Today’s passage: Malachi 2:1-16
Helpful thoughts:
- A great description of spiritual leadership can be found in verses 5-7, given concerning Levi, which was to have been carried on by the Levitical priests. God rebukes them for their faithlessness to Him and partiality toward people.
- The second and third rebukes in this passage deal with marriage and divorce.
- The people of God had married worshipers of false gods (Verses 10-12).
- The people of God often sought divorce. The men would not love their wives and became faithless (Verses 13-16).
Questions to consider:
- What do we learn in verses 5-7 concerning spiritual leaders? It they are truly serving as messengers of the Lord today, what will they communicate (2 Timothy 4:1-2)?
- God calls Himself “the Lord of Hosts” often in this book. This name of God refers to His command over the angel armies, who have never and will never be defeated. Why do you think God would want to continually emphasize this truth to the people along with these rebukes?
- In what way does divorce and marriage with unbelievers go against the picture of the covenant relationship that God has with His people, which marriage is supposed to represent? (Ephesians 5:25-33) What has Christ committed to do for His bride? How can husbands (and wives) display this kind of love in their marriage?