And if you would take your Bibles and find Malachi chapter two and Matthew chapter 19. Malachi chapter two and Matthew chapter 19. And we're gonna look at both of these passages, the scripture this morning. Now again, if you haven't been with us on Sunday nights, let me give a very brief background to the book of Malachi. Okay?

Malachi was a prophet in our Old Testament. He was the last prophet of the Old Testament. About four hundred and fifty years before the coming of Christ, God restored Israel to the land of Judah and they rebuilt the walls and the city and the temple. They did this under Zerubbabel and Joshua the priest and and Nehemiah and Ezra the scribe after they returned from their captivity. They began once again with godly leadership to worship the Lord as they should have before the captivity, before God had to bring judgment on them.

However, as we have seen in scripture on several occasions, it was only a generation or two later that they began to take the blessings of God for granted again. Treating his worship as a routine formality at best and reverting to ungodly conduct forbidden by the Lord. No. They didn't go back to idols, but they found other ways of dishonoring their God. And so God sent Malachi.

He sent Malachi to rebuke them. He sent Malachi to warn them of the coming judgment of God and then to remind them of his coming Messiah. We find all of these, these particular three wound together in this short book of prophecy, the last one before the coming of Christ almost four hundred years later. Malachi in this book addressed the laziness and dishonorable behavior particularly of the spiritual leaders, the priests. But beginning in chapter two in verse 10, Malachi turns his attention not only to the priests but to the Israelites in general and begins a rebuke of them.

It wasn't just the leadership. The leadership is often a reflection of what? The attitudes of the general population. You find that often to be the true even in countries where there is no democracy or vote. There that is often the case.

Certainly is here, is it not? The first thing that Malachi brings up in Malachi chapter two beginning verse 10, as a rebuke to the people, to the population in general, concerns something called marriage. Malachi two ten. He said, have we not all one father, hath not one God created us all? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

That's the covenant that God had made with Moses and the children of Israel. It covered a great many things. One of those is marriage. He goes on to say, Judah hath dealt treacherously. 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. The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob and him that offerth an offering unto the Lord of hosts. 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 the offering of any anymore or receive it receive it with goodwill at your hand. Yet you say, wherefore? Why is it God's not receiving our offerings?

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. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit and whereof 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. For the Lord, the God of Israel saith that he hated putting away.

That that putting away in new translations might be translated divorce. For one covereth violence with his garment, say it the Lord of hosts. Therefore, take heed to your spirit that you deal not treacherously. Who is watching? God is.

Let's pray. Dear God, thank you, Lord, for this day. Thank you for this opportunity. We look into your word today on a very important subject that is plaguing our society today. Whether this issue is relevant specifically to us, it is certainly relevant to many in our congregation and particularly in our community and in our world.

Many who claim the name of Christ. Lord, I pray that you would open our our eyes and our heart to receive the message from your word today. And I pray, Lord, you might arm us with the truth so that we might be prepared, Lord, to help others. Thank you for Jesus Christ our savior for the grace that is given to us. Lord, may that extend to our homes and in every area of our life for the praise and glory of our savior Jesus Christ.

For it's in Jesus name we do pray. Amen. God's indictment here of the people is this, you have dealt treacherously with your brethren. You have trashed the covenant with your God showing only contempt for a very sacred institution. And what is that sacred institution?

Marriage. First of all, they took pagan wives. They took to themselves pagan wives. This was a problem. Verse 11, Judah hath not hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and Jerusalem for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

Of those who worship what? Idols. Of those who have a different God. Of those who have a different religion. They were straightway the Israelites forbidden in the covenant God made with Moses to marry pagan wives of the people in whose land God gave the the land God gave them, the Canaanites.

If you'll turn back to Deuteronomy seven. Okay? I don't have enough room on the screen to put this up there, so I'm gonna turn back there. If you want, read with me Deuteronomy seven one through four. Deuteronomy seven one through four.

This is what God had to say to the children of Israel in the covenant that God made with them. When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whether thou goest to possess it, that's Canaan, and have cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou. And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them nor show mercy unto them. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them. Thy daughter shall not give unto his thy daughter, thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

For they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods. So will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly. God is very clear in his covenant with Israel. He said, you shall not marry. You shall not give your daughters in marriage, you shall not take their daughters to your sons in marriage with the heathen idolatrous people of Canaan whose land I am giving you.

