Malachi 2:10

Malachi 2:10 says, Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?  God asked did everyone not have the same Father, and the answer is that yes we do.  We may never accept Him as such, but God is the Creator, the Father, of every person, whether they acknowledge it or not.  God then asked why people dealt treacherously with one another, profaning His covenant. The answer is that God also gives each individual self-will.  We either choose to follow God through faith in Jesus Christ or we choose not to.  Verse eleven adds, Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.  God said that Judah had dealt treacherously with Him and Israel had committed an abomination.  All those who were to be God's chosen people had turned away from Him and followed idols, giving their daughters in marriage to those who were idolaters.  Verse twelve continues, The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.  God said that people who did this would be cut off from Him.  This would be true of both those who taught such things and those who believed them.  Those who teach falsely about God will be held accountable, but so will those who believe what they teach.  Verse thirteen declares, And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.  God said that the people came to the altar with false humility, covering it with tears that meant nothing.  God does not want our false tears but wants our honest rejoicing when we come to His altar.  If we do shed tears, they should be genuine tears of a truly contrite heart and should lead us to rejoicing at the grace of God.  Verse fourteen adds, Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.  God said that the men had not been faithful in their relationship to their wives.  I believe this could mean more than just adultery but could also mean ignoring the relationship with God as a couple joined as one.  Verse fifteen continues, And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.  God said that in marriage that the husband and wife were made one, not physically but spiritually.  This was so that they could produce Godly seed, or children.  Marriage is much more than one man and one woman, because God must be the center of the marriage.  Verse sixteen states, For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.  God said that He hated the putting away of wives by divorce, especially when the husband had often been cruel to his wife even before doing so.  In that day, the husband was the one who could divorce the wife, but today, when either can do so, God still hates it, unless it is for certain prescribed reasons, of which adultery is the chief.  Verse seventeen adds, Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?  God said that the people of Judah and Israel wearied Him when they questioned His authority, and so does anyone who does so today.