Malachi 2:10-16 - "For Keeps: Reflecting God's Faithfulness Back to Him Through Our Marriages" - 121021PM@TBC

Introduction

1 Segway

At the 2nd annual Country Music Awards in 1968, Tammy Wynette took home the female vocalist trophy with the help of the hit, "D-I-V-O-R-C-E." (Telecast from Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.)

D-I-V-O-R-C-E by Tammy Wynette

Our little boy is four years old and quite a little man

So we spell out the words we don't want him to understand

Like T-O-Y or maybe S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E

But the words we're hiding from him now

Tear the heart right out of me.

Our D-I-V-O-R-C-E becomes final today

Me and little J-O-E will be goin' away

I love you both and this will be pure H-E double L for me Oh,

I wish that we could stop this D-I-V-O-R-C-E.

Watch him smile, he thinks it Christmas

Or his 5th Birthday

And he thinks C-U-S-T-O-D-Y spells fun or play

I spell out all the hurtin' words

And turn my head when I speak

'Cause I can't spell away this hurt

That's drippin' down my cheek.

Our D-I-V-O-R-C-E becomes final today

Me and little J-O-E will be goin' away

I love you both and this will be pure H-E double L for me

Oh, I wish that we could stop this D-I-V-O-R-C-E.

Composed by: Bobby Braddock / Curly Putman

· There are many reasons to hate d-i-v-o-r-c-e. 

· It leaves a debris field of broken hearts and lives.

· I results in poverty of the pocketbook and heart.

· It destabilized our society and creates a mindset of distrust and cynicism.

2. Context

The Book—

· Malachi delivered his burden to the people of Israel some time after the return of Ezra and rebuilding of the Temple.  Malachi’s oracle was inspired by the same problems that Nehemiah faced and it is likely that Malachi prophesied as a contemporary of Nehemiah.

· One of the conditions was the economic bad times that prompted men align themselves with the more prosperous nations around them by intermarriage.  Divorce was rampant, much as it is today.   It was a time of self interest and disregard for their covenant with the God who brought them out of Egypt.

· Malachi can be divided into six dissertations  that follow the pattern of an assertion, a question, and a response and implications of that response.

· This evening we are going to consider the third of those six dissertations..

 

4. Stand, Read text, and Pray Malachi 2.10-16 (nkjv)

The Assertion

¹⁰ Have we not all one Father?

    Has not one God created us?

    Why do we deal treacherously with one another

    By profaning the covenant of the fathers?

¹¹ Judah has dealt treacherously,

    And an abomination has been committed
in Israel and in Jerusalem,

    For Judah has profaned

    The Lord's holy institution which He loves:

    He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

¹² May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob

    The man who does this, being awake and aware,

    Yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

¹³ And this is the second thing you do:

    You cover the altar of the Lord with tears,

    With weeping and crying;

    So He does not regard the offering anymore,

    Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.

Question

¹⁴ Yet you say, "For what reason?"

Response

    Because the Lord has been witness

    Between you and the wife of your youth,

    With whom you have dealt treacherously;

    Yet she is your companion

    And your wife by covenant.

¹⁵ But did He not make them one,

    Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one?

    He seeks godly offspring.

    Therefore take heed to your spirit,

    And let none deal treacherously with
the wife of his youth.

¹⁶ "For the Lord God of Israel says

    That He hates divorce,

    For it covers one's garment with violence,"

    Says the Lord of hosts.

    "Therefore take heed to your spirit,

    That you do not deal treacherously."

3. Overview

Why does God hate divorce?  God hates divorce because it tell a lie about who He is.

Big Idea:  

We should reflect God’s covenant faithfulness back to Him in our Marriages.

I. Assertion by the Prophet: You deal treacherously?

¹⁰ Have we not all one Father?

Has not one God created us?

Why do we deal treacherously with one another

By profaning the covenant of the fathers?

the picture of God—The appeal to who God is.

one Father —

· “The one father, whom all have, is neither Adam, the progenitor of all men, nor Abraham, the father of the Israelitish nation, but Jehovah, who calls Himself the Father of the nation in Mal_1:6.” — Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

· Malachi 1.6 A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts...

