Jehovah Hates the Course of Treachery! ?????

[Bible Speaks]

Jehovah Hates the Course of Treachery! ?????

‘Do not deal treacherously with one another.’—MALACHI 2:10.

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DO YOU want everlasting life? If you believe in that hope as promised in the Bible, you will probably say, ‘Of course.’ But if you wish God to favor you with endless life in his new world, you will need to meet his requirements. (Ecclesiastes 12:13; John 17:3) 

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Is it unreasonable to expect imperfect humans to do that? No, for Jehovah makes this encouraging statement: “In loving-kindness I have taken delight, and not in sacrifice; and in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) So even mistake-prone humans can meet God’s requirements.

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Reason for Caution

However, we have reason for caution. We could miss the lessons that are implicit in Malachi 2:1-9. Are we personally alert, so that no unrighteousness is found on our lips?

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For example, can our family members really trust what we say? Can our spiritual brothers and sisters in the congregation do the same? It would be easy to develop the habit of couching one’s words in terms that are technically accurate but misleading. Or one might exaggerate or hide details in a business matter. Would Jehovah not see that? And if we followed such practices, would he accept sacrifices of praise from our lips?

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If we are not careful, we could be tempted to weave personal preferences or opinions in with our teaching. That would especially be a risk for a person tending to be confident in his own conclusions even when these contradict what Jehovah’s organization is teaching. But Malachi chapter 2 shows that we should expect congregation teachers to hold to knowledge from God and not to personal ideas, which could stumble the sheep. Jesus said: “Whoever stumbles one of these little ones who put faith in me, it is more beneficial for him to have hung around his neck a millstone such as is turned by an ass and to be sunk in the wide, open sea.”—Matthew 18:6

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Mistreating One’s Mate

Malachi then considers a second treachery: mistreating one’s mate, especially by unjust divorcing. Verse 14 of Mal chapter 2 states: “Jehovah himself has borne witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you yourself have dealt treacherously, although she is your partner and the wife of your covenant.” By dealing treacherously with their wives, Jewish husbands caused Jehovah’s altar to become ‘covered with tears.’ (Malachi 2:13) 

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Those men were obtaining divorces on illegitimate grounds, wrongly leaving the wives of their youth, likely to marry younger or pagan women. And the corrupt priests allowed that! Yet, Malachi 2:16 declares: “‘He has hated a divorcing,’ Jehovah the God of Israel has said.” Later, Jesus showed that immorality is the only ground for a divorce that would free the innocent mate to remarry.—Matthew 19:9

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Reflect on Malachi’s words, and see how they appeal to hearts and to feelings of basic kindness. He refers to “your partner and the wife of your covenant.” Each man involved had married a fellow worshiper, an Israelite woman, choosing her as a dear companion, a life partner. While that marriage probably took place when he and she were young, the passing of time and the onset of older age did not invalidate the covenant they had entered into, that is, the marriage contract.

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The counsel regarding those issues applies with equal force today. It is a shame that some disregard God’s direction on marrying only in the Lord. And it is also regrettable that some do not continue working at keeping their marriage strong. Instead, they make excuses and pursue a course that God hates by getting an unscriptural divorce so as to marry someone else. In doing such things, they “have made Jehovah weary.” Back in Malachi’s time, those who ignored divine counsel even had the audacity to feel that Jehovah was unjustified in his views. They, in effect, said: “Where is the God of justice?” What perverse thinking! Let us not fall into that trap.—Malachi 2:17

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On the positive side, Malachi shows that some husbands were not dealing treacherously with their wives. They ‘had what was remaining of God’s holy spirit.’ (Mal 2 Verse 15) Happily, God’s organization today abounds with such men who ‘assign honor to their wives.’ (1 Peter 3:7) 

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They do not abuse their wives physically or verbally, do not insist on degrading sexual practices, and do not dishonor their wives by flirting with other women or by viewing pornography. Jehovah’s organization is also blessed by having an abundance of faithful Christian wives who are loyal to God and his laws. All such men and women know what God hates, and they think and act accordingly. Continue to be like them, ‘obeying God as ruler’ and being blessed by his holy spirit.—Acts 5:29

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Soon, Jehovah will bring this entire world into judgment. Every individual will have to answer to him for his or her beliefs and actions. “Each of us will render an account for himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) 

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https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2002324#h=1:0-27:211