My covenant with Levi

“‘Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, so that My covenant may continue with Levi,’ says the Lord of armies” (v 4). (1) At this point, the text begins to contrast Levi with the priests of Malachi’s day. Levi serves as the representative of the priesthood. (2) “My covenant with Levi” refers to the covenant described in passages such as Exodus 32:25-29, Numbers 8:5-19, 18:16-20, and Deuteronomy 33:8-11. It was a covenant that promised “life and peace.” (3) The Lord judges the corrupt priests in accordance with the covenant He made with Levi. Verses 5-7 describe the walk of Levi. (1) Levi feared the name of God and fulfilled his calling. (2) “True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing” (v 6). Levi taught the people the truth he had received from God and did not use deceitful words. As a result, many were brought back to the Lord. He was a righteous man who walked with the Lord. (3) “For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of armies” (v 7). The mission of the priest is to communicate the word of God to the people. In that sense, the priest is “the messenger of the Lord of armies.”

The corruption of the priests

(1) “‘But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi’” (v 8). Since “the way” is accompanied by the definite article, it refers to the essential way of faith revealed by God. The priests had abandoned that way and caused many people to stumble. (2) “‘So I also have made you despised and of low reputation in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction’” (v 9). Because the priests had treated the way of the Lord with contempt, the Lord would likewise make them despised among the people. The priests had also been given the responsibility of serving as judges (ref. Deut. 17:9-11; 19:17). The phrase “showing partiality in the instruction” means that they rendered unjust judgments. The priests needed to return to the faith of Levi, the very foundation of the priesthood. In the same way, we must not be swept along by the spirit of the age but must return to the teaching of the apostles. Let us walk today in the path that we ought to follow.