the peoples’ attempts to reestablish themselves in their land, having its name instead called Wickedness, Israel was reestablished, retaining its name and national identity. In this, Israel magnified Yehovah’s name because the contrast was so evident.

In other words, this is not merely a contest between people groups. A distinction is being set forth concerning who those people groups are directed by. This can be seen, for example, in 2 Chronicles 25 –

“Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. ¹⁵ Therefore the anger of the Lord was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, ‘Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?’” 2 Chronicles 25:14, 15

Amaziah had foolishly rejected the Lord through his actions. What good were Edom’s gods if they couldn’t prevail in battle against Israel?

The ultimate point of everything that Scripture details is the glorification of Yehovah Elohim, the Lord God. He is the Creator, the Establisher of Israel, and the only true God. Even if Edom and Israel appear to be the subjects of the discourse at times, it is ultimately the Lord, His power, and His directive hand that is being highlighted.

Though nothing explicit is stated here, it is still an implicit reference to Genesis, where the Lord God spoke the universe into existence and directed the line of humanity according to His purposes, such as calling Abraham, selecting Isaac, and choosing Jacob, who is Israel.

That same Directive Force is being highlighted well over a millennia later, and it returns us to the thought of Genesis 25, where Yehovah said to Rebekah that two nations were in her womb and that the two peoples would be separated from her body.

However, despite this promise of the Lord that Israel would see these things and magnify His name, that was not yet the case. That is seen in the words of the next verse…

What is this you have brought before Me?
What makes you think your offering is ok?
The “Jesus” you proclaim is one of apostasy
He is a defective “savior.” You have followed the wrong way

My Son is pure and holy. He is undefiled
In Him there is no blemish or defect
Through Him alone, I would have on you smiled
But through any other, you I will surely reject

Be sure the offering is right – Jesus!
Open the Bible and there He is on full display
When You get it right, you will get your A+
So call on Him, and believe the true gospel today!

II. The Table of the LORD Is Contemptible (verses 6-8)

⁶ “A son honors his father,
And a servant his master.

As with verse 2, Yehovah begins this section with another assertion. This will be followed by an objection from Israel which will then receive a rebuttal from Yehovah. However, this directed assertion is to the priests in particular. It begins with a statement of how things normally are.

ben y’khaved av v’eved adonav –

“Son honors father,
And servant his master.”

In normal human conduct, a son treats his father with respect, complies with his wishes, does as he is directed, and so forth. The same is true with how a servant likewise is expected to treat his master.

The father is the one who raised the son, fed him, protected him, provided for his needs, etc. A servant is housed, fed, and his needs are tended to according to the hand of his master. These things are expected to result in honoring the father or master.

Yehovah had done these things for Israel since their inception. Despite this, there was not a reciprocation from them…

^{6 (con’t)} If then I am the Father,
Where is My honor?

The words bear emphasis: v’im av ani ayeh kh’vodi –

“And if Father, I –
Where My honor?”

The “if” is not a question. Even without a verb, the mood is conditional and yet adamant. “I am a father to you. As such, where is the honor I am to be given as is the case with any normal human conduct?”

The Father/son relationship between Yehovah and Israel was clearly set forth in His words to Pharaoh –

“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. ²³ So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’” Exodus 4:22, 23

But this is not just Israel as a nation only. Rather, the idea of sonship extends to individuals –

“You are the children of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. ² For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 14:1, 2

As this is the case, the Lord wants to know why He is not treated with the respect due to a Father. And more…

^{6 (con’t)} And if I am a Master,
Where is My reverence?

Not one out of the almost sixty versions I checked translates these words correctly: v’im adonim ani ayeh morai –

“And if Lords, I –
Where My fear?”

The word Lords, adonim, is plural while the emphatic “I” is singular. This is the only time in Scripture this occurs when Yehovah refers to Himself. The job of translators is to translate, letting the chips fall where they may. This, unfortunately, is not always the case.

Not translating it in the plural does a disservice to the Lord who gave the word to the priests of Israel and to us. We are the recipients of the word. But as Sergio noted when I told him about this error, “It’s the herd mentality. I bet that’s why so many translators make the same mistakes.”

This cannot be speaking of the priests as lords of Israel. The same emphatic I that follows the previous clause eliminates any such attempt to finagle that scenario. The Pulpit Commentary considers this to be a majestic plural, like the word elohim. But there is nothing to suggest this and no precedent for it elsewhere. Rather, John Gill says –

“…the word is in the plural number, and may be understood of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit; though the first Person [I] seems rather designed, who stands in this relation to Christ, as Mediator; to the angels, his ministering spirits; to the ministers of the Gospel, and to all the saints; and indeed to all men, and particularly to the Israelites; as appeared by the special laws and commands he enjoined them, and by his special government, protection, and care of them.”

It is hard to think of any better reason for this enigma, especially when Yehovah says this in Malachi 3:1 –

“‘Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,’
Says the Lord of hosts.”

Obviously, this is looking back on what is presented with a knowledge of the coming of Christ, who is the Lord. But still, only five other times is ha’adon, the Lord, used. They are all in Isaiah, and they each clearly refer to the Lord God of Hosts, Yehovah Sabaoth. That is again seen right here in the next words…

^{6 (con’t)} Says the Lord of hosts
To you priests who despise My name.

amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth lakhem ha’kohanim boze shemi – “Said Yehovah Sabaoth to you, the priests, disesteeming My name.” The assertion is specifically said to be from Yehovah Sabaoth, and it is directed at the priests of the Mosaic Covenant. The ultimate assertion is that they disesteem His name.

