Malachi had no idea that he would be writing the last book of the Old Testament. What would your last word be if all would be over soon? Little is known of Malachi as a person. Much of his writing is in the form of a dialogue between God’s people and himself. After this last prophecy, there would be 400 years of silence from God. No king. No Prophets. No word from the Lord. No word of warning or guidance. This small book contains much of the warning and guidance for today’s people.
After the Jews returned to their homeland one hundred years after being exiled to Babylon, they forgot any lessons they should have learned. The priests became corrupt. The people did not hesitate in their corruption. Both groups made professions as being God’s people but displayed a great depth of insincerity. Got invited and showed them the means how they might reinstate a proper relationship with him. This corruption remained until the arrival of Jesus. In the middle of the conversation between God and man, a prophecy was made for the coming of John the Baptist. (3:1)
In the midst of God’s complaint stood a comparable prophecy that his name would be great among the Gentiles. There is a possible reference to Jesus also in verse 11 to that of a pure offering. God’s heart must be broken, as we know through these words of God’s response to the corruption of the people, that he chose to be his own.
The proposed destiny of the Israelites was that of blessedness.(1:1-5) The people that should have been at the forefront enabling the blessing were themselves corrupt. They were as corrupt as the sacrifices offered to God that were sick, lame, and torn, instead of being healthy and pure. Everything God instructed earlier in the Old Testament the people, led by the priests, they ignored. The priest divorced their own rightful wives and married heathen women. In effect, they were mercenaries corrupting the worship of God. What a terrible situation this book established for the next 400 years! Instead of their repentance, God found it necessary to punish them with a curse and rejection.
God contrasted the righteous priest with the one who stood in arrogance before him. This is such a sad declaration that in many cases can be said now of today’s clergy who seek their own financial gain and prestige. God complained that the priests caused many people to stumble and corrupt the covenant that they originally were supposed to have with him. (We must stop at this point of the blog and remind ourselves that God is very serious about any relationship with him especially with those who are supposed to be his representatives. We must hold them accountable while holding our own selves accountable.) He offers a word of warning to all of us that we should “take heed to your Spirit, that you deal not treacherously.” (2:16)
God itemized a list of those who will face his judgment as examples facing his wrath. He called out sorcerers, adulterers, those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, turning aside the stranger from his right ( so horribly) that do not have a rightful awe of the Almighty God. God pleads for their return to him and even outlines examples of how they might demonstrate their return. (7-10)
Though Malachi did not know he was writing the last words of the Old Testament, we do know it! We can look back at history to learn a lesson, if we will. God withdrew his relationship with the Israelites until Jesus came on the scene. The many years in between were accented by the conquest of the Romans and the rebellion led by the family of the Jewish Maccabean priests. This can serve to the priest and the people that they will be left in a lurch much like so many of us today who abandon the offer of salvation through Christ. Maybe it is true what the famous preacher of old, Jonathan Edwards, said, “we are hanging from a spiders web” and refuse to recognize it.
God warned, “if you will not hear, I will curse your blessings.”(2:1) God highlighted the insincerity of those who are supposed to be devoted to him quoting them as saying, “where is a God of judgment?” (2:17) Is not most of the world during the same thing maybe with different words with different actions? But the result is the same. Malachi reminds us of the facts. Whether we will hear or not makes no difference. He said, “the Lord… shall suddenly come to his temple.” This same thought is repeated in 2 Peter 3:4. Just because God has delayed his coming, does not mean he is not coming! And when he comes, beware!!!
Christian Writer 