BE ON GUARD

In his third oracle Malachi begins to speak as a member of the community, not just as himself, and so says ‘we’. The community should be united with, and under, its one God and Father – but it is not. He points to their marriages as an example of a double breaking of faith: with God and with fellow Judaeans. People were flouting God’s laws which forbade marrying people who worshipped other gods.2 In Israel’s history this usually led to a compromised, half-hearted worship of their God, or a complete rejection of him. Among the returned exiles intermarriage with resident foreigners was probably motivated by economics (the wife’s dowry) or politics (linking with influential families). Malachi calls for the expulsion of people who do this.

In view of the fact that they were breaking the covenant, the Judaeans’ dramatic pleas to God for blessing are worthless hypocrisy. They compound their sin by divorcing their Judaean wives to marry foreigners. Marriage, Malachi says, is a covenant to which God is a witness. He does not see the wife as the husband’s property but as an equal covenant ‘partner’ (v 14). A secure, godly, marriage is the school in which children can learn and practice walking with God.3 Although the exact sense of verse 16 is uncertain, what seems clear is that although the Law allowed for divorce,4 it is not what God wants. Verse 15 echoes the creation story.5 When asked about divorce, Jesus referred to that story and said that divorce was not what God intended but was allowed by Moses because of human failings.6 Because of those, we need to heed Malachi’s words, ‘So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful’ (v 16).

In prayerful reflection, ask God to show you any ways in which you are being unfaithful to him or other people.