As the mediators between the people and Yehovah, what they do will be a reflection of how they consider Him. Therefore, the Lord finds their actions wholly inappropriate. No father deserved such treatment from a son, and no lord would allow it from a servant.

But with complete disrespect for their God, whom they were called to serve on behalf of the people, they ignorantly question Him with their objection…

^{6 (con’t)} Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

vaamartem bameh vazinu eth sh’mekha – “And said, ‘In what we disesteemed Your name?’” They ridiculously claim that they are completely unaware of their crimes against the Lord. And yet, they are the stewards of the word of the Lord and the administrators of the covenant as set forth in the word.

Their actions in the service of the Lord were inappropriate and they either knew it or they should have known it. Either way, the Lord, through Malachi, speaks His mind…

⁷ “You offer defiled food on My altar,

The words form the rebuttal to the objection, and yet they also form the next assertion that will be objected to: magishim al mizb’khi lekhem m’goal – “Approaching upon My altar bread defiled.” The word lekhem, bread, does not literally mean bread. At times, bread stands for any food, but to show a precedent for this –

“They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings by fire to the LORD, the food [lekhem] of their God; so they shall be holy.” Leviticus 21:6

As for the word gaal, defiled, it is not used in the books of Moses regarding food. However, it is expressed in this manner in Daniel –

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile [gaal] himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile [gaal] himself.” Daniel 1:8

The thought here is not unlike that in the narrative of Cain and Abel –

“Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. ³ And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” Genesis 4:2-5

Hebrews 11 explicitly tells us that Abel’s offering was one of faith. It wasn’t the type of offering but the heart behind the offering that made it acceptable. In the case of the priests, their offerings may have been the right type, but it will be seen they are in the wrong condition.

Such actions by the priests indicated that their conduct was not of faith. If they believed the Lord would see, they would not offer as they did. Thus, an implicit reference to the priests’ conduct being like that of Cain’s is being highlighted.

As the Old Testament is closing out, the same attitude of the first recorded person to be born to Adam is reflected in the priests of Israel. Despite this, the priests object…

^{7 (con’t)} But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’

vaamartem bameh gealnukha – “And said, ‘In what defiled You?’” The obvious connection of the defiling of the altar to the Lord must be highlighted –

“Approaching upon My altar bread defiled.”
“In what defiled You?”

To defile the altar with that which is defiled is to defile Yehovah, who receives those offerings from the altar. Such a comparative analogy is provided by Jesus –

“Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. ²¹ He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. ²² And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.” Matthew 23:19-22

The rebuttal to their objection is next provided…

^{7 (con’t)} By saying,
‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’

b’emarkhem shulkhan Y’hovah nibzeh hu – “In your saying, ‘Table, Yehovah – disesteemed it.’” It is an analogy of conduct being equated to words. The priests would never openly say this. They got their livelihood from the people’s offerings. If they were to say this, the people would simply give up on their offerings.

Rather, the actions of the priests speak louder than whatever words they uttered. As for the word table, it is used in Ezekiel in this manner –

“They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge.” Ezekiel 44:16

It is as if the Lord descends to the altar to sit and feast among the people. However, the priests were defiling the offerings and calling His table contemptible through their actions. These things are next explained by Him…

⁸ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
Is it not evil?

There is a strong emphasis in the words with the use of a paragoge which is then answered with an emphatic statement, not a question, from the Lord: v’khi tagishun iver lizboakh ein ra – “And when (surely) approach blind to sacrifice – ‘Not evil!’”

The paragoge highlights the attitude of the action. The priests willfully and purposefully give the blind as a sacrifice, something forbidden by the law –

 “All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. ²⁰ You and your household shall eat it before the Lord your God year by year in the place which the Lord chooses. ²¹ But if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 15:19-21

The priests were commanded to inspect the animals to ensure against the sacrifice of a defective animal. This could not be allowed because each sacrifice presented to the Lord was given in type of the all-perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the unblemished offering of Himself to God.

This willful violation of the law is equated to a verbal exclamation from the priests, “Not evil!” It is the exact sentiment that brought about the exile of the people. Isaiah told them –

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20

These priests were purposefully violating the law they were to minister before the people. In accepting a defective sacrifice, the people saw this and had the thought instilled in them that Yehovah was not holy or to be treated with the absolute respect He deserved.

This attitude toward the Lord is reflected in the words, “Table Yehovah – disesteemed it!” It is the same word, bazah, that is used to describe Jesus in Isaiah 53 –

“He is despised [bazah] and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised [bazah], and we did not esteem Him.” Isaiah 53:3

The attitude of the people towards the Lord Jesus was the same as the attitude of the people towards the Lord’s table. Both were highlighted by the priests’ attitude toward him. Understanding that, it next says…

^8 (con’t) And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is it not evil?

v’ki tagishu piseakh v’kholeh ein ra – “And when approach lame and rubbed – ‘Not evil!’” These were likewise forbidden to be presented to the Lord –

“And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. ²² Those that are blind or broken or maimed, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to the Lord. ²³ Either a bull or a lamb that has any limb too long or too short you may offer as a freewill offering, but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
You shall not offer to the Lord what is bruised or crushed, or torn or cut; nor shall you make any offering of them in your land. ²⁵ Nor from a foreigner’s hand shall you offer any of these as the bread of your God, because their corruption is in them, and defects are in them. They shall not be accepted on your behalf.” Leviticus 22:21-25

This was explicit within the law, but the priests didn’t want to lose out on their portion of the offerings. And so they compromised in order to benefit from what was defective.

