SESSION 13 Faithful - Clover Sitesstorage.cloversites.com/newhopebaptistchurch/documents/13studentguide.pdf · DATE OF MY BIBLE STUDY:SESSION 13: FAITHFUL 131 131 /LIH:D\ WE SIGN

SESSION 13

FaithfulRejection of God’s covenant of life and peace results in experiencing corruption and death.

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WE SIGN OUR NAMES TO CONTRACTS. WE CLICK ON THE “I AGREE” BUTTON TO ABIDE BY THE TERMS OF USE. WE MIGHT EVEN RESORT TO THE AGE-OLD PRACTICES OF A HANDSHAKE OR A VERBAL PROMISE. BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE: ENTERING INTO AGREEMENTS IS A BIG PART OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES.

As consumers, we understand that certain obligations fall upon us when we enter into financial agreements. But the same is true when we purchase a ticket or download computer software. Failure to fulfill an agreement’s terms usually brings consequences. The fine print is what can get a rowdy person removed from a plane before takeoff or get a misbehaving fan escorted from the sports arena.

The Lord laid down the terms of His covenant relationship with Israel at the start. In the Ten Commandments, He set the foundation (see Exodus 20:1-20). The rest of the law describes finer points as well as gives examples of the covenant’s application in real-life scenarios (see Exodus 23:1-9). The problem in Malachi’s time, as at other times, wasn’t that the people didn’t know the terms of the covenant. The problem was that they ignored its terms. They willfully broke the covenant, putting themselves in danger of its consequences.

Yet, the temptation to break faith with the Lord isn’t confined to the Old Testament. Christ-followers live under the new covenant of grace and spiritual freedom. We too must guard our hearts diligently, so that we won’t be led astray by sin’s deception (see Hebrews 3:13).

THE PROBLEM IN

MALACHI’S TIME,

AS AT OTHER TIMES,

WASN’T THAT THE

PEOPLE DIDN’T

KNOW THE TERMS

OF THE COVENANT.

THE PROBLEM WAS

THAT THEY IGNORED

ITS TERMS.

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MALACHI 2:10-1710 Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the Lord’s sanctuary, which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 To the man who does this, may the Lord cut off any descendants from the tents of Jacob, even if they present an offering to the Lord of Hosts. 13 And this is another thing you do: you cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning, because He no longer respects your offerings or receives them gladly from your hands. 14 Yet you ask, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have acted treacherously against her, though she was your marriage partner and your wife by covenant. 15 Didn’t the one God make us with a remnant of His life-breath? And what does the One seek? A godly offspring. So watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 “If he hates and divorces his wife, ” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously. 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” When you say, “Everyone who does what is evil is good in the Lord’s sight, and He is pleased with them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”

Think About It

Circle the adverb

Malachi used

repeatedly to

define the people

of Israel’s sin:

(see vv. 10,11,14,15,16).

List the situations in

which the prophet

observed this sin

being committed in

everyday life.

(see vv. 11,14,17)

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UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

In 1:5–2:9, Malachi’s prophecies focused primarily on the spiritual failures of Judah’s priests. In 2:10-17, the prophet broadened his focus to the people of Judah and the ways in which the community as a whole fell short of the Lord’s expectations. Malachi repeatedly used a term in 2:10-17 that means “to act treacherously or unfaithfully” (see 2:10,11,14,15,16). The prophet Isaiah used the same Hebrew word when he declared, “The treacherous act treacherously; the treacherous deal very treacherously” (Isaiah 24:16c). In other words, unfaithful actions give evidence of disloyalty in people’s hearts. Bad character gives rise to bad living.

Malachi pointed out three sinful practices that were present in the community. Evidently, these practices were widespread. First was the lingering practice of idolatry along with other immoral behavior. The prophet described the practice in terms of the nation of Judah being married to the daughter of a foreign god (see Malachi 2:11).

The second sinful practice that revealed the people’s treacherous hearts was infidelity in marriage (see 2:14). Many husbands were divorcing their wives to whom they had been betrothed since they were young. In the Lord’s eyes, such an action amounted to abandoning not only a precious wife but also the Lord’s covenant.

A third sinful practice involved the people accusing the Lord of injustice (see 2:17). Their words and actions betrayed an unholy attitude. They complained, in effect, that evildoers were OK in God’s sight. They questioned whether the Lord was a just God. The prophet Malachi warned the people to guard their spirit diligently, so that they would not continue to live in such disobedience (see 2:16b).

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EXPLORE THE TEXT

IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR (Malachi 2:10-12)

Scripture teaches that there is only one true and living God. He has revealed Himself in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. When Malachi asked if it was the case that we all have one Father and Creator, he was not referring to all human beings. Neither was he implying that all the world’s religions lead to the same place. Rather, he was addressing the covenant community of Israel. The First Commandment expressed the cornerstone of their covenant relationship: “Do not have other gods besides Me” (Exodus 20:3). Love for the one and only God in turn created a bond of unity among one people, the people of the covenant.

The prophet Malachi confronted the people of his day with a sobering question: How can people who claim to worship the one, true living God act treacherously against one another? The apostle John sternly challenged Christ-followers with the same truth in 1 John 4:20: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen.”

The people of Judah had broken faith with God by not keeping His Commandments. Contrary to the covenant, some Israelite men had married foreign wives who worshiped idols. This practice was expressly forbidden in Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The danger of intermarrying with idol-worshiping peoples was obvious: God’s people would become entangled in idolatry themselves. To do so would be an act of spiritual profanity against a Holy God.

