Categoria: Malachi

 Malachi ends talking about judgement for the wicked and hope for those who fear God. “Surely the Day of the Lord is coming and it will burn like a furnace and arrogant evildoers will be stubble… but for those who fear God the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings… and you will leap like calves… and trample down the wicked… and I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes… and he will bring fathers and children together blessed by God”. 

Malachi 3 focuses on God’s coming judgement, purification and blessing. “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way for me… but who can endure the day of his coming… for he will be like a refiner’s fire… I will come near to you in judgement against sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, defrauders and oppressors and who do not fear me… I the Lord do not change… so return to me and I will return to you… will a man rob God in tithes and offerings?… the whole nation is under a curse because you are robbing me… so bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven’s blessing… and all nations will call you blessed… and those that fear the Lord will be mine, says the Lord Almighty”.

In Malachi 2 the prophet continues to complain about the priests and the resultant unfaithfulness of his people. “If you priests don’t set your heart to honour my name I will send a curse on you… and I will rebuke your descendants… I send you this admonition so that my covenant with Levi may continue… he walked with me in peace and uprightness… for the lips of the priest should preserve knowledge… but you have turned from the way and caused many to stumble… and Judah has broken faith… and desecrated the sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god… guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth… for I hate divorce… so guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith”.

The book of Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, written around 425 BC, after the Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the temple. Now the Jews had become complacent again so Malachi calls Israel to repentance. 

Malachi starts by reminding his people of his covenant love – Jacob as opposed to Esau. “I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated… Edom may rebuild but I will demolish”. Then the chapter goes on to rebuke the priests. “It is you O priests who despise my name… you place defiled food on my altar… oh that one of you would shut the temple doors… for I will not accept offerings from your hands because you bring injured, crippled and diseased animals for sacrifices… for I am a great king, says the Lord Almighty, and my name is to be feared among the nations”.