Malachi

Composition

The book of Malachi is the final book of the Old Testament and the last of the books attributed to the twelve Minor Prophets. Narratively, the book of Malachi serves as both a continuation of the warnings issued by the Old Testament prophets and a bridge into the New Testament. Despite its relatively short length, the book of Malachi is also one of the quoted Old Testament books among the authors of the New Testament, with some notable references appearing in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in connection with the ministry of John the Baptist.

According to tradition, the book of Malachi was written by a prophet of the same name. It is unclear whether a historical Malachi actually existed. What is known is that the name Malachi means “my messenger” in Hebrew. Some scholars believe this may indicate that “Malachi” was perhaps a priestly title rather than a name. Others maintain that the author of Malachi is anonymous. Regardless of who ultimately wrote it, historical evidence, including the use of a Persian-era term for “governor” and a mention of Jerusalem’s temple having been rebuilt, clearly suggests that the book of Malachi was penned sometime around 450–430 BCE.

Malachi is one of the most unique Old Testament books in terms of its literary form. Each of its six separate sections is told through a dialogue of sorts between God and the people of Israel. This dialogue includes a series of questions asked either by God or the Jewish people. In some cases, the Jewish people sarcastically ask questions about God’s statements and He offers a meaningful response. There are also statements from people who specifically oppose God. In addition, the book of Malachi features a great deal of repetition of certain words and phrases. Figurative imagery is frequently employed as well.

Summary

The book of Malachi begins with a brief introduction establishing everything that follows as the word of God presented to the people of Israel through a prophet referred to as Malachi. The subsequent body of the book is composed of six important teachings that each take the form of a question-and-answer dialogue between God and the Israelites. Theologians call these the “disputations” of Malachi.

The first disputation deals with God’s preference for Israel over Edom. Historically, both were ancient Middle Eastern kingdoms in Judea. Biblical tradition holds that while the people of Israel were the decedents of Jacob, the people of Edom were descended from Jacob’s brother Esau. God laments that the Israelites question His love for them. He explains that He demonstrated His love for Israel when He chose Israel over Edom. God rejected Esau, turned his mountains to waste, and thwarted the Edomites’ every attempt to rebuild their shattered nation. This, according to Malachi, shows God’s love for Israel and demonstrates that His power extends far beyond Israel’s borders.

The second disputation addresses God’s displeasure with imperfect sacrifices made in His name and the shirking of priestly duties. He maintains that the people of Israel have distained His name with their nature of their sacrifices. When they ask how they have done this, God explains that they displease Him by sacrificing blind, lame, or sick animals instead of healthy ones. He also excoriates the people of Israel for failing to kindle fire on His altar. Further, God points out that people in other nations offer more perfect sacrifices than His chosen people in Israel. The second part of this disputation sees God criticize priest for not keeping their covenant with Him and falling short of providing a proper example for others.

The third disputation touches on how the Israelites have offended God with their lax marriage practices. Specifically, God is unhappy that people are getting divorced. He is also angered that some Israelites are marrying people from other nations. God says that by breaching marriage covenants, the people of Israel are also breaching their covenant with Him.

The fourth disputation concerns the Israelites’ questioning of God’s justice, particularly in regards to His willingness to extend forgiveness to those they decry as “evildoers.” God expresses His weariness at those who question Him and says that He will send a messenger to judge them. He also warns that He will deal swiftly with those who fall short of expectations.

The fifth disputation focuses on the payment of tithe. A tithe is a sum of money specifically set aside for God. Accusing the Israelites of failing to keep His statues, God points out that many of them have robbed Him by no longer paying the required tithe. He commands the Israelites to “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.” In turn, God promises to protect their crops so they will have enough to eat and drink.

The sixth and final disputation revolves around a second objection to God’s justice. God accuses the Israelites of speaking against Him by wondering aloud what they gain by living up to God’s requirements. God reminds the Israelites that He will reward those who remain loyal to Him on the day of judgment. He also promises that He will send Elijah before that day comes.

Themes

The meaning of the book of Malachi is only fully apparent with a proper understanding of its historical context. About a century before Malachi was written, around 50,000 Hebrews returned to Judea from exile in Babylon. Eventually they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem and reinstated the sacrificial system. In the intervening years, the people of Israel gradually grew tired of following the many strict rules and rituals God set out for them to observe. Eventually, lay people and priests alike began disregarding God’s law. This trend was only worsened by the fact that none of the covenants God made with them according to scripture had yet come true after more than 2,000 years. Likely feeling abandoned, the Israelites became increasingly sinful. All of this ultimately set the stage for Malachi (or an anonymous author who later came to be known as Malachi) to deliver the Old Testament’s final prophecy.

Through the message delivered in the book of Malachi, God attempts to awaken the Israelites to the reality of their sinfulness and encourage them to begin following His law once again. The questions repeatedly asked and answered by God throughout Malachi are aimed at convincing the Israelites to see the errors of their ways and reexamine their relationship with the Lord. It is also through this unique framework that the central themes and messages of Malachi can be seen and understood.

One of the key themes of Malachi is the unerring faithfulness of God. The Israelites strayed from His path and stopped fulfilling their promises to Him. Among other things, they doubt His love for them, forget how He views their offerings and values justice, neglect their duties, and come to believe that serving Him is useless. Regardless of all this, God remained steadfastly committed to them. Even though He demands obedience and scolds the Israelites for questioning Him and failing to uphold His laws all while still expecting His blessings, God kept the promises He made to His chosen people.

Another major theme in Malachi is justice. Throughout the prophecy, God makes it clear that He places a high value on justice. In His eyes, it is the Israelites’ sacred duty to wholeheartedly obey His laws. If they fail to do so, they will face God’s wrath. Further, God reminds the Israelites that a day of great reckoning is at hand when the wicked will be punished and the faithful will receive their reward.

The concepts of repentance and reformation are also important themes in Malachi. God assures the Israelites that they can be restored from their sinfulness if only they will repent and again become faithful servants. God is always willing to forgive and ready to welcome back any who stray from His flock. Nothing makes Him happier than to give blessings to those who recognize their faults and turn themselves over to His mercy.

Critically, as the last book in the Old Testament, Malachi also serves as something of a bridge into the New Testament. This is most clearly demonstrated when God says, “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.” In the New Testament, Jesus directly quotes this verse when He identifies John the Baptist as the messenger Malachi foretold. In this way, Malachi can be ready as God’s final prophesy of the coming of the long-awaited messiah.

Bibliography

“Book of Malachi.” Bible Study Tools, 2002, www.biblestudytools.com/malachi. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

“Book of Malachi Explained.” Bible Studys, 2022, bible-studys.org/malachi. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

Krantz, Jeffrey. “Malachi: The Faithful God and the Disconnected People.” OverviewBible, 3 Jan. 2014, overviewbible.com/malachi. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

“Malachi.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2022, bible.usccb.org/bible/malchi/0. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

Nappa, Mike. “Who Was Malachi in the Bible?” Christianity.com, 21 June 2019, www.christianity.com/wiki/people/who-was-malachi-in-the-bible.html. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

Singer, Isidore and Adolf Guttmacher. “Book of Malachi.” Jewish Encyclopedia, 2022, www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10321-malachi-book-of. Accessed 21 Apr. 2022.

Whiting, Karen. “Book of Malachi Summary.” Christianity.com, 1 June 2020, www.christianity.com/bible/summaries/book-of-malachi-summary.html. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

Zavada, Jack. “Introduction to the Book of Malachi.” Learn Religions, 8 July 2019, www.learnreligions.com/book-of-malachi-4042569. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.