What instruction concerning the marriage relationship can followers of Christ take from this verse?

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Israelites who married into idol-worshiping families were in danger of cutting themselves off from the covenant community. No sacrifice could make such behavior right in the Lord’s eyes. Righteousness can’t be bought with offerings (see Psalm 51:16-17).

THE MARRIAGE COVENANT

REAFFIRMED (Malachi 2:13-16)

Some of the Israelites whom Malachi addressed were passionately pleading with God to accept their sacrifices. But God rejected their sacrifices. These worshipers were quick to blame God for their trials and difficulties. They never thought to look honestly at themselves.

The people of Judah claimed ignorance in the face of the Lord’s accusation. They asserted that they had no clue of the reason He rejected their offerings. However, the answer was not long in coming. The problem lay in the broken state of their marital relationships. Husbands were abandoning their wives—women to whom they had been married for many years. In all likelihood, the sin these men committed was a double transgression. That is, they put away their Israelite wives to marry foreign, idol-worshiping women.

Malachi reminded his hearers that the Lord is present when believing couples enter covenant marriage. He is the Supreme Witness of the promises they make to each other. Therefore, to break covenant with one’s spouse is to break covenant with God. The Lord’s plan is for husbands and wives to live faithfully with each other and with Him.

In what ways does an unwillingness to follow God’s design for marriage point to a greater spiritual problem?

Bible translations differ in their renderings of verse 15, especially in the first half of it. However, the gist seems to be that the bond of

KEY DOCTRINE: Covenant Marriage

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a covenant commitment for a lifetime.

“ENDURE

SUFFERING AS

DISCIPLINE: GOD

IS DEALING WITH

YOU AS SONS.

FOR WHAT SON

IS THERE THAT

A FATHER DOES

NOT DISCIPLINE?”

—HEBREWS 12:7

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unity between a believing husband and wife rests on the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit unites the couple in covenant, so that children they raise also will come to know the one, true God.

Malachi declared that the connection between the marriage relationship and a couple’s faith relationship with God is deep and meaningful. This is not to say that marriage in itself has any saving power. We’re saved by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ (see Ephesians 2:8-9). Moreover, Jesus taught that in the resurrection life God’s people do not marry (see Matthew 22:30). In this life, however, nothing mirrors Christ’s relationship with His church more closely than the relationship of a believing husband and wife (see Ephesians 5:22-32).

In what ways should a strong marriage mirror Christ’s relationship with His church?

Malachi warned the people of God to diligently guard their hearts in the matter of marriage relationships. Acting unfaithfully toward a spouse can deeply wound the spirits of many others, including children, extended family members, and friends, as well as brothers and sisters in the faith. Most importantly, unfaithfulness offends the Lord.

Malachi used a striking analogy to describe what husbands in his day were doing. The analogy depicts that divorcing husbands either were staining their garments—that is, their lives—with treachery or they were trying to cover their sinfulness with a garment—that is, to hide it from God. In either picture, the result is the same. These husbands were breaking faith with their wives and with the God of the covenant.

In what ways can young adults uphold God’s ideal for marriage, whether married or not?

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GOD BRINGS JUSTICE (Malachi 2:17)

Malachi confronted the people of Judah with yet another sinful practice that profaned the covenant and polluted the life of the community. They accused the Lord of being unjust! They complained that He approved of evildoers and never acted on their behalf.

Coming from a people who committed treachery in their worship and marriage relationships, this accusation was both shocking and absurd. It was also a dangerous accusation, in that it invited God’s disciplinary judgment (see Malachi 3:1-6). To accuse a holy and just God of delighting in evil fell perilously close to what Jesus referred to as blasphemy of the Spirit (see Matthew 12:31-32).

Malachi warned the people of his day that they had wearied the Lord with such words. Of course, God never gets weary in the sense that His strength weakens (see Isaiah 40:28). Rather, this verse teaches that our disobedience can push the limits of God’s patience. In His sovereign wisdom, He then acts to discipline and refine His people.

List some realities in today’s world that cause some people to ask, “Where is God?” How can 2 Peter 3:9-13 help believers answer the question?

Bible Skill: Use multiple Bible passages to understand a principle.

Along with Malachi 2:13-16, search the following Bible passages concerning the nature and importance of the marriage relationship: Genesis 2:22-25; Proverbs 5:15-20; Matthew 19:8-12; and Ephesians 5:24-27. Take note of your findings.

How do these passages help you better understand Malachi’s message to the people of his day?

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OBEY THE TEXT

God’s people are to live holy and pure lives, reflected in the keeping of marriage commitments. God’s people are to remain faithful to Him by giving God their very best and by living in accord with His ways. We can be sure of God’s justice and discipline when we disobey Him.

List some ways young adults can demonstrate God’s character daily.

How can your Bible study group hold one another accountable for giving their best—without being judgmental? Discuss with your group where the line is between accountability and judgment.

What factors might keep us as Christ-followers from humbly recognizing God’s discipline for our disobedience? How can we address those factors?

Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? —Malachi 2:10

MEMORIZE

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Use the space provided to make observations and record prayer requests during the group experience for this session.

MY THOUGHTSRecord insights gained and questions to discuss during the group experience.

MY PRAYERSList specific prayer needs and answers to remember this week.

MY MISSIONAcknowledge ways you will obey God’s Word this week.

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