· “...the use of “father” recalls the covenant relationship that God established in Egypt and confirmed by covenant at Sinai.”  —Allen Ross

created us —

God is the Father of Israel as its Creator; not, however, in the general sense, according to which He made Israel the people of His possession.” — Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

By the two clauses placed at the head, Malachi intends not so much to lay emphasis upon the common descent of all the Israelites, by virtue of which they form one united family in contrast with the heathen, as to say that all the Israelites are children of God, and as such spiritual brethren and sisters. Consequently every violation of the fraternal relation, such as that of which the Israelite was guilty who married a heathen woman, or put away an Israelitish wife, was also an offence against God, a desecration of His covenant.” — Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

· My life, my relationships have to tell the truth about God. 

· Do I worship Him or blaspheme Him with my choices? 

A. With One Another (v. 10)

· Two key words that contrast and describe the dealings of the Israelites in general.

covenant —

Strong's H1285 - bĕriyth  covenant, alliance, pledge

· the use of “father” recalls the covenant relationship that God established in Egypt and confirmed by covenant at Sinai

treacherously —

Strong's H898 - bagad   to act treacherously, deceitfully, deal treacherously

ylt, nasb, kjv, nkjv—treacherously; esv—faithless; niv84—breaking faith; net, nlt—betray

 · Verse 10 seems to be a general description on their unfaithfulness and treachery.

· “Malachi makes clear for us two alternative ways for people to try to live in a community.

· One way is what you might call covenantal order—it's what the OT means by shalom. All relationships are made peaceful and pure by the fulfillment of covenants and promises and oaths and contracts and commitments.”  —-John Piper

· The other way puts self-centered desires and impulses as the first priority over the covenant faithfulness that is seen in the foolish and wicked man of the book of Proverbs.

B. With Heathen Wives. (v. 11)

¹¹ Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned the Lord's holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

· Some commentators see this as figuratively referring to a general unfaithfulness of Israel to God.

·   Indeed, this exalted perspective on marriage has caused many interpreters to doubt whether Malachi was referring to literal marriage at all. Some suggest that Malachi only intended marriage as a metaphor for Israel’s relationship to the Lord. Against this, however, is the observation that everywhere else in Scripture where the marriage metaphor appears God is uniformly depicted as the husband, not the wife, as would be the case here.” — Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

 · Note: It was not a foreign woman like Rahab or Ruth, but a heathen, unbelieving mate (a daughter of a false god).

· Israel was to marry others that shared their relationship with God and would encourage their faithfulness to God.

· NT affirms that we should do the same.

1 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.  For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?

And what communion has light with darkness?

· “...when we claim to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and then willfully choose to unite ourselves with an unbeliever in the most intimate personal union on earth, we profane the holiness of God.”   —John Piper

· Two NT instructions for us.

1. If we are married and our unsaved mate wants to live with us, we should stay married. 

1 Corinthians 7.12-13

¹² But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. ¹³ And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.

2. If we are married to an unbeliever, we should seek to win them by our conduct. 

1 Peter 3:1

¹ Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, ² when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

· When I mary an unbeliever I am saying that there is no difference between the God of the Bible and no God or another god.

· When I choose to be intimately connected with a son or daughter of a foreign god, I take a step away from the faithful covenant God.

· My Marriage should tell the truth about who God is. 

· We should reflect  God’s covenant faithfulness back to Him in our Marriages.

· This kind of behavior had no place in the covenant community of OT Israel just as it has no place in the NT  Church.

(2.12) May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this [marries an unbeliever], being awake and aware, Yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

C. With Weeping “Worship” (v. 13)

¹³ And this is the second thing you do:

You cover the altar of the Lord with tears,

With weeping and crying;

So He does not regard the offering anymore,

Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.

¹⁴ Yet you say, "For what reason?"  ...

· The pagan worship of the nations around Israel focused on “buying” the deity's favor with extreme emotionalism and sacrifices.

1 Kings 18

²⁶ So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. ²⁷ And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." ²⁸ So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.

· These Israelites were unfaithful (treacherous) to the Lord in their conduct and then hoped that a big showy sacrifice at the temple would fix things.

II. The People’s Question: Why?

· Proverbs 15:8

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

· “You cover the altar of the Lord with tears.” These tears are the false tears of hypocrisy, not genuine tears of repentance. The people weep because the Lord will not hear them, not because of their sin.” —NET Bible Study Notes

TE: Does that still apply in NT times?

Persistent, unrepentant sin can still hinder our relationship with the Lord today.

Application:

A faithless life hinders our prayers to God.

“…that your prayers be not hindered.”

