Unfaithfulness in Marriage… (5 things)

• 1^st – The covenant… vs. 10
  • 1^st – Having addressed the unfaithful priests – the Lord turns His attention to the people…
    • We are all children of the same Father – the ONE God who created us all…
    • The simple but profound truth that we are all united under one Creator!
    • A great proof text to refute racism of any type  – we are all equal – with one father!
    • Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
  • 2^nd – But what happens when we forget / reject the One who created us…
    • We profane / break the covenant of the fathers – and are faithless to each other…
    • The covenant of the fathers – in the context of the passage – is marriage!
    • Marriage is a crucial covenant – meant to help us understand the Love of God…
    • Marriage is not some convention / idea of men – it is something God GAVE to men…
    • It was a covenant He gave to man BEFORE sin entered the world – Genesis 2:24
    • God can say He loves us – but what exactly does that mean…
    • To define His love – He calls us his kids – He calls us His bride!
    • Therefore marriage impacts our understanding of the Love of God…
    • That is why satan makes such an effort to attack and destroy marriages…
    • If the marriage covenant is broken – our understanding of the Love of God is damaged!

• 2^nd – WHO they married… vs. 11-12
  • 1^st – Judah / Jerusalem had dealt treacherously – committed an abomination…
    • The people broke / profaned the HOLINESS (Kadosh) of marriage – which God loves!
    • By marrying daughters of a foreign god – women who worshiped pagan deities!
    • Deuteronomy 7:3 – Under no circumstances was Israel allowed to marry pagans…
    • The danger was if they married into these nations – they would worship their gods…
    • The example of Solomon – I Kings 11:14 – whose pagan wives turned him from the Lord!
    • II Corinthians 6:14  – “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.”
    • A powerful warning – never consider marrying an unbeliever – missionary dating…
    • People will either draw us closer to – or father away from Jesus!
  • 2^nd – We have seen this compromising attack on marriage take a dark turn in recent years…
    • As society has rejected the creator – the very definition of gender has been challenged…
    • We see people today questioning the design of the creator – there is no non-binary!
    • Genesis 1:27 – “God created man in His own image… male and female He created them.”
    • The attack has gone on to question WHO people can marry – ‘love wins’…
    • We are pressured today to accept homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle…
    • There are even some churches that are ordaining homosexual pastors…
    • Society tries to argue people are born that way (no scientific evidence)!
    • And we can expect it to get worse – people will marry pets / trees (already happened)!
  • 3^rd – The Lord would cut off those who committed this abomination…
    • Those who were AWAKE / AWARE – they knew what they were doing was wrong…
    • AND not only SINNED – they were hypocritically still going to the Temple to offer sacrifices!
    • Judges 21:25 – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
    • The world is not ignorant in their choices – no man has an excuse – Romans 1:20-21
    • Men know God exists – and know what He expects – but willfully choose to ignore it…
    • They go so far as to hide/deny what they know – because they prefer their sin!
    • They try and avoid anything to do with God – some even try and deny God even exists…
    • Because by denying God – they can fool themselves into denying their sin!
    • Psalms 14:1 – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