Concerning the word kholeh, it is literally translated as “rubbed.” If something is rubbed, it will become worn. The idea is that which is weak, sick, or afflicted. Yehovah, Israel’s God, was offered such shameful offerings. And yet, He next says…

^8 (con’t) Offer it then to your governor!

The word translated as “offer” here is a different word but with a similar meaning: haqrivehu na l’phekhathekha – “Near it, I pray, to your governor!” Depending on when Malachi was recorded, this could be referring to anyone from Nehemiah, as noted in Nehemiah 5:14, to Zerubbabel in Haggai 1:1. Or it could be someone else who was filling that position.

Israel had no king at this time, nor would they ever again, with the exception of Jesus, whom they rejected. To this day, Jesus is the King of Israel, though He is not the King in Israel. The pekhah, or governor, is a word of foreign origin. After the exile, it was probably used by the foreign rulers over Israel to designate the one who would govern the land on their behalf.

The point of Yehovah’s words to the priests is that this governor would be displeased to have a defective animal presented to him. That is clearly indicated in the next words, which beg a negative response…

*^8 (fin) Would he be pleased with you?
Would he accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.

hayirtskha o hayisa phanekha amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –

“‘He accept you or lift faces you?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

Obviously he would be displeased with such an offering. And yet, the priests were accepting defective offerings from the people and presenting them to God. The thinking is twisted and demented.

And this is just what our thinking is concerning God without knowing Him as He is. Man’s understanding of God has been so twisted and convoluted throughout the nations and over the millennia that apart from the Bible, there is almost no understanding of Him at all.

Things can be inferred about Him from the world around us. The creation will give anyone a general knowledge of Him if they simply apply their minds to what they see. But to know Him specifically apart from Scripture has been lost.

The stories of the past were handed down by Noah and his sons to their children. This can be inferred from the legends and tales that have been discovered in many societies. It can be inferred from Job’s understanding of the Lord as well.

However, that knowledge eventually corrupted to the point where God had to intervene in human affairs once again. In selecting Israel, He kept proper knowledge of Himself going. But even that was all but forgotten for a time, as will be evidenced in our closing verse.

An entire nation of people had almost completely forgotten the ways of the Lord. They had a system set up for the worship of Him, but that degraded into generalities. They had the words of the prophets, but they also were infected with false prophets.

Do you think that you can rely on churches to keep you on the right path? Do you think the word of a pastor or priest will keep you from straying? That will only be true if the church is teaching the truth or if the pastor is rightly dividing the word of God.

But you can’t really know those things without checking for yourself. Israel had a religion, religious leaders, and even prophets. And yet, they had completely lost the proper worship of the Lord until they came across a forgotten book.

Be sure not to let that happen to yourself and those you love. Be sure the Jesus you are following is the One the Bible proclaims. Read it daily, prayerfully, and with the intent of finding Him and holding fast to Him all your days. May it be so, to the glory of our supremely wonderful God. Amen.

Closing Verse: “Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.’ And Shaphan read it before the king.
¹¹ Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. ¹² Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, ¹³ ‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’” 2 Kings 22:10-13

Next Week: Malachi 1:9-14 Let us to the Lord sing! Give it a try… (For Great King, I) (3^rd Malachi Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He has sent His Messenger to carry the good news to all people. Jesus! God promised, and God delivered. The time of the law has ended, and grace has come. Praise God for Jesus.

Malachi 1:4-8

⁴ “For says Edom,
‘Demolished! And return, and build wastelands.’”

“Thus said Yehovah Sabaoth:
‘They build, and I raze.
And called to them Territory Wickedness,
And “the people whom frothed Yehovah until vanishment.”
⁵ And your eyes see,
And you say,
‘Magnified, Yehovah, from upon to border Israel.””

⁶ “‘Son honors father,
And servant his master.
And if Father, I –
Where My honor?
And if Lords, I –
Where My fear?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth to you, the priests, disesteeming My name.’
And said, ‘In what we disesteemed Your name?’
⁷ ‘Approaching upon My altar bread defiled.
And said, ‘In what defiled You?’
In your saying, ‘Table, Yehovah – disesteemed it.’
⁸ ‘And when (surely) approach blind to sacrifice – “Not evil!”
And when approach lame and rubbed – “Not evil!”
Near it, I pray, to your governor!
He accept you or lift faces you?’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though Edom has said,
“We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”

Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“They may build, but I will throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
⁵ Your eyes shall see,
And you shall say,
‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’

Polluted Offerings

⁶ “A son honors his father,
And a servant his master.
If then I am the Father,
Where is My honor?
And if I am a Master,
Where is My reverence?
Says the Lord of hosts
To you priests who despise My name.
Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

⁷ “You offer defiled food on My altar,
But say,
‘In what way have we defiled You?’
By saying,
‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’
⁸ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,
Is it not evil?
And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is it not evil?
Offer it then to your governor!
Would he be pleased with you?
Would he accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.

