Malachi 2

Malachi 2:1-17

SERMON #9. Treachery Text: Malachi 2:1-17 Subject: The Treachery of False Prophets Date: Sunday Evening — August 23, 2009 Introduction: My subject is . The 2nd chapter of Malachi’s prophecy is a scathing denunciation of treachery. Here the Lord God denounces the treacherous deeds of men and emphatically declares that he will turn their treachery upon their own heads. The treachery spoken of in these 17 verses, that are boiling with the anger of God, is far worse than… The civil treachery of a traitor, The political treachery of self-serving politicians, Or the domestic treachery of a husband or wife who destroys the lives of their family to gratify their own lusts. The treachery here denounced by our God is treachery in the pulpit, the treachery of religious leaders, the treachery of that man who is supposed to be “the messenger of the Lord of hosts,” but is instead the minister of Satan. (Zephaniah 3:4) “Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.” (Hosea 5:7) “They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.” (Hosea 6:7) “But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.” The Lord God has promised that he will give his church pastors after his own heart, pastors who will feed his people with knowledge and understanding (Jeremiah 3:15). But Satan constantly seeks to fill the pulpits of churches with treacherous men.

The prophet specifically tells us that God’s message here is addressed to treacherous preachers, treacherous men who are supposed to be God’s messengers (Malachi 2:1; Malachi 2:7). (Malachi 2:1) “And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.” (Malachi 2:7) “For 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 hosts.” The Lord’s word here is to apostate priests, men who have willingly departed out of the way (Malachi 2:8), men who forsook the Word of God and the glory of God, and led the people to do so. — They corrupted God’s covenant (v.8), “the covenant of Levi” (Christ). They rejected the covenant of grace. They tried to make the purpose of God void. They despised the gospel, and tried to frustrate the grace of God. THEIR Their treachery is that while departing from the worship of God and corrupting the covenant, corrupting the gospel, they pretend that they are faithfully serving the Lord; but they are partial in dealing with his Word and constantly profane his covenant, setting the thoughts of men for the Word of God and mixing the works of men with the work of God (Malachi 2:9-10). (Malachi 2:9-10) “Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. (10) Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” In their self-serving treachery, the priest led Judah to deal treacherously with her God and taught Israel to commit abominations in the house of God (Malachi 2:11). (Malachi 2:11) “Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.” Throughout the Scriptures the treachery of priest and prophets in dealing with God’s people is compared, as it is here in Malachi 2 (Malachi 2:11; Malachi 2:15), with the treachery of a man against his wife, when he puts her away for another. False prophets, marrying the daughter of a strange god, profane God’s holiness (Malachi 2:11; Proverbs 5:18-20; Isaiah 52:5). (Proverbs 5:18-20) “Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. (19) Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. (20) And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?” The strange woman is Babylon, the harlot religion of the world described in Proverbs 7. (Isaiah 52:5) “Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.” That “holiness” referred to in Malachi 2:11, which God loves, is not the holiness of his character and being. That holiness no one can ever profane. The word “profaned” means to wound, or corrupt and defile. The “holiness” profaned by false religion and false prophets is God’s salvation, the sanctified thing that he loves. It is the gospel of God’s free salvation in Christ. These treacherous priests (preachers) are cursed of God and shall be cut off by him (Malachi 2:3; Malachi 2:12-13) because “he hateth putting away” (Malachi 2:16). (Malachi 2:3) “Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.” (Malachi 2:12-13) “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. (13) And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.” PRIESTS But are these false prophets, these treacherous preachers identified in the Book of god. Indeed, they are. Perhaps none so clearly identifies them as God’s servant Jude (Jude 1:4-19). (Jude 1:4-19) “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (5) I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. (6) And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (8) Likewise also these filthy dreamers — defile the flesh, — despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. (9) Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. (10) But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. (11) Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain , and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core (LOVE OF PRAISE AND — ENVY). (12) These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (13) Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (15) To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, — having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. (17) But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; (18) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. (19) These be they who separate themselves, — sensual, — having not the Spirit.” IN THE PULPIT By what means do these false prophets destroy themselves and destroy those who follow them? Jude tells us in the opening words of our text that it is by “speaking evil of (blaspheming) those things which they know not,” or, as he puts it in Malachi 2:9, by “speaking evil of dignities,” by blaspheming the glory, by blaspheming the glory of God revealed in the gospel. The word dignities in Jude 1:9, about which all false prophets are totally ignorant, is “glories.” They are totally ignorant of and pervert the glories of God revealed in the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). That is the treachery and abomination committed by these same men in the house of God at Jerusalem, as Malachi describes them (Malachi 2:11). They call evil good and delight themselves in the abominations they practice (Malachi 2:17). (2 Corinthians 4:3-6) “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. (6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” FIVE It is always my intention to be crystal clear. I don’t ever want people to walk away from this place wondering exactly what I have been talking about. So let me show you from the Word of God five blasphemies of all freewill/works preachers by which they destroy themselves and destroy the souls of men with blasphemous religion. They blaspheme… God’s Character The Lord Jesus The Spirit of God The Gospel of God The Righteousness of God. Their