Sermon #7                                                                                                                      Malachi Sermons

      Title:                                 Seeking a Godly Seed

      Text:                                 Malachi 2:1-17

      Subject:               God’s Unfailing Purpose

      Date:                                Sunday Evening — June 28, 2009

      Tape:                    Malachi #7

      Readings:           Frank Hall and Merle Hart

MALACHI CHAPTER 2

1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

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.

9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

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.

12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

14 ¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15 And did not he make one? (ADAM) Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

17 ¶ Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Introduction

Our business as the people of God in this world is to glorify and honor the Lord our God by the preaching of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, “the glorious Gospel of Christ,” the Gospel of the Glory of Christ. The church of God has no other purpose for her existence in this world but to preach the Gospel. Our Savior commands us to go everywhere preaching the Gospel, to carrying the good news of redemption and grace in Christ to the four corners of the earth, seeking the salvation of God’s elect, seeking a godly seed to worship and serve Him.

That is the title of my message — Seeking a Godly Seed. In Malachi 2:15 the Spirit of God tells us that God’s purpose in the creation of the entire human race in one man, in our father Adam, indeed God’s purpose in all His wondrous works of predestination, creation, providence and grace is this one thing: He is seeking a godly seed for Himself.

(Malachi 2:15) And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

·      There is in this world a chosen people who must and shall be saved, God’s elect, who are referred to throughout the Book of God as His seed.

(Psalms 22:30-31) A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. (31) They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

(Psalms 89:29) His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

(Psalms 89:36) His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

(Isaiah 53:10) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

·      This chosen people are call “a godly seed.” — The words might be translated “God’s seed” or “a seed of God” or “a seed for God.” But it seems best that they be read just as our translators have given them, “a godly seed.” They are a people who are already “a godly seed.” — They are called “a holy seed” in Ezra 9:2 and in Isaiah 6:13. They are already holy and godly because they were justified in eternity, made holy and accepted in the Beloved before the world began, by Christ the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world.

·      The reason Adam did not perish from off the face of the earth the second he ate of that forbidden fruit was just this: — This chosen, godly seed was in him. — God made all men in that one man. “Yet had he the residue of the spirit.”

·      And the reason why Christ has not yet come to destroy this world and make all things new is there are still some of the “godly seed” that must be sought out and found, some of the “godly seed” yet to be called.

(2 Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

(2 Peter 3:15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you.

Now, turn back to the 2^nd chapter of Malachi, and learn what the Lord God tells us about His great work of seeking “godly seed.” When the Lord opened this passage up before my heart, I had to say with the psalmist, — “Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things” (Psalms 72:18). Let me show you six things in these 17 verses that I hope will rejoice your heart.

1.    Blessings neglected, despised, abused and abused are made a curse to destroy. — That which ought to have been Israel’s salvation was made Israel’s curse (vv. 1-3).

(Malachi 2:1-3) And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. (2) If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. (3) Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

The words “one shall take you away with it” refer to Israel’s sacrifices and solemn feast. Those very things instituted to teach sinners the way of life, God made a curse to the nation of Israel!

2.    The purpose of God is not frustrated, overturned, or in any way even hindered by the wickedness of men, but only fulfilled (v. 4).

The God of Glory uses the wrath of man to accomplish His purpose (Psalm 76:10).

(Malachi 2:4) And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

(Romans 3:3-4) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (4) God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

(Romans 9:6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

(Romans 11:25-29) For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (26) And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (27) For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (28) As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. (29) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

3.    God’s covenant of life and peace is an everlasting covenant, sure and unalterable, a covenant He made with one Man, a covenant entirely dependent upon one Man, whom He trusted as the Surety of the covenant; and that Man is our Lord Jesus Christ (vv. 4-7).

Blessed be God that Man, Christ Jesus, is and has proved Himself worthy as God’s Covenant Surety and Covenant Messenger.

(Malachi 2:4-7) And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. (5) My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. (6) The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. (7) For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

·      This is God’s covenant.

·      It is a covenant of life and peace.

·      It is God’s covenant with Levi, that is with Christ. — Levi was not such a man as is here described. He was but the type and figure of this Man (Deuteronomy 33:8).

·      The covenant stands with Him who “feared me and was afraid before my name.” — Christ in Gethsemane.

·      “The law of truth was in His mouth.”

·      “Iniquity was not found in His lips.”

·      “He walked with Me in peace and equity.”

·      He turned “many away from iniquity.”

·      His lips kept knowledge. — He is the Revelation of God.

·      “He is the Messenger of the Lord of hosts.”

4.    The Lord God is never fooled by religious hypocrisy. He sees through all pretense and despises it (vv. 8-17).

He will not tolerate the attempts of men to corrupt His covenant. As He made Israel contemptible and overthrew that nation, let that nation stand as a glaring beacon to warn all who try to fake it with God (Romans 11:21).

(Romans 11:21) For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

(Malachi 2:11-13) 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. (12) The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. (13) And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

5.    Yet, the Lord God, in the midst of all His judgments, and by His judgments in the earth, is seeking “a godly seed,” that holy seed He has promised to His Son (v. 15).

(Malachi 2:15) And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

(Isaiah 62:10-12) Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. (11) Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. (12) And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

6. And, blessed be His holy name forever, our God will never cast off His holy seed, our Savior will never deal treacherously with His chosen Bride, because as we read in verse 16, “He hateth putting away!”

That which God hates in men He will never perform Himself. He will never cast away His chosen.

(Psalms 89:1-4) Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. (2) For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. (3) I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, (4) Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

(Psalms 89:14-15) Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (15) Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

(Psalms 89:19) Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

(Psalms 89:24) But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

(Psalms 89:28-37) My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. (29) His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. (30) If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; (31) If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; (32) Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. (33) Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. (34) My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. (35) Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. (37) It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

(Romans 11:33-36) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (34) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (35) Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Don Fortner

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