In Malachi 2:1-9, God addressed the hearts of the priests.
When we think about the heart we think about it in a literal sense-how it beats inside our chest or how it pumps blood throughout our body. Perhaps when we think about the heart we think about the feeling of love that we associate with the heart. But for ancient Hebrews, the heart and images of the heart meant so much more than these two ideas. For the Hebrew, the heart was everything. The heart was the entire person. The heart was the seat of a person’s will. Everything was determined in a person’s heart. The heart was what guided a person’s life. The heart was where a person’s thoughts were believed to be cultivated. The heart housed a person’s affection. To have a person’s heart meant to have them completely—mind, will and affection.
How do we know if our hearts have strayed from God? Let’s ask ourselves some questions from this passage of Scripture:
Do you want to honor the name of the Lord through your life? If not, you need to return your heart to the Lord. (Vs. 2)
When we are living to promote our names instead of God’s name, we have a heart problem.
Do you enjoy abundant life and peace with God? If not, you need to return your heart to the Lord. (Vs. 5)
This verse tells us that when our hearts are fixed on revering the Lord and when we live in honor and awe of His name, we can expect to enjoy life and peace.
When we allow our hearts to drift away from the Lord and give them to the things of the world, we forfeit the blessings of abundant life and peace. David prayed in Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” He made the correlation between having a heart devoted to God and a heart that honors the Lord’s name. I like this phrase, “undivided heart” because when I hear it, I think of “undivided attention.” I think of focus. I think of hitting the target. I think of being all-in. I like the idea of giving God our undivided all. That is what He wants and that it what leads to us truly enjoying life.
Do you love and hold fast to the Word of God? If not, you need to return your heart to the Lord. (Vs. 6-7)
We cannot be Christians in name only. We cannot claim the name of Jesus and live any way we want to live. You cannot divorce God from His Word. You can’t say, “I’ll take Jesus, but I don’t need His Word.” You really can’t know Christ apart from the Word of God. Who He is has been revealed in Scripture, both in the Old and the New Testament. You also cannot please God without following His Word.
Do you speak the truth at all times, even when it might make you look bad? If not, you need to return your heart to the Lord. (Vs. 6)
Verse 6 tells us that falsehood was on the priests’ lips. There is nothing that will destroy your life faster than lying and living in a duplicitous state where you are always looking to cover your tracks. When you lie, you are living in preservation mode. You are always trying to preserve something. You are trying to preserve your reputation or your job or your marriage or your friendship or your money or something. That’s why you lie. When you are living in preservation mode you can’t live in peace and prosperity. You can’t live enjoying the promises of God because you are always looking over your shoulder in fear.
Do you seek to be a godly example for others? If not, you need to return your heart to the Lord. (Vs. 6, 8 and 9)
In verse 6 we read that many people were able to follow the priests when they were living righteously. Many were turning away from sin. Isn’t that one of the goals of our lives? That we could be an example to others and help them turn away from sinful living? Verse 7 tells us that we should be the kind of people from whom others seek instruction about life. Others should see how we live and be coming to us to ask us to share the wisdom we have found in Christ. Verse 8 is a blistering indictments. 8 But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty.
If your life doesn’t inspire anyone to see and follow God, that is bad, but it is horrible when your life causes people to go further and further from God. Neither one of those scenarios is good. Our lives are supposed to be convincing evidence to the world that they need God.
So where do we go from here? We need to seek to have a heart that honors God. We need to desire abundant life and peace. We need to cling to the Word of God. We need to live in truth. We need to be godly examples for others. Will you join me in taking this word to heart?