• 3^rd – HOW LONG they were married… vs. 13-16
  • 1^st – People came crying to the altar – but the Lord would not accept their sacrifices… vs. 13-14
    • The reason God would not accept them – because they broke their wedding vows…
      • Thinking marriage was not for life – men were getting divorced!
      • The people had been disloyal to the wives of their youth…
      • Their companion (only used here in the OT) – the word speaks of friendship…
      • Since God had made them one – how could someone who had HIS Spirit break that up!
    • God joined (friendship / spiritually) – literally glued – a man to his wife – Mark 10:9
      • If you take two pieces of wood – and super glue them together – then rip them apart…
      • They might separate – but not cleanly – they splinter – the separation damages both!
      • When a marriage is broken – it tears apart the hearts of both the husband and wife…
      • Divorce is not clean – it rips apart something that was never meant to separate…
      • What God has glued together – no man (including us) should take apart!
      • Men and women divorce – because they think it is going to make them happier…
      • More often than not because they have met someone else who makes them happy…
      • And at first it might seem like a good answer – we put our best faces on at first…
      • But over time they find they left one sinner – only to marry another sinner!
  • 2^nd – God desires Godly children to come from the marriage… vs. 15
    • A healthy Godly marriage produces children who love the Lord…
      • God calls parent to be the example to their children of how to follow the Lord…
      • Our children are watching – learning – and we get to be an example for them…
      • Taking the time – making the time – to teach them about Jesus – Ephesians 6:4
      • Not missing the most important ministry God has given to us – our family!
    • But when there is divorce it cripples the impact of the Love of God…
      • Even secular society recognizes the immense benefits of a stable marriage!
      • APA – In Western Cultures – More than 90 percent of people marry by age 50….
      • Healthy marriages are good for couples mental and physical health…
      • They are also good for kids – growing up in a happy home protects children…
      • However – about 40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce!
      • 43% of children growing up in America today are being raised without their fathers!
      • Marriage impacts our childrens understanding of the LOVE of God…
      • The greatest gift you could ever give to your kids is to love each other!
  • 3^rd – God HATES divorce… vs. 16
    • Is it no wonder that God says He HATES divorce – He likens it to an act of violence!
      • Therefore LISTEN to the SPIRIT – and be loyal to the wife of your youth!
      • While the Law of Moses did allow for a certificate of Divorce – Deuteronomy 24:1
      • The Law did not specify for what reasons Divorce was allowed…
      • The New Testament qualifies ONLY 3 reasons when divorce is permissible!
    • 1^st – Death – If your spouse dies – you can remarry – Romans 7:2
      • Note – you are not allowed to kill your spouse so you can remarry
    • 2^nd – Sexually immorality – adultery – Matthew 19:9
      • The word is (pornia) – carrying the idea of ongoing deviant sexual behavior…
      • Adultery is any physical relationship outside the covenant of marriage…
      • Why only adultery– it is a violation of trust that is almost impossible to overcome!
      • But even with adultery there is hope – Jesus can still restore a shattered marriage…
      • I know amazing godly couples where both had adulterous affairs…
      • Divorce is not required if there is adultery – just allowed!
    • 3^rd – Abandonment – if an unbelieving spouse leaves permanently – I Corinthians 7:15
      • Note the believing spouse is not permitted to abandon the marriage…
      • But if the unbelieving spouse leaves – the believing spouse is free to remarry in the Lord!
    • 4^th – What if we have been divorced for ANOTHER reason…
      • The most common cause for divorce today is irreconcilable differences – not Biblical…
      • ANYTIME you put two sinners together there are going to be irreconcilable differences!
      • But divorce is not an unforgivable sin – and God can take beauty from the ashes…
      • But there are consequences – broken hearts / the challenge of blended families!
      • The thing to remember is that divorce is NEVER the best option!
      • Not that God wants us to be miserable – He wants us to have GREAT marriages!
      • The best marriages are not based on feelings / attraction / or commitment…
      • These things are not consistent – because we are not consistent…
      • We get cranky / have bad days / we get old and wrinkly / not always committed…
      • The one constant we can build a lifelong marriage on is Jesus – Hebrews 13:8

• 4^th – Calling good evil… vs. 17
  • 1^st – The people had wearied the Lord with their words…
    • In seeking to justify their actions – marrying pagans / getting divorced…
      • They went so far as to say – everyone who does EVIL is GOOD in the sight of the Lord!
      • God must delight in this EVIL – because God had not judged them!
    • Sadly this is the state of our nation today…
      • Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life…
      • There no longer a stigma attached to divorce – seen as an unavoidable rite of passage…
      • Young adults want their initial marriage to last – but are not particularly optimistic…
      • Young people are moving toward embracing the idea of serial marriage…
      • Where a person gets married multiple times – a different partner for each phase of life!
      • Heaven forbid we apathetically accept divorce as an inevitable part of life!
      • Or allow society to redefine marriage as if it is theirs to rewrite as they wish!
      • We need to protect marriage – understand its crucial place in the plan of God!

Revelation 20:12 – “Both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened… and [they] were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done.”

