A Call to Pure Priests
Malachi 2“And now, this commandment is for y’all, O priests. If y’all will not listen, and y’all will not take it to heart to give glory to my name,” says YHWH Almighty, “then I will send a curse on y’all, and I will curse y’all’s blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because y’all do not take it to heart. See, I will rebuke y’all’s offspring, and I will spread dung on y’all’s faces, the dung from y’all’s feasts, and y’all will be taken away with it. Y’all will know that I have sent this commandment to y’all, so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says YHWH Almighty.
“My covenant with him was one of life and peace. I gave them to him that he would be reverent toward me, and indeed he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of the priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek the instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of YHWH Almighty. But y’all have turned away from the path. Y’all have caused many to stumble in the law. Y’all have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says YHWH Almighty. “Therefore I have also made y’all despised and humiliated before all the people, because y’all have not kept my ways, but have had shown partiality in matters of the law.
Breaking the Covenant of Divorce
Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we act unfaithfully, each against his brother, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable things has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has profaned the sanctuary YHWH loves by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. As for the man who does this, who awakes and answers, YHWH will cut him off from the tents of Jacob, though he presents an offering to YHWH Almighty.
“Another thing y’all do: y’all cover the altar of YHWH with tears, weeping and groaning because ʜᴇ no longer regards the offering or receives it favorably from your* hand. Yet y’all ask, ‘Why?’ It is because YHWH has been is a witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your companion and the wife of your covenant. No one who has a remnant of the Spirit does this. What did that one do when he was seeking an offspring of God? Therefore pay attention to y’all’s spirit, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. For the man who hates and divorces”, says YHWH, the God of Israel, “covers his garment with violence!” says YHWH Almighty. “So pay attention to y’all’s spirit and do not be unfaithful.”
The Refiner’s Fire
Y’all have wearied YHWH with your* words. Yet y’all say, “How have we wearied him?”
Because y’all say, “Everyone who does evil is good in eyes of YHWH, and ʜᴇ delights in them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”