 

 

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

Malachi 1:1-3
Jacob and Esau

(Typed 12 Aug 2024) Being a preacher, there is a lot of interaction with others about spiritual matters, especially so through emails because of the way this church is set up. There are many repeating questions that take a lot of care to properly and wisely respond to.

One of the common sentiments that comes up concerns whether God is mad at someone. Maybe He doesn’t love that person anymore, or worse, maybe God hates him because things have gone from bad to worse without any seeming reason why.

Reading the first few verses of Malachi may bolster that notion. God loves Jacob, but He hates Esau. Maybe this is just how God works, and He never really loved me. This is why it’s necessary to go through the Bible methodically and carefully.

If God loves Jacob (who is Israel), what kind of love is it when all they have faced is grief for the past two thousand years? Or maybe God loved Israel in the past but hates them now? Maybe He wants them destroyed, just like Edom. Lots of people claim that, even people in the church.

If so, then maybe God did love me, but now He hates me! It is all so hard to understand. What is God telling me with all of these terrible times I am facing? And how can I tell when the Bible is so big and confusing?

Text Verse: “Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe;
Over Philistia I will triumph.” Psalm 108:9

Malachi is a short book that makes many claims about how the Lord interacts with Israel and how Israel responds. But this is not unusual because He is the same unchanging Lord who dealt with Israel eons earlier.

There is nothing inconsistent in Him as He deals with people. And yet, He does deal with different people differently. Is that inconsistent, or is it simply His right to determine how things will turn out? There were people in Israel who lost sons, but the Lord returned some of them to life, for example, through Elijah and Elisha.

But He didn’t do this for everybody. Is that unfair, or is that the Lord’s prerogative? Jesus raised a widow’s son, Jairus’ daughter, and Lazarus. However, lots of other people in Israel died, and He didn’t raise them.

Someone may say, “My son was out boating, and he was killed when the boat ran into a mile-marker. Why did God allow this to happen?” Would it be fair if God said, “Nobody can ever go out and enjoy the water because someone might get hurt?”

In response, people would say, “Can’t we decide on our own what we do?” But when they do what they want to do, and someone gets hurt or dies, suddenly, it becomes God’s fault. We want our choice, whether smart or not, but we never expect that our choice will lead to disaster.

That is not a wise way of considering our lives. God allows us to choose things, even things that may cause us harm. We have to work, but the Tower of Siloam may fall down on those who are working in it. Or some really bad people may fly an airliner full of people into a building and cause it to fall.

People fly to various places. People go up elevators in buildings. Bad people live in a fallen world, and they intend harm to others. Engines malfunction, mistakes are made, and diseases are a deadly part of life on Earth.

Let us not question the goodness of God when we don’t have all the information available to us. Regardless of the tragedies that we face in our lives, the Bible is a book of hope that those things will someday be behind for those who have come to Jesus.

If you want to know if God is good or not, look to the cross. The answer shouts out to those who understand its significance.

It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Book of Malachi, an Introduction.

The book of Malachi is the thirty-ninth and final book of the standard Christian Bible’s Old Testament. In the Christian canon of the Old Testament, there are generally considered five major divisions: the Pentateuch, the Historical books, the Wisdom books, the Major Prophets, and the Minor Prophets. Malachi is the twelfth and final book of the Minor Prophets.

In the Jewish canon, there are three major sections: the Torah (the Pentateuch), the Nevi’im (the Prophets), and the Ketuvim (the Writings). Within the Prophets are two divisions, the Former Prophets and the Latter Prophets (also known as the Twelve). Malachi is the final book of the Nevi’im (the Prophets) in both categories.

Within the New Testament, a few divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures are given. One is found in Luke 24, the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms –

“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” ⁴⁵ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” Luke 24:44, 45

Malachi, being the thirty-ninth and last book of the Old Testament, closes out the writings of the law. An interesting parallel between punishment and the law is thus made. In Deuteronomy 25:1-3, it says –

“If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, ² then it shall be, if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, with a certain number of blows. ³ Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight.” Deuteronomy 25:1-3

The Jewish practice was to never administer more than thirty-nine blows so that the law would never be violated. That is seen in 2 Corinthians 11:24, where Paul says, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.”

As the law is a type of bondage because by law is the knowledge of sin (see John 8:33, Galatians 4:24, 25, etc.), the thirty-nine books of the law can be equated to a type of chastisement. Malachi completes this process. It is thus an exciting anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, who would take the burden of law off man and replace it with God’s grace.

As far as when the book was written, there is scholarly dispute, and no precise dating for the book is given. External evidence about the prophet, his ministry, or surrounding historical events is not available.

Despite that, the words of Malachi point to it being written in the same general timeframe as the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. For example, in Malachi 1:8, the word pekhah, governor, is used. Though it was used before the Babylonian exile, it is a word of Persian origin used in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Haggai when referring to those appointed over Judah. Malachi also uses it in this context.

Also, the Lord’s words through Malachi come at a time of temple worship. Therefore, the temple of Zerubbabel, which dates to 515 BC, had to be standing. His words rebuke the people for their failing conduct concerning the temple and its sacrifices. This is a strong clue that the temple had been standing for some time.

