The breach against God that was encouraged by the priests and teachers in Israel in Malachi's day had the inevitable result of the people being charged by God with treachery against Himself and their fellows, verse 10, 14. There is an indissoluble link between loving and obeying God and loving and serving our neighbour. The first table of the Law provides a foundation for the second table. Destroy one and you destroy the other. When we feel we may cheat against God then we will feel even more free to cheat against our neighbour. The devil's policy from the beginning was to disrupt and destroy the structure of relationships that God has ordained. 1. Between God and His people. 2. Between man and woman. 3. Between husband and wife. 4. Between parents and offspring. 5. Between the citizen and the state. All of these breaches may be seen manifested amongst the people in the Book of Judges, a record of apostasy. Here in Malachi, that chain of events had begun again. 1. They had dishonoured God, 1:6. 2. They had sought to cheat God in their offerings, 1:7-8. Now they were treacherously cheating their fellows, verse 10. The wickedness seen in the sacred place was soon seen in the profane and secular places of activity. What a man will do toward God he will most certainly do toward others.