Okay. God is very clear. Did God make exceptions? He did, actually. Ruth was a Moabite.

She was from the other side of the Jordan River, a people group not specifically mentioned here, but nonetheless an idolatrous nation. And she became the great grandmother of king David as she married a man named Boaz. Rahab. Remember Rahab? She was a citizen of what city?

Jericho. Her people group is mentioned here. She was a Canaanite and yet she married an Israelite named Salmon. Rahab and Salmon were the parents of Boaz who then married Ruth. Did God make exceptions?

Yes, he did. What was the exception based on? Exception was based on their faith. What made Rahab and Ruth different? Was they turned in repentance and faith from the idolatry of the people in whom they lived and put their faith in who?

And put their faith in God. Because it isn't about bloodlines and it's not about ethnicity or heritage, it is about what? It is about faith. That is the issue in play here. And when Israel went into the land, God said, you shall not marry those of a different what?

Of a different faith, of a different belief, of a different religion, particularly idolatry because he said, they will turn your heart away from who? Away from me. Did that happen? Yes, it did. They didn't follow the Lord when they came in the land.

They did turn their hearts away from God quite quickly in the book of Judges. God brought judgment on Israel for this very reason. Not only because they married those that were not believers in Jehovah, but because they did turn their hearts away from worshiping God. The same thing happened to Solomon. The same thing continued to happen to Israel until God had to wipe out Jerusalem.

The people were slain, they were scattered, their city burnt to the ground. Seventy years later now, they come back to the land. God restores them and already a couple generations later, here they go again. Don't fool yourself, the person you marry will have an incredible influence on your life. For testimony, you can ask Adam.

Okay? What happened to him? Because many in Israel ignored God's commands, turned to turned to idolatry, Israel suffered greatly. The the same is true today. While God does not distinguish by race or heritage, he does warn people not to intermarry with those who do not share their what?

Faith. Turn if you would second Corinthians chapter six. Second Corinthians chapter six. We find this in the New Testament. Paul is writing the Christians at Corinth.

He's not writing the nation of Israel. He's writing the Christians at Corinth. However, he's quoting or alluding to passages from the Old Testament and he warns the Christian believers here similarly. Now again, it's not about heritage and it's not about nationality, it is about what? It is about faith.

And he says in second Corinthians six fourteen, be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, what communion hath light with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? Belial essentially is Satan and what hath he that believeth with an infidel? Infidel is just a word that means a non believer. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

For ye are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people. What does Paul say to the Christians, the believers in Corinth, be careful who you marry, who you enter into a binding relationship with because you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Because it is going to affect you. It's going to affect your ministry.

It's going to affect your testimony. It is going to affect your kids. It's going to affect your walk with God to a certain extent. I had an aunt. She's a 100 years old.

She turned a 100 last year. Her name is Agnes. Good Christian lady, loves the Lord. Her and her husband had 10 kids. A few of them are Christians, a few of them are not, and a few of them were wildly rebellious in regards to God.

One of the reasons for that is my aunt Agnes is a Baptist. She is a born again believer. She married my uncle Pep who I loved. He was a really cool uncle, but uncle Pep was a very devout Catholic. They did not share the same faith.

They did not never went to church together. The boys in particular did not grow up to know who. They did not grow up to know the Lord. It had a profound effect on their home. There are many examples, some far worse than that.

It does affect. It is important. It's important not only for the children's sake, but it's important because God cares. And it is something we need to take seriously. What is part of the problem with generation after generation in The US going further and further from God?

One of the reasons is because Christians haven't taken this, what? Seriously. And so homes are divided in their faith and children suffer the consequences for that. And as children suffer the consequences, so does the next generation of the what? Of the church suffer the consequences of that as well.

That's not the only thing here that God has to say to the people of Israel concerning marriage. Not only is God angry with the people of Israel for disregarding his command concerning intermarrying with those who are idolaters, he is also angered at the children of Israel because they've entered into marriages and then have put away or divorced their spouses that they might take another and not on biblical grounds. And this too angered the Lord. Look if you would in verse 13. And this have ye done, again covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, and so much that he regardeth not the offering anymore or receiveth it with goodwill at your hand.

