Malachi 2:1-12: a reflection

1“Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says the LORD of Armies, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart. 3Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. 4You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says the LORD of Armies. 5“My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name. 6The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity. 7For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of Armies. 8But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Armies. 9“Therefore I have also made you contemptible and wicked before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law. 10Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12The LORD will cut off the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob and him who offers an offering to the LORD of Armies.

Through Malachi, God delivers a sharp rebuke to the priests of his day, who had failed in their calling. They were meant to be messengers of the LORD, keeping knowledge on their lips, teaching the people God's truth, and turning many from sin. God recalls the ideal in the faithful Levite of old: the law of truth was in his mouth, and he walked with God and turned many from iniquity. But these priests had turned aside, corrupted the covenant, and, worst of all, caused many to stumble by their unfaithfulness. Those set apart to lead people to God had led them astray.

Notice the weight of the responsibility God lays on those who lead and teach in his name. The priests were his messengers; their lips were to keep knowledge; they were to turn people from sin. This is a high calling, and with it comes a solemn accountability: to lead people rightly, not to cause them to stumble. God's rebuke is sharp precisely because their failure had led many astray. Those who represent and teach God bear a heavy responsibility for those they influence.

That is a sobering word for any who teach, lead, or influence others in the things of God, whether as parents, teachers, leaders, or simply as those others look to. Such a role carries real responsibility: to keep and speak the truth, to lead people toward God and not away, to be careful not to cause others to stumble. It is a high calling and a solemn accountability. If God has given you influence over others in spiritual things, take the responsibility seriously. Guard the truth, live it faithfully, and be careful how you lead, for you will give account for those you influence. Lead people toward God, as the faithful Levite did, and do not cause them to stumble.

Lord, through Malachi you rebuked the priests who had failed their calling, corrupting the covenant and causing many to stumble, and you recalled the faithful Levite whose lips kept truth and who turned many from sin. Make me faithful in whatever influence you give me over others in spiritual things. If I teach, lead, parent, or am simply one others look to, help me take the responsibility seriously: to keep and speak your truth, to lead people toward you and not away, to be careful not to cause anyone to stumble. It is a high calling and a solemn accountability; I will give account for those I influence. Guard me from leading anyone astray. Help me, like the faithful Levite, to walk with you and turn people toward you, keeping truth on my lips. Make me a faithful influence, for your sake and theirs.