2:1, 2 God warned the priests that if they did not “give glory” to his name, he would punish them. Like these priests, we, too, are called to give glory to God’s name—to worship him. This means acknowledging God for who he is—the almighty Creator of the universe, who alone is perfect and who reaches down to sinful people with perfect love. According to this definition, are you giving glory to God’s name?
2:1, 2 The priests didn’t take seriously (“lay it to heart”) God’s priority, even though he had reminded them through his word many times. How do you find out what is most important to God? Begin by loving him with all your heart, soul, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5). This means listening to what God says in his Word and then setting your heart, mind, and will on doing what he says. When we love God, his Word becomes a shining light that guides our daily activities. The priests in Malachi’s day had stopped loving God, and thus they did not know nor care what he wanted.
2:4-6 Levi “walked with [God] . . . and did turn many away from iniquity” (2:6). He was the ancestor of the tribe of Levites, the tribe set apart for service to God (Numbers 1:47-54). The Levites became God’s ministers, first in the Tabernacle, then in the Temple. In these verses, God was addressing the priests who were from this tribe, admonishing them for corrupting the laws he gave their ancestor Levi and not following his example.
2:7, 8 Malachi was angry at the priests because, although they were to be God’s messengers, they did not know God’s will. And this lack of knowledge caused them to lead God’s people astray. Their ignorance was willful and inexcusable. Pastors and leaders of God’s people must know God’s Word—what it says, what it means, and how it applies to daily life. How much time do you spend in God’s Word?
2:9 The priests had allowed influential and favored people to break the law. The priests were so dependent on these people for support that they could not afford to confront them when they did wrong. In your church, are certain people allowed to do wrong without criticism? There should be no double standard based on wealth or position. Let your standards be those presented in God’s Word. Playing favorites is contemptible in God’s sight (see James 2:1-9).
2:10-16 The people were being unfaithful. Though not openly saying they rejected God, they were living as if he did not exist. Men were marrying pagan women who worshiped idols. Divorce was common, occurring for no reason other than a desire for change. People acted as if they could do anything without being punished. And they wondered why God refused to accept their offerings and bless them (2:13)! We cannot successfully separate our dealings with God from the rest of our lives. He must be Lord of all.
2:11, 12 After the Temple had been rebuilt and the walls completed, the people were excited to see past prophecies coming true. But as time passed, the prophecies about the destruction of God’s enemies and a coming Messiah were not immediately fulfilled. The people became discouraged, and they grew complacent about obeying all of God’s laws. This complacency gradually led to blatant sin, such as marriage to those who worshiped idols. Ezra and Nehemiah also had confronted this problem years earlier (Ezra 9–10; Nehemiah 13:23-31).
2:14 The people were complaining about their adverse circumstances when they had only themselves to blame. People often try to avoid guilt feelings by shifting the blame. But this doesn’t solve the problem. When you face problems, look first at yourself. If you changed your attitude or behavior, would the problem be solved?
2:14, 15 Divorce in these times was practiced exclusively by men. They were disloyal to their wives and ignored the wedding vows they had made before God, thus corrupting his purpose for them to rear godly children who love the Lord. Not only were men unfaithful to their wives, but they also were ignoring the fact that this bonding relationship was an illustration of their union with God.
2:15, 16 “Take heed to your spirit” means to have the same commitment to marriage that God has to his promises for his people. Our passion should be reserved exclusively for our spouse.
2:17–3:6 God was tired of the way the people had cynically twisted his truths. He would punish those who insisted that because God was silent, he approved of their actions or at least would never punish them. God would also punish those who professed a counterfeit faith while acting sinfully (see 3:5).