Malachi 2:1-17

God’s expectations are one of the most important things for us to consider in our lives.  We often struggle with our own expectations because we will usually create unrealistic expectations for other people or about certain events.  However, God’s expectations are always right on target.  He knows everything so His expectations and instructions are not only realistic but are vital for us to fulfill.  He puts us in certain circumstances and expects us to fulfill His commandments during those times.  He promises not to allow anything to happen in our life that is beyond the abilities that He gives us to withstand.  Malachi warns both the religious leaders as well as the citizens that have come back from exile that they must align their lives with the instruction and expectations of God.

A WARNING TO THE PRIESTS: When God appoints a priest and places him in charge of the worship and the instruction of His people; God expects that job to be taken seriously and performed with reverence.  God warns the priests that they are bringing down curses upon themselves because they are not following the example of Levi in the performance of their job.  Priests are to stand as representatives of God before the people as well as represent the people before God.  It is a position of vital importance.  In the days that the book of Malachi was written the priests were to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah and were to prefigure what He would be like.  They were not meeting with these expectations.  Instead, they were exploiting the people, ignoring God’s instructions, being irreverent before the Lord and abusing their authority for personal gain.  God was not pleased in the least.  As ministers of the Lord and the Bible calls all believers as priests today, we have a vital role.  We are to teach the Word of God to those who do not know it and call those who do to obedience.  We cannot shirk this expectation of God for our lives.


A WARNING TO THE PEOPLE: God calls His people to live in a manner that is pleasing to Him.  He expects that those who know Him and have entered into a relationship with Him will live according to His commandments.  He has a standard to which He holds His children and when we do not follow those standards, He is displeased and will call us to account.  In the days Malachi was written there were three specific areas with which God was displeased.  First, they were marrying unbelieving spouses.  The men would take wives from the nations around them and would inevitably be drawn into worship the idols of these people.  God calls us to impact the nations and reach all people with the Gospel, but we are not to enter a marriage covenant with those who do not believe.  No amount of sacrifice or service to the Lord will overcome this type of disobedience.  Second, they were divorcing their wives and not being faithful to the promises that they made in their wedding vows.  God clearly hates divorce and He still does.  He expects His children to marry believers and remain married to them.  When we divorce we are displeasing the Lord.  The third area was questioning the goodness and justice of God.  When we don’t understand God’s ways, it is easy for us to question and doubt.  This is not pleasing to God.  He is always good and always just.  When we don’t understand Him we are called to trust, not doubt.

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