Old Testament: Mal 2.13–15

To read the Bible in a year, read Malachi on December 31, In the year of our Lord Christ 2021

By Don Ruhl 

God was not receiving the emotional and seemingly sincere worship of the Jews. They wanted to know why. He told them something that they obviously did not realize and he also told them why he created marriage: 

And this is the second thing you do:
You cover the altar of the LORD with tears,
With weeping and crying;
So He does not regard the offering anymore,
Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.
Yet you say, “For what reason?”
Because the LORD has been witness
Between you and the wife of your youth,
With whom you have dealt treacherously;
Yet she is your companion
And your wife by covenant.
But did He not make them one,
Having a remnant of the Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

– Malachi 2.13–15 

See how they acted in worship. Yet, the Lord was not impressed. Why? He revealed that he saw how they treated their wives treacherously. How would it affect you for you to see one of your children treat one of your other children treacherously, and then that first child comes to you and expresses his deep love for you? 

You would have a hard time believing and accepting it, because of how he treated his brother. God is the same way. 

Then he revealed further that God made the male and the female one in marriage that godly offspring might come from that union. However, by divorcing and the other things that they were doing, it had a terrible affect on the children. 

Questions: 

• Is it wrong to be emotional in worship? 
• If if is not wrong, then what is wrong according to Malachi? 

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