"Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favour on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.
You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth."
The sixth element in worship is - it is impossible to worship God without obedience.
God asked the people to look at the broken promises between husbands and wives. God brought the tragedy of a nation that had lost its relationship with God right down to the marital vows.
Take a look at the old English usage for when the marriage vow was made: “With my body I thee worship”
So we have broken marriage vows, disobedient lifestyle that destroyed the sanctity of the home and worship became hypocritical. If our word to God is not honoured, what motivation is there to honour our word to our spouses and then that is passed down to our children – trapped in a situation of broken promises. The book of James defines true religion as, “Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No,” no” in other words, honour your word.
God’s purpose boils down to this: redemption, right standinng with God, worship which is the same trend we see in Israel’s history:
•First He redeemed them
•Then He gave them the Law to point them to righteousness
•Finally, He gave them the instructions for worship
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