The Book Of Malachi
Introduction The Book of Malachi
J. Deering

Malachi
Messenger or angel, the last of the minor prophets, and the writer of the last book of the Old Testament canon (Mal. 4:4, 5, 6). Nothing is known of him beyond what is contained in his book of prophecies.

He was contemporary with Nehemiah (compare Mal. 2:8 with Neh. 13:15; Mal. 2:10-16 with Neh. 13:23). No allusion is made to him by Ezra, and he does not mention the restoration of the temple, and hence it is inferred that he prophesied after Haggai and Zechariah, and when the temple services were still in existence (Mal. 1:10; 3:1, 10).

The Date:
We can only estimate the date of Malachi’s ministry. The dates of most Old Testament prophets are indicated in the superscription of their book by the names of the kings reigning at that time. No kings’ names are listed in the superscription of Malachi The book contains no reference to any historical incident such as an important battle, earthquake, or captivity which might give a historical context to the book. However, we do know the time was postexilic (after 536 B.C.) because of the use of the Persian word for “governor” (1:8). The Temple had been rebuilt (1:10; 3:1, 10). The Edomites had suffered a crushing blow from an outside invader, perhaps the Nabateans (1 Macc. 5:25). The Nabateans were an Arab tribe who came out of the desert and drove the Edomites out of their homeland in the fifth or sixth centuries B.C.

Evidently, Malachi was a contemporary of Nehemiah. Their books show kinship. The same social and religious conditions prevail in both, and Nehemiah’s reforms were probably intended to correct some of the social and religious abuses outlined by Malachi (Mal. 3:5; Neh. 5:1-13). Tithing is stressed in both (Mal. 3:7-10; Neh. 10:37-39). Divorce and mixed marriages were problems in both (Mal. 2:10-16; Neh. 10:30; 13:23-28). Nehemiah first returned to Jerusalem from Persia in 444 B.C. (Neh. 1:1; 2:1); therefore, it is probable that he delivered his prophecies about 450-400 B.C.

The people of Israel who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon and Persia in 536 B.C. came with high hopes. In Isaiah 40-55 the prophet painted a future for those repatriated people in such glowing terms that they expected the messianic age to come immediately. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah added to these hopes by assuring the people that unprecedented blessings would come when the Temple was complete. They finished the Temple in 516 B.C. [Ezra 6:14-15) and waited and waited, but no blessings came. Instead of blessings they faced drought, famine, poverty, oppression, and unfaithfulness to spouses and to God. Moral and spiritual laxity, pride, indifference, permissiveness, and skepticism were rife. Malachi tried to rekindle the fires of faith in the hearts of his discouraged people.

The Book:
The purpose of Malachi was to assure his people that God still loved them, but He demanded honor, respect, and faithfulness from them. Malachi pointed out religious and social abuses and warned that judgment would come to purge the people of sin unless they repented. The style of the Book of Malachi is that of disputations. This style is not unique to Malachi Micah and Jeremiah had disputes with false prophets (Mic. 2:6-11; Jer. 27-28). Jeremiah also disputed with God (Jer. 12:1-6). Job disputed with his friends.

The contents of the book are comprised in four chapters. In the Hebrew text the third and fourth chapters (of the A.V.) form but one. The whole consists of three sections, preceded by an introduction (Mal. 1:1-5), in which the prophet reminds Israel of Jehovah’s love to them.

The first section (Mal. 1:6—2:9) contains a stern rebuke addressed to the priests who had despised the name of Jehovah, and been leaders in a departure from his worship and from the covenant, and for their partiality in administering the law.

In the second (Mal. 2:9-16) the people are rebuked for their intermarriages with idolatrous heathen.

In the third (Mal. 2:17-4:6) he addresses the people as a whole, and warns them of the coming of the God of judgment, preceded by the advent of the Messiah.

This book is frequently referred to in the New Testament (Matt. 11:10; 17:12; Mark 1:2; 9:11, 12; Luke 1:17; Rom. 9:13).
Outline of Malachi

I. God’s Compassion for Israel, 1:1-5
A. His Compassion Declared, 1:1-2a
B. His Compassion Doubted, 1:2b
C. His Compassion Demonstrated, 1:3-5

II. God’s Complaint Against Israel, 1:6 - 3:15
A. Cheating, 1:6-14
B. Unfaithfulness, 2:1-9
C. Spiritually Mixed Marriages, 2:10-12
D. Divorce, 2:13-16
E. Impiety and Impertinence, 2:17
F. Parenthesis: The Coming of John the Baptist, 3:1-6
G. Robbery, 3:7-12
H. Arrogance, 3:13-15

III. God’s Condemnation of the People, 3:16 - 4:6
A. The Ungodly People, 3:16-18
B. The Nature of God’s Judgment, 4:1-6