“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.
Not every prophecy is called a burden; this name belongs to words bearing God's judgment. The ungodly used it as a slur, hoping to excuse themselves from listening. Malachi's doctrine is rightly called a burden because the people had fallen into sins that could not be endured, and they stood summoned before God's tribunal.
AI summary
Commenting on Malachi 1:1-14
God has a reckoning to settle with unfaithful ministers before all others. A son honors his father by nature, a servant honors his master by compact; yet these priests, who are both God's children and servants, neither fear nor honor Him. What they do to the least of God's holy things, they do to Him.
AI summary
Commenting on Malachi 1:6-14
But cursed be the deceiver,.... A cunning, crafty, subtle man, who thinks and contrives, speaks and acts, in a very artful and deceiving manner; though some derive the word from "to be able"; and so the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "who is able"; to bring a proper offering, a perfect lamb, as it follows: which hath in his flock a male; without spot...