The book of Malachi - A commentary

The name Malachi means “my messenger” or “ messenger of God”

Chapter 1 -  The prophet starts off by declaring his love for Israel and his contempt for the nation of Edom (i.e. descendants of Jacob’s brother Esau). Apparently the Hebrews were questioning God’s affection from them hence the opening response by the prophet, vs. 2

God is displeased because of the lack of reverence in their worship toward him. The priests are vowing to God the best of their possessions, but actually offering the worst; showing contempt for God and their office. God said that he will not accept their sacrifices, vs. 6-10.

God said, “when you offer the lame and sick is it not evil?” God said your governor wouldn’t accept such a profane offering. The prophet told the people God would rather shut the doors of the temple than for them to offer unholy, worthless sacrifices on his altar – don’t offer anything at all.

The prophet closes  by saying in the end times, his name will be honored by all nations for he is a great King.

Chapter 2 -  The prophet rehearses to them how the priesthood began through the Levites; the priestly tribe. How in the beginning the priests were faithful to the Lord, and turned away from impurity, vs 4-6.

The second issue was dealing with marriages. Men are rebuked for marrying pagan wives which led to rampant idolatry which rendered the sacrifices to God unacceptable. They corrupted their worship. God in turn had to cut the offender off from his people, vs 11, 12. The prophet commands the men to deal faithfully with your wife, vs 15-16.

Finally, the prophet declares Israel wearied him with their words which were lies. The people were questioning God’s goodness saying God rewards evil and punishes good, and where is the God of justice? vs. 17.

People that are in constant sin, view of God is always wrong due to the deceitfulness of sin, and it’s blinding affects to distort righteous judgment. To them, right and wrong are in a role reversal because they’re looking at life through their own eyes which can’t see clearly.

*Key verses – Verse 7; For the lips of the Priest keep knowledge and the people should seek the law from his mouth.

Verse 16 – God hates divorce. It covers one’s garment with violence (Like Bloodshed)

Chapter 3 – Malachi predicts the coming of John The Baptist over 400 years before it’s actual fulfillment; he is the coming one to prepare the way for the Messiah, vs. 1 (Matt 3:3;11;10, 14; 17:12; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:17;7, 26, 27; John1:23; Isaiah 40:3).

The prophet declares that Israel has robbed God by not paying their taxes (i.e. tithes), vs 8-10. As a result, they’re cursed, vs 9.  The priests had to neglect the house of God and began farming like the rest of the tribes to earn their living and support their families. This was a violation of the nation’s religious life, and proper worship of God (II Chronicles 3:11; Nehemiah 10:38, 39; 12:44; 13:10-11).

God also grew tired of the people’s antagonizing words against him. Once again as in the previous chapter, they were saying serving God was useless, because the wicked are blessed when they test God. This evil view of God is character assassination of the most Holy. The things that God hates some were saying he blessed and pardoned wickedness, vs. 13-15.

The faithful of God were remembered in a book for their obedience. These are the true servants of God, vs 16 -18.

Chapter 4 – The prophet declares the day of the Lord. The wicked will be judged and destroyed. The righteous will also trample the wicked, vs 1-3.

Malachi also predicts the coming of Elijah (i.e. a type), who will apparently preach, and turn the hearts of the people back to God before the Lord returns to subdue the earth. This did not occur at Christ first coming although Christ did refer to John the Baptist as Elijah (Luke 1:17; Matthew 11:14). There are some that believe that one of the two witnesses in the book of Revelation 11 will be Elijah; this view is mere conjecture and can’t be proven although the two witnesses will have the power to destroy people with fire as Elijah did (II Kings 1:10, 12; Revelation 11:5).

                                  ** The oracles of the prophet Malachi are finished **