“Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?
Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable act has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the Lord’s sanctuary, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, whoever he may be even if he presents an offering to the Lord of Armies.”
Malachi 2:10-12
Last time we saw how the priests were swerving from the Way, turning their face from protecting Truth and toward partiality. Today we see what are apparently Malachi’s words continue to reason with the Israelites and urge them toward obedience.
We begin with: “Don’t all of us have one Father?” One is echad and Father is ab.
I think it’s interesting Malachi begins with Father rather than Creator. He is, after all, talking about the people of God, not human beings in general. These are people who have direct experience with this God providing, protecting, and loving them as a father. The nations saw this and many chose this way, but the people to whom our prophet is singing are His chosen children. Let’s keeping going.
Now we move on to Creator: “Didn’t one God create us?” One is echad again, God is el – God, gods, mighty one; and create is bara‘ – to shape, choose, create, cut down.
Even if appealing to their status as children didn’t work, Malachi is ready to point out God’s right to rule over them as the One Who created, shaped, and chose to make them. It seems to me we could all use this reminder. Those of us who claim to trust in Christ, myself included, would do well to meditate on 1 John 3:1:
“What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.” (MSG)
To truly have our identity rooted in being His beloved child has the potential to redirect our passions, affections, energies, anxieties, and insecurities. Seems to me it would’ve helped the people in our passage as well.
But even further, it would do us all well to embrace our creatureliness. To know our human limits, including limited knowledge and power, would save ourselves the consequences of pride: burnout, frustration, broken relationships, isolation, and physical ailments. We are simply not God. As one friend put it, “As my pride goes down, so does my judgementalism. Amen and amen.
But whether or not we actively choose to follow Him, the human population as a whole could benefit from living into being created. We didn’t create ourselves and we will give ourselves over to something, even if we think we’re just following our hearts. We will be mastered, something must be our lord, and everyone worships.
According to these verses, it seems as though this experiential knowledge would benefit our human relationships as well. If one God created all of us, if we are all creatures, works in progress, searching for something, it would help us be kinder. We could have the kind of humility that makes allowances for others’ humanity because we require it as well.
The crux of these questions is next: “Then why do we act treacherously with one another?”
Why is maddua – for what reason?; deal treacherously is bagad – act treacherously, deceitfully, faithless, unfairness, offend, depart, pillage; one is ish – man, and another is ach – brother.
For what reason should we act faithlessly and deceitfully against someone who is our brother?
It’s pretty clear. Unfortunately, it’s also pretty convicting. It’s such a good question: If we are God’s chosen children, even more, if we’re all creatures made by Him, why can’t we stop being cruel to each other?
And yet, it’s the most common thing we see on the news, on social media, in our own hearts. Yes, the negative is what sells, and drama keeps us engaged, but even all that aside, I think we know how it is is not how it should be.
And when Malachi delivers His prophetic burden, he includes a human appeal to his fellow Israelites. Why on earth would we pillage one another’s lives when we are to be living as siblings under our Father?
The question then gets more specific: why do we offend each other “by profaning the covenant of the father?”
Profane here is chalal – to pierce, covenant is berith – covenant, allies, treaty; and fathers is ab again.
Seems as though the way the people were acting treacherously toward each other is by piercing the covenant God made with them. Which, of course, includes unacceptable sacrifices we have been learning about the past few months.
In what way do we do pierce God’s covenant with us as New Testament believers? How does our individual and corporate idolatry, unbelief, and pride cause us to be unfair, offensive, and pillagers of our fellow believers?
We’re not done.
“Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable act has been done in Israel and Jerusalem.”
Judah is Yehudah – “praised” from yadah – to throw, cast, celebrate; treacherously is bagad again – act deceitfully, faithless, unfairness, offend, depart, pillage; detestable act is toebah -abomination, object of loathing, detestable thing, morally disgusting, abhorrence especially idolatry, an idol — abominable (custom, thing); has been done is asah – accomplish; and Israel is Yisrael meaning “God strives.”
It seems as though our prophet is appealing to the people’s history with these names of ancestor and people and city.
I’m not sure I remembered Judah means praised. But I love it. The Lion of the tribe of Judah comes from the son of Jacob which means to sing and shout and give glory to God.
I did know Israel means “God strives.” And it seems fitting, not just in His dealing with Jacob whom he renamed Israel, but also in His striving with His people. With us, with me. We do require some striving, don’t we?
The specific way the people are dealing treacherously in this section is next:
“For Judah has profaned the Lord’s sanctuary which He loves.”
Here profaned is chalal again – to pierce; sanctuary is qodesh – apartness, sacredness; and loves in “which He loves” is aheb – verb: dearly love, beloved, friends, lover.
And how?
He “has married the daughter of a foreign god.”
Marry here is baal – to marry, to rule over, master, have dominion over; daughter is bath – daughter, granddaughter, maiden, apple of eye, woman, branch, village; and foreign god is nekar – alien, strange, el – god.
So the people of God are piercing the sacred place, which Yahweh dearly loves, by putting his affections under the rule of a strange god.
This is not new territory; Ezra deeply lamented over the literal marriage of God’s people returning from exile to foreign women who worshipped other gods. Whether these unlawful marriages were still happening, it is not clear. What is clear is the idolatry of worshipping gods who are not God.
Finally we have Malachi’s solution for this disobedience and idolatry:
“May Yahweh cut off the man who does this…”
Here cut off is karath – cut, make in writing; often used in cutting covenant.
He wants no such idolatry among God’s people, and cutting off the offending people is his prayer.
Why so harsh?
“Being awake and aware and from the tents of Jacob.”
Awake is ur – to rouse oneself, awake, arise, rouse yourself, lift up self, master, raise up, stir up self, through the idea of opening the eyes; to wake (literally or figuratively); aware is anah – to answer, respond, sing, shout, testify, announce, speak, testify, utter, bear witness; and tents is ohel – home, owned, covering, dwelling-place, tabernacle.
Because this person has their eyes wide open to covenant responsibilities, knows their calling is to bear witness, and being among God’s people is home.
Basically? They know better.
And our final section takes away the rest of the excuses: “Even if he presents an offering to the Lord of Armies.”
I like how the Message puts it:
“No matter how many offerings they bring to the God-of-Angel-Armies.”
Here brings is nagash – to draw near, approach, bring offered, present, stand, touch; and offering is minchah – gift, tribute, offering, sacrifice [bloodless and voluntary].
Even if he draws near and offers a voluntary tribute.
This makes sense, as God wants their hearts, not a token gift. It would be like a spouse repeatedly committing adultery without repentance, and expecting a gift to make it alright.
I don’t know about you, but in verses like these, I start to squirm internally. They just highlight all the things: ways I knew better this week, but still fell short; the times I tried to make things right with words or a “gift” rather than genuine repentance; situations in which I know that I know I didn’t look like someone whose home is among God’s people.
Perhaps for some the gospel becomes a bit…redundant. But I think for most of us, the simplicity of knowing Someone took the judgement we deserve is what we must inhale deeply each day. That our sin will never be enough to cut us off from Him, because no one can snatch us out of His hand, and nothing can separate us from His love.
And from that rootedness, may we take seriously the discipleship call of Malachi. May our repentance be genuine, our relationships clear, and our eyes single.