There are a number of passages that I am going to reference in the message this morning. So I sort of had to make a decision of which ones to add to our reading from Malachi. And I have chosen this passage from Genesis chapter 49. Chapter 49 in which Jacob speaks of sort of in a prophetic way. This is the chapter I'm sure most of you are familiar with concerning Jacob's statements about each of his sons. And so I want to read the section in which he addresses Levi and Simeon. So if you're turning to Genesis 49, verses five through seven, I would like to read to you. Listen carefully to the holy, infallible Word of God. Simeon and Levi are brothers. Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council. Let not my honor be united to their assembly. For in their anger they slew a man. and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel. Now over to Malachi. Chapter two. reading verses three through nine. Behold, I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuge on your faces in refuge of your solemn feasts. And one will take you away with it. Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you. that my covenant with Levi may continue, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear me. So he feared me and was reverent before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth and injustice was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth. For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have departed from the way. You've caused many to stumble at the law, and have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. Therefore, I also have made you contemptible in base before all the people because you have not kept my ways and have shown partiality in the law. Let's pray. Our Lord and our God, we ask that you would give to us a continual understanding of how sacred the worship of thy name is. As we continue to reflect upon your honorable name, We would ask, O Lord, that we would see that Christ is worthy of our worship. In Christ's name, amen. A covenant with Levi. a covenant of Levi. What covenant is that? Did I miss that covenant somewhere in my reading in Scripture? Can I assume that for most of us that we are not too familiar with this biblical phrase which appears twice in our text this morning, a covenant with Levi and a covenant of Levi, verse four and verse eight of our text. As a Reformed and Presbyterian body, we are very familiar with the following two covenants from the Westminster Confession taught in scripture. the covenant of grace, and the covenant of works. But the covenant with or of Levi most likely does not come instantly to our minds when we discuss the covenants found in the Bible. The covenant of Levi hearkens back to the Exodus when the tribe of Levi was charged with the care of the sanctuary of God. Exodus chapter 25 through 31. who was the brother of Moses and a descendant of Levi, and his sons were set apart, for the priesthood and the office was made hereditary within the eventual tribe of Levi." Exodus 28, verse 1. The care and transportation of the sanctuary, as well as the preparation of the materials for the elaborate service of the tabernacle and worship entailed labors which no one man, no one family was able to do. Thus, the whole tribe of Levi is chosen, so we are told. in Numbers chapter 1 verses 49 through 54. But why the tribe of Levi? Why the tribe of Levi? First of all, it would not surprise you if we point out to you that there is no specific reason given in scripture for the choice of the tribe of Levi. Hence, the singling out of the tribe of Levi is basically totally upon the sovereign choice of the Lord himself. In fact, Levi, who was born as the third son of Jacob and Leah, Genesis 29 verse 34, has an interesting first recording in scripture about an activity that occurred in his life. The story covers the entire chapter of the 34th chapter of Genesis. The 34th chapter of Genesis. In short, Levi's sister, Dinah, was violated by Shechem. the son of Hamer, the Hiphite in the land of Canaan. Although it is important to note that such an act was not to be tolerated towards the women in Israel, Levi and his brother Simeon decided to devise their own plan of vengeance against Shekin, Hamer and their city. As Shechem asked Dinah's two brothers for her hand in marriage, the brothers responded that there was one condition, that all the males of their city had to consent to be circumcised. The males under Hamar approved the condition, so all the males were circumcised on the third day When the men were still in pain, Levi and Simeon took the sword and killed all the males in the city. When their father Jacob heard of the action of his sons, he condemned their action as excessive. The last verse in Genesis 34. Hence congregation. As Jacob, before