We have learned from our study that in the prophet Malachi’s day Israel was covenantally treacherous and was endeavoring to soothe the conscience by declaring that God approved of their behavior or just didn’t care – if he even existed. Weary of their words, God announces through Malachi the same thing which He has made clear from the very beginning – He abhors evil and acts in space and time to manifest his abhorrence. This promise takes additional substance in Malachi 3 – where Yahweh promises to send Adonai, the Angel of the Covenant, to fulfill the terms of the covenant that He had made.

Societies that are in chaos, that are in rebellion against their Covenant Lord, inevitably endeavor to soothe the conscience in one of two ways – either declaring that the Covenant Lord sanctions their rebellion or declaring that the Covenant Lord doesn’t care. But God reveals that both avenues are dead ends. He is the Covenant Lord and rules and reigns in space and time.

Even as Israel generally and the priests particularly have been violating their covenant obligations, today we learn that the Israelites have been corrupting God’s purpose for marriage and are guilty of covenantal treachery. So how does Malachi help us understand why their conduct is so profane and what God will do and has been doing about it?

Today we learn that the reason God has been taking the priests to task is because they have been violating his covenant with them, a covenant that God made years prior with their father Levi. Studying God’s words to the priests equips us to understand His relationship with ministers of the Gospel in our day as well as with us.

In this section of Malachi God condemns our fathers, especially the priests, for dishonoring His Name. Once again Israel responds in disbelief – how have we defiled your name? God’s response consists of three parts: they have dishonored His Name by offering blemished sacrifices with a contemptuous attitude in cowardly compliance with the sin of the people. Malachi’s condemnation supplies us with great wisdom as we consider what it means to be servants in Christ’s kingdom.

Israel was defined by her relationship to God. God graciously established His covenant with Israel and united her in relationship with Himself. Israel became His treasured possession and He became her husband. He loved Israel. But Israel didn’t see things that way. They disputed God’s love for them. So God responds and demonstrates that He has indeed loved Israel and shown Himself on her side – even as He continues to be on the side of His people, the Church.

Today we begin a study of Malachi’s prophecy. The name “Malachi” means “messenger of the Lord.” Today we see the various ways in which Malachi’s letter is relevant for the modern Church. Malachi truly is the messenger of Christ’s kingdom – informing us about the nature of Christ and his work and where we fit into the story.