My Thoughts on Malachi and the Condemnation of Corrupt Priests

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Malachi is the book that often brings my thoughts on the tithes and offerings. However, we're not under the age of tithing but cheerful giving. The Jewish priests in Malachi were getting condemned with Malachi in the following verses:

Malach 1:6-14

6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for My name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

The problem of the Levitical priesthood is that it has become corrupt. Jeremiah has verses not only condemning the pastors (shepherds) but also the Jewish priests in Jeremiah 1:18, 2:8, 2:26, 4:9, 5:31, 6:13, 8:1, 8:10, 14:18, 18;18, 23:11, 23:33-34, 31:14, and 32:32. Such people had become so corrupt they have ignored the priestly laws in Leviticus. The priests were supposed to be blameless and holy, husband of one wife, yet we do have perverseness going on. Who can forget the scandals of Eli's two sons Hophni and Phineas who were referred to as worthless men in modern translation while the KJV calls them as "sons of Belial". Both the KJV and modern versions call them men who didn't know the LORD. Now, the priesthood was so full of degenerate men evidenced by their habitual sacrilege. The Levitical priesthood was deviating from its mission. Malachi 2:7 says that the priests were to guard knowledge unto the people. However, the priesthood was so filled with unsaved men that it can't function properly at all!

This also would be a call against a corrupt pastorate. Pastors have the task in Malachi 2:7 to keep knowledge, seek the Law, and speak for God. Yet, a lot of pastors today aren't even qualified. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 tells us what pastors ought to be. The pastors were supposed to be sexually pure married men, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, and manages his own household. Yet, a lot of pastors today are no different than the Jewish priests during the days of Jeremiah and Malachi. Evangelical scandals are really and nearly as common as Roman Catholic sex scandals today. Worse, some Evangelical circles have gone from condemning to condoning such sins by covering up making them no different than the Vatican covering up the priestly scandals. So many pastors today are guilty of what Malachi 2:8 to stumble and fall. The priests here corrupted the Levite covenant. Today, a lot of pastors have violated the apostolic traditions of running a church. I'm even reading of absurd stupidity with pastors who aren't men of God. A pastor's misapplication of Scriptures led to such stupidity such as life-threatening orders to eat grass, handle snakes, farting on them, and whatever stupidity enters into their heads. Fortunately, God has guaranteed that the judgment of such corruption will happen. The corrupt Levites were told that they will be despised and abased before all the people. Eventually, pastors who are corrupt aren't going to last long either since a lot of them eventually face criminal charges as well or that there's still Hell to pay for the wicked eventually. 

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