Malachi Chapter Two, Leading By Following

 

God informed Moses, regarding Phinehas’ actions, “Phinehas, the son of Eleazer, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel…therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God,” Numbers 25:11-13. The difference in knowledge between Phinehas and the priests of Malachi’s day may have been marginal. But knowledge puffs up, or makes arrogant. That is, knowledge without interest on acting upon what we come to understand. Worse, having understood something, we behave contrarily, as if we hadn’t heard to begin with, compounding our sin. Phinehas was brave because he was filled with zeal. Zeal can be positively connoted as enthusiasm, but I think that fails to convey what this courageous man did. Another synonym for zeal is fanaticism, which is rarely portrayed in a positive light. Ardent devotion can produce fanaticism, and is that wrong? A fanatic isn’t by obligation of that descriptor some ranting lunatic. Rather, they are passionate, convicted and convinced of their purpose and the foundation on which their purpose is built. Phinehas built his foundation on trust in God’s word, and the God who spoke that word. Manifesting that trust, he acted. His trust in the invisible became visible to all when he grabbed a javelin and chased his fellow Jew into that tent.

Such priests walk with God in peace and equity. The American Heritage Dictionary defines equity as, “the state or quality of being just and fair.” Here we have the principle Amos laid down when he wrote, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Amos 3:3. Christ implored us to come to Him and take His yoke and learn from Him, for His yoke was easy and His burden light, Matthew 11:28-30. Being yoke-mates, like oxen, involves walking side by side in the same direction, expressly for the same purpose or goal. When you accept the yoke of Jesus you have agreed to walk together with Him; our Lord does the heavy lifting, He simply invites you to join Him. There is a freedom in obedience. Obedience is nothing more than admitting that someone knows more than you, and wisdom dictates that you should listen. If you begin a job, often you have a trainer who is experienced in the field. That person provides the boundaries of your employment and how to function effectively within them. Wisdom dictates that we should obey such a person because they have not only been in that job longer, but their ability has been recognized and rewarded. Subordination is what God calls us to. Life cannot be lived effectively on our own terms. The priests submitted in obedience to God’s rule, and were subsequently recognized and rewarded with blessings. Yet like demotions or termination at work, blessings can be rescinded. When the Lord’s blessing is provisional, our conduct can cause us to forfeit the good God desires us to have. Fortunately for these priests, they walked with Him. And having done so, they reflected His person. They were endowed with peace and impartiality, and used these things as tools to turn their kinsmen from sinful choices.

 

The Hebrew word for “iniquity” is “avown,” and means, “iniquity, guilt, punishment.” It hails from the root word of, “avah,” which translates, “to be bent, bowed down, twisted, perverted, or to twist, pervert.” The NKJV rendering of “injustice,” is similar to the word here, originally translated “iniquity” in the KJV. Its root meaning encompasses moral evil. Morality is the seat of a person’s character and its attributes. Perverse morality contorts logical thinking and manufactures corrupt deeds. This is why God looks at the heart and not our appearance. Christ spoke of a man who practiced self-righteousness, and explained that the end result brought him to a worse condition than when he began, Matthew 12:43-45. Solomon wrote, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death,” Proverbs 14:12, KJV. It was such an important Proverb that Solomon repeated it to Rehoboam in order to impress its importance, Proverbs 16:25. Our moral core, our conscience, is like a ship’s rudder: it determines our purpose and destination. The priest of God was like an experienced pilot who came beside a sailor’s vessel and furnished a map. The rudder didn’t change, per se, rather one’s purpose and destination is altered. God’s map directs us away from the shoals we would break ourselves upon, if we heed it. The priests provided an invaluable service to the worshiper. But it was a service furnished firstly to them. Before one is a teacher, you are a pupil. And even while you are a teacher, you learn and mature. If you have ceased maturing, then you have ceased learning and are no longer fit to be a teacher.

 

What is the end result? For Israel it was simplicity. “Therefore the law was our tutor to lead us to Christ,” Galatians 3:24. Paul, being a fellow Jew explained that the primary function of the Law was never to impart spiritual righteousness, but rather to make those trained by it ready to receive Messiah. We see this principle in practice when we read, “a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith,” Acts 6:7. Such men, trained by the Law and obedient to its Originator, received the gospel message for what it was: the summation of God’s revelation regarding Messiah. Elsewhere, “[the Bereans] searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed,” Acts 17:11, 12. The priest so trained in God’s word and the Holy Spirit’s leading receives truth after careful scrutiny, for to those who have, more will be given.