1. In Malachi 2:10, God reminds the people that they have “one Father” and “one God” who created them; how does this shared identity raise the stakes for how they treat one another, especially in close relationships?
  2. The word translated “faithless” in this passage carries the idea of treachery or betrayal; what are some modern examples (inside or outside marriage) where we might trivialize “small” betrayals that God would call treachery?
  3. Malachi says Judah has “married the daughter of a foreign god” (2:11), emphasizing spiritual, not ethnic, compromise; how might believers today be tempted to bind themselves closely—romantically, in business, or in close partnership—to people whose values pull them away from wholehearted devotion to Christ?
  4. In verse 13, the people are weeping at the altar because God seems distant, yet He explains that He is responding to their unfaithfulness toward “the wife of your youth”; what does this teach us about the connection between our relational integrity and our experience of God’s presence in worship?
  5. God describes marriage as a covenant and calls Himself a witness between a husband and wife (2:14); how does viewing marriage (and other key commitments) as a covenant before God—not just a private agreement—change the way we approach conflict, hardship, or disappointment in those relationships?
  6. Twice God tells them, “Guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless” (2:15–16); what does it practically mean to “guard your spirit,” and where do you see the earliest warning signs of unfaithfulness beginning in the heart long before it shows up in actions?
  7. Malachi uses the image that treacherous divorce “covers his garment with violence” (2:16); how have you seen covenant-breaking—whether in marriage, friendship, or church commitments—spread pain and “violence” beyond just the two people involved?
  8. In light of this passage, what is one specific step of faithfulness God might be calling you to—toward a spouse, family member, friend, or church community—and how can your group pray for and support one another in guarding your spirits and keeping your covenants?