Prophets of Israel & Judah ISRAEL Prophets of Israel Obadiah Joel Jonah Amos Hosea JUDAH Isaiah Micah Prophets of Judah Divided Kingdom Nahum Zephaniah Habakkuk Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Exile Haggai Zechariah Restoration Post- Exilic Prophets Malachi 931 Assyrian Captivity 1 st Siege 2 nd Siege Babylonian Captivity Return Under Zerubbabel Temple work started Temple work stopped Temple work resumed Temple completed Return Under Ezra 536 534 520 516 Return Under Nehemiah 722 605 597 586 537 458 445 70 years 70 years
Chapter 1 1 The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi. 2 Jacob is loved by the LORD. 2 But you say, "How hast Thou loved us?" 2 Jacob is Esau's brother 5 your eyes will see Edom destroyed & you will say, "The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel! 6 No honor or respect the LORD of hosts from the priests who despise His name 6 But you say, 'How have we despised Thy name?' 7 are presenting defiled food upon God s altar 7 But you say, 'How have we defiled Thee?' In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.' 8 do evil when you present the blind, the lame & sick for sacrifice 9 With such an offering on your part, God will not receive any of you kindly 10 are uselessly kindling fire on God s altar 10 God is not pleased with you nor will He accept your offering 12 are profaning God s name in that you say, 'The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.' 13 You also say, 'My, how tiresome it is!' And you disdainfully sniff at it and you bring what was taken by robbery, and what is lame or sick 13 God won t receive such offerings from your hand 14 cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock, and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord The People Chart in the Book of Malachi Chapter 2 1 this commandment is for the priests 2 God has cursed your blessings because you are not taking it to heart to honor His name 3 He will rebuke your offspring, spread refuse of your feasts on your faces & you will be taken away with it 4 Then you will know that God has sent this commandment to you 8 you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi 9 God has made you despised & abased before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways, but are showing partiality in the instruction. 10 we have one father & one God has created us. Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has dealt treacherously, an abomination has been committed in Israel & Jerusalem; Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD & has married the daughter of a foreign god 13 you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, weeping & 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 & the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion & your wife by covenant 17 You have wearied the LORD with your words 17 Yet you say, "How have we wearied Him? In that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, & He delights in them," or, "Where is the God of justice?" Chapter 3 1 the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming 4 Then the offering of Judah & Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD, as in the days of old and as in former years. 5 Then God will draw near to you for judgment; & will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers & those who swear falsely, & those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow & the orphan, & those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear the LORD 6 you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes, & have not kept them 7 But you say, 'How shall we return?' 8 you are robbing God! 8 But you say, 'How have we robbed Thee?' In tithes and offerings. 9 are cursed with a curse 9 for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 13 Your words have been arrogant against the LORD. 13 Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against Thee?' 14-15 You have said, 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts? So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also test God and escape. 16 those who feared the LORD spoke to one another & the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name 17 they will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, & I will spare them " 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. Chapter 4 1 the day is coming, burning like a furnace; & all the arrogant and every evildoer will be set ablaze so that it will leave them neither root nor branch 2 for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; & you will go forth & skip about like calves from the stall 3 you will tread down the wicked on the day which the LORD is preparing 4 Remember the law of Moses My servant 5 God is going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great & terrible day of the LORD.