doctrine is treachery in that they blaspheme the character of God, making the eternal God a pathetic failure. As Isaiah puts it, while pretending to worship God, the “pray unto a god that cannot save” (Isaiah 45:20). Anyone who reads the Bible, with the slightest bit of interest, must see that the god of modern religion does not even faintly resemble that God who reveals himself in Holy Scripture. The god of this generation is moved by sentiment, emotion and impulse. — The God of heaven acts according to justice and the principles of holiness and righteousness. — “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne” (Psalms 89:14). The god of this generation has a will, a purpose and a desire, but his will is defeated both by men and Satan. He desires, but he cannot accomplish his desire. He wills, but he cannot perform his will. He purposes, but he cannot do what he has purposed. — The God of the Bible works all things according to the counsel of his own will and purpose. This is what God says about himself: — “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10). Today’s god has a wonderful plan for your life, if you will just fulfil the necessary requirements. — The one true and living God works in you both to will and to do according to his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:28). The god of modern-day fundamentalism has provided a remedy for sin, and it will work if only the sinner will co-operate with God. — The living God has provided a perfect righteousness and an effectual atonement for all of his elect through the righteous obedience and substitutionary death of his Son at Calvary (Hebrews 10:11-14). This is what I am saying: the god of modern religion is a puny pigmy. He is an idol. The God of the Bible is great and glorious. He is the only true God. 2 Corinthians 11 Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 11. Here Paul is warning us of those false prophets Jude describes in our text. He tells us that they are messengers of Satan who claim to be the apostles of Christ (Malachi 2:13), by whom the prince of darkness, would subtlety corrupt our minds from the simplicity that is in Christ (Malachi 2:3). And he identifies them by their message in Malachi 2:4. (2 Corinthians 11:4) “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” They blaspheme the glory of God preaching a god that cannot save; and their doctrine is treachery in that they blaspheme the glory of God by preaching “another Jesus.” — Those are not my words, but God’s. Today’s Jesus offers eternal life to as many as will let him save them. The Christ of the Bible gives eternal life to as many as the Father has given him (John 17:2). The Jesus they preach, the Christ of modern, freewill, works religion loves everybody in the universe and wants to save them all. We are told that Christ loves all men alike, desires the salvation of all men alike, and is gracious to all men alike. That makes the love, will, and grace of Christ helpless and useless. But that language cannot be applied to the Christ of the Bible. The true Christ, the Christ of the Bible, the saving Christ loves his people, wills and prays for the salvation of his people, and is gracious to his people, the people unconditionally chosen unto salvation from eternity, whom he came to save (Psalms 5:5; Psalms 7:11; Psalms 11:5; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 11:27; John 10:16; John 17:9-10; Acts 13:48; Romans 9:21-24; Ephesians 1:3-6). The Jesus of modern, freewill, works religion tries to save everyone. We are told that he offers salvation to every sinner and does everything he can to save them all; but that his offer is rejected and his work is frustrated by the will of those who refuse to come to him and be saved. The Christ of this Book does not merely offer salvation. He performs it! Grace is not an offer. It is an operation! The Son of God effectually calls to himself all his elect, his sheep, and sovereignly works salvation in them by the irresistible power and omnipotent grace of his Holy Spirit. Not one of them will be lost. Is this, or is it not the teaching of Holy Scripture? (Psalms 65:4; Psalms 110:3; Isaiah 55:11; John 5:21; John 6:37-40; John 10:3; John 10:25-30; John 17:2; Philippians 2:13) That other Jesus of Arminianism cannot regenerate and save anyone who does not first choose to be saved by him. We are told that man has a freewill, but that Christ’s will is bound by and must wait upon man’s will because it would not be right for him to violate man’s will! The true, saving Christ, the Christ of God does violate man’s imaginary freewill; and I am very thankful that he does. Had he not violated my freewill, I would be lost or in hell now! The same is true of you. He sovereignly regenerates and saves every chosen, redeemed sinner. His operations of grace are totally independent of the will and choice of the sinner. Apart from his work of grace in us, spiritually dead sinners never would or could believe on him and come to him in faith. Faith is not our contribution to the work of salvation. Our faith in him is the result, not the cause of God’s saving operations. — “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (John 3:3-7; John 6:44; John 6:65; John 15:16; Acts 11:18; Romans 2:4; Romans 9:16; Ephesians 2:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 1:29; Colossians 2:12; Hebrews 12:2). The puny, pigmy, worthless Jesus of modern, Arminian, freewill, works, man-centered religion died on the cross for everyone in the world, to make it possible for everyone in the world to be saved, but actually secured no one’s salvation by his death. We are told that Christ by his death made it possible for all men to be redeemed, justified, and saved, but that his death has no efficacy and saving power for anyone until they believe on him. Thus, we are informed that the Son of God died in vain for all who perish in unbelief. Though he tried to save them, he failed! The Christ of God is not a frustrated failure! He died for God’s elect and effectually put away our sins by the sacrifice of himself. Having satisfied the justice of God for us, he obtained eternal redemption and salvation for us. We were and are forever pardoned, justified, and sanctified by his blood (Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 53:8; Matthew 20:28; John 10:14-15; John 10:26; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:9-10; Ephesians 5:25; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Peter 3:18; Revelation 5:9-10). The helpless little Jesus of Arminianism loses many who have been saved by him because they do not hang on, hold out, or persevere to the end. Among the heretical Baptists of our day, most do grant that the sinner has what has come to be called “eternal security.” But it is not security based upon the will, work, and purpose of God in Christ. It is not security based upon the blood of Christ, or the operations of his Spirit. According to the freewiller, all these