"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?  ....   .... Yet ye say wherefore? " - Malachi 2:10...  ... 2:14

----------------

We are back in our study of Malachi, a book of the Bible aimed squarely at the Levitical priesthood, and structured, as we have seen in our last two studies,  in the form of --- statements made to/against them, the rebuttal of their indignant denials of these indictments, and some very interesting nuggets buried in the text.

The Pattern

Study 1 : Malachi 1:2

Statement : “I have loved you,” says the Lord. 

Denial : But you say, “How have You loved us?” |

Rebuttal of denial follows... Mal 1:2-5

Nugget: The doctrine of predestination - Why Jacob and not Esau!

Mal 1:6 

Statement :" ... O you priests who despise my Name."

Denial: "And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?"

Rebuttal of denial follows ... Mal 1:7-14

Nugget : Animal sacrifices no longer required, prophecy of grain offerings and incense made by GENTILES will be accepted as offerings, in line with the original design of the planet!

Mal 2:1-9 reaffirms the body being addressed (the priests) and outlines the judgment for corrupting the Word of God by their corruption of the covenant of Levi, before picking up the pattern again (our text this week) and we would do well to keep an eye out for this structure moving forward....

Statement : "Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by ---profaning the covenant--- of our fathers?  

Denial : "Wherefore?"

Nugget : The sanctity of marriage!

Lets take a look...

The indictment is more detailed than just that first question. The full text is :

" Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 

Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. 

The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. 

And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. " - Mal 2:10-13 ............ Yet Ye say "wherefore?" (2:14)

Idolatry or serving a false god, you would agree, is covenant breaking of the highest order. The DAUGHTER of a strange god is whom the priests are said to have  ---married--- , speaking of great doctrinal corruption in addition to dragging marriage squarely into the covenant discussion. 

That this is no accident, is confirmed in the rebuttal of the denial that follows.

"Yet ye say, 'Wherefore'? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and ----the wife of thy youth----, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. ----And did not he make one----? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And ---wherefore one---? That he might seek a ----godly seed----. Therefore take heed to your ---spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 

For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he ----hateth ----putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. "

We are now in Creation territory -- why did God make man male and female? The answer is clear -- He wanted Godly kids! (Duh!) 

Our means of reproduction is programmed into our being, and it is futile to try to deny it, as that is how our species continues to evolve. 

The Bible is clear that a married ( physically intimate ) pairing is viewed as ONE, and with the Spirit, a reflection of the Holy Trinity in many ways --- our spirits joined with the ONE life-giving spirit to create new life, the metaphor of Christ, the Bride and children stemming from that union, and the concept of unity itself(!) is defined in many ways through the symbol and metaphor of a covenant that unites two parties, marriage being one example. 

Please note, that the original accusation is -- "why do we ---deal treacherously--- every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" -- treacherous dealing against your fellow human is brought directly in line with breaking a covenant.

You also don't have to look far for a fellow human being, there is one sleeping next to you, and committing treachery there is likened to committing violence and hiding it under ones garment!

A sobering view of the holiness of God, and the sanctity of our marriage vows, as well as keeping the discovery of the joys of physical union, a thing to be sacred amongst just two people in the world!

Contrast that with all the ugliness the current culture of promiscuity has introduced. Is it not just that the punishment fit the crime?

" The LORD will ---cut off the man that doeth this, the ---master and the ---scholar, out of the ---tabernacles of Jacob----, ---and--- him that ---offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. And this have ye done ----again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. " .............

......." Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you deal not treacherously " --- against your wife, fellow human, or against the LORD by breaking His covenants, and going looking for fulfilment in the culture. It will not end well for you... !!

Hallelujah!!