Additionally, the words focus on some of the same issues found in Ezra and Nehemiah. Although these are failings that permeated Israel throughout its history, when taken in light of the first two points, it shows that the post-exilic nation was facing these failings consistently during this period.

The Main Purpose: In the first verse of the book, Malachi is stated to be the word of the Lord through Malachi. In it, the people are warned of their need to turn back to the Lord before the advent of the promised Messiah. It is the final warning from the Lord before His coming.

After Malachi, there are approximately four hundred years of no recorded prophetic utterances from the Lord. This is known as the Intertestamental Period. The next word from the Lord would be to Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist. John would be the one to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, as prophesied in the final words from Malachi –

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
⁶ And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5, 6

The layout and form of the book is a prophetic oracle which is didactic in nature, teaching a lesson based on a disputation. There is an assertion, then an objection, and finally a rebuttal. The Bible Project provides the following details –

“The book is designed as a series of disputes or arguments. Most sections begin with God saying something or making a claim or an accusation. This is followed by Israel disagreeing or questioning God’s statement. Finally, God will respond and offer the last word. This pattern repeats itself six times. In the first three disputes (chs. 1-2), God exposes Israel’s corruption, while in the final three (ch. 3), he confronts their corruption. The overall impression you get from reading these disputes is that the exile didn’t fundamentally change anything in the people. Their hearts are as hard as ever.”

The author of the book is Malachi. However, the name is the possessive form of the word malakh, messenger. Thus, malakhi means My Messenger. It is argued by some, therefore, that this is a title and not a name.

This is especially so because the name is not used anywhere else in Scripture. However, the term malakhi, My messenger, is used in Exodus 23:23, 32:34; Isaiah 42:19; and Malachi 3:1. Because of this, it has been argued without evidence that the author is Ezra.

As Malachi is the 39^th book of the Old Testament, it is worthwhile to determine its significance from a numerical standpoint. It is derived from 3 x 13. Of the number three, Bullinger says –

“The number three, therefore, must be taken as the number of Divine fulness. It signifies and represents the Holy Spirit as taking of the things of Christ and making them real and solid in our experience. It is only by the Spirit that we realise spiritual things. Without Him and His gracious operation, all is surface work: all is what a plane figure is to a solid.”

Of thirteen, Bullinger says, “every occurrence of the number thirteen, and likewise of every multiple of it, stamps that with which it stands in connection with rebellion, apostasy, defection, corruption, disintegration, revolution, or some kindred idea.”

The two numbers beautifully define the last, and thus summary, words of the Old Testament. The final book of the law completes the divine fulness of the period of law, a time exactingly marked with what defines the number thirteen.

As for the contents of Malachi, the book is comprised of 4 chapters totaling 55 verses. Malachi is cited in the New Testament gospels and by Peter and Paul. Jesus cites the words of Malachi in Matthew 11:10.

With this brief summary of the book complete, we can now begin to analyze it word by word, searching out what is on the mind of the Lord as He utters His final words to Israel before the time when His words begin to flow once again in the New Testament…

Predestined by the Lord, but what does that mean?
Is it all decided for us without a choice?
What truths from the Bible about it can we glean?
Are we on a set path without any voice?

What about the Edomite who joins to Israel?
Was he forced by God apart from his will?
And what about a person who receives Jesus? Do tell!
Does forcing one’s destiny give God a thrill?

Free to will or not, that is the question
And it is not impossible to discern which is true
To figure it out, I have a suggestion
Read your Bible (and in context!) is what you should do

II. And Esau, I Hate (verses 1-3)

The burden

masa – “A lifting” The noun masa is derived from the word nasa, to lift. Thus, it is a lifting. For that reason, most translations say burden, which figuratively describes the thing lifted, it being heavy or a burden.

Others translate this as an oracle or prophecy, as a word that is lifted up. This is a paraphrase of the thought. Smith’s Literal Translation says, “The lifting up of the word…” That verbally describes the matter, but – ironically – it is not literal.

Jerome says, “The word massa is never placed in the title, save when the vision is heavy and full of burden and toil.” Because of this, some scholars translate the word as a “sentence.” Lange adds to this thought and says –

“The connection in the first verse with word shows that it means something more, or it would have been superfluous. Eleven times in Isaiah …, in Ezekiel 12:10; Hab. 1:1; Zech. 9:1; 12:1, it is followed by a prophecy of a threatening nature.”

Though a sense of weight is certainly what is being conveyed, it does not necessarily mean something threatening, even if a warning is implied. For example, the introductory words of Proverbs 30 note “the lifting” of the words of Agur

Also, the introductory words of Proverbs 31 note a “lifting” of the words of King Lemuel. The word is used in 1 Chronicles 15 when referring to “the singing” of the Levites. It is a lifting to the Lord.

That this lifting is not necessarily to be taken as threatening will be especially noted a bit later. As for the word itself, this is the last use of masa in Scripture, as will be many of the uses of words in the book, simply because Malachi closes out the Old Testament canon.

