Malachi 2:1

Malachi 2:1 says, And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. God had a commandment for the priests, those who were supposed to represent God to the people and the people to God.  This is what we as a priesthood of believers are supposed to do today.  Verse two adds, If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. The commandment to the priests was if they did not take God's word to heart, or if they really didn't believe it and give glory to God, then He would send a curse on them.  Simply claiming to be a priest was not enough.  God then added that He had already sent a curse on these priests.  This also applies to those today who claim to represent God to the world but who don't really put their faith in Him.  Verse three continues, Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.  This was very descriptive of how God felt about the actions of those who called themselves priests of Israel.  God hasn't changed His judgment of false priests.  Verse four states, And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.  God reminded them that He had established His covenant with Levi who represented the priests, and He was reestablishing it with those who would be true to Him.  We have a covenant with God through Jesus Christ, and simply claiming to accept Him is not enough.  We must be true to our calling as Christians.  Verse five adds, My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.  God said His covenant with Levi was for life and peace, as long as Levi and the priests who came after Him would represent Him to the people and the people to Him.  If we would have life and peace today, we need to remain true to God.  Verse six continues, The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.  God said that Levi remained true to his calling and He remained true to His covenant with Levi.  Therefore, Levi walked in peace and equity, and did not turn away to iniquity.  We must do the same.  Verse seven says, For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.  God said priests should speak the truth of God's law since they were messengers of the LORD.  Verse eight adds, But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that the priests of that day had departed out of God's way.  They had also caused the people of Israel to stumble at God's law and corrupted the covenant of Levi.  We as Christians have a covenant relationship with God, and we should never cause anyone to corrupt God's covenant.  Verse nine continues, Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.  God said He had made the priests contemptible to the people, since they had not kept His ways and had been partial in the law.  We cannot show partiality when it comes to God's law and still expect His blessings.