things are done for all people alike. So their doctrine of “eternal security” is a declaration of security based upon the choice and will of man, not the choice and will of God. The true Christ, the saving Christ, the Christ of the Bible preserves his chosen, redeemed, called ones by his almighty grace, so that they cannot fall away and perish at last. We are kept in life, grace, and faith by the immutability of his will, the power of his blood, the perfection of his righteousness, the efficacy of his grace, the seal of his Spirit, and the perfection of his intercession (Malachi 3:6; John 5:24; John 10:26-29; Romans 8:28-39; 1 Peter 1:2-5; Jude 1:24-25). At first glance, the Jesus of modern, Arminian, freewill, works religion may seem to closely resemble the true Christ, the Christ of Scripture. But he does not. The one is a false Christ, antichrist. The other is true, the Christ of God. One is weak and helpless, waiting upon and bowing to the will of man. The other is the sovereign Lord, who wills what he pleases and does what he will! The one is supposed to be able to save with your cooperation. The other is able to save without any cooperation on your part. His salvation produces your cooperation! Those who believe on and serve the Jesus of freewill, works religion do not believe on and serve the Christ of the Bible. They are deceived. They are lost. And they shall forever perish under the wrath of God, unless they come to know and trust the Christ of God, who saves his people from their sins by himself. We must, as we fear God and care for the souls of men, have no fellowship with and give no credibility to Arminian, freewill, works religion (2 Corinthians 6:14 to 2 Corinthians 7:1; Revelation 18:4). (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 7:1) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (Revelation 18:4) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Next, Paul tells us that these will-worshipping work mongers are treacherous in that they preach “another spirit.”The spirit they preach is nothing more than an impotent, pathetic influence for good, that tries to get sinners to “pretty please” let Jesus be their Lord and Savior. That is not the Spirit of God. God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the sovereign trinity gives life to dead sinners, effectually causing them to come to Christ in faith by sovereign, omnipotent, irresistible grace, and seals them in grace forever. Then, we read that every false prophet, every messenger of Satan, every “filthy dreamer” blasphemes the gospel and deals treacherously against the souls of men by preaching “another gospel.” The gospel of God is the declaration of free salvation in Christ alone, by grace alone, without works. The false gospel of freewill/works religion is an offer of salvation that is a mixture of… Salvation by God’s will and your will, but determined by your will. Salvation by God’s choice and your choice, but determined by your choice. Salvation by God’s grace and your works (either to justify you or to sanctify you), but determined by your works. (Galatians 1:6-9) “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 3:1-3) “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (2) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Now, read 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, and you will see a fifth blasphemy of the glory of God by which false prophets destroy themselves and destroy the souls of men. — Their doctrine is treachery in that they universally blaspheme the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” These “filthy dreamers” have nothing more vile in their dreams than the notion that men can and do perform works of righteousness, by which they make themselves righteous before God. I know of very few who are so brazen as to openly assert that a man can make himself righteous entirely by his own works. Most will insist that we must be justified by Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. But they tell us we must add to the righteousness of Christ our own righteousness. Illustration: Ted C. – The Balance Beam The “filthy dreamers” who blaspheme the glory of God will never come to him trusting Christ alone. Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and ever going about to establish their own righteousness, they will not submit to the righteousness of God that is in Christ, only in Christ, who is “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” Therefore, as Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 11:15, their “end shall be according to their works.” How quickly churches are corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ by treacherous, self serving false prophets. MTP 13th Street Campus Church Hillcrest CAUSE FOR JOY Now, turn back to Malachi 2 and I will show you our great comfort and joy. Look at Malachi 2:16 : “The Lord, the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-15). (1 Thessalonians 5:9-12) “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. (12) And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-15) “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (15) Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” This is our joy, our comfort, and the cause of our unceasing praise and gratitude to our God. He would not leave us to ourselves! Now, it is my heart’s prayer and desire to God for you that he will not leave you to yourself. It is in the light of God’s absolute sovereignty that I call upon you to come to Christ, that you may obtain mercy, just as our Lord himself does in Matthew 11. (Matthew 11:25-30) “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (26) Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (27) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The only wise course of action for any treasonous rebel in the land of an absolute sovereign is to sue for mercy. Come humble sinner, in whose breast A thousand thoughts revolve; Come with your guilt and fear oppressed, And make this last resolve. “I’ll go to Jesus, though my sins Like mountains round me close; I know his courts, I’ll enter in, Whatever may oppose. Prostrate I’ll lie before his throne, And there my guilt confess; I’ll tell him I’m a wretch undone Without his sovereign grace.” I’ll to the gracious King approach, Whose scepter pardon gives; Perhaps He may command my touch, And then the suppliant lives! Perhaps He will admit my plea, Perhaps will hear my prayer; But if I perish, I will pray, And perish only there. I can but perish if I go, I am resolved to try; For if I stay away, I know, I must forever die. But if I die with mercy sought, When I the King have tried, This were to die (Delightful thought!) — As sinner never died!” If the Lord God takes you into his arms of mercy love and grace, if he weds himself to you and weds you to him, he will never put you away; and he will never allow you to leave him, because the faithful God of Israel says, “He hateth putting away!” Amen.

