1“Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of Armies, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart. 3Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. 4You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies. 5“My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name. 6The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity. 7For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies. 8But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies. 9“Therefore I have also made you contemptible and wicked before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law. 10Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12Yahweh will cut off the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob and him who offers an offering to Yahweh of Armies.
13“This again you do: you cover Yahweh’s altar with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand. 14Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and the wife of your covenant. 15Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16One who hates and divorces”, says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “covers his garment with violence!” says Yahweh of Armies. “Therefore pay attention to your spirit, that you don’t be unfaithful.
17You have wearied Yahweh with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in Yahweh’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’
In the time of Malachi the prophet, the priests had “corrupted” the ministry entrusted to them (Mal 2:1-9). They offered blemished sacrifices on behalf of the people (Mal 1:6-14), although they had ample instruction not to do so (Lev 22:17-25; Deut 15:21). They refused to teach the people the word of God, the fear of God, repentance toward God, and walking with God (Mal 2:5-7). They showed “partiality in the instruction,” meaning that they taught the parts of Scripture they wanted and ignored other parts (2:8-9). Men divorced their wives and married others who worshiped foreign gods (2:10-16). The people practiced sorcery, adultery, false oaths, and oppression (3:5). They also robbed the Lord by withholding tithes and contributions (3:8-12).
As a result, the priests and the people, did not trust the love of God (1:2), challenged the prophet whether they actually despised and defiled the name of the LORD (1:6-7, 12-13), received a curse from God (2:2; 3:10-12), questioned the justice of God (2:17), and asserted that it was vain to serve God (3:14).
Jesus and His apostles taught similarly of the dangers that ministers can bring on themselves and on those who follow them. He said, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt 7:13-23),” and, “they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matt 15:14; see also Matthew 23).” Peter warned, “There will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves (2 Peter 2:1).” Because of the gravity of the office of teacher, James also admonished us, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1).” For further study, consult Jer 23-29, Ezek 13 and 34, and Acts 20:17-38.