Do You Question God's Intelligence?

God's Persistent, Patient Love for His People!

A study of the book of Malachi

by Pastor Frank Rice

Malachi 2:10-16

“What! Do you think I’m stupid or something!?!” We may never have articulated those words, but most of us have at least thought them at one time or another! Someone does or says something, then tries to “pull a fast one on us,” to make us think something that is so obviously in conflict with reality. We’re insulted that they think they can get away with it! We’ve observed it done on a human level, but when a person tries to pull it off on God… Are you kidding?

The prophet Malachi confronts God’s people for blatant treachery, their violation of and unfaithfulness to their covenant commitments. Do they think they can fool God!?! We would never do that! (Right?)

v      The prophet emphasizes the covenant unity of God’s people by asking three seemingly rhetorical questions (v. 10).

1.      All would readily agree that the nation of Israel has one Father (Ex 4:22)! (This has nothing to do with “the fatherhood of God” delusion! See John 1:12)

2.      All would agree that the nation of Israel has one Creator (Deut 32:6 NIV)! He is the One who gave life to the nation!

3.      Malachi “wants to express the exceptional character of Israel’s origin as God’s covenant people… he endorses the intimate relationship between the members of that people by stressing the oneness of the God who created them.” (Verhoef)

4.      Now that the prophet has them thinking, he asks his zinger; “Why are we behaving so badly toward one another!?!”

(a)   They were treating the covenant the LORD had made with their fathers like dirt; they were tramping all over it!

(b)   They were dealing treacherously with each other! They were “breaking faith, acting secretly and deceptively, acting unfaithfully with respect to a prior agreement or covenant.”

v      The prophet accuses God’s people of spiritual adultery, making alliances with those who have no regard for Him (vv. 11-12).

1.      The whole nation is guilty. “The people who have committed this atrocity are the covenant people of God, and the place where it was done is the Promised Land and the holy city.” (Verhoef)  

2.      He castigates the audacity of these perpetrators (v. 12)!

(a)   They were involved in this treachery, this abomination, this profanation of God’s holy institution which He loved.

(b)   Then they knowingly brought offering to the LORD, fully expecting His acceptance and approval!!!

(c)   “The detestable thing was to act piously while at the same time desecrating the sanctuary of the LORD. This cancer in the body of the people of God must be cut out and totally removed.” (Verhoef)

 

v      The prophet isn’t done with these folks; he has another item on his agenda with which the LORD is deeply concerned (v. 13).

1.      When a man’s vertical relationship is out of whack, it inevitably spills over into his horizontal relationships.

2.      When men (ladies were not allowed) came near to bring their offerings to the LORD, they wept! (What’s the problem?)

3.      Evidently, things were not going well with their crops, their flocks, their businesses, and/ or maybe their families.

4.      This was a good indication that the LORD was “not happy” with them and He disregarded their offerings. (Remember that the offering and the offerer are inseparable!)

v      The prophet tells them exactly why the LORD rejected them and their offering (v. 14)!

1.      These offerers were perplexed as to why God would reject them and their offerings, and not answer their prayers.

2.      Their spiritual unfaithfulness (adultery) had resulted in marital unfaithfulness. This should not be, in any way, surprising!

3.      These men had dumped (divorced) their Jewish wives, their companions with whom they had made a covenant. And then they hooked up with pagan girls! (We’re not told exactly why they did this.

4.      The phrase “wife of your youth” may provide a clue to their treacherous activity. She is the one in whom they we’re to rejoice and be satisfied (Prov 5:18).

5.      And the LORD had witnessed the whole thing unfold! From the initial God-blessed marriage to the present God-forbidden one, He had seen it all!

6.      “These wrongdoers attempt to cover their continuing sin by surface religion,.. Formal ritual activity is not sufficient to atone for willing and flagrant covenant disregard.”(Baker)

 

v      The prophet reminds God’s people of His original design for the marital relationship (vv. 15-16)! (Evidently they’d forgotten!)

1.      God’s original design was to produce babies who’d grow up in an environment conducive to godliness, a godly offspring!

2.      They needed to rethink the purpose of their marriage covenant and remain faithful to the one with whom they’ve been united!

3.      They needed to recognize the LORD’s hatred of divorce! Marital treachery and violence are inseparable! Divorce “is as cruel as putting on a victim’s bloodstained coat.” (NLT)

4.      [Even in the case of adultery, abuse, and abandonment, God’s desire is first and foremost reconciliation.]

5.      They needed to stop dealing treacherously in both their vertical and their horizontal covenant relationships!

 

We insult God’s intelligence when we treat others treacherously and then expect Him to welcome our worship!!

We honor and glorify God when we honor our covenants with Him and with others.