his death, delivers his prophecy about each son in Genesis 49, his concern for their action recorded in Genesis 34 is clearly in mind. You want to connect what we read in Genesis 49 with the event in Genesis 34. He is condemning both Levi and Simeon for their cruelty, their fierce anger and wrath as their way of life. In fact, listen to Jacob's prophetic words. Now think as you listen. Think of the Levitical descendants as recorded in Malachi as you listen. Jacob says that he will not allow his soul as Jacob Israel to enter the council of Levi in Simeon. Think here of the religious establishment there in Malachi's day, that the people of God there cannot allow their souls to be delivered to those Levites, those priests in that day. Sort of prophetic here. He will not allow his honor, Jacob's honor, to be united to their assembly. 49.6. Are you hearing? Are you listening? He will not allow his honorable personhood in the Lord to be united to their religious assembly of worship. I ask you, is not Malachi And more importantly, the Lord saying to the priests exactly what Jacob is telling us about Levi in chapter 49. In fact, Jacob uses the same Hebrew word that the Lord uses in Malachi in cursing the actions of the priests, of the people, in Malachi 1.14 and 2.2, in cursing Levi and Simeon's anger and cruel wrath. Because Levi and Simeon took things into their own hands, and their own actions expressed such over-the-top anger and wrath, Jacob will be divided and scattered in Israel. 49.7 Indeed, we know that this became true. We can reference at least one occasion, that is the divided monarchy in the future of Jacob, Israel, recorded in 1 Kings chapters 11 and 12. Do you see the irony here? Do you see the irony here of Jacob's prophetic word here in chapter 49 of Genesis as it is seen in the narrative of Malachi? The fierce anger and cruel wrath of violence that Levi and Simeon delivered against Shechem Hamar and the males of their city is turned by the Levitical priests, Levi's descendants in Malachi's day, against the Lord. Their descendants. Their anger, their violence now turns against the Lord, against the Lord's covenant with the Levites. Indeed, and do not miss this, Jacob noted that the instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place, 49.5 of Genesis. Don't miss that, in their dwelling place, connected to Levi. Yes. What pops in your mind What pops in your mind when you see dwelling place connected with Levi? You're thinking with me, aren't you? Yes, the tabernacle, the temple as the dwelling place of the Lord. Congregation, the descendants of Levi in Malachi's day turned the dwelling place of God and his sacred worship into a place of wicked cruelty and wrath by presenting defiled sacrifices on the altar and table of the Lord. Congregation. The book of Genesis does not provide, does not present a very positive picture of Levi as the one who descends, who will be chosen to watch over the sacred duties of the priesthood, pointing to our final and perfect high priest, Jesus Christ. One thing is for sure consistent with the Lord's manner of operation in redemptive history. There is nothing in Levi that merits, that merits the office of being a priest. Nothing. that merits the choice of his descendants will hold the sacred position as priests in Israel. After Jacob's final condescending words are uttered about Levi in chapter 49, centuries will pass. Centuries will pass. Yes, centuries will pass before the Lord will take fallen, cruel, violent, angry Levi, and by his sovereign grace of election, place upon the Levites that sacred trust of holy and righteous worship in the midst of the Lord's dwelling place in Israel. What a merciful God! What a merciful God to the descendants of Levi! Yes, congregation, after centuries, the book of Exodus, the book of Exodus will open focusing upon a child born in the house of Levi. His name is Moses. His name is Moses. In the book of Exodus, we come to our second point as to why did the Lord choose the tribe of Evi to be priests for his children. Once again, once again, the Lord did not choose them because of any activity, any work or any merit that would deserve such an honored and privileged position, rather out of rebuke, an admonishment of Jacob to his son Levi in Genesis 49. The Lord in his grace chose his descendants to care for the sacred institution of worship in the midst of his chosen nation, the church and the kingdom of God. Everything is occurring here by the Lord's directive, not by the directive of men. So to repeat from our introduction this morning, the covenant of Levi harkens back to the Exodus. when the tribe of Levi was chosen and charged by the sole Lord of heaven and earth with the care of the sanctuary of God. Aaron, who was the brother of Moses and a