The Prophetic Future 1:3-5 - 3 I have hated Esau, & made his mountains a desolation, & appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness. 3 Though Edom says, "We have been beaten down, but we will return & build up the ruins"; thus says the LORD of hosts, "They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the wicked territory, and the people toward whom the LORD is indignant forever." 5 your eyes will see this & say, "The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel! 1:11 - "For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts. 1:14 I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts, & My name is feared among the nations." 2:2-4 2 "If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name, then I will send the curse upon you, & I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3 Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, & will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; & you will be taken away with it. 4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi," says the LORD of hosts. 2:9 - "So I also have made you despised and abased before all the people. 3:1 - Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts. 3:2---5 2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD, as in the days of old and as in former years. 5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. 3:16-18 16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. 17 And they will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. 4:1 - For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 4:2-3 2 "But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 3 And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says the LORD of hosts. 4:5-6 - 5 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. 6 And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." The Sins of the People Described 1:2 But you say, "How hast Thou loved us?" 1:6 - No honor or respect from the priests who despise God s name. But you say, 'How have we despised Thy name?' 1:7 present defiled food upon God s altar & say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despise. 1:8-9 -- present the blind, the lame and sick for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? 1:10 - uselessly kindle fire on God s altar 1:12 - are profaning God s name, in that you say, 'The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised 1:13 "You also say, 'My, how tiresome it is!' And you disdainfully sniff at it & bring what was taken by robbery, and what is lame or sick 2:2 the priests are not taking it to heart to give honor to God s name 2:8 the priests have turned aside from the way, have caused many to stumble by the instruction & have corrupted the covenant of Levi 2:9 are not keeping God/ s ways, but are showing partiality in the instruction 2:10 the people are dealing treacherously each against his brother & profane the covenant of our fathers 2:11 - Judah has dealt treacherously, for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, & has married the daughter of a foreign god 2:14 you have dealt treacherously with the wife of your youth 2:16 - the LORD hates divorce & him who covers his garment with wrong 2:17 - You have wearied the LORD with your words.in that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them," or, "Where is the God of justice?" 3:5 God will judge the sorcerers, the adulterers, those who swear falsely, those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow & the orphan, & those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me 3:7 - From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from God s statutes, and have not kept them. 3:8 - are robbing God in tithes and offerings 3:9 - you are robbing God, the whole nation of you! 3:13 speak arrogant words arrogant against the LORD 3:14-15 14 "You have said, 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts? 15 'So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also test God and escape.'" 3:18 - are not distinguishing between the righteous & the wicked, between one who serves God & one who does not serve Him 4:1 - all the arrogant and every evildoer will be set ablaze 4:3 - you will tread down the wicked
Key Words/Phrases: the LORD of hosts, But/Yet you say(said) profane(d) My(Thy) name priest(s) sacrifice(s)/offering curse Context of Malachi Purposes: 1. to affirm God s love for His people no matter how sinful they may be 2. to indict the priests of their sin against God s name and to appeal to them to repent 3. to show God s people their true spiritual condition before Him, that if they do not repent, He will judge them with fire 4. to explain why God s favor is not shown to the people even though they weep before the LORD 5. to prophesy of the Lord s Coming to judge the wicked and to bless the godly Problems Highlighted by the LORD 1. The Priests sin against God s Name (1:2,6-8,12; 2:2) => they don t know GOD! 2. The Priests profane Levi s covenant (2:8), the People profane their fathers covenant (2:10) & both profane the LORD s sanctuary (2:11) & deal treacherously with their wives by covenant (2:14-16) 3. They speak unacceptable & arrogant words against the LORD (2:17; 3:13-15) because