SET YOUR HEARTS TO HONOR GOD

Malachi 2:1-16

Key Verse 2:15b (16b)

"So guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith."

Through today's passage we can learn how to honor God as Bible teachers and in our marriages. It's clear that when the Bible teachers didn't set their hearts to honor God, they compromised their teaching and the people became corrupt—and it was clear through their families. Both the priesthood and the marriage belong to God, and God established them to build his family and promote his kingdom. The responsibility of the nation fell to the spiritual leaders (Num 1:53; 18:1). We can learn how to have a godly influence in this world and keep a pure relationship with God. 

** The Sin of the Priests (1-9)

1. Read verses 1-3. What warning and rebuke did God give to the priests? (1-3) What does this show us about God? 

*Outwardly, it looked like the priests were doing their priestly duty. But God looked at their hearts and found fault. They did not set their hearts on honoring God. He warned them that if they did not set their hearts to honor him, their blessings would be cursed. Their actions would also effect their children as well. And although God had struck them already, he gave them a chance to repent and change their hearts. God's servants, especially those who serve his word and are teachers, must learn to honor him. Why did they get like this? They didn’t set their hearts to honor God. So they didn’t see the value of their service (see ch.1, the priests said of their service, “What a burden!” But the psalmist says in Psalm 84, that it is better to be a doorman at the temple than dwell in the tents of the wicked [paraphrase]). (cf. Eze 7:26: division in regards to the priests, prophets, and elders who were supposed to instruct the people, but they did not.)

*1) God looks at the heart, not merely at the outward things. The priests had not set their hearts to honor God. 2) Service to God requires honor and a pure heart. 3) God’s servants are accountable to God and he actively is watching over. When Jesus came he spoke harshly to the spiritual leaders and established new spiritual leaders in his disciples. We can understand the root of the problems of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time through the problems mentioned in this passage. We shouldn’t look to blame other people, but learn to point the finger at ourselves and get right with God. 

2. Read verses 4-6. What does the "covenant with Levi" refer to? (4) What was the purpose of it and why did God want it to continue? (5) How did Levi carry out this covenant and what were the fruits of it? (6) Can you give examples from the Israelites history of priests who honored God and those who did not? 

*It refers to the priesthood and the temple service. (cf. Exo 32:28-29; Num 3:9, 8:11-19; Deu 33:8-11; Num 25:10-12: this is given to Phinehas, specifically, but applies to the house of Levi; Neh 13:29)

*Here God calls this covenant, the covenant of "life and peace." God established the Levites as teachers of God's word and dispersed them throughout the nation because they had honored him. They belonged to God and were the mediators between God and his people. Through their service, Israel and Judah could be a holy nation that served God and obeyed his word. 

God wanted it to continue for his glory and for the benefit of his people. He loved them and wanted to give them life and peace and to turn them away from sin.

*There are many examples of people from the tribe of Levi who upheld this covenant and honored God with their service. Verse 5 mentions that they recognized the great honor to serve God as his priests and they revered God and stood in awe of him. Its application is reflected in verse 6. They taught the word of God without compromise, walked with him and peace and uprightness (that is, they struggled to live a life that obeys and pleases God), and in effect turned many away from sin. What a glorious privilege to serve God as his priest. He should be honored in return and the position served faithfully in truth and sincerity. 

3. Read verses 7-9. Why must a priest honor God? (7) How did the priests in the days of Malachi not honor God in the priesthood? (8,9) What were the results? (9; 10-16) Although this message is directed at the priests, how might it be applicable to the believers of Malachi's day as well as our own? (Exo 19:5-6, 1 Pe 2:9, Ro 15:5-6) How can we honor God as Christians and Bible teachers? 

*A priest must honor God because he is the Lord's messenger. To be someone's messenger means to represent that person and speak only their words. It requires honor and respect. God had sent many messengers to his people through various prophets and kings. But he also established long term messengers to help the people. The benefit of the messengers was the preservation of the knowledge of God and guidance for the people.

*They compromised in teaching God's word. Verse 9 says, "but [you] have shown partiality in matters of the law." We can safely assume that the opposite of verses 5 and 6 were true of these priests (i.e., deciet, violence, participating in sin freely, not honoring God's word or house, not serving the people as God's servants). [See John 5:41-44, as to why people did not honor God or his priesthood. They were seeking their own praise and the praise of others.] According to the second half of this chapter and the first chapter, this “partiality” was not just teaching something wrong, but not “preserving knowledge,” they didn’t apply the word of God to themselves and the people and they didn’t speak up in God’s favor. Eventually, they lost a sense of problem to even speak up or help people out in the Lord’s name.

