A MESSENGER OF THE LORD ALMIGHTY

Passage: Malachi 2:1-9

Key verse: 7

NIV

Additional Warning to the Priests

2 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you.(A) 2 If you do not listen,(B) and if you do not resolve to honor(C) my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse(D) on you, and I will curse your blessings.(E) Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

3 “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants[a]; I will smear on your faces the dung(F) from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.(G) 4 And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi(H) may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. 5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant(I) of life and peace,(J) and I gave them to him; this called for reverence(K) and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction(L) was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked(M) with me in peace(N) and uprightness,(O) and turned many from sin.(P)

7 “For the lips of a priest(Q) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger(R) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.(S) 8 But you have turned from the way(T) and by your teaching have caused many to stumble;(U) you have violated the covenant(V) with Levi,”(W) says the Lord Almighty. 9 “So I have caused you to be despised(X) and humiliated(Y) before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality(Z) in matters of the law.”(AA)

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Footnotes
  1. Malachi 2:3 Or will blight your grain
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

2 “And now, (A)O priests, (B)this command is for you. 2 (C)If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send (D)the curse upon you and I will curse (E)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, (F)I will rebuke your offspring,[a] and (G)spread dung on your faces, the (H)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.[b] 4 So shall you know that I have sent (I)this command to you, that (J)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and (K)peace, and I gave them to him. (L)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 (M)True instruction[c] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he (N)turned many from iniquity. 7 For (O)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people[d] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way. (P)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted (Q)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9 and so (R)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but (S)show partiality in your instruction.”

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Footnotes
  1. Malachi 2:3 Hebrew seed
  2. Malachi 2:3 Or to it
  3. Malachi 2:6 Or law; also verses 7, 8, 9
  4. Malachi 2:7 Hebrew they
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. He must set his heart to honor God (1-3)

Malachi's name means 'my messenger.' The priests were also God's messengers. God's messenger must set his heart to honor God. If he does not, God's blessing will turn into a curse. God rebuked the priests to help them repent. God wanted the covenant relationship with the Levites to continue.

2. God's covenant of life and peace (4-6)

God ordained the Levites and set them apart to serve him when they stood with Moses in the incident of the golden calf (Ex 32:26,29). Later, God made a covenant with the priest, Phinehas, who defended God's honor (Nu 25:12,13). He walked with God, spoke the truth, and turned many from sin.

3. A priest must be the Lord's messenger (7-9)

But the priests of Malachi's time had turned from God's way and caused the people to stumble by their false teaching.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to honor and fear you in my heart so that I may be a fruitful Bible teacher.

One Word: Because he is a messenger of the Lord