descendant of Levi, and his sons were set apart for the priesthood and the office was made hereditary within the covenantal tribe of Levi. Now, it did not take long, it did not take long for the biblical narrative to tell us of the wavering existence between disobedience and obedience among the Levites concerning their religious leadership within Israel. The biblical text did not take long to inform us of the inconsistencies found in the religious establishment in applying faithfully, faithfully their sacred office. We know the story, don't we? Moses has gone up to Mount Sinai to receive the two tablets of stone. We're talking here this time about Exodus 31, 18. He is viewed by the people of being delayed to come down to them. Exodus 32, verse one. Hence the people convinced Aaron from the tribe of Levi to make a golden calf. To make a golden calf. as the image of God who brought them out of Egypt. An utter, an utter abomination. As the Lord saw this, the Bible says that his wrath burned against the people. The Lord tells Moses that he is about to consume all the children. and from Moses alone, raise up a nation. He was gonna consume everyone, but take Moses and his descendants to be the continuation of his covenant alone. Exodus 32, verse 10. Now watch this, watch this. As Aaron has just filled the sacred duties of his office, Moses enters into intercession on behalf of the people from the mountain. As if he is on Mount Zion and at the Lord's right hand in heaven, he appeals to the Lord by virtue of the Lord's own covenant oath to save Israel. Where Aaron failed as priest, Moses is the triumphant priest, interceding for the people of Israel, invoking that the God turn his wrath away, his wrath away from the people, the wrath which they deserve. We're back to that word, right? That we had last week, propitiation. The turning away of the wrath of God. As Moses comes down from that mountain, as he comes down from that mountain himself and confronts the people with righteous anger, he confronts Aaron's sin as well as the sin of the people. Then he asked that those who are on the Lord's side come to him. Notice, it is the sons of Levi. the sons of Levi that come to his side. Verse 26 of chapter 32. It is the tribe of Levi who alone volunteered and returned their allegiance to God and showed their zeal for his honorable and his favorable name. They carried out the divine wrath of God by killing 3,000 men that day by the sword. In a real sense, their activity operated to atone for the sins of God's people as Moses served as their mediating priest. Essentially, the sons of Levi performed the act of excommunication against those unrepentant idolaters. on behalf of their Christ-like mediator, Moses. Well, congregation, still in our first two points here, we have not yet established that the term covenant or the term covenant with the Levites as stated in Malachi, We have not yet established the reciprocal oath and vow of covenant bond between the Lord and the Levitical priesthood, which we carefully noted in one of our previous messages on vows and oaths. Let me assure you, Let me assure you that the Bible has called the Levitical priesthood a covenant. You can note this in Deuteronomy chapter 33, verses eight and nine, and in Jeremiah chapter 33, verse 21. Although this is true, perhaps the best example Perhaps the best example is God's covenant with the Levitical priest Phineas. Phineas recorded a tremendous story, recorded in Numbers 25, 10 through 13. If you don't know that story, you may want to read about it this week. Numbers 25, 10 through 13. was camping at Acacia Grove. And the men of Israel played the harlot with the daughters of Moab. They sacrificed and bowed down to their gods. God, of course, is angry and demanded the judges of Israel to slay those who worship those false gods. But as Moses and the congregation were weeping before the tent of meeting an Israelite, an Israelite, Zimri, the Simeonite, huh? Remember Genesis 49? A Simeonite brought a woman, Cosby, of Minyan in light of their sinful activity right before the people. Phineas the priest saw this and took a spear and thrust that spear before those two and it struck both of them and killed them in their tent with one thrust. They are killed for their immorality. Now you want to listen. Listen carefully of what the Lord says. What the Lord says to Moses concerning Phinehas in chapter 25 of Numbers 11 through 13. Stay with me and listen to this long passage. Athenius, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away, there's that idea again, from the children of Israel, so that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I consume not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace, and it shall be unto him and to his seed after him. The