Malachi 2:13-14, “13 “This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

In our culture today there is a hash tag going around called #metoo. The hash tag is an attempt from our culture to bring awareness to the injustice committed against women today.

It is a reminder in social media to treat women with respect and honor, which is a good thing, but this hash tag trend is elevating a truth that has been important to the God of Scripture from the very beginning.

Even in Malachi 2 we see the God of Scripture bothered by how the husbands are treating their wives. Do you see the challenge in verses 13 and 14?

The husbands are leaving the “wives of their youth.” They are dealing “treacherously” with their wives.   The word, “treacherously” in the original language means “unfaithful and betrayal.” The husbands are betraying their marriage vows, and it bothers the God of Scripture.

In verse 14 the Lord says, “I was a witness at your wedding.” Did you know the Lord is a witness on our wedding day? A biblical wedding isn’t just a party. It is a holy moment. The Lord is a witness. He is present, and now these husbands are abandoning their wives to pursue other women.

The #metoo is a good hash tag, but the hash tag isn’t new. These are the same truths being proclaimed by the God of Scripture in Genesis 1 when He says, “Male and female are created in the image of God.” (Genesis 1:27)

The God of Scripture doesn’t honor the female because of her academics, her appearances, or her skin color. It is because He has left His fingerprints of glory all over her!

I know in my family I have a son and a daughter, and sometimes I will talk to my son about how to treat females. I will remind him he is here to help, not hurt. He needs to be careful with his words, and that all women are worthy of his respect because they are image bearers.

Sometimes I will talk to my daughter about how she should expect to be treated as a female. Sometimes I will say to her, “It is never okay for anyone to hurt you, abuse you, or speak harshly to you.” Most of the time she doesn’t really understand why this is important for her to hear, but I want to remind her over and over.

Sometimes I will even try to put on my best dad voice and say, “I have a particular set of skills. If anyone ever hurts you, or you don’t feel safe, please know you can always tell me. No questions asked. You can always come home.” She will say, “Okay daddy.”

But, you need to know something, on my best day as a dad, and no matter how many times I reminder her, I am not going to be able to push back all of the evil in the life that my daughter will encounter. I want to, but I won’t be able to, but you need to know there is One who can.

There is One who says, “I will defend her always.” There is One who will wipe away every pain, and every injustice. There is One who says, “I will be with her always.” Our culture is in shock, looking for someone to show respect and honor toward the female, and the God of Scripture says, “I have. I do and I will.”

He says, “I made her in My image!” He says, “I made her co-heir to the grace of life in Christ. He says, “I promise that the impropriety of this world will not go on for eternity.” There will be an end to this injustice we see in our culture today, and it is because Jesus absorbs that injustice upon Himself at the cross. That’s the hash tag I want my son and my daughter to know about. Might we all find our hope, security, and identity in Him!