An Example of Dealing Treacherously Malachi 2:11

As Malachi the prophet recorded the Lord's words to the nation of Israel, he turned his attention from the priests of the nation to the people who lived therein. “The Lord of hosts” indicted the people with dealing “treacherously” with one another, and in chapter two and verse eleven we see an example of this behavior toward each other and the Lord where we read:

Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god.

The verse begins, “Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem;” Rather than speak generally, the Lord turned his attention specifically to “Judah” which was known as the southern portion of Israel and the second part of the nation to fall prey to other nations. The Lord mentioned the “abomination” which means “a disgusting, illicit, and impure thing” which was “committed in Israel and Jerusalem” or “fashioned, caused, or made” in the rest of the country and specifically “Jerusalem” which was “the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split”.

The verse goes on to say, “for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved,” After naming Judah, Israel and Jerusalem, the Lord told “Judah” their error. They “profaned” or “defiled, polluted, and desecrated” “the holiness” which means “apartness, sacredness or set-apartness” “of the LORD which he loved”. The LORD set apart Judah from all the nations of the world to worship Him in holiness and righteousness, and yet they “dealt treacherously” with both God and one another.

Finally the verse says, “and has married the daughter of a strange god.” After the indictment from the LORD against Judah, we might be inclined to ask, “How did they deal treacherously with God?” The answer is found in this portion of the verse. They “married the daughter of a strange god”. The word “married” which is “ba'al” in the Hebrew means to “rule over, possess, own, or have dominion over”. Judah was giving themselves over to “a strange” or “foreign” “god” which means “a false god, and idol, or an image of worship”. In other words, the forsook the true and living God who cared for, loved and watched over them, and worshiped the false and strange gods of the foreign nations around them.

As we think about this verse and place ourselves in the positions the people of Judah, Israel and Jerusalem, we might begin to understand the Lord's awareness of the “scorning and shunning” which was implemented by the people who lived at this time. They once knew intimacy with the Heavenly Father, however, they forsook it and went after the daughter of a “foreign god”. By doing so, they “profaned” or “defiled and desecrated” their relationship with the one and true God. We may use this example to look within ourselves and see if there are any “foreign gods” to whom we “deal treacherously” with God, and should we find any “idols” there, let us put them away and forsake them, and bow down and worship Jesus Christ who is the Lord's true “holiness”.

Next time we see the Lord's judgment against those who deal treacherously, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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