God Declares His Covenant of Life to the Priests
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
9/9/2012 PM
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Text:
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Malachi 2:1-9
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Psalters: |
373, 273, 213, 218 |
- The background.
- God’s covenant is first life and peace within the Godhead, and then with His chosen people in Christ
- This covenant is a bond of close friendship, evidenced in the word “covenant” (to pass through).
- The covenant is a relationship in which He infuses into them the life of Christ.
- Our text speaks of that covenant being with Levi (5,8).
- God gave the “covenant of peace” to Phinehas when he was zealous for God and His holiness (Num. 25:12,13).
- The blessings of the covenant for us are “life and peace” (5).
- This makes very evident the horribleness Israel’s sin and especially of the Levites (the priests).
- The commandment (1) refers to the word of condemnation and judgment which Malachi brought.
- The priests led Israel in the corruption of sacrifices.
- Since (“if”) the priests will not hear, God gives them a “commandment” (curse).
- They were not zealous for God and did not shut the temple doors (1:10) and insist on holiness to the Lord.
- God’s curse comes because they refuse to hear God’s rebuke and lay it to heart (2).
- God speaks this as “Jehovah of hosts,” i.e., Who controls all of creation for His purposes.
- God’s curse is as a command because God’s anger is displayed in His command of creation: crops (“seed”).
- And God would spread the dung of their feasts on their faces (3), bringing shame and dishonor upon them (9).
- What is the calling or duty of those in God’s covenant?
- As God’s friend, they are to reverence or fear God, to speak His truth, to walk with Him, and to turn away from iniquity (5,6).
- A friend of God loves Him, but also is in awe of Him and are bows before His revelation of Himself.
- Our awe of Him makes us afraid to speak any wrong or unrighteous thing.
- This is particularly the duty of the priesthood.
- This duty is one God gives to us (5a) in His grace. It is not a condition but a fruit of the covenant.
- While we fall short, God is faithful to preserve His covenant and to keep us in it as His friends, for He is Jehovah!