Therefore, unless there is a particular reason to highlight a word, noting that it is the last use of it will not again be highlighted. This lifting now being noted is…

^{1 (con’t)} of the word of the Lord

devar Y’hovah – “word Yehovah.” The fact that this is the word of Yehovah is immediately mentioned by the prophet. The davar, word, here signifies an utterance. It is the word of Yehovah. The first time the davar, word, of Yehovah is specifically noted in this manner is in Genesis 15:1 –

“After these things the word of the Lord [davar Y’hovah] came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’”

The Lord was personally intervening through His word to the chosen man of God, Abraham. It is to Abraham that the promise of blessing was made and it was to his descendants after him that this promise would continue. This was specifically through the son of promise, Isaac, then to his son Jacob, and then to the twelve tribes that descended from him.

This davar, word, of Yehovah to and through this covenant people is the first connection back to the book of Genesis. As for the divine name Yehovah, the first use of it was in Genesis 2:4 –

“This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God [Y’hovah elohim] made the earth and the heavens.”

This is the second connection of the book back to Genesis. The God, Yehovah, who formed the heavens and the earth, is the same God who is monitoring the redemptive narrative that is currently being expressed to and through a particular people in this book. It is the Creator God and Covenant Lord who is the Source of the words that are conveyed…

^{1 (con’t)} to Israel

el Yisrael – “unto Israel.” The word of the Lord is given unto Israel. It does not say al Yisrael, (“upon Israel” meaning “against Israel”), as if they are such egregious offenders that they can immediately expect punishment for their ways. Instead, the words are direct but conciliatory while being mixed with warning.

Thus, the idea presented earlier, that this is a heavy burden of threatening, is not completely accurate. The words may be a burden, but they are words that are also mixed with an appeal for reason and watchful care.

As for the name, Israel is a line of people who descend from a man, Jacob, born of Isaac, and who was first called Israel in Genesis 32:28. It is the third connection to Genesis. From him came the twelve tribes of Israel, collectively known as Israel.

The name Israel is never applied to the church. Rather, a distinction is always made between the people of Israel and the Gentiles, including by Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

And yet, there is a joining of the Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel, meaning the common blessings promised to Israel, as noted in Ephesians 2:12. Understanding the difference is important because the words of Malachi are written to the nation of Israel under the Old (Mosaic) Covenant.

The Gentiles of the world were never under the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant is fulfilled and ended through the work of Christ (Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14, and Hebrews 7:18, 8:13, and 10:9). As such, the words of Malachi, including verses constantly cited by pastors and preachers from Malachi 3:8-10 are not intended for the church.

The words of this book are given from the Lord…

^{1 (con’t)} by Malachi.

b’yad malakhi – “in hand Malachi.” The words “in hand” mean that the Lord spoke through this person and he conveyed them under His authority as the Lord’s representative to the people of Israel. This is seen, for example, when the Lord spoke to Pharaoh b’yad Mosheh, “in hand Moses.”

This happens elsewhere, such as in Jeremiah 37:2, where it speaks of the words of the Lord, which He spoke b’yad yirm’yahu, “in hand Jeremiah.” Because of this, one would think that Malachi would be the name of the individual.

If not, it might be assumed that the Lord would say “His messenger” instead of “My messenger.” But there is a problem with this. There are no verbs in the verse. Without a verb to identify whether it is first person or third person, the matter cannot be sufficiently determined.

It simply says, “A lifting – word Yehovah unto Israel in hand Malachi.” Whether a name or a title, the lifting of the word of Yehovah begins with…

² “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

As will be the case with much of the book of Malachi, the verbs are in the perfect aspect: ahavti etkhem amar Y’hovah – “‘I loved you,’ said Yehovah.” Of all the things the Lord could have begun with to start the final book of the Old Testament, it is a remarkable statement.

Yehovah is speaking to Israel. His words are an assertion. Beginning at some point, Israel was loved, has been loved, and is loved. The word ahev, love, comes from a primitive root signifying to have affection for. It is a claim that the doting attention of Yehovah has been upon Israel.

Also, as will be the case each time the prophet notes the word of the Lord, it is in the perfect aspect. The Lord “said.” In essence, “The Lord has spoken, and I am conveying to you what He said.”

Despite His assertion, an immediate objection from the object of His affection is presented…

^{2 (con’t)} “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’

v’amartem bamah ahavtanu – “And said, ‘In how loved us?’” One can see Israel, just like any of us when things aren’t going perfectly, questioning God’s love. Our spouse dies, and we question how God can love us. We lose our home, and we question how God can love us. We have an extremely bad day and we again question God’s love for us.

The people of Israel, swallowed up in self-misery over whatever is going on in their lives, question the Lord’s love for them. Although this is the Lord saying these things as if Israel were speaking, it is because He hears Israel moaning, and He returns their moaning back to them through the prophet.

But there had to be a basis for the people complaining that the Lord didn’t love them. First, one cannot love or hate unless he exists. To say that the Lord doesn’t love you implies that He exists.

Also, existence does not necessarily lead to ability. A rock exists, but it cannot love. Further, there must be an acknowledgment of some sort of connection between two entities for love to exist. My wife is Hideko. She loves me (well, most of the time). However, if I had never heard of her and she had never heard of me, I couldn’t say, “Hideko loves me.”