1 Peter 3:7

“Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

III. The LORD’s Response

¹⁴ Yet you say, "For what reason?"

Because the Lord has been witness

Between you and the wife of your youth,

With whom you have dealt treacherously;

Yet she is your companion

And your wife by covenant.

A. God as Covenant Witness (v. 14)

· “...God was acting as a witness against those husbands who were being unfaithful to their wives. Because marriage is a covenant, fidelity to one’s spouse is of a piece with one’s relationship with God.”   —-New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. 1994 (D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer & G. J. Wenham, Ed.) (4th ed.) (Mal 2:10–16). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

· Proverbs 15.3

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

· First, “She is thy wife; thy own, bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh, the nearest to thee of all the relations thou hast in the world, and to cleave to whom thou must quit the rest.’ —Matthew Henry

 · Secondly, “She is the wife of thy youth, who had thy affections when they were at the strongest, was thy first choice, and with whom thou hast lived long. Let not the darling of thy youth be the scorn and loathing of thy age.”  —Matthew Henry

· This emphasizes the long term commitment that is being broken.  “The expectation of romantic love in marriage ins a modern, Western notion.”  —Stuart Douglas (p.1338 TMP) 

 · Thirdly, “She is thy companion; she has long been an equal sharer with thee in thy cares, and griefs, and joys.’ ’ The wife is to be looked upon, not as a servant, but as a companion to the husband, with whom he should freely converse and take sweet counsel, as with a friend, and in whose company he should take delight more than in any other’s; for is she not appointed to be thy companion?   —Matthew Henry

 · Fourthly, “She is the wife of thy covenant, to whom thou art so firmly bound that, while she continues faithful, thou canst not be loosed from her, for it was a covenant for life. It is the wife with whom thou hast covenanted, and who has covenanted with thee; there is an oath of God between you, which is not to be trifled with, is not to be played fast and loose with.’ ’    —Matthew Henry

Ecclesiastes 5.4-7

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it;

For He has no pleasure in fools.

Pay what you have vowed--

5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin,

nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? ... But fear God.

MINI APPLICATION:

· When is the last time you pulled out your marriage vows to read them and mull them over in your mind?

· Married people should often call to mind their marriage-vows, and review them with all seriousness, as those that make conscience of performing what they promised.

B. The Treachery and Injustice of Divorce (vv. 15&16)

¹⁵ But did He not make them one,

Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one?

He seeks godly offspring.

Therefore take heed to your spirit,

And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

¹⁶ "For the Lord God of Israel says

That He hates divorce,

For it covers one's garment with violence,"

Says the Lord of hosts.

"Therefore take heed to your spirit,

That you do not deal treacherously."

1. Treachery

And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

· In verse 15b and 16b the translation “treachery” emphasizes the duplicity and fickled nature of divorce.

· The translation “faithless” emphasizes the failure to keep one’s word.

· Both fit the Hebrew word and context.

2. Injustice (violence)

For it covers one's garment with violence,"

Strong's H2555 - chamac  violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice

ylt, kjv, nkjv, esv, niv84, net—violence; nasb—wrong; nlt—cruelty

· ...he covers his garment with violence (i.e. visibly defiles himself with violence; for this metaphoric use of garment cf. Ps. 73:6; 109:18; Je. 2:34) says the Lord of hosts.   —D.A. Carson New Bible Commentary

Psalm 73:6  Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.

Psalm 109:18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, So let it enter his body like water, And like oil into his bones.

Jeremiah 2:34  Also on your skirts is found The blood of the lives of the poor innocents. I have not found it by secret search, But plainly on all these things.

D. The Caution (v. 16)

watch Strong's H8104 - shamar :  (Niphal) to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware

· take heed to our spirits with reference to our relationships with others.

· Note, Those that would be kept from sin must take heed to their spirits, for there all sin begins;  —Matthew Henry

· Do you take heed to have God’s covenant faithfulness on your mind.

“So much of our religion is packaged to address our felt needs—and these are almost uniformly anchored in our pursuit of our own happiness and fulfillment.”   ---D.A. Carson

· Our focus should be on the glory of God’s faithfulness and how we can reflect that.

· Be mindful of the legacy you are leaving for your family and friends. 

APPLICATION: Watch the desires and attitudes of your heart carefully.

Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Big Idea:  

We should reflect God’s covenant faithfulness back to Him in our Marriages.

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