Malachi appeals to the rivalry between jacob and esau and of yahwehs preference for jacob contained in book of genesis 2528. Malachi calls gods people back from cheating, stealing and pride to humble service before god. Mar 03, 2020 the book of malachi, the last of the twelve minor prophets, was written by an anonymous writer called malachi, or my messenger. You see the first commandment that the people had to keep was to, love the lord your god with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. But malachis call of judgment from god ended with hope in the one who would bring light out of darkness for all eternitythe promised messiah. The last 17 books of the old testament are called the prophets. Malachi is the last book of the neviim contained in the tanakh, canonically the last of the. Sep 09, 2015 the last 17 books of the old testament are called the prophets. Jun 21, 2019 in the entire bible, the prophet malachi is mentioned by name only once. From love, to anger, to justice, god remains true to his character. In hebrew, the name comes from a word meaning messenger, which points to malachis role as a prophet of the lord, delivering gods message to gods people. By malachis time, the jews had been back in their homeland for more than 100 years. Malachi came along at a time when the people were struggling to believe that god loved them malachi 1. Malachi brings down the curtain on the old testament.
The unique style of malachis prophecy the book of malachi uses the method of disputation. Malachi reminds israel of gods love calling them to repent. It is at the time when they did not care about the. This was made to assess how well you know the book. The final book of the old testament, malachi received its name from its author malachi 1. Malachis message was for the people to repent and get ready because god was sending another messenger who would be the forerunner for the longawaited messiah. As the final book of the old testament closes, the pronouncement of gods justice and the promise of his restoration through the coming messiah is ringing.
Malachi 3 is a popular passage that pastors and churches use to defend the practice of the 10% tithe. So it is likely that malachi was written during the period of nehemiahs absence, almost a century after haggai and zechariah began to prophesy. Within those categories are six specific accusations of israels unfaithfulness to god. The book of malachi is one of the most unique in the scriptures. The book of malachi is placed as the last book of the prophets section, which also makes it the last book in the old testament in english bibles. Feb 09, 2017 the book of malachi is one of the most unique in the scriptures. The view has been supported by appeal to the prechristian greek translation of the ot the septuagint, which.
The following lesson was prepared for a small group of students. Although he spoke primarily to a specific time and place in history, malachi also prophesied of the messianic forerunner who would announce the appearance of christ more than 400 years after his lifetime. Malachi was a mostlyanonymous prophet whose ministry occurred in jerusalem during the era of nehemiah and ezra. Malachi is the last book of the old testament covering events that occurred around 475400 b. He does not give any detail about time and duration of his ministry. Malachi finishes off the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the old testament. God gets his share first, because he is the most important. Malachi repeats the message of the prophets who came before him. In yesterdays post, we considered the sins of the priests and they were numerous enough.
Yet i have loved jacob, but esau i have hated, and i have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals. There are two broad messages covered in the book of malachi. Read from your favorite version of the bible four or five times. The book of malachi, the last of the twelve minor prophets, was written by an anonymous writer called malachi, or my messenger.
Here, too, please understand that not everyone is guilty of all of these things. The book of malachi exposes israels corruption and also offers hope. These will be the last words god has for his people for 400 years. The book of malachi is written in a teaching conversation style where god has a conversation with.
In fact, if we were to go back one thousand years before malachi and then come down through the centuries, we would find that god was increasing the tempo of telling the people about the coming of the. Malachi is translated his messenger in chapter 1, verse 1, of the septuagint most likely, malachi was the last prophet of the old testament era a contemporary of nehemiah. But they were working in the fields to provide for themselves, and the house of god was neglected. One can take from the book however that the temple in jerusalem has been rebuilt and that the priests are offering sacrifices malachi 1. Even after exile, their hearts are as hard as ever, but he will purify a faithful remnant and establish a new jerusalem. Oct 01, 2019 for gods people in malachis day, it was the covenant made with abraham, the exodus event, and many other ensuing evidences of gods faithful provision for his children. Jan 25, 2012 malachi 3 is a popular passage that pastors and churches use to defend the practice of the 10% tithe.
Malachi is the last of the three postexile prophets. The book of malachi draws upon various themes found in other books of the bible. This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of god. Malachi with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Malachi is home of the famous verse on gods unchanging nature. When god had a message for the people, he spoke through the prophets.
Since there are only fiftyseven verses in the four chapters of the book of malachi, plan to read the book at least thirty times. Malachis writing style is prose including a series of questions asked both by the lord and the people of israel. Aug 08, 2014 the following lesson was prepared for a small group of students. Today we examine the sins of the people that the lord sets forth in the book of malachi. In fact, malachi foretold the coming of john in his book. A governor of the king of persia is reigning in the land malachi 1.
This summary of the book of malachi provides information about the title, authors. God knows that it will affect our relationships with other people. Through all their rebellion though god reveals his continuing love. Malachi was a prophet of god sent to the jews who had resettled in judea and to all israel in general, depicted as the sons of jacob malachi 3. Malachi is the 39th book of the bible and is the final book of the old testament. Bible study malachi and the problem of indifference.
Malachi 1 full chapter polluted offerings to god the burden of the word of the lord to israel by malachi. The message of love is that god will welcome them back and restore and bless them. At the time when these deplorable conditions prevailed in israel, god raised up malachi. Malachi was most likely the last prophet of the ot era though some place joel later. As they were studying chapter three they came across verse three which says, he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And his love for us is not determined by our performance. By the time malachi wrote his book, they were even more disobedient. But it had to be the best the best firstborn or first fruit offering. Malachi means messenger, and it is translated as my messenger in malachi 3.
