Lesson 2 · March 16, 1901

Wearying God

(.)

Questions

1.To whom is this message specially addressed? . Note 1.
2.What is our duty respecting this message? What is the result if we do not lay it to heart? What results if the message is not heeded? What has already resulted? Why? .
3.What further judgments are threatened? .
4.What would these judgments show? Are these judgments necessary to impart such knowledge? .
5.With whom did God covenant? What was the nature of this covenant? What was God's object in giving Levi these blessings? In what did they nominally result? .
6.What was in his mouth? What was not found in his lips? How did he walk? Before whom? What was the result? .
7.What should the priest's lips teach? What have the people a right to do? Why? .
8.But what had the Lord's priests done? What had they caused many to do? What had they corrupted? What was the character of this covenant? What, then, had they corrupted? What are corrupted life and peace? .
9.What had the Lord done to save His honor? In what proportion had He done this? What evil thing does He mention? .
10.By what questions does the prophet show man's equality and God's impartiality? How, then, ought man to treat his fellow? What do those do who deal treacherously with their brethren? .
11.What has Judah done? What was in Israel and Jerusalem? In what particulars? . Note 2.
12.What will the Lord do to the man who thus separates from Him? .
13.What hypocrisy did Judah and Israel show in their sins? How does God regard it? How does He receive their offering? .
14.What question do they ask in their blindness? What specific sin does the Lord point out? For what purpose was the wife given? . Note 3.
15.How did God make man and woman? Why? To what should every one give heed? What should not be done? .
16.What two things does God here say that He hates? What warning does He repeat? .
17.How had their words affected the Lord? Why? In what two things had they especially sinned? .

Notes

1. "O priests." This chapter is especially addressed to priests; but because of this no one need give it away. God designs that His people—all of them—should be priests unto the world. "And He made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto His God and Father." , R. V. "But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, . . . that ye may show forth the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." , R. V. And this was God's design with Israel of old. "And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests." . All God's children should be priests to the world, ministering the grace and knowledge of God to the needy. And the world has a right to expect this of them.

2. "Abomination is committed." The Lord counts Himself as husband to His people. See , especially verse 14; . He takes poor humanity in their vileness, gives them His own royal name, and His glorious robes of righteousness. When those who have been thus honored depart from Him and unite with another, they are as truly committing adultery as is a woman who leaves her own lawful husband to become the wife of another. When the church unites with the state, she is profaning God's holiness and committing abomination.

3. "Thy companion." God did not give man a wife to satisfy his lust, nor to be his slave or servant, nor to occupy an inferior position, even though a different one. The original expression is "a help, meet for him," one fitted to be his companion in a noble service for God and humanity. Husband and wife are to be one, but neither he nor she is to be the one. Both are to blend in one purpose, in one life, but neither to be the slave of the other.

Bible texts in this lesson

Malachi 2:1-17 · Malachi 2:1 · Malachi 2:2 · Malachi 2:3 · Malachi 2:4 · Malachi 2:5 · Malachi 2:6 · Malachi 2:7 · Malachi 2:8 · Malachi 2:9 · Malachi 2:10 · Malachi 2:11 · Malachi 2:12 · Malachi 2:13 · Malachi 2:14 · Malachi 2:15 · Malachi 2:16 · Malachi 2:17 · Revelation 1:6 · 1 Peter 2:9 · Exodus 19:6 · Jeremiah 3 · Romans 7:4

Your notes

My notes

Kept in this browser. Sign in to keep them on every device.