This week we come to another charge against the hard-hearted and hypocritical people of God. In this oracle in Malachi 2:10-16, a charge is brought against the people by Malachi and then followed up with three questions to bring the people’s focus back on the LORD and the covenant that they have with Him.
There are two sins of unfaithfulness described. The first is from the second half of verse 11 and into verse 12 where Israel is described as faithless because the men are marrying foreign women. And then in verse 13, we see that these men are practicing lavish exhibitionist weepings, groanings and phony prayers at the Lord’s altar. But God is not answering their prayers, groanings and cries because they are divorcing their wives. The men may look very religious, but they are sending away the wives of their youth. It is that combination of religious practice and moral disobedience that God has always hated.
We know what God calls us to do. We are to guard our relationship with Him, our covenant Lord. We are also called to guard our relationship with our spouses and to be faithful. That means we don’t marry unbelievers and if married, we are to remain diligent, devoted and faithful to our spouses. While marriage seems to be attacked on every side in our current culture, what a witness it can be of the faithful love of Christ to have families and marriages that reflect God’s covenant love.
It is a powerful witness to the world which is desperately needed. It’s a testimony to the watching world of the faithfulness of God and God’s love that is strong and continues for our sake and our salvation. May God grant us such faithfulness in our marriages and our growth in godliness.
PRAYER: Lord, we know that apart from your grace, apart from your Spirit, apart from your power, we can’t fulfill any of these commands in a way that pleases you. Lord, please strengthen our marriages and strengthen our relationship with you through Christ, in the power of the Spirit, to keep us faithful. Amen.