Yet you say wherefore. Why are our prayers not being answered? Why are our offerings not being accepted? And God said that here it is. This this is the reason.

Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth against whom thou hast dealt treacherously betrayed. Yet is she thy companion and the wife of thy covenant. For the Lord verse 16. For the Lord, the God of Israel say it that he hated putting away, that is divorce. Divorce.

Why was God angry? Because they were divorcing, particularly men divorcing their wives that they might what? That they might take up with another. Turn if you would to Proverbs chapter five. Okay?

Proverbs chapter five. Okay, and verse 17. Proverbs five seventeen. Verse 18. Let's start verse 18.

Let thy fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as a loving hind and a pleasant roe. Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosom of a stranger. For the ways of men are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all things.

Adultery under the law of Moses was punishable by what? Death. Adultery was punishable by death. Now, you think the Israelites knew that in Malachi's day? Yes.

But they thought they had found themselves a loophole and that loophole is called divorce. But Malachi indicated that for many their offerings, their their sacrifices were no longer accepted by God because God did not consider it a what? A loophole. God considered it adultery And God was dealing with them, therefore, in the way that he was. Regardless of what they considered it, it was more important with what without God considered it.

Right? After all, he was he's our maker. He is the one who instituted marriage. He is the one who gave them the law. He is the one who's given us his word.

He's the one who sent his son to be our savior. And we who know Christ, we belong to him. He is our Lord. Man changes his opinions. God does not change his.

Why were they was God not answering their prayers? Because they had broken the covenant they had made with their wives and with who? And with God. A sacred institution. A sacred covenant.

Sacred vows. In Proverbs two seventeen, it say it says, which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the covenant of her God. Marriage is a covenant, not to be broken by husband or wife. In the Old and New Testaments, God makes it clear that he intended marriage to be a lifelong commitment with only one spouse and that he hates divorce. That is he hates spouses who do not keep their what?

Vows. He hates spouses who are not faithful to their wives, to their wife, or to their husband. He hates the destruction of families at an institution that he created for his glory and for our what? And for our good. There are many in this world today that would throw away the idea of family.

They do to their own detriment and hurt because God instituted family for our bone benefit. And we see what happens to a society that allows the destruction of the family. And what happens to generations who do not grow up with a mom and a dad, who love each other, who love them, and who are committed to one another. Christ speaks to this in the New Testament in Matthew chapter 19. So if you haven't turned to any other passage, turn to Matthew 19, if you would, because I'm gonna read several verses from Matthew 19.

You say, well, Malachi is in the what? Old Testament. It's part of the old covenant. Yes. We're not under law, we're under what?

Grace. So let's look at what Jesus had to say. Okay? Let's look at what Jesus had to say in Matthew chapter 19 concerning marriage because he was questioned about this very subject by the religious leaders of his day. In verse three of chapter 19, it says, the Pharisees also came unto him tempting him or testing him and saying unto him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

There were differing opinions among the religious leaders in Israel concerning divorce. Some believe that pretty much they didn't need a reason, just any old reason was fine and therefore divorce was fine. Others said, well, there has to be reasons. Others said, well, the reasons have to be related to faithfulness to one's vows. There was much difference of opinion among the religious leaders and many of the religious leaders treated divorce quite flippantly themselves and had been married and divorced and married and divorced several times in some cases.

So they asked Jesus what he thought. Sadly, they didn't ask Jesus as the as the passage indicates because they really wanted to know the answer. They asked him because they wanted him to take a stand on the issue and alienate one group or the other so they could use it against him. But nonetheless, they did ask the question and Jesus took the opportunity to give a what? An answer.

So here's his answer. Verse four, have you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female? And said, this call shall a man leave father and mother shall cleave to his wife and they twain or two shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

So let's stop there for a moment. What did Jesus have to say concerning marriage? Number one, God created mankind in two sexes or genders, they are what? Male and female. Doesn't matter what man imagines and brings up imaginations in his mind and concocts, there are only two genders created by God, male and female.

