Mal 2:12 | KingComments | STEP | Malachi starts a new subject here, but it connects directly to the previous one. In the previous section the unfaithfulness of the priests and the Levites to God is denounced. In the verses that follow we see the consequences of this in the mutual relationships between the members of God’s people up to the most intimate relationship there is, that of marriage. He who does not give God what is due to Him, does not give his neighbor what is due to him. The prophet begins to represent God as their Father, i.e. as their origin ( ). This is not about the personal relationship as we, believers of the New Testament church, are allowed to know this. It is about God as Father of His people as a whole. He created them. This refers to His power. Through Him they have become a people. If this were to pervade them, they would also see that they have been brought into a family relationship with each other. It should result in national unity and loyalty to the covenant of the fathers. Malachi makes himself one with the people by talking about “we” and “our fathers”. But they all act unfaithfully, each against his brother. And they trample on the covenant of their fathers. They do not know covenant faithfulness. Nothing is sacred to them. This is how it is with people who have become unfaithful to God. Judah, Israel and Jerusalem are all mentioned by name ( ). There is no exception. The evil of making illicit connections has pervaded the whole people (cf. ; ). “Judah” is the remnant returned from exile. He started well, but now it is said that he is acting unfaithfully. “Israel” is the name of the people as a whole and “Jerusalem” is the capital of all Israel. They commit an abomination. What unfaithfulness and abomination are involved, Malachi explains in the second part of the verse. We see that in the word “for”. What did they do? They have profaned “the sanctuary of the LORD”. What is the meaning of this? It is what is dedicated to Him, what He has made His special property. It may refer to the temple, but it is more likely to refer to God’s people. He loves those people and wishes them to serve Him faithfully. But what did the people do? Against His commandments they married “the daughter of a foreign god” ( ; ). They have brought idolaters into God’s people and thereby united the holy with the profane and thus desecrated the holy ( ). This is very offensive to God. The same goes for us. The believer is forbidden to marry an unbeliever ( ). He who goes against that commandment profanes the Name of God. God cannot acknowledge such a person as His child ( ). Only confession of this sin can give restoration in fellowship with the Father. Malachi feels through the Spirit of God the dishonor done to God by these mixed marriages ( ). He wishes that everyone who does so is cut off “from the tents of Jacob”. Such people do not belong in God’s people because they do not keep God’s Word. Malachi mentions some classes of people who are guilty of this evil of mixed marriages and who should be cut off. With these three classes he indicates that the judgment will affect every person involved. It seems that “who awakes and who answers” is a certain saying. Given the context of this saying, it is about being awake and an answer by people who live in sin and others who condone it. In both cases it concerns people who do something that God abhors and whom Malachi wishes to see eradicated. First there is “who awakes”. He commits this evil with his full mind and consciously resists God’s commandments. Then there is “who answers”. He knows about the evil, he reacts to it, but not in a disapproving, but in an approving way. We see today in Christianity the being ‘awake’ about the ‘acquired’ freedoms. People are completely lost in a matter as fundamental as marriage. Marriage is outdated, old-fashioned, except when it comes to same-sex marriage. The gays who get married are the ones who awake over them. Then there are the ones who answer. They stand up for the so-called marriage law of gays. Those who awake are actively doing this evil; those who answer are not committing this evil themselves, but are trying to perpetuate this evil and support it that way. Of the people who do this, there are those “who presents an offering to the LORD of hosts”. They live in sin, but think they can redeem their sins with an offering to the LORD. But “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD” ( ). He does not accept it, but rejects it ( ; ).

‏ Malachi 2:12

Illicit Connections

Malachi starts a new subject here, but it connects directly to the previous one. In the previous section the unfaithfulness of the priests and the Levites to God is denounced. In the verses that follow we see the consequences of this in the mutual relationships between the members of God’s people up to the most intimate relationship there is, that of marriage. He who does not give God what is due to Him, does not give his neighbor what is due to him.

The prophet begins to represent God as their Father, i.e. as their origin (Deu 32:6b). This is not about the personal relationship as we, believers of the New Testament church, are allowed to know this. It is about God as Father of His people as a whole. He created them. This refers to His power. Through Him they have become a people.

If this were to pervade them, they would also see that they have been brought into a family relationship with each other. It should result in national unity and loyalty to the covenant of the fathers. Malachi makes himself one with the people by talking about “we” and “our fathers”. But they all act unfaithfully, each against his brother. And they trample on the covenant of their fathers. They do not know covenant faithfulness. Nothing is sacred to them. This is how it is with people who have become unfaithful to God.

Judah, Israel and Jerusalem are all mentioned by name (Mal 2:11). There is no exception. The evil of making illicit connections has pervaded the whole people (cf. Ezra 9:1 ; Ezra 10:1-4; Neh 13:25-27). “Judah” is the remnant returned from exile. He started well, but now it is said that he is acting unfaithfully. “Israel” is the name of the people as a whole and “Jerusalem” is the capital of all Israel. They commit an abomination. What unfaithfulness and abomination are involved, Malachi explains in the second part of the verse. We see that in the word “for”.

What did they do? They have profaned “the sanctuary of the LORD”. What is the meaning of this? It is what is dedicated to Him, what He has made His special property. It may refer to the temple, but it is more likely to refer to God’s people. He loves those people and wishes them to serve Him faithfully.

But what did the people do? Against His commandments they married “the daughter of a foreign god” (Exo 34:16; Deu 7:3). They have brought idolaters into God’s people and thereby united the holy with the profane and thus desecrated the holy (1Kgs 11:1-2). This is very offensive to God.

The same goes for us. The believer is forbidden to marry an unbeliever (2Cor 6:14). He who goes against that commandment profanes the Name of God. God cannot acknowledge such a person as His child (2Cor 6:17-18). Only confession of this sin can give restoration in fellowship with the Father.

Malachi feels through the Spirit of God the dishonor done to God by these mixed marriages (Mal 2:12). He wishes that everyone who does so is cut off “from the tents of Jacob”. Such people do not belong in God’s people because they do not keep God’s Word. Malachi mentions some classes of people who are guilty of this evil of mixed marriages and who should be cut off. With these three classes he indicates that the judgment will affect every person involved.

It seems that “who awakes and who answers” is a certain saying. Given the context of this saying, it is about being awake and an answer by people who live in sin and others who condone it. In both cases it concerns people who do something that God abhors and whom Malachi wishes to see eradicated. First there is “who awakes”. He commits this evil with his full mind and consciously resists God’s commandments. Then there is “who answers”. He knows about the evil, he reacts to it, but not in a disapproving, but in an approving way.

We see today in Christianity the being ‘awake’ about the ‘acquired’ freedoms. People are completely lost in a matter as fundamental as marriage. Marriage is outdated, old-fashioned, except when it comes to same-sex marriage. The gays who get married are the ones who awake over them. Then there are the ones who answer. They stand up for the so-called marriage law of gays. Those who awake are actively doing this evil; those who answer are not committing this evil themselves, but are trying to perpetuate this evil and support it that way.

Of the people who do this, there are those “who presents an offering to the LORD of hosts”. They live in sin, but think they can redeem their sins with an offering to the LORD. But “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD” (Pro 15:8a). He does not accept it, but rejects it (Mic 6:6-8; Isa 66:3).