5^th – Unable to stand… vs. 1-6

1^st – Who is the messenger… vs. 1

Side note – chapter breaks are not Biblical…

You will notice we have not been teaching Malachi along chapter lines…

The chapter breaks in Malachi are not particularly good ones…

The Bible was divided into chapters in 1227 / into verses in 1555…

They are very useful – but they are not divinely inspired!

The people thought God was not going to judge them for breaking their vows…

But judgment was most definitely coming – and the time to repent was limited…

So God would send His messenger (Malachi) to prepare the way before He came…

The messenger is a reference to John the Baptist – who came to prepare the way for Jesus…

Mark 1:2 – “I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.”

John reminded the people they were sinners – so they would see their need for Jesus!

Time to be a messenger!

The up and coming Millennial Generation  – represents 50% of the worlds population…

They are a generation that grew up with Google – and think they have all the answers…

They get their identity from group connectivity – social media – the majority rules…

They have been indoctrinated into a world where there are no moral absolutes…

They distrust marriage – and organized religion – believing tolerance is supreme!

If we are not willing to be THE MESSANGER and tell them the truth – who will…

It is easy for people to think they are right when they only talk to those who agree…

Out job is to lovingly tell them they are wrong – VERY wrong!

 Romans 3:4 – “Let God be true but every man a liar…”

2^nd – Who can endure… vs. 1-5

The Jews were seeking the Messiah – and the were delighted in the idea of Him coming…

But that was because they thought He would come to conquer their enemies…

Yet when Jesus first came He did not come to conquer nations – He came to conquer sin!

Often we miss the work God is doing – because we are looking for something else…

Looking for God to provide – we miss the blessing of being dependent on Him…

Looking for God to heal – we miss the grace He wants to give in the suffering!

II Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is enough, My strength made perfect in weakness.”

Rather than coming to God with expectations – we need to come with an open heart!

The Lord will come SUDDENLY to His Temple…

Jesus will come AGAIN – Revelation 19:1 – when He does WHO will be able to stand…

When the lord comes there are two possibilities of what will happen…

JESUS will be like a refining fire – purifying those who fear the Lord…

He will purify the sons of Levi / Priests – so they can serve the Lord in righteousness…

Then the offerings in Jerusalem will be pleasant and acceptable to the Lord…

The solution to the unfaithful priests from chapter 1 – the coming of the Lord!

In the Philippines one of Jens favorite dishes to cook – was banana bread…

But you have to keep it in the oven for just the right amount of time…

As hot as it is inside – if you remove it to soon – its just a sloppy mess!

No one likes to be in the fire – the refiners furnace is a very unpleasant place…

While we have the guarantee that God will deliver us from our trials – Psalm 34:19

When God says He will deliver us – He does not always mean right now…

Because as much trouble as we might be in – as hot as things might get…

If He takes us out to soon – we will end up still being a sloppy mess…

It takes time in the fire to make us complete – teach us to depend on Jesus!

I Peter 1:7 – “These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure.” 

JESUS will be like intense bleach – washing away all who rebel against the Lord…

He will bring swift WITNESS – because nothing is hidden from Him – Hebrews 4:13

He will be against Sorcerers – those who practice the occult – horoscopes…

Adulterers / lairs (perjurers) / those who exploit their employees – widows – orphans…

Those who do not help out strangers (aliens) – because these people do not fear God!

Proverbs 9:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom!”

A partial list to show – those who practice sin – are in VERY REAL danger of judgment!

3^rd – God does not change… vs. 6

The people thought maybe God had changed…

God no longer cared about who they married – if they stayed married…

But the only reason that God can not consumed Jacob – was BECAUSE He does not change…

He would hold true to His Word – a remnant of Israel would be saved…

But that in no way excuses their actions – or removed the certainly of judgment!

Just because God has not judged yet – does not mean God will not judge…

God is patient – longsuffering – giving time to repent and turn back to Him…

God waits to punish sin only because He loves the sinner – II Peter 3:9

God is patient – longsuffering – to give time to repent and turn back to Him…

But for those who harden their hearts / not to repent – sin will bring judgment!