Old Testament - Malachi 2 - December 13, 2022

12/13/2022 - Malachi 2

This chapter continues to show us that the Israelites are still not living the way the Lord has asked them to live. Even their priests are being reproved by the Lord for not keeping their covenants and for setting a poor example for the people they are supposed to be teaching and helping. The people are the same in that they are not helping one another at all, and instead they are dealing treacherously with one another.

The Lord first speaks to the priests, telling them exactly what will happen if they continue in their current activities. He tells them plainly: “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name…I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” V 2

The Lord then reminds them of the ways they should be thinking and living following His laws as Lehi had done: “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear [honor] wherewith he feared me…The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” (v’s 5-7)

He continues to talk to the priests: “…Ye have departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore, have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.” (v’s 8-9). He is especially upset with the priests, for they were to be the ones who would guide the people to living within the Lord’s laws.  He is trying to tell them the solution to all their woes, and that simply going back to keeping His commandments will be the thing that will bring them back to good growth and happiness.

The priests were supposed to be GOOD examples to the people. He reminds them to be kind to ALL the people that are to be teaching. He tells them that for their own good and for the good of all the people, they must straighten their ways. He chastises the Israelites for dealing treacherously with their wives, and for not raising their children as He as commanded them, and for claiming that those who do evil are “good in the sight of the Lord”. (v 17).   The Lord simply wants us to live up to the instructions He has given us, and to help others to do the same. That is living in righteousness, and that will keep us close to our Heavenly Father. Living with love makes all the difference in so many ways—for us, and for those who are near to us.

The scriptures are for those who lived in the time they were written, but they are also for all the people who have lived and who will live on this earth. Just this past week, Elder Ulisses Soares spoke to the students at BYU, telling them “Our quest in life is to seek for light and truth and to walk with our Savior and receive the magnificent blessing of having Him walk with us. Despite the darkness that exists in the world today.” He warned that the modern world is amassed with mountains of information, but “it has never been harder to discern the truth...I pray that each of us will be able to declare with great joy, ‘I will walk with Jesus,’ and that we can confidently say, ‘He will walk with me...Walking with Him is the road best traveled.” This is and has always been, excellent advice to people of all ages in helping them find peace and love and happiness. 


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