Malachi 2:4-7

SERMON #8. GOD’S WITH LEVI Text: Malachi 2:4-7 Subject: The Covenant of Life and Peace Date: Sunday Evening — 2009 Introduction: My subject tonight is GOD’S WITH LEVI. Our text will be Malachi 2:4-7. Nothing in all the world is sweeter to the soul than a realization of covenant grace. It was covenant grace that sustained David on his dying bed (2 Samuel 23:5); and it was covenant grace with which the Lord God braced and fortified His people in Malachi, as He warned them of sure judgment upon a disobedient and rebellious people. Let’s read about this covenant, and pray that God the Holy Spirit, whose Word we not read, will teach us the blessedness of God’s covenant with Levi. (Malachi 2:4-7) And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. (5) My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. (6) The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. (7) For 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 hosts. All that is here said of Levi must be understood only as Levi was typical of the Lord Jesus Christ. It could never be said of any other but Christ that “iniquity was not found in His lips.” Though everything here is spoken as that which was past, that should not surprise us. In fact, it is not at all uncommon for us to read of the person and work of our Redeemer in the past tense hundreds of years before He came into this world in our flesh. Isaiah spoke of our Savior by the Spirit of prophecy, as a man despised and rejected of men and as our sin-atoning Substitute ages before He was openly crucified for us (Isaiah 53:3-10) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (7) He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (8) He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (9) And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. The Apostle John tells us that our Lord Jesus is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). As we read this blessed account of our Great Levi, the Lord Jesus Christ and all that is here revealed of God’s covenant of life and peace with Him, how we ought to rejoice. Like David of old, we ought to leap and dance before the Ark of God, our great Savior, and God’s covenant goodness to our souls in and by Him! It is with Him that Jehovah declares He made His covenant of life and peace. Indeed, the Lord God tells us that He is the whole of that covenant (Isaiah 49:8). And He with whom the covenant was and is made is the Fulfiller of it; the Messenger of it; the Administrator of it and the Preserver of all the blessings of it! We can never be sufficiently thankful to our God for His covenant and for revealing His gracious purpose to us. MY Our text opens by the Lord’s own declaration that His covenant is with Levi. (Malachi 2:4) And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. “This commandment” refers to God’s decree of judgment upon Judah spoken of in Malachi 2:2-3, His determination to destroy the physical nation of Israel, that he might save His elect out of every nation. We might have expected Him to say, “My law is with Levi.” The Levitical priesthood was altogether a legal thing. Was it not? Yet, the Lord of hosts abolished the Levitical law and made His covenant with Levi, with Christ, of whom Levi was typical. (Psalms 89:19) Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. (Romans 8:1-4) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The Urim and Thummim, the Lights and Perfections of God, are with our great, covenant Levi alone, the one spoken of in Deuteronomy 33:8 as Levi’s “Holy One.” (Deuteronomy 33:8) And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah. WITH CHRIST Next, look at Malachi 2:5. God’s covenant is for us, His elect; but it is a covenant with Christ. It is altogether between the Triune God and our blessed Covenant Surety, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Mediator. — “My covenant was with Him.” — Let’s read about this covenant. (Isaiah 49:8-12) Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. (10) They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. (11) And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. (12) Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. (Isaiah 49:16) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:22-25) Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. (23) And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. (24) Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? (25) But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. (Jeremiah 31:31-34) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: (33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (34) And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 32:36-42) And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; (37) Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: (38) And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: (39) And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: (40) And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. (41) Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. (42) For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. OF LIFE Third, we are told that this covenant made with the Lord Jesus Christ for us is a covenant of life. — “My covenant was with Him of life.” Notice that this covenant God has ordained to be with our Levi in the future, he declares was already with Him, because it is an eternal, everlasting covenant, a covenant made with Him before the world was made (Ephesians 1:3-6). (Ephesians 1:3-6) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. This covenant made with Christ from everlasting is called “a covenant of life,” because it was made with Christ the Word of life, who was with the Father from all eternity, and in time was made manifest in the flesh. He was made flesh that He might save His people from their sins, that He might save God’s elect who were ordained to eternal life. Life was promised to us and given to us in Christ before the world began. (2 Timothy 1:9-11) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (11) Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. And the Lord Jesus came into this world to lay down His life in death as our Substitute, that we might enjoy all the blessedness of life in Him and with Him forever. OF PEACE Fourth, the Lord God speaks of His covenant as a covenant of peace. — “My covenant was with him of life and peace.” It is called a “covenant of peace,” because God’s terms of peace and reconciliation were set forth in it and agreed to by the Triune God and our blessed Surety, the Lord Jesus. In that covenant ordered in all things and sure, God was in Christ reconciling His elect to Himself. The Son of God was appointed to be the Peacemaker in the eternal covenant. And in time, in consequence of His covenant engagements, He was sent to procure peace (Hebrews 10:1-14). And He made it by the blood of His cross. This covenant, we are told, was “with him” because it was made with him from all eternity, as the Head and Representative of His people. All the blessings and promises of it were put into his hands. And it stands fast with him forever. LIFE AND PEACE Now, watch this fifth thing. — “And I gave them to Him.” The Triune God gave life and peace to Christ, our Surety, in eternity that He might give life and peace to us in time. Compare this to what we read in John 17. (John 17:1-5) These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: (2) As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (5) And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Christ had the glory of His Suretyship and Mediatorship from eternity that was given to Him openly in His exaltation! This glory was His as the Lamb slain and accepted before the world was. In other words, everything He did and experienced in time on the earth, He did and experienced in Himself, in His Surety performances for us before the world began. Therefore, because of His eternal obedience as our eternal Surety, life and peace were given to Him to give to us (Psalms 21:4-5; 2 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:9-10). (Psalms 21:4-5) He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. (5) His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. (2 Timothy 1:1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, (2 Timothy 1:9-10) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (10) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Then, the Lord God gives us seven reasons for trusting Christ as our Surety and establishing His covenant with Him. The covenant stands with Him who “feared