And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
And here's what you're doing now, you're covering God's altar with your tears, crying and sobbing because he won't accept your offerings anymore or receive them with any kind of approval from you.
Your tears can't fix what your actions broke, God sees right through empty gestures.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of the prophet Malachi, around 430 BC, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon but were struggling with unfaithfulness in their marriages and insincere worship practices. The priests were specifically rebuked for offering flawed sacrifices and breaking God's covenant, which included fidelity in personal relationships. As a result, God was ignoring their emotional displays at the altar, seeing them as hollow without true repentance.
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