Number two, God ordained the union of a male and a female in a lifetime partnership and a physical relationship. We call that what? We call that marriage. It involves lifelong vows taken before God and usually before witnesses. Lifelong vows.

Notice the lifelong part. Jesus is adamant about that here in Matthew 19 because he says, let what God has joined together, let no man, what? Put asunder. They too have become one and that is intended to last for a lifetime. The purpose of this union is threefold.

Number one, mutual companionship. Matthew Genesis two eighteen, the Lord God said, it is not good for the man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate for him. God had Adam name all the animals. Why?

Couldn't have God named all the animals? Sure. Why? Well, Genesis two, it tells us God wanted Adam to notice that each animal had a male and a female, but Adam didn't. So then God took from Adam's side and he made woman, a companion for man, a help me, a one to compliment, two to complement one another, mutual companionship.

We need that. We're made that way. Number two, propagation of the human race involving not only reproduction, but the proper rearing of children by a mom and a dad to know and serve the Lord. The propagation of the human race. Genesis one twenty eight, and God blessed them and God said unto them, male and female, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth by having what?

By having children. How does that happen? Well, a male and a female coming together in a relationship reproduce and children are born and the earth was filled and then refilled after Noah. That only happens when people obey God's word. Obviously, same sex marriage cannot fulfill this purpose.

Besides being a clear violation of God's definition of the marriage unit, a man and a woman, a man and a man cannot produce a child, neither a woman or a woman. Therefore, that does not meet the definition of marriage nor the what, nor the purpose of it. Finally, marriage is instituted to bring glory to who? To bring glory to God. In Ephesians chapter five, Paul uses marriage as a metaphor for the relationship between God and his church.

As Christ loved the church, he says, husbands, you need to love your wives. Because marriage is supposed to reflect the love and the faithfulness God for us. It is intended to be something that is never broken. Because the faithfulness of God to us can never be what? Broken.

He said, I will never leave thee nor, what? Forsake thee. That beautiful picture is ruined in marriage when divorce happens. Not only that, but the love that is shared in marriage can also be representative of the love of God that he shed abroad in our hearts. Unconditional, selfless, sacrificial love that remains faithful despite rough waters.

Marriage is wonderful, but it also is work and takes true selfless love of the other to survive. It doesn't survive today in many cases because true selfless love is not as what binds so many together and so they fall apart. Divorce is clearly not the intent or invention of God and one which would have never been necessary if sin hadn't entered the world. Why is divorce necessary? Because sin entered the world.

Because people do break their what? Their marriage vows. And so divorce became a what might be termed a necessary evil because of man's sin. It was invented by man to deal with the untenable situation wherein a spouse might have found him or herself abandoned by the other or betrayed by the other, I. E, adultery.

Divorce requiring a written reason by Moses might make the spouse think twice about abandoning or betraying the other because you had to have a what? You had to have a reason, a valid reason. And also the writing of divorcement gave a particularly gave a divorced woman the opportunity to remarry, something that was sometimes necessary for her survival in ancient days. But as Christ points out, the only legitimate reason for divorce is unfaithfulness, adultery on the part of the other spouse. A breach in the marriage vows which might also include abandonment as Paul cites in first Corinthians seven or maybe abuse.

But it is the breach of those marriage vows and only that legitimizes divorce. And yet still divorce is not the invention of who? God. It was the invention of man to deal with man's sin. Because if man didn't sin, divorce would never be what?

Would never be necessary. In chapter 19 of Matthew, Christ continues on. Let me find the verse here. Verse seven, and they say unto him, why did Moses then command to give a writing of a divorce and to put her away? He said unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered or permitted you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

That was not meant to be. And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery and who so committeth her marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. It sets a bad course. It sets you on a bad course that brings problems. When we do not listen to who?

When we do not listen to God and we treat something flippantly that is very sacred before God. Divorce for reasons other than unfaithfulness, abandonment, particularly selfish ones, particularly lustful ones, which is often the case. Or reasons which the world cites today like, well, we just aren't compatible or we've fallen out of love. It's no different in the sight of God than what? Than adultery.