me and was afraid before my name” (Malachi 2:6). — Christ in Gethsemane fell before God the Father and wept in fear (Hebrews 5:7) as He anticipated the cup He must drink. Yet, for the joy of saving us, He went from Gethsemane to Gabbatha and to Golgotha for us! There He was broken and bruised, beaten and slain because of the name of the Lord, to satisfy His justice, fulfil His law and glorify all His perfections. (John 12:27-28) Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. (28) Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. “The law of truth was in His mouth” (Malachi 2:6). — The Gospel, the word and doctrine of truth, which comes from the God of truth, is all about Christ the truth. Chosen, redeemed sinners are taught it by the Spirit of truth. It contains and reveals the glorious truth of redemption, grace, salvation and eternal life in Christ. And this Gospel was in Christ’s mouth. (Psalms 45:1-2) To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. —— My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. (2) Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. “Iniquity was not found in His lips” (Malachi 2:6). — There was none in His nature, none in His heart, none in His lips and none in His life. Men sought to find iniquity in Him, but none was found. Devils sought to find iniquity in Him, but none was found. There was no falsehood in His doctrines, no deceit in His promises and no dissimulation in His expressions of love to us poor sinners. “He walked with Me in peace and equity” (Malachi 2:6). — The Lord Jesus walked with God as a Man, in perfect obedience to His law, fulfilling all His will, and walked with Him to death in complete peace, never once quarreling or repining. Thereby, by His willing obedience unto death, our blessed Savior accomplished righteousness and redemption for us. — And for His obedience (already accepted in eternity) God put life and peace in His hands to give to us! (John 10:16-18) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. He turned “many away from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6). — Our blessed Savior accomplished for His elect repentance, reconciliation and remission of sins. He turned us from sin, reconciled us to God and remitted our sins by the sacrifice of Himself! His lips kept knowledge. “The priest’s lips should keep knowledge” (Malachi 2:7), and our Great Levi’s lips did! — He kept the knowledge of God and His will in His lips, and poured it forth into the ears and hearts of men; and He still does! “He is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts!” — He is the Revealer of God. He is the Angel of God’s presence, the Messenger of the Covenant, that One in Whom and by Whom alone God is made known to men. This is our Savior, our all-glorious Christ, into Whose hands the Triune God has placed all things, the Surety the Triune God trusted with His Glory, His covenant and His people. (Ephesians 1:10-14) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (11) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (12) That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Amen.

Malachi 2:16

SERMON #10. “HE HATETH PUTTING AWAY.” Text: Malachi 2:16 Subject: Divine Faithfulness Introduction: “Why do you believe in eternal security?” The Purpose of God (Romans 8:29-30) The Immutability of God (Malachi 3:6) The Certainty of God’s Work (Ecclesiastes 3:14) The Efficacy of Christ’s Blood (Isaiah 42:4) The Gift of Eternal Life (John 10:28-30) The Spirit’s Seal Ephesians 4:30 And this word of promise. (Malachi 2:16) “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.” The title of my message tonight is “HE HATETH PUTTING AWAY.”As we read the scathing words of Malachi to Judah and Israel in the 2nd chapter of his prophecy, honesty compels us to take our place in the dust before our God. The reproaches of Israel are our reproaches. The crimes of Judah are our crimes. Their treachery is your treachery and mine. Their profaneness is my profaneness and yours. Will any here stand to his feet and deny that these things are so? In this chapter the Lord God issues reprimand after reprimand to his chosen, covenant people for profaning his covenant, profaning his holiness, profaning his name, profaning his altar, profaning his worship and profaning their wives and children with idolatry. Feigning devotion to the Lord, the children of Israel took to themselves heathen, idolatrous wives and corrupted the worship of Jehovah with the worship of the gods of the heathen. Covering their violence with the religious garments of their priestly office, they corrupted the worship of God. Marrying the sons and daughters of strange gods, they profaned God’s holiness (Malachi 2:11). God says, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4); but they went in unto the great whore, Babylon, dealing treacherously with the Lord and his people (2 Corinthians 6:14 to 2 Corinthians 7:1). (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Yet, even as he denounces the evil, the Lord God by his prophet, points us to our Savior, as if to say, — “Fly to Christ for refuge.” — “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” (Isaiah 32:2). He gives us relief from the distressing contemplation of our deserved judgment, by directing our hearts and minds to Christ, our covenant of peace, and our all-sufficient righteousness. Hear what God the Spirit says in this chapter about our Lord Jesus. — Levi is Christ!First, He is Jehovah’s Covenant (Malachi 2:4). Second, the Lord God has trusted his Son, our covenant Surety, with all his people and all the blessings (life and peace) of his covenant (Malachi 2:5). Third, the Lord God himself declares that Christ, our covenant Head and Surety, is holy and pure. — “The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6). Fourth, he has been and shall always be successful in his undertakings. — He “did turn many away from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6; Zechariah 3). — He did it in eternity. — He did it at Calvary. — He did it before we sinned. — He did it before he called us. — He has done it since he called us. — He does it daily (1 John 1:7; 1 John 1:9). Think with holy rapture and joy, upon these glorious credentials of our Redeemer and Mediator. Then turn once more to him, and behold him as the prophet here presents him. Our peace is through the blood of his cross. His righteousness is our righteousness; and we are “the righteousness of God in him” who was “made sin for us!” Truly, Christ is all to our souls! He is the Sum and Substance of the covenant. He is the Surety of the covenant. He is the Messenger of the covenant. He is the Message of the covenant. He is the Blessing of the covenant. He obedience unto death is the singular condition of the covenant. He is the Fulfillment of the covenant. He is the Administrator of the covenant. And he is Keeper of all the grace of the covenant here in this life, and the glory of the covenant in the life to come. In our text, the Lord distinctly speaks of the evil of men in dealing treacherously with their wives by divorce. Let me speak with unmistakable clarity: — Divorce is one of the greatest evils of modern society. It is contrary to the law of God. There can be no question about that fact. Divorce cannot be excused. It cannot be justified. It cannot be defended. But the God of all grace forgives sin, even divorce; and so do his people. And that which God has forgiven is not to be charged by us upon our brethren, or charged by you upon yourself. — “The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin!” But the treachery spoken of by God’s prophet in this place goes beyond the treachery of a man divorces his wife to take another woman or woman who divorces her husband to take another man. Malachi 2:11-16 deal with one thing: — The treachery of men toward God and toward his people. Malachi is dealing with our treachery in spiritual matters! Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love! Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above!” Throughout the Book of God, marriage is held before us as a picture of the blessed union of Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:25-30). Adam and Eve Solomon and the Shulamite Hosea and Gomer (Ephesians 5:25-30) “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” It is written, — “Thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. Thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Isaiah 54:4-5). The Lord God declares, “I am married unto you” (Jeremiah 3:14). And, blessed be his name forever, “He hateth putting away!”