they turn aside from His statutes (3:7) & make no distinction between the righteous & the wicked (3:18) Title: An Appeal: Return to God (37) An Admonition: Remember His Law (4:4) Behold the Day is Coming (4:1,5; 3:1-2) Theme: Sin and Judgment Historical Setting: 1. The Political situation: a. Esau s mountains made a desolation & they will rebuild but are not yet destroyed totally (1:3-4) b. Esau most likely oppressing Israel currently 2. The Religious Setting: a. Religion was just a formality and there was no true worship of the LORD of hosts 1) priests despise & profane God s name (1:6,12,13) 2) priests present defiled food on God s altar (1:7-8,12,13) 3) priests have turned aside from the way, & caused many to stumble by the instruction & have corrupted the covenant of Levi (2:8) 4) priests show partiality in the instruction (2:9) b. Judah worshipped Idols 1) Judah has married the daughter of a foreign god (2:11) c. the whole nation was robbing God in tithes and offerings (3:8-9) d. the priests teach falsely and cause many to stumble 1) have turned aside from the way, caused many to stumble by the instruction & corrupted the covenant of Levi (3:8) 2) are not keeping God s ways but are showing partiality in the instruction (3:9) 3. The Economic & Social Setting: a. people deal treacherously with one another (2:10-11) b. deal treacherously with the wife of your youth (2:14) c. are divorcing the wife of your youth (2:16) d. cover his garment with wrong (2:16) e. robbing God in tithes and offerings (3:8-9) Author: Malachi Date Written: After the Return from Exile Recipients: Israel, Jacob, priests, the whole nation
Book Theme: An Appeal: Return to God (3:7) / An Admonition: Remember His Law (4:4) Behold the Day is Coming (4:1,5; 3:1-2) Chapter Topics and Themes Chapter Titles Segment Divisions Chapter 1 God s Love for Israel questioned (1:2) Judgment on Edom (1:3-4) & Israel s Response (1:5) The Sin & Judgment of the Priests (1:6-14) 1:1-5 Reminder of God s Love 1:6-2:9 - Rebuke of the Priests * Despising God s Name & God s table (1:6-14) Reminder of God s Love Appeal in View of the Present Sin (ch1-2) Yahweh speaks: the priests are appealed to (1:6-2:9) Malachi speaks: the people are appealed to (2:10-17) God s Care for Israel (1:1-5) God s Love Questioned (1;1-5) Rebuke of the Priests (1:6-2:9) God s Complaint Against the Priests (1:6-2:9) Repent: Prevailing Sins The Sin & Judgment of the Priests (1:6-2:9) Chapter 2 The Sin & Judgment of the Priests (2:1-9) The Sin & Judgment of the People (2;10-17) 1:6-2:9 Rebuke of the Priests * Dishonoring God s Name (2:1-3) * Corrupting Levi s Covenant (2:4-9) 2:10-17 Rebuke of the People The Condemnation of the Lord (1:1-2:17) Rebuke of the People (2:10-3:15) Appeal in View of the Coming Day (ch 3-4) The Day will Judge the Guilty (3:1-6), therefore appeal (3:7-12) The Day will Bless the Godly (3:13-4:3), therefore appeal (4:4-6) God s Complaint against the People (2:10-3:15) The Sin & Judgment of the People (2:10-17) The LORD is Coming (3:1-5) Chapter 3 The Lord is Coming to Judge the Priests (3:1-4) & the People (3:5-6) The Sin & Judgment of the people (3:7-15) God s Blessing on those who Fear Him (3:16-18) 3:1-5 Coming of the Lord 3:6-12 Call to Repent from Robbing God 3:13-15 The Ungodly Response 3:16-18 The Godly Response Return of the Lord (3:16-4:6) Coming Blessing & Judgment (3:16-4:3) The Coming of the Lord (3:1-4:6) Repent: Promise of Judgment Judgment (3:6-15) Blessing (3:16-18) Chapter 4 The Day is Coming & the Wicked will be judged & the Righteous will be Blessed (4:1-3) Remember the Law of Moses because Elijah is Coming (4:4-6) 4:1-3 The Coming Day 4:4-6 Elijah s Coming Concluding Warning (4:4-6) The DAY is Coming (4:1-6)
Question How hast Thou loved us? (1:2) How have we despised Thy name? (1:6) How have we defiled Thee? (1:7) For what reason? (2:14) How have we wearied Him? (2:17) How shall we return? (3:7) How have we robbed Thee? (3:7) In what way have we robbed You? (3:8) What have we spoken against Thee? (3:13) Significance This question reveals an alarming lack of trust in God. They were implying that God had been unfaithful to His covenant. If You really love us, why are we still under foreign oppressors? Why are we still in difficult circumstances? Why aren t we prospering? Why has Your promised kingdom not come? This question reveals a total lack of discernment. It proves that they do not know their God, His character or His ways. If they truly had honored God s name, they would have understood that He is holy and would have offered their sacrifices gladly. This question reveals an utter lack of understanding of the holiness of God and how it applies to their lives. They thought an outward obedience to the commands would be sufficient to please the LORD even though their sacrifices weren t up to His standard. This questions the integrity of God. They wonder why God is still not showing favor on them when they are repenting of their sins before Him. After all, aren t they doing what He says they should do, i.e., weep over their sins? They forgot that God demands genuine repentance which means that they deal with any sin in their lives. Again this