Read Malachi 2
Background: In chapter 1, God had Malachi confront the priests about how they were dishonoring Him by offering third-rate sacrifices and focusing more on their wants and desires than His. They were not serving Him according to the covenant He had with Levi. In this chapter He continues to address them and the poor example they were giving to His people: they were marrying women who worshipped foreign gods, and at the same time divorcing their own wives from Israel. This had the obvious effect of creating a syncretic religion in Israel, as well as leaving women of Israel unprotected and unprovided for: a great injustice. Rather than realizing and repenting of their sin, the priests and people alike were complaining about the hard life they had, blaming God for their lot in life.
Key verses: 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
Thoughts: These closing verses of the chapter indicate their twisted perspective: they arrogantly thought that those who did evil were faring better than they were, and that they were totally innocent. They dared to blame God of being unjust when they were suffering due to their own sins of injustice and idolatry.
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