covenant, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the children of Israel. O church of the Lord Jesus Christ, What does it take? What does it take for the people of God, the church, to have a historical consciousness of our Lord's dealings with his people? We have mapped out just a few pinnacle examples here this morning that should have deeply registered in the Levitical line in Malachi's day, but it doesn't. It doesn't. Can there be any question as to why the phrase, the Lord of hosts, is so prominent here in Malachi 1.1-2.9 as the Old Testament canon closes. Have you noticed the serious concern with Levi, Jacob's son? Have you noticed the righteous anger of the Lord with the serious sin of idolatry? by the Levitical priest Aaron and the people of God. Have you noticed the righteous, vengeful wrath of Phinehas atoning action of peace and life when the Israelite men played the harlot with the daughters of Moab? Just from these few examples, is there any doubt that the Lord is justified in declaring all out war with his heavenly hosts, his army of angels, against the evil actions and activities of the idolatrous and blasphemous worship that the priests themselves brought before Israel and post-exilic Israel. In contrast to the self-asserted cruelty Vengeful anger and wrath of Levi in his dwelling place as recorded in Genesis 49. The scepter of priesthood will eventually pass from Levi, the third son of Jacob, and notice this, to the fourth son of Judah. The fourth son, Judah, who will be praised because all God's people will eventually bow before the Lion of Judah. Revelation, chapter 5, verse 5. The everlasting High Priest for his people. You know Him. You know Him, congregation. You know Him, do you not? He is Jesus the Christ. As the inconsistencies of the priesthood are exposed in the scene of the golden calf, between Aaron and Moses, Aaron's actions being sinful and Moses' actions being praiseworthy in view of his covenantal intercession for the people, we can see the whole history of redemption with respect to the priesthood in this event and in these two descendants of Levi. righteous Moses takes the place of sinful Aaron. Follow me on this. As righteous Moses takes the place of sinful Aaron, so likewise, the sinful failures of the priesthood during Israel's history will be replaced, replaced by a faithful intercessory prayer warrior, prayer warrior, who will truly preserve your faithfulness in his Christocentric priesthood. Oh, what a great high priest we have. What a great high priest you have in Jesus, in Jesus. And as Phinehas executed atoning justice for sin, providing temporary peace and life for the children of Israel, our Christ will come and provide atonement to satisfy the honorable and favorable name of the Lord through the lifeblood of his sacrificial justice on behalf of his people. In the coming of Christ, the sword of Phinehas. The sword of Phinehas' priesthood has been replaced with the armor of the Lord, which is spoken of in Ephesians chapter six. But Christ's equipment, as we said last week, is the sword of the word of God given to us which is accompanied by prayer. Herein, herein is peace and life because of Christ's priesthood. Resurrection, resurrection in Christ. always conquering, always conquers the suffering endured in this world. I'm going to repeat that. Resurrection in Christ always conquers the suffering endured in this world. We have even prayed in this congregation. for many who are suffering in multiple ways. We always point in that condition to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the pattern of Christ, even if the world executes you, even if the world executes you. They cannot, they cannot prevent our resurrection into the kingdom, a kingdom of everlasting peace and life with our Jesus. They can't defeat it. Do you got it? The priests appearing before the prophet Malachi did not have a clue. They blocked out willingly the whole historical consciousness of the Levitical priesthood, hopefully. Hopefully all of us that are joined together here this morning, you will find confidence and assurance that we possess by grace and by faith the covenant of Levi fulfilled, fulfilled in the Lion of Judah, our Jesus. That's your priest. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thy providence is so magnificent, so beautiful to study. How thou dost yet fulfill all the institutional aspects of the Levitical priesthood, even outside, outside, Levi. Thou hast done it in Judah, in the Lion of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ. What a triumph over the cruelty, the violence of the world, providing for each of us life and peace. Grant us the continual abidance of thy spirit and the prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf. In his name we pray, amen.