“COVENANT LEADERSHIP”
Dr. Dennis Deese, Evangelist - www.dennisdeese.com
MALACHI 2:1-9
This covenant was an agreement between God and His people the Priest. God had been faithful to His end of the agreement but His people (namely the Priest) had not.
SERVICES OF PRIESTS
Keeping the charge of the tabernacle #Nu 18:1,5,7
Covering the sacred things of the sanctuary before removal #Nu 4:5-15
Offering sacrifices #Le 1:1-6:30 2Ch 29:34 35:11
Lighting and trimming the lamps of the sanctuary #Ex 27:20,21 Le 24:3,4
Keeping the sacred fire always burning on the altar #Le 6:12,13
Burning incense #Ex 20:7,8 Lu 1:9
Placing and removing show-bread #Le 24:5-9
Offering first fruits #Le 23:10,11 De 26:3,4
Blessing the people #Nu 6:23-27
Purifying the unclean #Le 15:30,31
Deciding in cases of jealousy #Nu 5:14,15
Deciding in cases of leprosy #Le 13:2-59 14:34-45
Judging in cases of controversy #De 17:8-13 21:5
Teaching the law #De 33:8,10 Mal 2:7
Blowing the trumpets on various occasions #Nu 10:1-10 Jos 6:3,4
Carrying the ark #Jos 3:6,17 6:12
Encouraging the people when they went to war #De 20:1-4
Valuing things devoted #Le 27:8
How well are we fulfilling our priestly service?
As priests, Christians have free access into the holiest of all, and offer up the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and the sacrifices of grateful service from day to day.
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Notice the Lord:
I. DEFINES ITS PURPOSE 2:1-2a “to give glory unto my name”
The purpose of covenant leadership with God must be:
A. Established
B. Evaluated
C. Esteemed
II. DENOUNCES ITS PERVERSION 2:2b-3, 8-9 “ye have corrupted the covenant”
“You will search in vain to find a more scathing castigation of spiritual leaders.” David Miller
2:3 Behold; note it well, and consider (you may not pay attention to my purpose but you will consider what I’m about to say)
Why such harsh denouncement? Because of the consequences:
A. God was dishonored 1:11-12 “but ye have profaned it”
B. Blessings were cursed 2:2b “I will curse your blessings”
2:2 I will even send a curse: “it is a comprehensive threat, many miseries in one word; it is a blast on their good hoped for, and it is poison in the good possessed, and when it is, as here, sent of God, it will surely do both, it will be a blast on hopes, it will be poison in what is possessed and should be enjoyed.” (Matthew Poole’s Commentary)
De 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
Ga 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
C. Barrenness was produced 2:3 “I will corrupt your seed”
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned.
D. Shame was experienced 2:3 “spread dung upon your faces”
You gave it to me - I’ll give it back to you
E. Opportunities were missed 2:9 “ye are departed out of the way”
F. Lives were destroyed 2:8 “ye have caused many to stumble”
Ac 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Mt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
G. Reputations were humiliated 2:9 “I also made you contemptible and base”
H. Sin was accepted 2:9 “partial in the law”
III. DESCRIBES ITS PRACTICE 2:4-7 “I gave them to him for the”
Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron.
Nu 8:11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD [for] an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.
Nu 8:13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them [for] an offering unto the LORD. Nu 8:14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
Nu 8:16 For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, [even instead of] the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. Nu 8:15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them [for] an offering. Nu 8:16a For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel;
He describes covenant leaders as one who is marked by the following:
A. Godly Fear 2:5 “he feared me”
B. Faithful Witnessing 2:6 “law of truth was in his mouth”
C. Genuine Integrity 2:6 “Iniquity not found in his lips”
D. Spiritual Authenticity 2:6 “he walked with me”
E. Faithful service 2:6 “Turn many away from iniquity”
F. Spiritual growth 2:7 “keep knowledge”
G. Spiritual awareness 2:7 “seek the law at his mouth” (ambassador)
H. Dependable counsel 2:7 “messenger of the Lord to instruct in the law of God”
