The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet 1811 Malachi kc 4-1

(Mal. 2:8) is written for our admonition
upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Cor. 10:11),
which means this final generation.

Mal. 2:8
But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

The subject of today's burden (warning message) from the LORD to Israel and to her priests through His messenger Malachi ["My Messenger"] is all about their "treachery" which simply means their "unfaithfulness".

We learned earlier how the priests had forsaken the LORD their God by being "unfaithful to the covenant of Levi" whereby they were to be knowledgeable of and teach and instruct His people in His Word and to walk in His ways.

The important thing for us to know is the fact that their "departing out of the way" whereby they "caused many to stumble" at His Word (Mal. 2:8) is written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Cor. 10:11), which means this final generation.

In other words, their actions in forsaking His Word and leading His people astray before the first advent were a type of how it is and how it shall be in these last days just prior to Christ's second advent.

Let us take the time before we begin today's study to do some due diligence and examine the definition of the word "treacherously" which we will find used numerous times throughout the remainder of this second chapter:

treacherously =  ãâ‡a˜ baògad baw-gad' Strong's H898
A primitive root; to cover (with a garment); figuratively to act covertly; by implication to pillage:—deal deceitfully (treacherously, unfaithfully), offend, transgress (-or), (depart), treacherous (dealer, -ly, man), unfaithful (-ly, man), X very.
To help better understand what this "unfaithfulness" means in graphic terms we can relate to on a flesh level (to help us "see" on a spiritual level), know that in Hebrew when it is said that a man "overspread the skirt of his garment" upon a woman, it means he "took her to wife".

You will even find this expression used in the analogy of Ezekiel 16:8 explaining how God "took to wife" the city of Jerusalem, choosing that location as His favorite location on earth and soon to be headquarters of the universe.

Ezekiel 16:8
Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.
In contrast, to deal "treacherously" is "to cover (with a garment)" covertly!

In other words it is what we call CHEATING ON YOUR VOWS, which is to be DECEITFUL and UNFAITHFUL in your covenant!

When you do that, when you cheat on you marriage vows, you become an adulterer and play the role of an harlot and a whore!

Take some time and read all of Ezekiel 16 which is very graphic and portrays the emotions of our Father concerning whoredom, which is symbolic of idolatry!

Then read the great Book of Hosea (which means "salvation") and learn about Israel's "treachery" when she and her sister Judah went whoring after strange gods.

Mal. 2:10
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
[11] Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which He loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

See pamphlet #1577

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