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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
1:6-2:9 Second Disputation: Israel's Begrudging Offerings Condemned. In his second disputation Malachi turns the tables on the complaint treated in the first. What should be questioned is not God's love for Israel but Israel's love for God. Malachi recognizes that all the people were guilty of dishonoring God, as revealed in their begrudging offerings (1:14). Nevertheless, he focuses on Israel's priests (2:1-9) because it is their responsibility to guard the sanctuary from defilement and to inspect all sacrifices so as to exclude, for example, blind, lame, or sick animals (1:8; Lev. 22:17-25; Deut. 15:21; 17:1).
1:11 Surprisingly, Malachi refers to the presentation of incense and pure offerings in many places, even among the nations, rather than exclusively in the temple in Jerusalem as Deuteronomy 12 requires (cf. Mal. 3:3-4; 4:4). A key to this controversial verse is to recognize that from the rising of the sun to its setting is standard predictive language regarding a future age of great blessing (e.g., Ps. 50:1; 113:3). Isaiah 45:6 and 59:19 include with this phrase a reference to the ultimate engrafting of the nations, suggesting that a similar meaning is implied in Malachi. This finds further definition in such texts as Isa. 19:19-25 and 66:1-21, where the nations will be made to be "Levites" and will offer acceptable offerings on approved altars to the true God. For the engrafting of converted Gentiles into Israel, cf. Ruth 1:16-17; Est. 8:17; Psalm 87; Isa. 56:6-8; Zech. 2:11; 8:23.
2:2-9 Since the priests failed to guard the purity of the temple, the Lord threatens to punish them in a manner that fits their crime. Because they "despised" (1:6) and failed to give honor to the Lord's name, they will be despised and abased before all the people. Because they "polluted" God (1:7), he will figuratively pollute and disqualify them for service at the altar by spreading on their faces the dung taken from their rejected sacrifices (2:3). Since that dung was to be taken away from the sanctuary and burned (e.g., Ex. 29:14; Lev. 4:11ff.), so they too will be taken away. Because they presumed to bless the people of God, as if Israel's sacrifices had been accepted and atonement made, God will now curse their blessings. As Matthew Henry put it, "Nothing profanes the name of God more than the misconduct of those whose business it is to do honor to it." On the phrase guard knowledge, see note on Prov. 5:2-3.
