The second chapter of Malachi expresses God's displeasure at the persistent covenant unfaithfulness of the Jews. In three different ways, the nation of Judah is guilty of breaking its promises.
First, the word of the Lord is directed to the unfaithful priests. God charges them with breaking His covenant with Levi, an arrangement based on reverence to be shown by the priests toward God (vs. 5). The priests, however, are no longer walking in such integrity and uprightness. "But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts" (vs. 8).
Second, Judah is guilty of intermarriage with foreigners, of chasing after the daughters of those who worship other gods. "Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god" (vs. 10 and 11).
Finally, the men of Judah are guilty of treating the covenant relationship with their wives cavalierly. They have been willfully choosing divorce, which God hates. It is yet another example of breaking covenant faithfulness. "The Lord was a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant" (vs. 14).
God is demanding through His prophet Malachi that the nation of Judah return to Him and honor the covenants they swore to keep.
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