1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
We’ve finished yelling at the common people for now. It’s the priest’s turn.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, says the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
“If you don’t worship Me, I will curse you.” They were going through the ceremonies but not truly worshiping God.
3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
God is going to punish them.
4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
There will be no doubt that the punishment came from God.
5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared Me, and was afraid before My name.
Throughout the historical books of the Old Testament, the Levites were the most zealous in their devotion to God.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
God designed the Priesthood (one family line of the Levites) to be an example to the people of how to live right. And during most of Israel’s history they were. But now they are leading the way into ignoring God and His commands.
8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at The Law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
But now the Priesthood and Levites have denied God.
9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept My ways, but have been partial in the law.
Because the priests have sinned, they have neglected to teach the people to bring their tithes. Because the people aren’t bringing their tithes, the priests don’t have the financial support they are supposed to have. This makes them into a beggar class of people.
10 Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Back to scolding everyone.
We (all human beings) are all the creation of God. We are all equal in His eyes. Yet some still cheat others and treat them as if they are lesser beings.
11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god.
Many Jews were evidently divorcing their Jewish wives and marrying younger, pagan women.
12 The LORD will cut off the man that does this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offers an offering unto the LORD of hosts.
It doesn’t matter their social standing, God will punish them for this behavior.
God hates divorce. He’s not real fond of His people marrying sinners, either.
13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that He regards not the offering any more, or receives it with good will at your hand.
God simply doesn’t accept their offerings any more.
14 Yet ye say, “Wherefore?” Because the LORD has been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou have dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
The wife of the youth, the first wife, is the one God acknowledges. Because the men had mistreated and divorced these first wives, God is simply not listening to their prayers.
15 And did not He make (them) 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.
When a man and woman consummate a marriage they are “one” in God’s eyes. This is a miraculous spiritual bonding.
Why would He do this? Because He wants lots of godly babies. You can’t get godly babies from heathens. It isn’t very easy from broken homes or homes with only one parent either, no matter how godly that parent tries to be.
By divorcing their wives, these men were destroying the only place godly children could reliably be raised; the God-fearing home. They were destroying the very reason for marriage in the first place.
(Companionship, efficient division of labor, romance, and sex are benefits of a truly godly marriage, NOT its purpose.)The children of divorce simply have a harder time following God as adults. They do not become godly adults nearly as often as those raised in an intact, God-fearing home.
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, says that He hates putting away: for one covers violence with his garment, says the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
God hates divorce (putting away). Here He equates it with violence, even rape. It is a serious matter.
17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, “Wherein have we wearied Him?” When ye say, “Every one that does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them;” or,” Where is the God of judgment?”
Today people are saying “We are all good. Follow your heart because it won’t lead you astray. What is right for one person may not be right for another person.” And so on. These are all pagan ideas. They do not please God any more now than they did in Malachi’s time. The truth is that our hearts are evil, (Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 28:26) and God has set up a definite right and wrong. The standards are black and white. Sin is sin no matter who is committing it.