“And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
In the Old Testament, Malachi takes a special place among the prophets. The nation of Israel was returning from captivity (having been in captivity because of the evilness of their hearts). Nehemiah came back to rebuild the city walls. Ezra came back to rebuild the Temple walls. Malachi was sent to the people to rebuild the spiritual walls of their heart. Even though they had spent years in captivity, the nation came back to this rebuilt city’s and rebuilt temple, but with cold hearts. Malachi, in the above verses, holds the priest accountable for this drop in proper heartfelt worship. He compares the current priest (cold, lazy and disengaged) with Levi. Levi was the first priest. He sought God with reverential awe and fear. He did not lead the people astray by false teaching (like the current priest in the land), but with “true instruction.” Here are some lessons from this brief passage:
1. A cleaned up city and improved worship center do not mean the heart is pure and ready to worship. Work must be done in the heart, as well.
2. To prepare the heart, based upon this condemnation, God employs the agent of men to teach men. God holds the spiritual priest responsible for the spiritual condition of the people. Those who teach and lead spiritual things will be held responsible for the spiritual condition of those they lead.
3. True worship is created in the heart by true instruction from the mouth to the ears of the worshippers. Malachi makes the point of telling the people that Levi, the first priest, spoke truth. You can’t have spiritual revival unless someone is willing to speak truth.
4. God knows the activity of the priest! God knows and is concerned. This is not a passive role in the community of the people. This is an active role and is to be handled with extreme care and concern and focus on who God is. The truth about God’s character (both His love and His wrath) are to be honored and taught.
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