Malachi

Malachi – the last prophet.

Generations ago his ancestors had been conquered and taken captive to Babylon. Their grandchildren had returned, as allowed by their conqueror du jour, Persia, and had established a life in their ancient homeland. In perhaps their grandchildren’s time, Malachi surveyed his surroundings and saw how, like their ancestors, his people had abandoned God and so were inviting His judgment yet again.

Malachi wrote a series of short vignettes, each illustrating one perspective on moral violations or apathy toward God versus faithfulness to God.

God’s Unnoticed Love for Israel

Malachi begins,

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” – Malachi 1:2a

God’s heart has been toward Israel since Abraham’s day. But Malachi’s generation considered God distant, uninvolved.

“Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau¹, and I have made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.” – Malachi 1:2b-3

Esau, the father of the nation of Edom. Israel’s brother nation, but now nearly extinct.

An earlier prophet, Obadiah, had seen Edom’s evil and opportunistic behavior in Judah’s hour of crisis, and pronounced God’s judgment and Edom’s doom. By Malachi’s day, Edom was no more a nation, only little bands of survivors.

Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins”; this is what the Lord of armies says: “They may build, but I will tear down; and people will call them the territory of wickedness, and the people with whom the Lord is indignant forever.” – Malachi 1:4

God would display His love for Israel by keeping this ancient frenemy at bay.

And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “The Lord be exalted beyond the border of Israel!” – Malachi 1:5

Sin in Insincere Worship

The people of Israel were worshiping God, yes; but it was pretend. It brought God no honor.

“‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of armies to you, the priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’” – Malachi 1:6

“We haven’t done anything wrong,” the people exclaim.

You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is to be despised.’ – Malachi 1:7

You also say, ‘See, how tiresome it is!’ And you view it as trivial,” says the Lord of armies – Malachi 1:13a

The people went to religious services, but considered it a waste of time. They didn’t like going, and invested the minimum effort possible. They only worshiped out of a sense of social obligation. It had nothing to do with reaching out to God.

But there was more.

And when you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Or when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not evil? So offer it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you, or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of armies – Malachi 1:8

“and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I accept it from your hand?” says the Lord – Malachi 1:13b

God calls on us to give our best to Him – our “first fruits”. When we only give God our castoffs, this sends the message that we do not honor Him. It is so upsetting to God, He would prefer they not worship at all!

“If only there were one among you who would shut the gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of armies, “nor will I accept an offering from your hand.” – Malachi 1:10

Theirs was no minor offense. It hurt God deeply.

“But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the Lord of armies, “and My name is feared among the nations.” – Malachi 1:14

The Sins of the Religious Leaders

Malachi addresses his next message to the leaders.

“And now, this commandment is for you, the priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of armies, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.” – Malachi 2:1-2

God had established Israel’s tribe of Levi as the priesthood, the people whose job it was to learn from God and take that learning to the people.

“My covenant with him [Levi] was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and was in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing.” – Malachi 2:5-6

But the priests were no longer turning people toward God, and so were violating that covenant.

“But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies. “So I also have made you despised and of low reputation in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.” – Malachi 2:8-9

Violence in the Home

We all are a family; and we ought to treat each other as family deserves.

Do we not all have one Father? Is it not one God who has created us? Why do we deal treacherously, each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? – Malachi 2:10

Because they treated each other badly, God removed His blessing and was silent toward them.

Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your marriage companion and your wife by covenant. – Malachi 2:14

People who love God do not take their vows lightly. People who have abandoned God may be inclined to similarly abandon their families.

But not one has done so [mistreated his wife] who has a remnant of the Spirit. – Malachi 2:15a

Why should God care if we honor our marriage? Because a healthy marriage is good for the children.

And why the one? He was seeking a godly offspring. – Malachi 2:15b

So …

Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals treacherously against the wife of your youth. “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with [resorts to] violence,” says the Lord of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” – Malachi 2:15c-16

The Coming of the Lord

God had long promised He would visit His people. Here He reinforces that promise.

“Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me². And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies. – Malachi 3:1

Because of this prophecy, the Jews expected a special prophet³ to announce the arrival of the Messiah.

The people of Israel had long expected God to visit them. God warns them the visit may not be to their liking.

“But who can [survive] the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap. And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.” – Malachi 3:2-3

Yes, the Lord will come; but His people aren’t ready! So when He comes, He will purify them, and it can be a painful process. But it has an excellent outcome.

“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old, and as in former years.” – Malachi 3:4

And because they will be pleasing to God, His blessing will be on them. He will remove those who victimize them.

“Then I will come near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, those who oppress the wage earner in his wages or the widow or the orphan, and those who turn away the stranger from justice and do not fear Me,” says the Lord of armies. – Malachi 3:5

God invites His people to return to Him.

“From the days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of armies. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’” – Malachi 3:7

Robbing God

“Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you!” – Malachi 3:8-9

God had required His people to present certain gifts and services periodically. But the people withheld what was owed, and in consequence, God withheld things they needed.

But if the people restore their owed offerings, God will restore His supply of what they need.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the Lord of armies. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of armies. – Malachi 3:10-12

Arrogance Against God

“Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is pointless to serve God; and what benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of armies? So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and escape punishment.’” – Malachi 3:13-15

God’s Book of Remembrance

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened attentively and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and esteem His name. “And they will be Mine,” says the Lord of armies, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will have compassion for them just as a man has compassion for his own son who serves him.” So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. – Malachi 3:16-18

God’s Judgment Is Coming

Which side are you on?

For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branches. But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and frolic like calves from the stall. And you will crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I am preparing,” says the Lord of armies. – Malachi 4:1-3

How do we assure God’s judgment is favorable?

“Remember the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.” – Malachi 4:4

God had given Israel His covenant at Mount Horeb (that is, Mount Sinai). He calls on His people to remember it, and conform.

Judgment is coming, and it will be wonderful for some and terrible for others.

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet⁴ before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and strike the land with complete destruction.” – Malachi 4:5-6

Epilogue

For centuries God had coaxed His people to be truly His people. And for centuries they had resisted. Insincere worship while flagrantly violating His covenant. Violence everywhere, even in one’s own home. Withholding their best and leaving their leftovers for God.

God remained determined to build His people. But that required that His people participate instead of resisting and violating. And so far, that wasn’t happening.

So as God prepares to retreat temporarily from His people, He sends a final message, exposing His reasons, and promising to eventually return and fulfill His good plan for them.