That is what God is saying here in Malachi. That is what Jesus is saying here. You don't have an out to get out of a difficult situation or to find greener pastures. That's not what God permitted. What God permitted was for someone who was abandoned or betrayed to be able to go on in life and find another mate and another relationship and make a home.

What God did not intend is for us us to indulge ourselves or to escape difficulties in life because we're always gonna have difficulties in life. Therefore, marriage should only be entered into only after serious consideration as God will hold accountable those who break their vows. Thus what God is saying. Thus Jesus saying to the Pharisees, you think you're okay because you don't commit adultery, you just divorce your wives and that makes it alright. And does it?

And the answer is no. It is not. In the eyes of God, that is not a loophole. God will hold you accountable as God was holding the Malachites accountable. Look if you would in verse 10.

Almost done. Look if you would in verse 10. His disciples say in him, now the Pharisees asked the question, didn't they? And Jesus answered it. Now the disciples were listening and so now the disciples chime in.

Verse 10, his disciples say unto him, if the case of a man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. In other words, if I'm stuck to this extent, if there's just no way out of this, it's less the other person betrays me, well, then it's just not better to marry. That was his disciples response. This is such a a strict interpretation. Whose interpretation was it by the way?

God's. Then maybe it's better not to marry at all. And what's Christ's response? He says, all men cannot receive the same save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs which were born so from their mother's womb, and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs by men and there be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.

He is able to receive it and let it receive it. What Jesus says, yeah. So don't get married and be celibate the rest of your life. That's the point of the eunuch. Choose.

Marriage defined as who defines it? God. A lifelong what? Commitment or celibacy. Yeah.

That's your two options. Now the world doesn't like the two options, does it? So what does the world do? Well, it has filled in the gap. Many just simply ignore marriage altogether.

They just no longer make those vows and commitments. Does that matter to God? Yes, it does. Is it marriage if you don't make commitments to be with someone for a lifetime? The answer is no.

It isn't marriage. Marriage involves that commitment. If you don't make that commitment, it isn't what? It isn't marriage. Not signing a paper for the state, but making a commitment before God to your spouse.

Others just live promiscuously. Others get married and divorced and married and divorced and married and divorced. All of us will answer to who? All of us will answer to God. Nevertheless, even in churches, divorce happens sometimes.

Even to those who love the Lord and are trying to honor him and do the right thing, divorce still sometimes still what? It happens. To some who did not want it, did not cause it, which God knows and to whom God's grace and strength to move forward in life is present. God is still there. He hasn't forsaken you though maybe somebody else did.

In other cases, like other sins a man and woman may commit over a lifetime, God's grace is sufficient and his love covers a multitude of what? Sins. For those who repent and trust in his forgiveness. God does forgive. He is a gracious God And he forgives this.

Consider the woman who was brought before Christ caught in the act of what? Adultery. He said to her, neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more. Consider the woman at the well in John four who had been married five times and now was living with a man to whom she was not married. God forgave her.

God can forgive you. There is no sin God will not forgive, cannot forgive for those who will come to him in repentance and faith. Praise God for his mercy and grace, but do not make do not mistake mercy for permissiveness. Or think to yourself there are no consequences for choosing to ignore God's commands. There are.

Do not take that lightly as the world does. For you, a child of God, know what? We know better. Do things God's way. He will bless you.

He will bless your home. If you haven't in the past, start today. He will forgive and he will bless. But he will hold accountable and there are consequences when we ignore our God. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day and thank you for your word. Lord, help us to rightly divide and apply the word of God to our lives regardless of what the world around us is doing. Help us Lord to show them the love of Christ, but to stand for the truth. Not just in our words, but more so Lord in our actions. May others see that we take the sacred institution of marriage seriously.

Let others see that our love for God is real and our love for our spouse. Let others see Christ in us and the love of God portrayed there. And Lord, we pray if there's one even today that is yet to receive Christ as savior, who said if we will receive him, he will not cast us out. I pray they'd come this morning and be saved. Lord, I pray for us all that we would take to heart the words of our Lord, whether they be through the writings of Malachi, his prophet, or Jesus Christ, his son, and that we might live our lives accordingly.

In Jesus' precious name we do pray. Amen.