Malachi 2:1-9--The LORD Rebukes the Priests

Malachi 2:1-9
English Standard Version

The LORD Rebukes the Priests
2 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2 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. 3 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. 4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts. 5 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. 6 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. 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, 9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

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Again, the LORD's message is directed towards the priests that have been performative in their duties and not keeping the people or the Land holy before the LORD.   They were to be ministers of the LORD's covenant and to represent the people to the LORD and the LORD to the people (to act as mediators between God and men, specifically the nation of Israel).  They were to worship the LORD and give glory to His Name and encourage others to do so in how they lived obedient lives full of joy and gratitude, teaching the Word of God and psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to the people of God so that their hearts were full with His transforming Word.

But they have not been doing their job and the LORD tells them that they will no longer experience the blessings of the priesthood if they cease being the ministers of His covenant for His people that He has called them to be.  He has made it harder for them to bear children and he has made them unclean in a way that is publicly obvious.  He has cursed their food that is supposed to be clean and holy and defiled it so that it unclean and unable to be eaten and will make them sick. 

A better priest is going to have to come to succeed where they have failed and that will be Jesus.  But how can He be a priest when the priests come from Levi and He come from the tribe of Judah?  That question is answered in the book of Hebrews and the Psalms of David for us in that Jesus is in the order of Melchizedek.  This was the duty of Adam from the beginning and as he was to be a "minister" of the covenant and to "keep" the Garden (a word that describes the duties of a priest) and there were all kinds of images in the Tabernacle and Temple to remind the priests of the Garden and of the heavenly Temple where Christ ministers as their Great High Priest.  In the here and now of this moment when this prophet was writing to these people though, the LORD was calling these priests to return to their ministry of being ministers of His covenant and lifting His Name up high among the people of Israel and all the peoples of the earth--they were to both show and tell the gospel and they were doing neither right now.

If they failed in their duties, they did not just condemn themselves, but everyone who came to them for atonement because this was the one door by which mankind could approach the altar that represented the greater Sacrifice that was needed to take their place.  This was the prescribed method of reconciliation between God and Man and men had to come to a priest to obtain this reconciliation--it was not something each man could do for himself.  The gospel and the spiritual condition of the whole world is at stake because these priests are not living up to their calling and not taking seriously the ministry the LORD has given them.  Therefore, the LORD's rebuke starts with them, and it is the same for us today as we as Christians have all been called to be members of a new priesthood, ministers of a new covenant, and to teach the Word to the people, lead them in worship, and show them how they can be reconciled to God.  We are also to live lives of holiness that show that we are set apart to the LORD both now and forevermore and in so doing, we are to glorify the Name of the LORD through our conduct, not just our words.  Do not read this passage without examining yourself and asking what kind of priest you are being and if you are taking your duties seriously.