Mal 1:6-2:9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mal 1:6-2:9: 1:6–2:9 Malachi’s second message affirms the Lord’s role as God and Father of Israel; he alone deserves true worship. The first part (1:6-14 ) shows how the Israelites had dishonored God in spite of his fatherly care and masterly power. The second part (2:1-9 ) warns the priests of Judah against sacrificing sick and defective animals and faults them for not teaching God’s instructions (2:6-8 ). 1:6 shown contempt for my name: God’s name is his reputation or character (cp. Ezek 36:19-24 ). The Judeans were showing how little they thought of God by giving him worthless offerings.

Summary for Mal 1:6-2:9: 1:6–2:9 ^a Malachi’s second message affirms the Lord’s role as God and Father of Israel; he alone deserves true worship. The first part (1:6-14 ^b) shows how the Israelites had dishonored God in spite of his fatherly care and masterly power. The second part (2:1-9 ^c) warns the priests of Judah against sacrificing sick and defective animals and faults them for not teaching God’s instructions (2:6-8 ^d). 1:6 ^e shown contempt for my name: God’s name is his reputation or character (cp. Ezek 36:19-24 ^f). The Judeans were showing how little they thought of God by giving him worthless offerings.
1:7 ^g defiled the sacrifices?: Ritual uncleanness or contamination disqualified an object or person from being in the ceremonies of worship to the Lord. The defilement in this case resulted from ignoring the laws concerning acceptable animal sacrifices (Lev 22:17-25 ^h; Deut 15:21 ⁱ).
1:8 ^j The governor was Persia’s appointed overseer of the province of Judah. The juxtaposition of my altar (1:7 ^k) and your governor (1:8 ^l) reveals a confusion of loyalties among the Levitical priests.

• says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: This phrase is known as the messenger formula in prophetic speech and signifies that God’s authority stands behind the prophet’s message.
1:12 ^m Dishonor was an ongoing state of affairs. Ironically, the guardians of Israel’s covenant relationship with the Lord were habitually profaning his Temple with impure sacrifices.
1:14 ⁿ Cursed: To “bind with a curse” was to deliver an individual over to misfortune as punishment for a serious crime against the community (see Deut 27:15-26 ^o; Jer 48:10 ^p). Malachi spoke for the Lord, so the curse was a pronouncement of doom.

‏ Malachi 2:1-9

2:2 ^q make up your minds: This was an issue of the will, not the emotions.

• terrible curse: Malachi had in mind the utter destruction of those who violated God’s covenant (see Deut 28:20 ^r).
2:4 ^s my covenant with the Levites: If the Levites would give themselves to serving God and forsake their own glory, God would give them life and peace (2:5 ^t; cp. Num 8:5-26 ^u; 25:12-13 ^v). Their special responsibility was to teach God’s instructions (Mal 2:7 ^w).
2:7 ^x The priests had been entrusted with the sacred knowledge of God as revealed in the law of Moses. Through their role as teachers, they were guardians of God’s covenant with Israel (Deut 33:9-10 ^y).

• messenger (Hebrew mal’ak): This may be a wordplay on the name Malachi (mal’aki). Usually this title was reserved for Hebrew prophets in the Old Testament, but Malachi ascribes prophetic duties to the priest, since the priests were to interpret God’s word.
2:9 ^z shown favoritism (literally lifted up the face): The expression is also found in 1:8 ^aa (“see how pleased he is”). The priests should have administered the law with kindness and fairness, but they had not done so. It was ridiculous for the priests to suppose that God would show them favor when they had shown partiality in discharging the prescribed duties of their office.