*The people stumbled in sin and went astray, becoming like unbelieving people (see 10-16). The priests also received punishment from God in their time. When God's servants compromise his word and do not honor him, they, along with the people, become corrupt and suffer. 

 *God considers his people as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Peter says, "Royal priesthood, a holy nation." All believers carry a priestly duty in Jesus. As such, this message is good to help us learn to set our hearts to honor God and pray that many people may turn from sin and walk with God in peace and uprightness through our service. All Christians are called to turn others from sin. What a glorious privilege God has given us in his grace. We are ministers of a ministry of life and peace (2 Cor 5:1-17).

*To hold firmly to his word and “preserve knowledge” as the Lord’s messengers. When we do this and apply the word of God strictly to ourselves first and then others, we can turn many from sin. 

** The Sin of the People (10-16)

4. Read verses 10-12. What does "the covenant of our fathers" refer to? (10) In what way did they break faith with one another? (11-12) How does this breaking faith with one another profane the covenant? What can we learn about honoring God as his covenant people in Jesus? 

*It refers to the covenant God made with his people at Mt. Sinai, when he established them as a nation and as his people. This is why the author asks, "Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us?" He is speaking to the general public now. (Exodus 34:28; Deu 4:13). 

*They were marrying the daughters of a foreign god. It meant that they were marrying unbelieving women. 

*First, they were breaking faith with each other because they all stood together in the covenant before God. Second, they were breaking faith with God and not keeping their identity and purpose as God's children and people. 

See Nehemiah 13:23-27. By marrying the foreign women they put themselves at risk to be led away by them, just as Solomon was. Their priority was pleasure, not God. 

*Our relationship with God must prove itself in my relationship with others. They two cannot be separated. It is because our relationships are not just human things, but God is involved. In fact, he is the one who established the relationship (covenant). Look at verse 10 again. When we consider ourselves and our neighbors as fellow children of God, our view point on how we should treat them changes completely. Also, we learn to be pure as God’s people and not mix with the godless ways of this world, especially to bind ourselves to what is ungodly. We should to keep ourselves pure as God’s people and give a good influence in this world, rather than lose a godly influence. 

5. Read verses 13-16. Why did the people flood the Lord's altar with tears? (13) Why didn't the Lord accept them? (14) Why does the Lord act as a witness in the marriage relationship? (15) What does God hate? (16) How do we honor God through marriage?

*Because the Lord didn't accept them and their offerings anymore.

*He didn't accept them because they were sinning. They broke their marriage covenants and were divorcing. They were also covering themselves with violence (16). 

*He is the one who made marriage and unites people. Marriage is made by God for God. He seeks to increase the family of God through godly marriages. (Gen 2:18-24; Mat 19:3-6)

*God hates divorce and he hates a man covering himself with violence. 

*We honor God through keeping the marriage relationship godly. We must take care of the marriage relationship as in service to God. We must do it in his faithfulness, love and gentleness, to build a family of God. There must be no violence or divorce. 

*The point of this section is that the people did not keep the marriage covenant before God. His rebuke and exhortation is to be faithful to the marriage in honor and service to God because marriage was made by God for God. We honor God through being faithful in marriage and building a family of God.

6. Review the covenants God had made with his people, as mentioned in this passage. How did he respond when his people did not keep their end of the covenant? What exhortation does the author give us? (15b, 16b)

*There are three specific covenants mentioned: 1) The covenant with Levi (the priesthood and temple service); 2) The covenant with the people (the Covenant of their Fathers); and 3) The Marriage Covenant. (Two of them are made with God, and one from God with each other.)

God had made many covenants with his people. But they were unfaithful in all of them through their history as a covenant people, and lived according their own wants, pleasures, and sinful desires. Yet God did not divorce them or get rid of them. Instead he sent messengers to help them, including Malachi. Ultimately, he sent his Son Jesus Christ who established the everlasting covenant which fulfills all of these covenants and perfects our relationship with God eternally. 

* "So guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith." This requires alertness and active struggling to be faithful to God and in our relationships with other people. Even Job, a righteous man, who was married with many children, said, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1).