Today, we see Malachi echo themes in Ezra and Nehemiah. The people need to be very careful where their allegiances lie. They are cautioned to avoid relationships that pull them away from God. That is what happened to the people before the Exile, and it is a danger in this new world. The same is true for us today. We need a variety of relationships. If we, as Christians, do not have any relationships with folks who are not Christian, how will they ever hear the good news? How will they know of Jesus if we do not tell them? We need those relationships. But, we need to stay firmly rooted in the Word and firmly rooted in Christian community. These things, they keep us focused on where God is calling us.

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Good morning. As we continue in Malachi today, we’ll read chapter 2, verses 10-17. This week, we’ll likely finish Malachi before moving to the New Testament, possibly around the first week of August. Here’s what Malachi writes:

Some scholars believe Malachi might be a pseudonym for Ezra, given the similarity to parts of Ezra and Nehemiah. This passage critiques the people of God for forsaking Him and engaging in idolatry by marrying Canaanites and adopting their gods. God emphasizes choosing Him first and remaining deeply rooted in His teachings.

Verse 17 highlights a key issue: the people have wearied God by claiming that evildoers are good in His sight and questioning His justice. This critique is a reminder to stay focused on God, not just through rituals but with a steadfast heart.

We need to ensure our deepest relationships are rooted in God. While it’s important to have relationships with non-Christians to witness to them, our core community should be those who pray for and support us. This was Malachi’s caution: stay deeply rooted and centered in God.

Thanks for being with us. Tomorrow, we’ll continue with Malachi chapter 3, verses 1-7. Have a great day.