The version used is KJV
Priming questions & background
- I raised the question on blasphemy in my previous email.
- how do we reconcile 2:11 vs 2:14. Are the Israelites marrying daughters of foreign god and then divorcing them? Is a gentile bride, still a wife of the covenant? Or there is another interpretation?
- around verse 17. Is that a violation of the 3rd commandment? As we look to application, can we relate to how we attribute the 3rd commandment in modern society? Specifically, is it OK for me to attribute the wrong nature to God, while I maintain the societal norm of not taking God's name in vain (like in using any of His name in my curses etc.)
Connecting back
There is connection back to Ezra and Nehemiah in the profaning of the sanctuary or turning towards God cleansing of the errors called out in Malachi.
- [Ezra9:2] For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
- [Ezra10:3] Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
- [Ezra10:17] And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
- [Neh10:30] And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
- [Neh13:23-31] In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab and on..
One Father
[Mal2:10] The reference to one father could point to Abraham (with root word ab means father). [Isa51:2] asks Israel to look to Abraham your father. It could also point, following the next part of the verse, our Creator, God the Father. The use of God as Father is seen in - [Isa9:6] The everlasting Father and the Mighty God - [Psa89:26] Thou art my Father, my God and the rock of my salvation - [Isa63:16] Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting. - [Isa64:8] O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter;
Profaning the sancturary of the LORD
As God doesnt like mixing seeds and had specifically warned the Israelites not to whore after other gods, one of the main message He had given, as far back as they were about to enter the promised land, [Deu22:9] has the practical advise of not mixing seeds, with spiritual implications. [Deu7:2-4] gives the warning to not make any covenants or marry the daughters nor their sons. [Deu32] in the song of Moses, is the warning and the curses that befell when the Israelites turned away from God. [Num31:16] points to Balaam who enticed the Israelite men to sin by going after the daughter of Midianites. This continues in the times of Judges and is highlighted the best by the fall of Solomon. Nehemiah says it best - [Neh13:26] Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
The sin is turning away from the covenant the fathers made with LORD, their God. This included
- treating every man and their brothers treacherously
- ideologically and spiritually marrying foreign god
Prayers and offerings hindered
In addition, since they had violated the most holy covenant first established in [Gen2:18-25] between a man and his bride in front of God, their offerings were not being accepted. The Hebrew word khavereth for companion is only used in this verse [Mal2:14] in all of OT. There is also a hint provided on the sacredness of this covenant in [Mal2:15], which is to be blessed with holy offsprings, who will go on to worship God. This importance of being in union with your bride, takes me back to [1Pe3:7] Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you[fn] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
PS: KJV uniqueness
Here are some unique things only available in KJV.
| Verse | KJV | ESV |
|---|---|---|
| [Mal2:12] | The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. | May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts! |
| [Mal2:16] | For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. | “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her,[fn] says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” |
The KJV version of [Mal2:12] is more appropriate given the reference in [Mal2:9] where God tells the Levites that He will make them contemptible and base before all the people. [Mal2:16] can both be inferred to refer to either covering unfaithfulness or unfaithfulness covering them.
Application
A man cant live a compartmentalized life. I cant be just married to a believer - thereby not violating the command of God to not marry a daughter of strange god, but treat my bride with injustice/faithlessness/deciet and be offensive. This will not work, per what I read. Similarly, I cant expect to be a good husband by providing for my family, loving my wife, not cheating on her and so on; but not repenting and nearing close to God every day. That will not work either.
I need to realize that all of Scriptures need to be taken at their Word, read and interpreted in their context and co-text, without any of my own subtexts; when I hit a logical inconsistency I need to realize that I am studying the mind of the Eternal God with my finite capacity.
I need to watch for not becoming a Pharisee or a Saducee. As history has taught, the current Rabbinic tradition of Talmudic and Kabalaic Judaism came after the temple came down in 70AD, with the sect of Pharisees. The tradition of outright rejection of Christ came from this, which exists to this day. The Saducees were the priest class that came from about the post-Maccabeean period, until the fall of the temple. The word Saduccee comes from the root word Zadok, the priest in the time of Solomon. The greek word, Saducee comes from Hebrew Zadoki - the righteoous/upright ones. So much for how that term came to be regarded during the 1st century AD.
I pray, to LORD God that He will keep searching my heart and my mind to not have any other desire but of Him, so I dont fall into the behavior of what these ancients did - to not think too highly of my piety or my relation with God or become indifferent due to worldly busyness (even if its only to focus on my ministry for you God).
I also have to watch out for false attribution of characteristics to God. If I dont understand the concepts like common grace or the fact that God can use anyone to bring about His end, I might be mistakingly attributing soverignity to the wrong god or attributing wrong characteristics to LORD God of this Universe. The OT and the stories are a testament of what to watch out for. This just means I have to study the Word of God more earnestly, revering His name above all names and serving only Him as my Master.