Keeping Life’s Covenants

MEMORY VERSE: “Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” —Malachi 2:10

MALACHI 1:6-9; 2:10,13-16

ALMOST nothing is definitely known concerning Malachi and his life. The general impression of scholars is that he was a young man while serving Jehovah as a prophet, and that he probably died young. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, and it is generally believed that he served about the time that the city of Jerusalem was being rebuilt under the direction of Nehemiah, or possibly a little later.

This, of course, was after the Babylonian captivity. Now the two houses of Israel did not enter into God’s messages as they had when the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel and the two-tribe kingdom of Judah existed. While there had been no official reunion of the divided nation, the majority of the ten-tribe kingdom had been taken into captivity in Assyria, and the remnant had been largely absorbed by the two tribes, and shared their captivity in Babylon. Malachi’s message was to Israel, which now meant the people of all twelve tribes who were professing to belong to Jehovah. The division of the nation is nowhere recognized in the New Testament.

The long captivity in Babylon—seventy years—and the subsequent providences of the Lord in connection with the return of the captives and the rebuilding of the city had not turned the hearts of the people into the way of faithfulness to the Lord. At least, judging from the nature of Malachi’s prophecy, this would not seem to have been the case with the majority. It is well to remember, however, that probably in every generation of this nation there was a faithful remnant.

Malachi compares the attitude of Israel toward God to the normal attitude of a son toward his father, or a servant toward his master. Here there is honor and respect, but Israel was not giving honor and respect to Jehovah. The priest, speaking for them, feigns ignorance of this failure, only to have pointed out that it was through their unfaithfulness to the Lord’s requirements pertaining to the offerings they were enjoined to present to him. “Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar,” Malachi said, “and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.”—vss. 6-8

The Israelites would surely know that if they offered the lame and sick and blind animals to their earthly governor he would be displeased and would probably discipline them. Why, then, should they expect the Lord to accept these, and bless them? Basically, their difficulty probably was a lack of faith. They could not see God, so his righteous requirements did not seem to be of great importance. They looked after their own interests, and what they could not use for themselves they were willing to “sacrifice” to God.

The Israelites were under a covenant with the Lord which required the, sacrifice of animals. The followers of Jesus during the present age are under a covenant which calls for the sacrifice of themselves. (Ps. 50:5; Rom. 12:1) Our sacrificial work will not be completed until we finish our course in death. It is a sacrifice prompted by love, and John wrote, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”—I John 3:18

Our memory verse reminds us that the Israelites also profaned their covenant with the Lord by dealing “treacherously every man against his brother.” Herein is also a reminder to the Lord’s people today of the importance of being filled with and controlled by love for our brethren in Christ. John wrote, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”—I John 4:20,21

Verses 13-16 of chapter 2 call attention to additional sins of Israel against their covenant with God, and to their consequent unhappiness through the loss of his blessings. Even their sacrificing was with weeping and tears, whereas their offerings should have been made with joy. This situation could be remedied only by a course of wholehearted faithfulness to the Lord. But they had a long record of unfaithfulness. The Lord said to them, “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.”

QUESTIONS

When did Malachi serve Israel as a prophet?

What were some of the ways Israel’s unfaithfulness was manifested?

What sacrifice does the Lord require of spiritual Israelites?

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