The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Malachi 2:1-7. “And now this commandment is for you, O priests.
2 “If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the LORD of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.
3 “Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.
4 “Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi,” says the LORD of hosts.
5 “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.
6 “True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity.
7 “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”

When we carefully read the Scriptures, we discover that the problems that were faced in Old Testament times are clearly similar to what we face today. While the LORD does not change from good, many of His ministers fail to forsake evil. They are instructed to live like Christ, thereby qualifying to give spiritual instruction to their congregations.

In these verses, Malachi gives serious instruction to the LORD’s priests (ministers). They were going through the ritual of worship, but it was not in their hearts. No minister emulates the LORD to perfection; yet, we are to endeavor to be more like Him and certainly true in the instruction we give to others. His “covenant” with His ministers is one of life and peace. “The lips of a priest (minister) should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from (the minister’s) mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”

Two factors are carefully and forcefully emphasized here: 1) each minister is responsible to understand and disseminate the LORD’s instruction to His people; and 2) the people are to hear the LORD’s instruction from their pastor and are to faithfully follow and abide by it.

I have sought to faithfully minister to people for over 60 years and I still learn from my pastor, who is the age of my oldest grandson! If your pastor is not faithfully instructing you from God’s Word, you need to find another pastor. God will hold him accountable. If you have a faithful pastor and you’re not following his instruction, God will hold you accountable. If we repent of our failures and follow His instruction, He will forgive us and return us to His favor. Pray for your pastor. You have no idea how much he needs your prayers.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom