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"Judah has dealt treacherously"

Text: Malachi 2:11

A SERIOUS BREACH OF THE COVENANT

The covenant that we speak of was no longer a reference to the Levites. There were other “covenants” that must be borne in mind.

“Judah has dealt treacherously,
And an abomination has been committed
in Israel and in Jerusalem,
For Judah has profaned
The LORD’s holy institution which He loves.”
Malachi 2:11

1. “Judah has dealt treacherously”

a) This is not a reference to the tribe of Judah.

b) This was a description of the returnees who had come back to their homeland.

c) The whole nation was pronounced guilty of “treachery”.

2. “And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem”

a) Judah and Israel are used interchangeably in this text.

b) Jerusalem was mentioned as the capital of the newly created state.

c) Another word for “treachery” was the word “abomination!”

This practice was cast in the worse possible light.

3. “Judah has profaned”

a) The charge laid against Judah was “profanation”.

b) The covenant was being “profaned” by Judah (as a nation).

c) This problem was obviously widespread!

4. “The LORD’s holy institution which He loves”

a) The word “covenant” was now described as “an institution”.

b) This was not:

i) The Levitical Covenant (Numbers 25:12-13).

ii) This was not the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 24).

iii) This was a reference to marriage to those outside of their faith.