Malachi is generally believed to have prophesied about 450-400 B.C., although his book never tells us this. The content of the book indicates a time when Israel had lost their zeal and fervor for God’s law. Their religion had become one of facade and sham. It is interesting to note that Malachi, whose name means “My Messenger”, ends the Old Testament by prophesying the coming of God’s first New Testament messenger, John the Baptist (4:5-6). He uses a question and answer style that challenges Israel to examine her motives in serving God.
It is sad when God’s people lose their focus on Him, but such is the problem with which Malachi dealt. God had chosen Jacob’s descendants (Israel) to be his people (1:2-3), but they had not lived up to their part of the bargain. They had deprived God of the honor rightfully due him. “If I then be a father, where is my honor?” (1:6). They were offering lame and sick animals as sacrifices. These would not have been acceptable to their governor, why should they think God would accept them? (1 :8) God was so disappointed that he said, “I have no pleasure in you … neither will I accept an offering at your hand.” (1:10) The heathen showed more respect for the name of God than they had (1:12, 14).
The priests were no better than the common people were. “The priest’s lips should keep knowledge,” for ”he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts” (2:7); but, instead, they had “departed out of the way” and “caused many to stumble at the law” (2:8). They had profaned “the covenant of our fathers” (2:10).
God’s people had married “the daughter of a strange god” (2:11). He had witnessed their treachery against; the wives of their “youth” (2:14). Even though they had been faithful companions (2:15), they had divorced them for wives of “strange nations”. God “hateth putting away” and certainly would not tolerate it in this instance (2:16). They should not have left their legal wives.
God promised a messenger who would signal better times. This messenger would “prepare the way before me” (3:1) and bring a time of spiritual cleansing. He would be a purifier that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness (3:3).
God promised to reward those who gave to him faithfully. They had “robbed” God of the tithes and offerings’ that were rightfully his, and so were cursed (3:8-9). But he assured them of rich blessings if they would give to him properly. He would “open the windows of heaven” and pour out a blessing “that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (3:10). They would know a blessing so great that “all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land” (3:12).
0 Comments