The obvious implication is that malachi is god s messenger with a message from him. With this last work in the minor prophets, god closes the old testament canon historically and prophetically. The book of malachi was written between 440 and 400 b. Dec 06, 2012 and god tells malachi that things arent quite as good as they look. Malachi, the last prophet in the old testament, has important messages for gods people. Intro to malachi biblica the international bible society. The interaction between god and the people can be divided into seven parts. The big idea of malachi is the story of gods calling his. Have on large card god had loved them and chosen them and had restored them, so they were to love him with all they had.
Title the title is derived from the prophecys author, malachi. Moreover, malachi is neither an unlikely name nor an unsuitable one for the author of this last book of the prophets. His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. In chapters, malachi identified the sins of the jews, including their priests. It was malachis voice, but gods words, thoughts, and heart toward his people. The first step, then, in preparing to preach from the book of malachi is to read the book of malachi.
He spoke of gods judgment on the jews, who had repeatedly fallen away from the lord into sin and disobedience. We have studied many lessons about the disobedience of god s people. This was gods warning through malachi to tell the people to turn back to god. Malachi reminds his audience that, as descendants of jacob, they have been and continue to be favoured by god as gods chosen people. The people focused on their unfortunate circumstances and refused to account for their own sinful deeds. There is 400 years of silence between the last old testament book of malachi and the. So god pointed the finger back at them, and through malachi, god told the people where they had fallen short of their covenant with him. The temple had been rebuilt and the city of jerusalem had been restored. Perhaps written from about 500450 bce, the book is concerned with spiritual degradation, religious perversions, social injustices, and unfaithfulness to the covenant.
However, they are common human sins and sinful continue reading the sins of gods people as stated in the prophet malachi. Book of malachi read, study bible verses online bible study tools. A love that never lets go bible study book is an 8 session womens bible study on the book of malachi. The levites were not given their inheritance by the people of israel.
Malachi means my messenger and that is why we called malachi the messenger prophet in our childrens book, hooked on the book. They looked after the temple service and were to be supported by the tithe. There was a group of women in a bible study on the book of malachi. The final book of the old testament, malachi received its name from its author. And god tells malachi that things arent quite as good as they look. To bring god an inferior gift would say that one did not think much of god, for the quality of the gift indicates the value the giver places on the one receiving the gift.
Since he never stops loving us we should give him our very best. Malachi, meaning messenger, was the last of the prophets chosen to deliver gods message. Interspersed with warnings in the book of malachi are promises of deliverance and blessing, but as the book comes to a close, so does the prophetic vision for gods. The book of malachi is written in a teaching conversation style where god has a conversation with israel. Book of malachi overview insight for living ministries. After malachi we enter 400 years of silence from god until the voice of one crying in the wilderness declares, prepare the way of the lord. Malachis book was written after all the other books in the old testament. Nov 19, 2014 in fact, malachi foretold the coming of john in his book. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly scripture encouragement to share with family and friends. Malachis message was for the people to repent and get ready because god was sending another messenger who would be. Israel doubts gods love i have loved you, says the lord.
Israel must remember and observe old testament law, and 2. The sins of gods people as stated in the prophet malachi. The students will discover from the book of malachi that god loves his people and always keeps his promises. The importance of malachis messages in light of history and theologyand even biblical literary. Summary of the book of malachi the story of the bible. Some opinions in the talmud maintain that malachi was mordechai,1 the hero of the purim story, but referred to as malachi because of his position as viceroy of persiaa designation similar to that of an angel malach who is subordinate to g.
Malachi illustration bible stories for kids, bible. No matter how many times we mess up, god loves and never leaves broken people. The fact that nothing is known of his personal lineage or history is not. Their names are isaiah, jeremiah, lamentations, ezekiel, daniel, hosea, joel, amos, obadiah. It is at the time when they did not care about the things of god malachi 3. Israel beloved of god i have loved you, says the lord.
The book is ascribed to malachi, whose name means my messenger. But before jesus began his work, a special servant of god. The book of malachi exposes israels corruption and offers. The purpose of this book is that malachi wrote to ensure that the hearts of the jews was right and that they were keeping god first in their lives. Nothing is known of the personal life of the prophet. Toward the close of the book, it becomes clear that god is also speaking to all of humankind. The oracle of the word of the lord to israel by malachi malachi 1. The way malachi prophesied, it was designed to break through the barrier of israaels disbelief, disappointment and discouragement. Watch our overview video on the book of malachi, which breaks. This summary of the book of malachi provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of malachi. Israel must remember and take hope in the coming messiah. He is the last in a long succession of prophets who foretold the coming of the messiah.
Malachi may have been written after nehemiah returned to persia in 433 b. The book of malachi, the last of 12 old testament books that bear. The hebrew word malachi simply means my that is, gods messenger. An assertion or charge is made against the church and people, a fancied haughty objection is raised by the hearers, and then a refutation of the objection is presented by the speaker on behalf of the lord. But when we study the passage in context, a completely different picture emerges. With this last work in the minor prophets, god closes the old testament canon. Malachi was a prophet who spoke to gods people around 430 bc during a time when the people were living unjustly and failing to honor god.