question shows their utter lack of knowledge of God. When they add to God s Word or take away from it, they still thought it was pleasing to God! This question shows their utter lack of understanding of their Scriptures and of the ways of God. They have had His word for about 1000 years and through their prophets, the two captivities and their history, they should have known that God demands that they turn away from their wicked ways in order to return to God. Again, they thought partial obedience should be equated with total obedience. After all, they WERE tithing though not in full. Again, this question shows an alarming lack of knowledge of God and how to please Him. The tribes were to give their tithes to the Levites so that they can do their job of running the nation and the temple. IF they are not supported, then they would have to neglect the work of the Lord and thus the whole nation would suffer because God would not bless them. It s amazing how God s people can think that they are right and God wrong when He confronts them with their sin. The arrogance of thinking they know better than God is so clear throughout Malachi. Application Do we still demand proof of God s love for us? Isn t Calvary proof enough? What more proofs of love do we need? Are we not the same when we live in sin and expect God to bless us? When we blatantly disobey God s clear command and then wonder why we re not blessed Are we not the same when we come to God s house with sin in our hearts? Or partake of the Lord s Supper unworthily? Are we not the same when we gather together to repent before the Lord and still have not turned away from the sins in our lives? We must realize that we can weary God when we add to His words or take away from it or present our man-made teachings as God s commandments. Scriptures are clear that repentance from sin is essential before God s favor can be shown to His people. We can t get away with any disobedience to God s clear commands The commands of God are to be obeyed and in respect to His provision for His servants (1Cor 9:14), God does expect obedience. May we always be willing to submit to God s Word and bow to His authority to speak into our lives.
Did Malachi prophesy, then, in the days of Nehemiah s first twelve years as Governor of Jerusalem, when such grand restorations were effected (Neh. vii-xiii). Did he prophesy, then, during the brief interval that Nehemiah was away Persian court (Neh. xiii.2)? Scarcely, for there is a settled attitude and behaviour and a state of callousness and defiant hostility, indicated in the time of Malachi which were not the product merely of a sudden collapse all within a couple of years, but a growth through a longer period (i. 6, 7, 10, 13; ii. 8, 9, 17; iii. 7). Certainly, Nehemiah found, on his return, that certain abuses had already appeared (xiii), but it is just as clear that they did not represent the whole nation, as was the case when Malachi prophesied (iii.9). Again, if the extreme of corruption denounced by Malachi all developed in the short absence of Nehemiah, then it says very little for Malachi s effectiveness if he prophesied then! Did Malachi prophesy, then, during Nehemiah s second term at Jerusalem? Hardly, for it is difficult to think that such a condition of things as Malachi exposes would develop while Nehemiah was still in control, and while Ezra possibly still lived. Also, there is a reference to the Governor in Malachi i. 8 which surely seems inexplicable if Nehemiah was Governor at the time. Would Malachi have referred thus namelessly to such an one as Nehemiah? It is possible, of course, but is it likely? Moreover, this verse speaks of speaks of offerings for the Governor; but Nehemiah expressly tells us that he made it his practice to maintain himself apart from such Governors dues (Neh. v. 14, 15); and it is not likely that he changed later! We conclude, therefore, that Malachi prophesied after the days of Nehemiah and long enough after for the settled, corrupt condition of things to have developed which he deplored and denounces. The Book of Ezra does refer to the two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, who prophesied during the period covered by that book: but the book of Nehemiah nowhere suggests the presence of Malachi; and in this, again, we see a further, slight corroboration of our conclusion that Malachi came on the scene somewhat later. Nehemiah, it will be realized, may have lived for a considerable time beyond the last event recorded in the book which bears his name; and so long as he lived he would exert a strong influence for moral and religious purity; but the conditions described by Malachi suggest a deterioration which had come about after that influence was withdrawn. Not only had the earlier zeal of people and priests cooled down; it had given place to a complex of slovenly formalism (iii. 14) and even deceitful evasion (i. 14). Our last glimpse of Nehemiah in Jerusalem is at about 430 B.C., but he probably continued there for some years after that; so we put the ministry of Malachi somewhere between 420 and 397 B.C. Explore the Book, by Sidlow Baxter, pages 260-261 Entrusting the Word to the Faithful