Mal 2, Mat 15
In my devotions today God shared with me an interesting parallel in the scripture. I am currently reading through the Old and New Testaments; a chapter in one and a chapter in another. Often the Holy Spirit will arrange beautiful contrasts, parallels or insight between these two areas. That happened again today, and I want to share it with you.
In Malachi the 2nd chapter, the prophet continues to correct and rebuke the heart attitude of the priests. Beginning with the first verse, stating that their outward posturing and actions did not start with a heart of worship. Because of that a curse would spread to their fields. That dung, the most corrupt thing to come out of man, would be spread on their faces. But not just any dung. The dung that come from them after their holy, solemn feasts. Mal 2:3
The feast are times when we should be drawing near to remember, celebrate and honor our marvelous God. But because of the priests heart attitude, they were not gathered to honor God, but instead they came together to, do the religious act, feed themselves, enjoy themselves, and move on. Mal 2:1-2
Malachi continues to teach about the origins of the office of the priesthood, based on the example of the patriarch Levi. He teaches that the priest should have a life of peace, that the law of truth should abound in his mouth.
That his lifestyle is a life of peace, equity, and turning others from sin to God. That his lips should keep God’s knowledge, so much so, that others can find this knowledge from the priesthood’s mouth as needed. And most of all, the priests are to be “The messenger of the Lord of Hosts”. The weight, responsibility and desire of God should be emanating from the priesthood. Mal 2:4-7
Because their heart towards God was corrupted, their testimony before men would not be one of God’s glory, but instead God would make sure that all would see, their corruption. Why? Because they did not keep His ways, and only obeyed the parts of God’s word that suited themselves. Mal 2:9
The Contrast
In Matthew the 15th chapter it starts out with the most prominent priests of the time, the elite from Jerusalem. The scribes and Pharisees came to question Jesus. Well actually they came to accuse Him. Because they did not have anything they could say against Christ personally, they attacked His teaching of His disciples. They asked why the disciples of Christ did not wash their hands, in the way the Scribes and Pharisees did, according to the traditions, that the elders created outside of God’s law. This particular tradition was to add emphasis to how unclean we are, and if we did not wash a certain way, we and our food would be unclean, sinful and corrupt. Mat 15:2
Jesus, knowing their hearts, took them past the accusation, back to God’s law, revealing their partiality in obeying His word. Not only were they partial, but established traditions, that cancelled God’s commands. We too often are caught in either our own traditions, or personal justifications; why this verse, or that scripture does not apply to us, our culture or our time. This is the same partiality that God condemned in Malachi, and Jesus is pointing out in Matthew.
Jesus goes on to remind them of a prophecy of Isaiah, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” This is the message of the entire book of Malachi! Mat 10:7-9
Jesus proceeds to contrast what is eaten with what comes out of the heart. He teaches it is not what goes into the man that defiles, corrupts, or make a man sinful, but what comes out of his heart, that defiles, corrupts and make sinful. The list of things that Jesus describes are not just words, but thoughts, actions and deeds. They are the testimony of the man or woman. As the scripture states in another place, “You shall know them by their fruits…”. Mat 10:16-20
After Jesus’ verbal exchange with the priesthood, who’s heart was not after God’s heart, He left. Next he met a seeker, one outside of the covenant of Israel, but believed, and she pressed Jesus for what only He could do. This seeker’s faith was rewarded with both the testimony of Christ, and the desire of her faith in Him, the healing of her daughter. Mat 10:21-28
After this, Jesus went to a mountain and as if a great call was made, the scripture reports that “great multitudes” that is many multitudes, came to Christ. And again, they came to Him with desire and faith for what only He could do. He proceeded to heal the lame, blind, deaf, maimed and the list says many other unnamed ailments. Jesus healed them, and the people glorified the God of Israel. Mat 10:29-31
Isn’t this what a feast is supposed to be? A time to see God’s beauty, hear His words, reflect on His acts, and give Him glory that He is more than due?
Well what is a feast without food? Jesus then prepares a feast, “Come and Dine!”. Although those words are not in these verses, that is what was done, Jesus preforms the “Feeding of the Four Thousand”, as we commonly call it. It is a solemn feast, but not with scribes and Pharisees. With the once maimed, once blind, once deaf. All gathered at the feet of God the Son, Jesus Christ, being taught, fed and cared for by Him. It is a solemn feast that God is pleased with. Why? Not because of the religion and preparations, but because of the hearts of those who attended.
Franklin Mayfield
12-26-2014
