In previous articles looking at the book of Malachi, priests seemed to be more or less just “going through the motions”, and offering substandard sacrifices. However, today’s text from that book seems to be more personal. Individuals are pleading with God to accept their gifts, but they are metaphorically running into a wall.
Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Malachi 2:13-14 NIV
I don’t think that this group – those who protested that God wasn’t paying attention to them – expected this answer. In this case, the response wasn’t about the sacrifices themselves, or the sincerity of the request, but because of marital unfaithfulness. Or, as the NASB translation says of the audience here, with regard to their wife, “against whom you have dealt treacherously”.
Now, someone might ask, “What does how I treat someone else have to do with my relationship with God?” Can’t we just get along with God really well, and write off most of humankind as fallen and sinful?
Here are some potential answers to that question:
- In God’s creation, common principles often appear at multiple levels. The covenant between husband and wife mirrors the covenant between God and His people. There are limits to how far we can take this comparison, but the illustration of a perfect marriage helps us understand a perfect relationship between a perfect God and His people.
- There is also an element of obedience. If the Israelite nation was to be a holy people, set apart for God, yet they wouldn’t follow some of His basic instructions, they were prioritizing something else over their commitment to Him and His commandments.
- I wonder if personal unfaithfulness to one’s spouse (in Malachi’s day) was also representative of a similar, national unfaithfulness to God.
The idea of our relationships with other people – and how we treat other people – impacting our relationships with God isn’t unique to this passage, though. Consider the following passage from 1 Peter.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Peter 3:7 NIV
I encourage you to also read further in that chapter from 1 Peter, including 1 Peter 3:12 (apparently quoting from Psalm 34.)
So, while there’s much more from this section in Malachi to study over the next few articles, if we are struggling to connect with God, let’s also take a look at our relationships with other people. When we come to God, have we been righteous, especially in our faithfulness to other people? Or, are we filling our lives with selfish choices, and then expecting God to ignore them? Remember, He wants the best for us, and sometimes it takes some “divine discipline” for us to get back on track.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for August 25, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, August, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Minor Prophets Vol. 2 Nahum-Malachi, by Mark Allen Hahlen and Clay Alan Ham. © 2006 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 