The book of Malachi is a wonderful book that is both full of hope and full of judgment. It would be a great disservice to the Christian to simply focus on the passages that speak of the positive aspects of the coming Messiah or John the Baptist in the book of Malachi.
Two methods are commonly used to prepare sermons. The first method results in what is known as a topical sermon. These sermons can be very helpful, as they focus on various topics in the Bible. For example, if you want to learn more about grace, it could benefit you to see what several passages of the Bible say about this subject.
However, there is another method that proves to be very beneficial for the congregation. This style is known as expository preaching. In expository preaching, what usually takes place is that the pastor will take a book of the Bible and work his way through the entire book. This contrasts with preaching topically, as it can be common for this to result in skipping over many portions of Scripture. Those that use this method need to guard against this tendency.
Malachi 2:1-9 is one of those unpopular portions of Scripture that might tend to get “skipped.” You may not hear many sermons preached on Malachi 2:1-9. But will you find this portion of Scripture in your Bible? Yes. Since the answer is “Yes,” do you think it is important to know what this portion of Scripture is talking about? The answer would obviously be, “Yes.”
In Malachi 2:1-9, God warns His chosen people (Israel) of what is to come if they do not repent. As we move over to this side of the cross, God has not changed. He is still the unchanging God. Christians can now learn from the past. Christian’s can learn from God’s dealings with Israel.
It is the topic of God’s gracious warning to His covenant people to which we now turn.
The warning to the people
Malachi 2:1-9 starts out with a firm warning. To understand the warning, one must understand that the priests were the ones who were called to be the spiritual leaders among God’s people. One must also remember that in the Old Testament, when the destroying angel swept through Egypt, the angel killed all the firstborn males of every Egyptian family. This was a devastating act of judgment upon the Egyptians. It was also because of this devastation that Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go.
After a short while, God commanded all the firstborn male Israelites to be set apart for Himself to serve Him as priests. God’s explanation for doing so was tied into the final plague, the killing of the firstborn males in Egypt. God took life in Egypt and demanded life in return.
This gives us a foundation for the warning. The Levitical priests were God’s chosen ministers to the Israelite people. Scripture says, “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…” (Mal. 2:1-2). God warned His priests here that if they would not give glory to God, the cursing of God would fall upon them.
The example to the people
God shifted His attention quickly to a people that honored Him in their conduct. It was the priests of old to which God turned the attention of His current priests.
Scripture says, “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity” (Mal. 2:5-6). When God shone a light on what pleased Him in the lives of His former priests, it is clear where the current priests were falling short.
God gave His warning of judgment for the following reasons:
• The priests did not fear God
• The priests did not have the law of truth in their mouths
• The priests spoke sinfully
• The priests did not promote peace and justice
• The priests were leading people astray
The reminder to the people
After God reminded the priests of the way his former priests pleased Him, He directly stated what He desired of the current priests. God reminded them that a priest should speak the law. This has a twofold meaning. The priest’s speech needed to be holy speech, and the priest also needed to instruct others in the Word of God. God reminded His priests that they should be doing this because they were messengers of the Lord.
It can be easy at times for people to detach themselves from the Old Testament and think that things are different now. In a sense, they are different, but in a lot of ways, they remain the same. God still desires that His priests should honor Him. The New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament priests would, at the very least, include leadership in the church. However, it most likely includes all Christians, as Peter says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…” (1 Pet. 2:9). In the New Testament, all Christians are declared to be priests of God.
Another striking parallel is found in Malachi 2:7, where God said that these priests were the messengers of God. If you look over at Paul’s writings, you will find him saying, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us…” (2 Cor. 5:20). Here, Paul is saying that Christians are God’s new messengers.
God desires that His people would be wholly for Him. The Christian is the new priest of God and therefore God’s new messenger to a fallen world. God is concerned with His glory. God is also concerned with His kingdom. The people of God must heed the calling of God to bring glory to God.
The rebuke to the people
At the end of Malachi 2:1-9, God told His priests that they had led others astray and corrupted His covenant. He informed them that judgment has come because justice was not being upheld.
In the New Testament, in the book of Revelation, Jesus had some words to share with seven churches located in Asia Minor. The book of Revelation was one letter that traveled to all the churches in the order that they are listed in the book of Revelation. John would have written Revelation on the Island of Patmos off the coast of Asia Minor and near Ephesus. Ephesus would have been the first stop the letter made because it was a coastal city. The letter would have then made a loop, like a horseshoe, stopping at the remaining churches along the way.
When the letter arrived in Ephesus, they would have read that they were doing a lot of things well. This would have been more than what was true of the priests in the book of Malachi. However, Jesus still made the statement that they had lost the love that they had for Christ at the beginning. They lost the love of bringing glory to His name. Jesus went on to say, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Rev. 2:5). Here is a shocking rebuke for a church on the other side of the cross.
Application
God brought times of discipline upon the Israelites to humble them and bring them back to God. The Israelites walked in the desert for 40 years due to discipline. They also were brought into captivity in Babylon for 70 years due to discipline. Jonah was a prophet whose discipline caused him to be swallowed by a great fish. It is important for the church to be reminded that God disciplines those He loves. He desires that His people would share in His holiness.
Bring glory to God this day, repent, and turn from your sin. Pray for the church of God, that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You that You desire that I would be made holy. Help me to honor You and bring glory to Your name. Purify and sanctify Your church. Keep her clean for Your name’s sake. Be glorified in Your church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.