Introduction to Malachi In Malachi s day the Jews had been home from exile in Babylon for about 100 years. They were cured of their idolatry but prone to neglect the House of God. The priests had become lax and degenerate, their sacrifices were inferior and tithes were being neglected. The people had reverted to their old practice of intermarrying with idolatrous neighbors, and their spiritual condition rapidly declined. Worship degenerated into mere lip service and the Jews seemed to think that God didn t care as long as the formalities were maintained. People seemed to do just what seemed right in their own eyes and the priests no longer rebuked them thus causing the people to be spiritually limp. Malachi s name means My Messenger and it was his aim to stir these apathetic people into a realization of God s tender love and holiness so they would change their attitude into true earnestness of worship. Though Israel was unfaithful and worthy of punishment, Malachi brought a message of hope and a possibility of forgiveness. His book forms a bridge between the Old and New Testament as he concludes with a promise of the coming of the prophet Elijah who will offer God s forgiveness to all people who repent and believe. Author: Written To: Date: Malachi The Jews in Jerusalem and God s people everywhere about 430 B.C. Key Verse: 4:1, 2 Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace...but for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Main Message: To confront the people with their sins and to restore their relationship with God Contemporary Prophets : none (But he was contemporary with Nehemiah, the cup bearer of the King of Persia, who returned with the third group of exiles to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem) Outline I. Chapter 1, 2:9 God loves Israel but rebukes the sinful priests II. Chapter 2:10-3:15 God rebukes the sinful people III. Chapter 3:16-4 God promises to spare the faithful and send Elijah to turn their hearts 1
Read Chapter 1:1-5 Malachi Chapter 1-2 : 9 Note: The temple has been rebuilt for almost a century, the people were losing their enthusiasm for worship, apathy and disillusionment had set in because prophecies were not yet fulfilled and former sins that brought down Jerusalem were again being practiced. 1. In this dialogue between a righteous God and His hardened people, what message of hope is given? 2. What shows the people s cynicism? 3. Why did people then, as well as today, question God s love for them? Give as many reasons as you can think of. 4. In what way are you experiencing God s love now? Read vv. 6-14 5. What is the heart of the problem in their worship? 6. Which verse shows Israel s lack of realization of God s majesty? 7. How had the priests despised the Lord s name? (Give verses) 2
8. In what ways is this despising of the Lord s name present in professing Christians today? 9. What does your giving or worship say about your attitude toward God? Read Chapter 2:1-9 10. What attitude and action toward God is necessary in order to experience life and peace with Him? 11. When was verse 6 true in Israel s priesthood? (See Deut. 18:1-8) 12. What two duties were given to the priests in Mal. 2:7-9? 13. Why is the position of Christian leadership so vital to the people? 14. In regard to any Christian who has responsibilities to others, how can we cause others to stumble? 3
Malachi 2:10-3:15 Read Chapters 2:10-2:16 1. What was the sin and disastrous result of it in this section? 2. What does Jesus teach about this in Matthew 19:4-9? 3. What is God s feeling about divorce? 4. What comfort is there for those who have divorced in 1 Jn. 1:9? Read Chapter 2:17 to Chapter 3:5 5. Explain in your own words why God was weary with His people? 6. To which two messengers does chapter 3:1 refer? 7. How and when were these prophecies fulfilled? Luke 1:13-17 Matt. 5 4
8. Describe how a metal smith refines gold or silver and how does this apply to us? 9. To whom does God come in judgment? Read Chapters 3:6-3:15 10. What do verses 6 & 7 tell you about God? 11. How does the teaching on tithes in Mal. 3:7-12 apply to our present call as a living sacrifice in Rom. 12:1-2? 12. How do you see this command in Romans working out in your life? Do you do this daily? 13. How, in a rating from 1-10, would you evaluate your giving of yourself to God? 14 Put in your own words verses 13-15 how people today show their bitterness toward God. 15. How does Psalm 73 answer the thought in :15? 5
Malachi Chapters 3:16-4:6 Read Chapter 3:16-18 1. What must we do in order to be among the group spoken of in 3:16-18? 2. A. What do people do who fear the Lord? B. Do you do this? 3. How does the Lord respond to these people? Mal. 3:16 Psalms 34:15 Read Chapter 4:1-4 4. What period of time does Malachi speak of here? (Compare II Thes. 1:7-10, I Jn. 2:28 and I Jn. 3:2) 5. What four things will happen at that time? (Give verses) 6
6. Are you feeling the warmth and love of God and if not why? 7. In what way is Luke 1:13-17 a partial fulfillment of the prophecy in :5 & 6 of Malachi? 8. Why do some fear this time? 9. Do you look to this period of time with fear or joy? Why? Read Chapters 4:5 & 6 10. Of what law does Malachi speak? 11. In what way do you think Luke 1:13-17 is a partial fulfillment of Mal. 4:5-6? 13. In summarizing, what practical guidelines about commitment does Malachi give us in the following verses? 1:7-10 2:1-2 2:13-16 7
3:3 3:8-12 3:13-15 4:5 Note: In closing Malachi predicts that Elijah will usher in the Day of the Lord. This happened 400 years later in the person of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah. The New Testament begins with John calling the people to turn from their sins and to turn toward God. Such a commitment can be costly but we can be sure it will be worth it all in the end. 14. What do you offer God because of all He has done for you? Do you offer left-over time, energy, money, love or a pre-occupied mind? Or do you offer Him the first and best of your day, your time and your energy? 8