The Lord has established a baseline. He exists, Israel exists, both have the capacity to understand this, and both are aware of each other. He has claimed He loves Israel. Israel has heard this –

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; ⁸ but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 7:7, 8

Israel knew this and had heard it proclaimed. But that was not based upon a group of people suffering affliction under the hand of an oppressor. Such a situation had played out innumerable times elsewhere. Rather, that love already existed in the fathers. Later in Deuteronomy Moses refines what this means –

“The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. ¹⁶ Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. ¹⁸ He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. ¹⁹ Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²⁰ You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. ²¹ He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen. ²² Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.” Deuteronomy 10:15-22

Thus, the words ahavti etkhem, I loved you, are another link back to Genesis. The Lord selected the fathers to love them. That attentive love continued on from one generation to the next, but only in a particular line, as evidenced by the next words…

^{2 (con’t)} Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?”

halo akh esav l’yaaqov – “Not brother, Esau, to Jacob?” This begins Yehovah’s rebuttal to the objection. Esau is Jacob’s twin older brother. The record of their birth is found in Genesis 25 –

“Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. ²² But the children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord.
²³ And the Lord said to her:
‘Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.’

²⁴ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. ²⁵ And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. ²⁶ Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.” Genesis 25:21-26

The story of the twins was well known to Israel. It was a matter of historical record, and the two people groups continued to exist at the time of Malachi’s prophecy. Despite that, both nations were destroyed by the Babylonians. Yehovah is using Edom as a lesson for Israel to learn from. As it next says…

^{2 (con’t)} Says the Lord.

n’um Y’hovah – “Utterance Yehovah.” The word n’um signifies an utterance. It is an authoritative spoken expression, often in the form of a prophecy. In the case of the Lord, it is an utterance that bears all of the weight and authority of Yehovah.

He is declaring that Esau was, in fact, Jacob’s brother in order to establish how Israel can know that He loves them. They both had the same grandfather, Abraham. They were conceived at the same time. And yet, even before they were born, Yehovah had selected and preferred Jacob above his older brother.

And more, the state of those two brothers, as realized in their descendants, was completely different. To continue making His argument in that respect, Yehovah, through His prophet, says…

^{2 (con’t)} “Yet Jacob I have loved;

Rather: va’ohav et yaaqov – “And I love Jacob.’” The verb is imperfect. Yehovah loves and continues to love Jacob. Nothing has changed in this relationship, even if many evils had fallen or continued to fall upon them. These were, according to all of the prophetic writings, self-inflicted wounds.

And yet, despite all of their failures and resulting judgments, God still loved Israel, symbolized by Jacob, the man, the younger twin to Esau. On the other hand…

³ But Esau I have hated,

v’eth esav saneti – “And Esau, I hate.” The words are often twisted to mean something not intended. Esau here stands for the descendants of Esau. This does not mean that God hated Esau the twin of Jacob. That will become perfectly clear in the next clause.

The use of Jacob and Esau instead of Israel and Edom is intended to remind His audience of the fact that these two were brothers. One would think that they would both be treated in the same way, but that is not the case. Jacob was given the divine promise of the land of Canaan.

The Lord watched over them, established His covenant with them, brought them in, dwelt among them, etc. Esau did not receive this.

As for the word hate, Keil almost bizarrely says –

“The verbs אהב, to love, and שׂנא, to hate, must not be weakened down into loving more and loving less, to avoid the danger of falling into the doctrine of predestination. שׂנא, to hate, is the opposite of love. And this meaning must be retained here; only we must bear in mind, that with God anything arbitrary is inconceivable, and that no explanation is given here of the reasons which determined the actions of God.” Keil

The problems with this are several. First, the doctrine of predestination is stated by Paul to be a reality, being mentioned four times (Romans 8:29, 30, and Ephesians 1:5 & 1:11). How predestination is defined may be argued, but that it is a valid doctrine is evident from Paul’s writings.

Second, there is nothing arbitrary in degrees of love and hate. Examples of this permeate Scripture in both humans and in how God deals with the objects of His affection.

Third, it is also obvious from Scripture that God did not love every person in Israel, nor did He hate every person from Edom. And it is the nations, descending from these two, that are being addressed. Rather, as in English, there are varying degrees of what hate means. For example –“And she will yet again conceive and bear a son, and she will say that Jehovah heard that I am hated, and he will give to me this also; and she will call his name Simeon.” Genesis 29:33

The word hate is being used comparatively. This continues in the New Testament with verses like Luke 14:26. Such is the same with the descendants of Jacob and Esau. If he hated Esau and all of his descendants, this would not have been included in the Law of Moses –

“You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land. ⁸ The children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 23:7, 8

If they were brought into the nation of Israel, they would be of Israel. If the Lord loves Israel, then He loves those who descend from Edom who are of Israel.

Finally, to completely support this notion, we can turn to what happened to the nation of Edom. The name Idumea is the Greek form of the word Edom. They continued to exist as a people long after the time of Malachi.

Of them, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus says in about 129 BC John Hyrcanus –

“…subdued all the Idumeans; and permitted them to stay in that country, if they would circumcise their genitals, and make use of the laws of the Jews; and they were so desirous of living in the country of their forefathers, that they submitted to the use of circumcision, and of the rest of the Jewish ways of living; at which time therefore this befell them, that they were hereafter no other than Jews.” Antiquities, Book 13 Chapter 9 Section 1

What this means is that the Edomites were brought into the nation of Israel, becoming Jews. This is no different than an Arab or a Japanese person today converting to Judaism. They become a part of the Jewish people.

