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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Malachi - Prophet of God’s Love – Past, Present, and Future (2 of 3)
Focus Text: Malachi 2.1-9
The LORD is a God of love – past, present, and future! That was Malachi’s burden and he provided proof of the same through his ministry. Notice how Malachi affirmed God’s present love for Israel.
“‘And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. 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. 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. Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,’ Says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 2.1-4). Note that God was set on punishing the present priests for their ungodly actions, but His punishment had a larger purpose, namely, “…That My covenant with Levi may continue.” The resolve of Jehovah was to fulfill His covenant promises to Levi in spite of the rebellion of the present priesthood! Now that is love; tough love, but love indeed!
Watch now how God promised to make His love known to the common people. “‘My covenant was with him [Levi], 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. 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. 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. 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. ‘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.’” (Malachi 2.5-9). The purpose of the priest was to provide a means to hear God’s word, however, the present generation of priests had only obscured the law from the common people. It was this miscarriage of spiritual justice that aroused Jehovah; only through His intervention could the people hear the truth and be saved! It was God’s love for His people that moved Him to act harshly against the priests of Malachi’s day. Tough love, but love nonetheless!
God was a God of love to Israel because He was a covenant keeping God. God’s will for the faithful who had died before was wrapped up in this covenant and He was not about to break it. God’s will for Malachi’s generation was also tied up in the covenant made with Levi; their only hope of salvation was that Jehovah would continue to love them enough to honor that covenant! By remaining constant in His purposes in spite of the deeds of some, especially the priests, God was affirming His love, His unconditional love, for Malachi’s contemporaries!
Strict actions do not prove the absence of love; sometimes they actually prove love! Such was the case with God and those to whom Malachi ministered. Those who had the courage to step back a couple of paces and look at the big picture knew that God’s love continued with them in spite of His actions toward a few rebels in the camp of Israel!
Questions:
1. What negative comment did God make about the hearts of the priests in Malachi’s day?
2. What function did God say that the lips of the priest should serve? What does that mean?
3. What is unconditional love? Do you have it? How difficult is unconditional love?
4. How is it that strict actions sometimes are needed to prove one’s love?
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