With gladness of heart, our beloved Solomon espoused his elect to himself in eternal election before ever the worlds were made (Son 3:11; Proverbs 8:22-31). (Son 3:11) “Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.” The term “espoused” was well known among the Hebrews. Their espousals by promise were considered as sacred and permanent as marriage itself, though the marriage was not consummated sometimes for a long time. Joseph and Mary This espousal is used in the Word of God as a figure, to represent the spiritual union and marriage of Christ with his people (Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:19-20; Jeremiah 2:2; Jeremiah 3:14; Revelation 19:7-9). The Lord Jesus wed himself to our souls in the espousals of grace before the world began. — “Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married” (Isaiah 62:4). — And he promised that he would wed us to him in time (Hosea 2:19-20). (Hosea 2:19-20) “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. (20) I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness (MY , NOT YOURS!) : and thou shalt know the LORD.” The Lord Jesus espoused us to himself in eternity, and — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” CAME FOR HIS BRIDE In the fulness of time, the Lord Jesus Christ, our great Hosea came into this land of whoredoms and took us as a bride for himself (Hosea 1:2-3). (Hosea 1:1-3) “The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. (2) The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. (3) So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.” Hosea knew exactly what he was getting. — The Lord God told Hosea to go love a woman, not just any woman, but a fallen woman, a harlot, not just any harlot, but a particular harlot. — “So he went and took Gomer.” Hosea knew exactly what he was getting. — Why did he do that? What was the purpose of this? It was to show us a picture of God’s grace toward us. Hosea loved Gomer, — “According to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel” (Malachi 3:1). The Son of God married our nature when he took our nature into union with himself and became what we are, flesh and blood. Behold the God-man and see Divinity and humanity forever wed, forever married, forever one. — “He hateth putting away!” (Hebrews 2:14-16) “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (16) For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” The Son of God bought us with his own precious blood. He loved his church and gave himself for it. Yes, God in human flesh purchased his church with his own blood (Acts 20:28). — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” PLAYED THE HARLOT He chose us, espoused us as his bride, married himself to us, and redeemed us with his precious blood; but we were and have ever been an adulterous bride. Though espoused to God’s own dear Son, though espoused to the King of Glory, we played the harlot and loved the life of an adulterous, whoring wife! Still, our great God and Savior proved that “He hateth putting away!” (Hosea 2) “Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. (2) Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; (3) Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. (4) And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. (5) For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. (6) Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. (7) And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. (8) For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. (9) Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. (10) And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. (11) I will also cause all her mirth to cease , her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. — (I’LL DESTROY HER JOY, HER , HER HOPE, HER REFUGE OF LIES!) — (12) And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. (13) And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD. (14) Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (15) And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope (HOPE IN THE PLACE OF !): and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (16) And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (MY HUSBAND); and shalt call me no more Baali (MY MASTER). (17) For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. (18) And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely (Romans 8:28 IS THE ON THIS). (19) And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in (MY) righteousness, and in (MY) judgment, and in (MY) lovingkindness, and in (MY) mercies. (20) I will even betroth thee unto me in (MY) faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. (21) And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; (22) And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. (23) And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” He would not put us away and will not let us leave him, because — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” There will be no divorce (Isaiah 50:1), no matter what! — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” MARRIED At last, in the fulness of time, the Son of God came in omnipotent mercy and married his chosen, espoused, redeemed bride. He sweetly forces his chosen into his own arms of love and causes the one he loved with an everlasting love to love him (1 John 4:19). (1 John 4:19) “We love him, because he first loved us.” The Son of God forms a union with each of his chosen, betrothing each to himself in saving mercy. Like the Jewish husbands of old, the Lord Jesus gives the pledge and token of his love, when he gives us his Holy Spirit, when he weds us to himself (Hosea 3:1-3; Jeremiah 32:38-40). (Hosea 3:1-3) “Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. (2) So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: (3) And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.” (Jeremiah 32:38-40) “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: (39) And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: (40) And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.” Though we fall, and fall often, into shame and reproach, — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” Though we deal treacherously with him, “he abideth faithful!” — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” (Ezekiel 16:53-63) “When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: (54) That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. (55) When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. (56) For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, (57) Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about.(58) Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. (59) For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. (60) Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. (61) Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. (62) And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: (63) That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.” This marriage union is sure, because “— “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” The marriage will never be dissolved because — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” Soon, the Lord Jesus will fetch his bride to his home in heaven, where we shall forever celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:1-9), because — “The LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” (Revelation 19:1-9) “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: (2) For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. (3) And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. (4) And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. (5) And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. (6) And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (7) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (8) And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” The word “righteousness” here is plural, “righteousnesses,” because the righteousness of the saints involves two things: Imputed Righteousness and Imparted Righteousness. (9) “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” Let me show you just one more of these true sayings of God, in Revelation 14:4. — “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you deal not treacherously.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Amen.

Malachi 2:17-3

SERMON #11. BECAUSE HE HATES PUTTING AWAY Text: Malachi 2:17 to Malachi 3:6 Subject: Unconditional, Irresistible, Indestructible Grace Date: Sunday PM — October 25, 2009 Introduction: The title of my message is BECAUSE HE HATES PUTTING AWAY. In Malachi 2:16 “the Lord, the God of Israel,” declares “that he hateth putting away.” Jehovah, the triune God of Israel thereby assures his fallen, erring, sinful people that his grace is absolutely free, unconditional, irresistible, indestructible grace. Bless the Lord, O my soul! — Because “he hateth putting away” nothing can separate me from him! If the Lord God of Israel ever dealt with us, even once, as we have relentlessly and always dealt with him, we would long ago have been ruined forever. But “the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” That is the cause of his unfailing mercies upon us. It is the covenant faithfulness of God our Father, founded in his own everlasting love, engaged in his promise and his oath, to Christ our Surety, flowing to our souls from everlasting in his own precious blood and perfect righteousness! Because “the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away” he rests in his love. Oh, for grace to see the cause and adore the mercy. Where the Lord God of Israel rests, there let my soul ever rest also, not in myself, not in my experience, not in my feelings, but in God my Savior, the Triune Jehovah, the God of Israel who here declares that “he hateth putting away!” No matter how things change with me, nothing changes with him! The everlasting worth, the everlasting efficacy, of my Savior’s blood and righteousness changes not! His interest in me and my interest in him do not depend upon the varying circumstances of time and the varying vacillations of my poor, sinful heart! The Lord not only hates putting away, but he “saith that he hateth putting away!” He says it that we may know it and rejoice in it. properly esteem his unchanging love. Oh, that we who are loved of God might live in the blessed, confident assurance of this fact! — “He hateth putting away!” — “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). It is impossible to properly understand the message of Malachi 3, if we do not understand it in the context of this blessed fact, revealed in Malachi 2:16. — “The Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away!” The chapter division here is unfortunate. If I am not mistaken, it would be better to begin chapter 3 with the 17th verse of chapter 2. So let’s begin with Malachi 2:17. Our text will be Malachi 2:17 to Malachi 3:6. Because he hates putting away, because God’s grace is absolutely free, unconditional, irresistible, indestructible grace, he here tells us what he has done and will do for his elect, for Israel, his chosen, the sons of Jacob that he loves with an everlasting love. HORRID EVIL In Malachi 2:17, the prophet of God continues to describe the horrid evil committed by God’s covenant people. That is to say, he continues to describe the horrid evil you and I constantly commit against our God. — The faithful prophet never ceases to remind God’s elect that God’s mercies are completely undeserved! The faithful Gospel preacher constantly reminds his hearers that they are sinners, fully deserving God’s unmitigated wrath. Here, again, we are given reason to rejoice in the fact that — “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Psalms 103:10). (Malachi 2:17) “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” Remember, the Lord God is still addressing Judah, Israel and Jerusalem, his covenant people. He is addressing those who have dealt treacherously with him and with one another, who have profaned his holiness, profaned his altar and robbed him of his glory, — a sinful people he refused to put away, because “he hateth putting away!” How we have wearied him with our words of unbelief! — How we have wearied him with our words of broken promises and resolutions! — How we weary our God with our words, calling evil good and good evil! — How we have wearied God with our pretensions, our great swelling words, hypocritical words and acts of devotion by which we attempt to hide the evil of our hearts! “Where is the God of judgment?” — That question may suggest the idea that, though few would speak such words openly, our behavior constantly cries, “Where is the God of judgment?” (Ezekiel 8:12; Ezekiel 9:9; Psalms 10:11; Isaiah 29:13-15). (Ezekiel 8:12) “Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.” (Ezekiel 9:9) “Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.” (Psalms 10:11) “He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.”(Isaiah 29:13-15) “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: (14) Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. (15) Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” Perhaps this question is set before us here to expose that terrible tendency of our souls to distrust God’s providence. How often we are like David in Psalms 73, murmuring against our God because in our dim eyes the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous are made to suffer. That seems to be the intent of Malachi in this passage (Malachi 3:13-14). (Malachi 3:13-14) “Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? (14) Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?” JOHN THE BAPTIST Yet, because “he hateth putting away,” because he is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any of his elect should perish, because “he delighteth in mercy,” the Lord God” stands fast by his purpose and says… (Malachi 3:1) “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.” With those words, our blessed Savior assured his ancient people that he would indeed come, the woman’s promised Seed, Abraham’s Seed, David’s Son, the Shepherd of Israel would come at the time appointed, to redeem and save his people in fulfillment of his blessed covenant agreements as our Surety. “Behold, I will send my messenger; and he shall prepare the way before me!” The Lord Jesus said by his servant Isaiah, “Behold me! Behold me!” (Isaiah 65:1). Here, as he concludes the writings of the prophets, he speaks as one who is at the very door; and promises to send one more prophet to prepare his way before him. Of course, these opening words of Malachi 3 refer to John the Baptist and the ministry to which he was appointed by the Lord (Mark 1:1-8). — When the Lord God is about to come in grace, he always sends his messenger (a gospel preacher) to prepare the way before him. — Blessed are those people to whom the God of Glory sends such a messenger! (Mark 