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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 2
The priests are reproved for not keeping their covenants and teaching the
people—The Jews are condemned for dealing treacherously one with
another, and with the wife of the covenant.
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1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2 If ye will not ahear, and if ye
will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD
of hosts, I will even send a bcurse upon you, and I will
curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do
not lay it to hearta.
3 Behold, I will acorrupt your seed,
and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts;
and one shall take you away with it.
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2a because ye do not lay it to
heart The performace of the ordiances of the Lord in action only,
without real intent, is worse than not performing them at all. And a curse
will come upon those who continually so practice the Lord's ordinances in
vain. This concept is as applicable to us today as it was to Israel of old.
We must act in pureness of heart and intent to sincerely seek after the Lord
and his ways. The hypocrate will be laid exposed before the Lord and suffer
the Lord's punishment. We are to offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit
before the Lord in all sincerity and real intent, nothing wavering in order to
be acceptible unto the Lord and receive of his blessings.
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4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment
unto you, that my acovenant might be with Levi, saith the
LORD of hosts.
5 My acovenant 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 atruth was in his
mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and
equity, and did bturn many away from
ciniquity.
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7 For the priest's lips should keep
aknowledge, and they should seek the blaw
at his mouth: for he is the cmessenger of the LORD
of hostsa.
8 But ye are adeparted out of the
way; ye have caused many to bstumble at the law; ye have
ccorrupted the dcovenant of Levi, saith
the LORD of hosts.
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7a the priest's lips should keep a knowledge,
they should seek the law at his mouth: he the messenger of the LORD
The mark of the LORD's true Ministers is that they will keep and stand for the
truth of the Law of God as they speak for GOD. If they do not do this, they are NOT
his Ministers. Amen to whatever priesthood they may hold or claim to hold. They ARE
NOT HIS servants or messengers.
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9 Therefore have I also made you
acontemptible 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 afather?
hath not one God bcreated us? why do we deal treacherously
every man against his brother, by cprofaning the covenant
of our fathers?
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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 amarried
the daughter of a bstrange god.
12 The LORD will acut 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.
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14 ¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD
hath been witness between thee and the awife of thy youth,
against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion,
and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make aone? Yet
had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a
bgodly cseed. Therefore take heed to
your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the
dwife of his youth.
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he
hateth aputting away: for one covereth violence with
his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit,
that ye deal not treacherously.
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17 ¶ Ye have wearied the LORD with your words.
Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that
doeth aevil is gooda in the sight of the LORD, and he
delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of
bjudgment?
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17a When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good The Priest and/or
Ministers of Religion who call evil good and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isa. 15:20).
When were the sins of Sodom ever good and to tolerated as being good in the sight of God's Ministers? The signs of the
times are upon us. Do we read them not? When the time that evil fruit shall again come into the vineyard, I will cause the
good and the bad to be gathered. And I will preserve the good and cast away the bad into its own place (Jacob 5:77).
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