Whether their origins are remembered and held against them by other supposedly pure-blooded Jews or not is irrelevant. They are now Jews. For example, Herod was an Idumean, meaning an Edomite, and yet he ruled Israel. Though still remembered for his ancestral connection, just as a Russian Jew is today, He was a Jew, nonetheless.

This is a historically established fact. But what happened to the Jews after the rejection of Jesus? They were destroyed as a nation and exiled around the world. This would have included all those of Edom who were assimilated into the Jewish nation.

As such, those same people, supposedly hated by Yehovah, are a part of the people still loved by Him today. They have been returned to their ancestral land for the completion of the redemptive narrative.

When the Bible speaks of Edom (or Moab, Philistia, etc.) in yet-future prophecy, it is not referring to the actual descendants of these people but those who live in the lands now occupied by them. In other words, the Sunni Arabs fill those lands. As such, the future prophecies of Edom, for example, are speaking of them.

Unfortunately, this has almost entirely escaped the attention of prophecy buffs and most scholars. Therefore, a great deal of confusion concerning peoples and nations has resulted. A good way of getting this quickly and simply is found in Ezekiel 38 –

“Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; ⁶ Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you.” Ezekiel 38: 5, 6

&

“Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?” Ezekiel 38:13

The battle being described in Ezekiel 38 is future to us now. And yet, some of these nations exist while others do not. Persia is Iran. Gomer, Togarmah, Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish no longer exist as nations, and yet the places still exist with different names.

Lastly, Ethiopia and Libya are identifiable with the general locations that existed eons ago. Most of these names go back to Genesis, showing that they were established by certain people groups which are still identifiable thousands of years later. Others are only identifiable by the location which was originally established by one people group or another.

Next to continue His thoughts concerning the descendants of Esau, Yehovah says…

*^{3 (fin)} And laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”

vaasim eth harav sh’mamah v’eth nakhalato l’thanoth midbar –

“And set his mountains – a devastation.
And his inheritance to jackals wilderness.”

Here we have another connection back to the book of Genesis. Esau was first identified with a particular location, Seir, as recorded in Genesis 32 –

“Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.” Genesis 32:3

Genesis 36 gives the genealogical record of Esau, who is Edom. Later, the Lord confirms Esau’s ownership of the land –

“And command the people, saying, ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. Therefore watch yourselves carefully. ⁵ Do not meddle with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as one footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶ You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them with money, that you may drink.’” Deuteronomy 2:4-6

Despite having given Mount Seir, meaning the land of Edom, to Esau, the Lord has the right to end that. And yet, the land is still known to Him as Edom. To this day, despite being a part of the nation of Jordan, the Bible still refers to it as Edom in its future prophecies.

At the time of the descendants of Esau possessing it, however, the Lord noted that it was laid waste and was a place for the howling of the jackals. As for the tannah, here called a jackal, it is an unusual form of a word that is found only elsewhere in Lamentations 4:3.

Several older versions, such as the KJV, erroneously call these dragons, implying a reptile. This is incorrect. In Lamentations, it says that they offer their breasts to nurse their young. Reptiles do not have mammary glands and do not nurse their young.

The word is the feminine of tan, a jackal. As such, it is specifically referring to the female jackal. The reason for specifying the female is certainly the same as that in Lamentations, where the milk of the female jackal is contrasted to the painful thirst of the children of Israel during its siege.

Edom has no home. His land is given over to the female jackal who has it as a home to raise her young.

With that, the verses are done for the day. The words of the last Old Testament book make connections all the way back to the first book of the Bible. And more, they are intricately connected to so much else within Scripture.

The Bible is an intricate tapestry of information that deals with real events that have taken place in history. They center on a particular group of people in a particular land as it awaits the coming of their promised Messiah.

And yet, Scripture also deals with peoples and places at the furthest parts of the earth as they interact with the Creator of the universe through the coming of His Christ.

The Bible is not a word far out of reach. Rather it is intimate and interactive. But it will have no meaning or a very wrong sense for those who do not carefully read it and prayerfully contemplate it. We have entered into Malachi in order to see what it details.

May we carefully continue to look at every minute detail while at the same time considering it from a larger perspective as it interacts with all of the rest of the Bible. In doing so, it will help unlock truths found in Scripture that will then allow us to understand what it is God is telling us about His wonderful works among Israel and in the giving of His Son for all the people of the earth.

Closing Verse: “Egypt shall be a desolation,
And Edom a desolate wilderness,
Because of violence against the people of Judah,
For they have shed innocent blood in their land.
²⁰ But Judah shall abide forever,
And Jerusalem from generation to generation.
²¹ For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted;
For the Lord dwells in Zion.” Joel 3:19-21

Next Week: Malachi 1:4-8 If you don’t treat the Lord with respect, you will be a goner… (Where Is My Honor) (2^nd Malachi Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Malachi 1:1-3

A lifting – word Yehovah unto Israel in hand Malachi.

² “‘I loved you,’ said Yehovah.
And said, ‘In how loved us?’
‘Not brother, Esau, to Jacob?’
Utterance Yehovah.
‘And I love Jacob.
³ And Esau, I hate,
And set his mountains – a devastation.
And his inheritance to jackals wilderness.’”

 

 

 

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
² “I have loved you,” says the Lord.
“Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’
Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?”
Says the Lord.
“Yet Jacob I have loved;
³ But Esau I have hated,
And laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”