1:1-8) “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; (2) As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. (3) The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (4) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (5) And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. (6) And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; (7) And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. (8) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” THE LORD YOU SEEK Now, look at verse one again, and notice how the Lord Jesus is described. The question was raised in the previous verse, “Where is the God of judgment?” Here, the answer is given, — “The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.” Six things are stated here about the One God promised to send, our blessed Savior. He is “the Lord.” The word Lord (Adonai) here speaks of the sovereignty of God our Savior. Christ did not come to be made Lord. He came as Lord! — This name of our God, “Adonai” means “the Cause” or “the Support.” What a suitable name for our blessed Savior! He is the original cause of all things (Romans 11:36). He supports and maintains all things (Hebrews 1:3); and he upholds his saints with the right hand of his righteousness (Isaiah 41:10). Then, Malachi refers to the Lord Jesus as, “The Lord, whom ye seek.” Obviously, this is not a denial of man’s utter depravity, somehow suggesting that fallen man seeks the Lord. Here the prophet declares that at the time Christ came, at the time the Messiah appeared, his people were expecting him to appear. Anyone could add up the weeks of years spoken of by Daniel the prophet and, looking at the prophecies of the Old Testament, comparing Scripture with Scripture, understand that Messiah must appear when he did. Simeon was waiting for the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:21-35). Anna came into the Temple by the Spirit of God, because she was expecting the Lord Jesus to appear there; and he did (Luke 2:36-38). Even the Pharisees were fully convinced that the time in which they lived was the time appointed for Messiah to come. — They thought John the Baptist was the Christ. But it is a mistake to interpret the prophet’s words only in a historical way. Malachi’s word is God’s Word to you and me today, God’s Word to chosen sinners in every age and in every place. When the Lord Jesus comes to you in the mighty saving operations of his grace, he will appear suddenly as the very One you are seeking and must have (Isaiah 25:9). (Isaiah 25:9) “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Third, Malachi declares, “The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple.” What an assertion this is of his eternal Godhead. — God’s Temple is here called “his Temple.” When the Lord Jesus appeared in the Temple, he demonstrated that it was his, by making a scourge of cords, and driving out the buyers and sellers from his house of prayer (John 2:14-17). And when the Son of God comes into the hearts of his redeemed in saving mercy, he comes suddenly into his temple. — “Ye are the temple of God!” Our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is both God of the Covenant and “the Messenger of the Covenant.” Christ is the Angel of the Covenant, the One who fulfilled the covenant, the One who reveals the covenant, and the One who pleads the covenant as our Advocate, Surety and Great High Priest (Jude 1:9; Zechariah 3; 1 John 2:1-2). — Christ is the Covenant (Isaiah 49:8). Fifth, Malachi says, concerning this blessed Savior, he is the Lord, even the Messenger of the Covenant, “whom ye delight in.” — Blessed be his name, all to whom the Lord Jesus comes in saving mercy delight in him. — “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice!” Sixth, all of this was spoken of as a matter of absolute certainty, so much so that the Triune Jehovah penned his name to it all! — “Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts!” NONE CAN STAND Now, look at Malachi 2:2-5, remembering what we have already seen. These verses may, I am sure, have some reference to our Lord Jesus coming in the judgment at the last day; but here the Spirit of God is telling us about grace, God’s free, unconditional, irresistible, indestructible saving grace. Because “he hateth putting away,” at the appointed time of love, the Lord Jesus will come to every chosen redeemed sinner; and (Blessed be his name forever!) before him none can stand! — “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power!” (Malachi 3:2-5) “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: (3) And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. (4) Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. (5) And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.” When Christ comes to you in the mighty, omnipotent, saving operations of his grace… He will cause you to fall before him (Psalms 51). He will come near to judgment with you, chasten you sore, to refine his silver and his gold with fire, “to purify the sons of Levi,” that we “may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (Hebrews 12:5-11). Fuller’s soap was made from an herb. Using this very strong soap, the fuller would cleanse wool cloth, removing the spots from it, before the wool was used to make a garment. — That is the work of God our Savior in Redemption and Regeneration. Then, only then, can Judah and Jerusalem, the sons of Jacob, who profaned him so treacherously (Malachi 2:11), “be (consciously) pleasant unto the Lord, as in days of old, and as in former years.” — “Accepted in the Beloved.” In that blessed day, our God and Savior takes away the vile idolatry with which fallen man is plagued, and the corrupt ways of the idolater (Hosea 2:17; Zechariah 13:1-2). (Hosea 2:17) “For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.” (Zechariah 13:1-2) “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. (2) And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.” SURE Now, hear the Word of our God in Malachi 2:6, and rejoice my brothers and sisters! Because our God changes not, “he hateth putting away;” and because “he hateth putting away” the everlasting salvation of his chosen is a matter of absolute certainty! (Malachi 3:6) “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Children of God, midst the perpetual fluctuating, dying, and perishing circumstances of our lives, and all things around us, what a grand foundation this is to our souls! For time and eternity, my soul, rest upon this Rock! God my God, our great Savior is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He changes not! He is unchangeable in his nature. He is unchangeable in his purposes. He is unchangeable in all his covenant promises. He is unchangeable forever! This and this alone is the cause and reason, why the seed of Jacob are not consumed. Amen!