‘An indictment against the leaders of God’s people’ (Malachi 2:1-9)

You may have heard the expression, ‘the fish rots from the head down’. As with that proverbial fish, so with God’s people. In Malachi 2:1-9, we find that the cause of the spiritual decay that had set in among the people of Judah, was found in the priests of the day who were unfaithful and corrupt. They themselves were led astray and so by their teaching were also leading the people astray and to despise the word of God, just as they were doing. It’s a terrible picture, but something that wasn’t happening just ‘back then’. As goes the leadership of today’s church, so also goes the church.

Message

Outline

• What we’ve seen so far in Malachi
• The foundation established
• Decline from the ‘top down’
• See how the Lord accused the priests of …

Abusing the privilege of their calling (v.1-3)

Ignoring the responsibilities of the covenant (v.4-6)

Failing to set a godly example (v.7-9)

‘Going down like a lead balloon’
Generational decay
We need the Perfect Priest!