KNOW YOUR BIBLE IN 50 DAYS:
A GUIDE TO ALL 66 BOOKS

Previous Chapter | Full Table of Contents | Purchase Book | Next Chapter

CHAPTER 39 – Malachi: Approx. 425 B.C.-Eden Restored

Malachi is the thirty-ninth book of the Bible and the last book of the Old Testament. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Mal’aki meaning “my messenger.” The English title comes from the Septuagint which has the title Malachias, “Malachi.”

Authorship

The prophet Malachi is the author of the book of Malachi. It was probably written no earlier than 425 B.C.

Summary

The book of Malachi covers the period from about 425 B.C. to the future time when the earth is restored to the beauty of the garden of Eden. It consists of Malachi’s burden (prophecy) from God given in a series eight dialogues between God and the people of Israel, followed by a message from God.

In the first dialogue, God proclaims His love for Israel, but the people ask God for evidence that God loves them. In the second dialogue, God observes that Israel owed Him the honour due a father from a son, and charges Israel’s priests with despising God. In response, the priests ask God for evidence that they have despised God.

In the third dialogue, God answers the priests’ question by describing their many failures. God states that the priests have offered polluted bread upon His altar, and the priests ask God for evidence that they have polluted God’s worship. God replies that the evidence is in the blemished sacrifices that they offer to God.

Moreover, God says that the Jews have failed to have a pure worship of God as a godly example to the other nations. In fact, God says, the priests were weary of worshipping God, and God asks them if He should accept this at their hand.

In the fourth dialogue, God reviews His covenant with Israel, and charges the priests with causing many people to stumble at God’s law of love. And God says that this is the reason why He has caused Israel to appear contemptible in the sight of the other nations and why He, God, refuses to accept their offerings. In response, the people ask God, Why? God replies that the people deal treacherously with the wife of their youth by divorcing their wives, a thing which God hates.

In the fifth dialogue, God states that Israel have wearied Him with their words, and the people ask God wherein have they wearied Him. God replies by pointing out that the Israel says that evil people are good and that God takes delight in such people. God then announces the coming of the Messenger of the Covenant (Christ), and asks the people which of them can survive the day of His coming.

In the sixth dialogue, God charges Israel with not keeping His covenant with them, and invites the people to return to Him and He will return to them. In response, the people ask God wherein shall they return to God.

In the seventh dialogue, God answers Israel’s question by pointing out that Israel has robbed Him of tithes and offerings. The people then ask God for evidence that they have robbed Him. God replies that Israel is cursed because they have robbed Him, but if they return their tithes to Him, He, God, will bless them.

In the eighth dialogue, God declares that their Israel’s words have been of stubbornness against Him, and the people ask God for evidence of this. God replies that Israel has said that it is vain to serve God, and that they have asked God what profit is there in that they have humbled themselves before God. The people then declare that the proud, the wicked, and those that tempt God are blessed by God.

God then declares that a book of remembrance is written before Him for those who have reverence for God, and who talk to one another about God, and who think about God. Such people, God says, are His jewels whom He will save to eternal life when the day comes. At that day, God says, all the proud and the wicked shall be burnt up, leaving neither root nor branch. But those people that have reverence for God will be blessed and will walk upon the ashes of the wicked.

Next, God warns the people to remember the law of Moses which God had given to him. God then declares that, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord God, He will send Elijah the prophet. Lastly, God states that Elijah will turn the hearts of the parents and the children to each other in love in order to prevent God from striking the earth with a curse.

Themes

• People who are weary of worshipping God.
• Stubbornness and denial in the face of God’s rebukes.
• Disobedience to God.
• Forgetfulness of God.
• The failure of a nation to fulfil their divine purpose.
• Worship that is unacceptable to God.
• Contempt and hypocrisy towards God.
• Self-justification in an evil course.
• Mercenary attitude towards the worship of God.
• A call to repentance.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God who deals patiently with sinners.
• God who is offended by hypocrisy and contempt towards Him.
• God who is willing to forgive sinners.
• God who will send Christ, His Messenger, to a sinful world.
• God who will save those who have reverence for Him and love Him.
• God who will refine and purify people from their sins.
• God who will annihilate the wicked.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

God says, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD [God] hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” Isaiah 1:2. “Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble [burden] unto me [God]; I [God] am weary to bear them.” Isaiah 1:14.

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD [God], and he [God] will have mercy upon him; and…he [God] will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Do not be stubborn nor be in denial when God rebukes you.
• Have no unacceptable worship nor be weary of worshipping God.
• Have no hypocrisy, contempt, or self-justification in an evil course towards God.
• Have no mercenary attitude or forgetfulness towards God.
• Do not be disobedient to God and so fail to fulfil your divine purpose.

Previous Chapter | Full Table of Contents | Purchase Book | Next Chapter