Reading: Malachi
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it (Mal. 2:1-3). For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts (Mal. 2:7-8).
In the second chapter of the Book of Malachi, God spoke directly to the corrupt priests who were once again polluting God’s Temple and misleading His people. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law. God warned that continuing down their current path would lead to a revocation of their many blessings. He went on to state that His chastisement was not meant to destroy His covenant relationship with the tribe of Levi but to preserve it.
This warning, like so many others, fell primarily on deaf ears. While we will never know the number of individual priests who may have altered their ways in response, we know that, as a whole, they were unmoved. By the time of Christ’s birth 400 years later, the priesthood had devolved into a body of legalistic, self-righteous, pseudo-spiritual leaders. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi (Matt. 23:3-7).
Although the line of Levitical priesthood ended with the coming of Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest (Heb. 7:11-28), Malachi’s warning still applies to all who boldly claim to be the messenger of the Lord of hosts today. Those who stand before others intending to help them discern the truth of God’s Word and God’s will for their lives take on a tremendous responsibility. Not only does God require that they accurately represent His Word without alteration or adjustment, but He also expects them to practice what they preach. It is not enough to proclaim the holiness of God; those who seek to give Him voice must first apply that holiness to their own lives. To do any less is to reveal oneself as a hypocrite, and hypocrites have no place in the body of Christ.
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God (Rom. 2:1-3)?
Thought for Today: Speaking for God does not mean speaking in His place; our role is only to introduce His Word to those deprived of it.
Christ Revealed: The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His Temple (Mal. 3:1). Jesus went into the Temple. . . . saying . . . My House shall be called . . . the House of prayer (Mark 11:15-17).
Word Studies:1:6 fear = reverence, willing obedience; 1:13 snuffed at = sneered, lightly esteemed, despised, scorned; 2:12 The Lord will cut off . . . the master (who hath married the daughter of a strange god – see 2:11) and the scholar = the priest and the layman will be rejected
Pray for od: Judy McCrary • Government Officials: Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD), Gov. Tina Kotek (OR) • Country: Comoros (766,865) Southern Africa • Major Languages: Arabic, French, Shikomorro • Societal discrimination continued against non-Muslim citizens, particularly Christians and those who converted from Islam • 98% Sunni Muslim; 2% Roman Catholic • Prayer Suggestion: Rely upon the Lord at all times; He is your refuge (Ps. 62:8).