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(Cont. from Page
830).
831.
MALACHI. (Cont.)
(Chapter 1. Verses 13&14)
Cursed is the one acting as a priest who cunningly offers
in service to Jehovah a "ruined one". Ruined ones are the
"children" of "that woman Jezebel" women
who teach and exercise authority over men and mislead slaves of God to
spiritually commit "fornication". The first Jezebel was literally
"torn away". Their priestly cunning is to gain a
"house
of intense lovers" for themselves. (Zech 13:6.
Rev 2:20-23. 2 Kings 9:35,36).
(Chapter 2. Verses 1&2)
Those officiating between Jehovah and the people are acting
as His priests. It is to them He gives warning to give glory to His Name
rather than inciting the people to give glory to them in exchange for
showing partiality in the Law. Otherwise, He will turn their blessings into a
curse.
(Verse 3)
On account of the pollution of His laws by these priests,
Jehovah will act correctively against those in whom they have sown the
"seed" of pollution to cunningly give glory to themselves. Jehovah says
He will "rebuke your offspring"
(RSV)
and "scatter dung upon your faces". Dung is an expression of their
offences before God. Jehovah promises to make their offences public knowledge:
The "dung" of JW double-"faced" divinations before the people, and
their self-glorifying JW festivals.
(Ezek
12:24,25).
(Verses 4&5)
This commandment is an ultimatum from Jehovah respecting His
covenant with the priesthood. Jehovah appointed the Levites to serve in His
tabernacle and to carry out priestly duties. Contrasting the
early dedicated priesthood
with its present state of decline, Jehovah says that because those acting as
priests have "ruined the covenant" by causing many to
"stumble in the Law" by their instruction, it is no longer life-giving
or establishing peace. (See Verses 8&9)
(Verses 6&7)
Those who truly are anointed underpriests today are the most
precious men on earth. For with the laws of God inscribed on their hearts
through the "new covenant" they declare the way back for mankind
from death dealing sins.
(Heb 8:7 13).
Mankind today should seek the laws of Jehovah from the lips of His anointed
priestly messengers. Jehovah reminds them of their priestly obligations, to
maintain unpolluted their God-given knowledge of His Law. Their respect for His
laws must inspire them with Godly fear. They must not be in fear of men but must
speak out His Word fearlessly.
(Verses 8&9)
As the unpolluted laws of God stumble no one, how are many
stumbled in the Law? It is caused by those acting as priests "turning
aside" from the "way" of the Law. The righteous teachings
of God must be correctly understood as to their application. These priests have
stumbled many by their misrepresentation of His laws, despising and polluting
His instructions for the people, and offering inferior "sacrifices"
of unfit men in His service. Jehovah exposes these priests as debased and
despised before the people for having stumbled them.
(Matt 18:6,7). But as for His people,
Jehovah is able to raise them up. (James 5:15).
(Verses 10&11)
Dealing treacherously with another is to betray them. That
is why those called but "profaning the covenant" are
not chosen as members of the 144,000 Spirit anointed ones
collectively described as the "bride" of Christ. (Rev 21:9,10). Because those
not chosen have "taken possession of the daughter of a foreign
god as a bride" rather than become members of the "bride"
class themselves, they are now the 'husband' of the
"daughter of a foreign god" as their 'bride' class.
The cunning behind baal worship (and there are many double-"faces" to the baals)
is that people are worshipping the demonic authority behind the rules
established by the baalists. The first Jezebel and her husband Ahab promoted
baal worship with demonic authority and their rules. However,
Jesus said that although "that woman Jezebel" would be tolerated
in the "Lord's day", he would kill her "children"
(offspring) with "deadly plague". Those spiritually committing
"adultery" with "Jezebel"-type "daughters"
today by tolerating their apostate teachings are defiling themselves with these
women and are no longer "virgins" as to the Lord. (Rev 14:3,4.
2:20-23. 1:10).
(Cont. on Page 832).
5/2/78.
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