One Father

Malachi 2:10 Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?
 
GOD has portrayed himself as humanity’s Father since Genesis. In the beginning, God demonstrates an intimate, true fatherly love for the man and woman: Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” All was good under God’s leadership. Would it not be natural to obey his laws and mandates?
   But then Adam and Eve’s lost sight of their Father in heaven and looked to the father of lies. Their grievous sin opened an impenetrable chasm between the first couple and God. How would God become mankind’s true, only Father again?
   The LORD began to bridge the cham when he gave us earthly fathers to tell and demonstrate his love, justice and mercy. The righteous Noah became humanity’s second father after the Flood. From Noah came Abraham to be the father of Israel. God anointed Moses, Joshua, and some true judges to lead Israel toward God. Then the prophets were considered, “My father.” to those who believed and heeded their words. To Israel, “father” was an image of honor.
   Malachi is about to speak of two significant problems in Judah. With three questions, Malachi reminds Israel that one God has formed them. They are of his family because God formed a covenant with them to be their God as they will obey him. “Why,” he wonders, “do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?” Now that Israel was at peace from external wars, something was at war within Judah.
   These are very good questions for the many forms and denominations of Christianity throughout the world. It speaks to not only an “Old Testament” problem, but confronts the human condition that separates us from even those who have the same Father in heaven. The new church faced the challenge to bring Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, rich and poor, etc. to be one church under one Father: Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
   God calls not only the Jews of 420 BC to answer the questions, but he calls us today. As we look to the Christian communities around us, let’s remember, “Have we not all one Father?”