Originally posted: 12/08/2021
“True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity,” (2:6).
Malachi’s message is now directed to the priests.
“And now this commandment is for you, O priests,” (2:1).
The warning to those who were given the charge to teach God’s people His Covenant Truth was exacting; a warning they had best take to heart, although they had already proven by their actions that they hadn’t. And as a result, fulfilling their obligations as a teacher of God’s Law was proving to be worse than if they had never spoken of it at all. And their lack of respect for the Name of Holy God would disqualify them in pronouncing God’s blessings over His people and usher in curses as a consequence of their impertinence.
“If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart,” (2:2).
God’s exasperation with their hypocrisy is unleashed; and the putrid lies and half-truths the priests were spreading would now be spread across their faces, exposing God’s abject rejection of those who do not take to heart His command to honor His Name and His Truth.
“Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it,” (2:3).
In His next words, the Lord reminds them of His covenant He had enacted with the priest of the tribe of Levi.
“Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi,” says the Lord of hosts, (2:4).
This was God’s covenant He had initiated with Phinehas from the tribe of Levi during their time in the wilderness, when Israel had rejected His Covenant Love and joined themselves to idolatrous harlotry.
While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel, (Numbers 25:1-3).
Because Phinehas jealously guarded the Holiness of his God, and zealously executed God’s vengeance, the nation was spared from God’s wrath. And because of his passionate and holy zeal for God’s Name, God gave Phinehas His covenant of peace and perpetual priesthood.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel,’” (Numbers 25:10-13).
But now, the zeal for holy worship was absent from His priests, leaving the people vulnerable and unprepared for That Day. And God is furious.
But oh, can’t you just hear His heart in His rebuke? For as He reprimands the unfaithful priests, He turns our attention to one more facet of His provision needed to be ready for That Day as He again faithfully reminds us that He has not now, not ever, left us to ourselves to Prepare for That Day.
For in His Covenant Love, He sent Jesus, the Word Who Is True, that we would know Him Who Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth, (John 1:1, 14).
Consider Him Who Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that we would know His Way of Truth and Life and Peace.
- “My covenant with him was one of life and peace…” (2:5).
- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6).
- “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33).
- “My covenant with him was one of life and peace…” (2:5).
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that we would reverently offer Him our sacrifice of praise with wonder and awe.
- “…and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name,” (2:5).
- Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name, (Hebrews 13:15).
- “…and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name,” (2:5).
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that our lives would be marked by His righteousness and Truth.
- “True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips…” (2:6).
- As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (Ephesians 4:14-15).
- “True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips…” (2:6).
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that in whatever we do, we would walk in His peace and uprightness that rules our heart and life.
- “…he walked with Me in peace and uprightness…” (2:6).
- Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father, (Colossians 3:15-17).
- “…he walked with Me in peace and uprightness…” (2:6).
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that we would be intentional in turning our brothers and sisters from iniquity and sin.
- “…, and he turned many back from iniquity,” (2:6).
- My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins, (James 5:19-20).
- “…, and he turned many back from iniquity,” (2:6).
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that we would preserve and defend the knowledge of God.
- “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge…” (2:7).
- Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you, (2 Timothy 1:13-14).
- “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge…” (2:7).
- He Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction that others would be drawn to seek His True Instruction.
- “…and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts,” (2:7).
- but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence, (1 Peter 3:15).
- “…and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts,” (2:7).
How do we respond to Him Who Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction?
I was continually reminded today of the high calling of priests as representatives of Holy God. And what is absolutely mandatory to fulfill this calling is to know and teach His True Instruction.
But lest we sigh with relief that the burden lies elsewhere, let us remember that God has called every believer to represent Him to a lost and dying world.
He established the nation of Israel to be His kingdom of priests to represent Him in Holiness before other nations.
Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel,” (Exodus 19:3-6 emphasis added).
Through the prophet Isaiah, He again reiterated His intent for His people, all His people
But you will be called the priests of the Lord;
You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.
You will eat the wealth of nations,
And in their riches you will boast, (Isaiah 61:6 emphasis added).
And through faith in Christ, He is building us up as a holy and royal priesthood for the very purpose of proclaiming the excellencies of His True Instruction.
you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, (1 Peter 2:5, 9 emphasis added).
If we are to be a priest in whose mouth is True Instruction, then it is paramount we know His Truth. For in knowing and believing His Truth, and in wholeheartedly following His Instruction in righteousness, we will walk with Him in peace and uprightness. That ought to just knock the wind right out of us! And as we walk with Him, we will grow in our desire to share His True Instruction, that others would be Prepared for That Day.
“True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity,” (2:6).
Oh, may we be found faithful as His priest who is Prepared by His True Instruction, that we would take to heart His command to honor His Name and His Truth. In closing today, let us consider our commitment to the study of His Word.
Oh, that we would be like the priest Ezra, and set our heart not only to study His Word, but to practice and teach others.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel, (Ezra 7:10).
Let us determine to be diligent in our study, that God would give approval to our work of proclaiming His True Instruction.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth, (2 Timothy 2:15).
Let us humbly take to heart the calling we have received as His holy and royal priesthood. Oh, that we would be diligent to preserve knowledge and thereby be enabled to teach others; that we would live each day as a faithful messenger of Him Who Prepares Us for That Day by His True Instruction.
“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts,” (2:7).