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MALACHI
ESV Study Bible

ESV Bible Atlas Data CD

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament

Handbook on the Prophets

The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Eerdmans Handbook to the Bible

Old Testament Today: A Journey from Ancient Context

to Contemporary Relevance 2nd Edition

esv.org, ibiblio.org, biblehub.com,

 4 Chapters

Malachi 55 Verses

Last book of the

Old Testament in
In contrast to
our (Evangelicals)
English Bible
The Hebrew name Malachi means my messenger, or
perhaps messenger of (the LORD) if Malachi is a
shortened form of Malachiah.
Some argued that it is just the title of the book and not the
authors name.
So why do we take it as a persons name and as its author?

Simply because:
no other prophetic book is anonymous, Malachi must have
been a proper name.
since the rest of biblical prophecy makes appoint of
identifying its oracles with a particular person, it is best to
think of Malachi as a real persons name.
Malachi directs his message to the postexilic remnant state of
Judah.
Though it says in Malachi 1:1 The burden of the word of the
LORD to Israel

Malachi confers on this people the ancient comprehensive

designation of ISRAEL, thereby identifying them as
accountable for:
all the covenant obligations and
as heirs of all the covenant promises of God.
The book of Malachi offers no clear pointer to the date of its
composition.
Nevertheless, most scholars agree that Malachi was probably a
contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah in the mid-fifth century B.C.

Because:
the implied existence of the temple (Mal. 1:10; 3:1, 8), which
requires a date after its reconstruction c. 516 B.C.
by the reference to a governor (1:8), since this term is often
used for regional officials during the Persian period (539
332 B.C.). The term governor (Hebrew word pekhah) is used
in the Book of Nehemiah for Persian governors and in Haggai
of Zerubbabel (1:1, 14; 2:2. 21).
and the most compelling evidence for dating Malachi is the
substantial parallel between the sins reproved by Malachi and
those reproved by Ezra and Nehemiah.
These include corruption of the priesthood (Neh. 13:49, 29
31; Mal. 1:62:9), marriage to idolaters (Ezra 910; Neh. 10:30;
13:13, 2327; Mal. 2:1012), abuse of the disadvantaged (Neh.
5:113; Mal. 3:5), and failure to pay tithes (Neh. 10:3239;
13:1013; Mal. 3:810).
Contemporaries of Malachi
516
516
The content of the book of Malachi places the book into the
category of prophecy, but the form in which that content is
packaged is out of the norm for OT prophecy.
The book is written entirely in prose.

The dominant literary genre:

satirean attack on vice or folly.

The primary vehicle in which the satire is conveyed is

a rhetoric of question and answer. It uses diatribe or
disputation to communicate truth. Thus:
Malachi has been called "the Hebrew Socrates.
But it is not Hebrew poetry.
Disputation between
c. 460 B.C.
Malachis ministry took place nearly a hundred years after the
decree of Cyrus in 538 B.C., which ended the Babylonian
captivity and allowed the Jews to return to their homeland
and rebuild the temple (2 Chronicles 36:23).

In order to shed more light about the book of Malachi, the last
time when God spoke to men that ends the Old Covenant, let
us make a little review of what happened during the time of:

Zerubbabel
Haggai and Zechariah
Ezra and Nehemiah
 516

Esther 1:1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned,
from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
Josephus in Against Apion and Jewish Antiquities identified Ahasuerus as Artaxerxes
 516

Ezra 7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites,
and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of
Artaxerxes the king.
What else has happened?
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian Exile, they were probably speaking Aramaic rather
than Hebrew.
This meant that when Ezra, the scribe (Neh. 8:1,4, 13; 12:36) read the Law (8:3), it was necessary for
the Levites (v. 7-9) to translate from Hebrew to Aramaic.

This may be the meaning of the phrase making it clear (v. 8).
The Hebrew paras means to make distinct or interpret, possibly here meaning to translate.

In addition the Levites as they circulated among the people were giving the meaning, that is,
explaining or interpreting the Law so that the people could understand what was being read (v. 8).

From Basic Bible Interpretation by Roy Zuck (PDF copy)

516
Susa, in western Persia (the city is now called Shush, in the southwestern part of modern Iran), was one of Persias four capital cities.
1st Disputation
Disputation between
 Disputations

1st Gods love

Malachi 2nd The Very Best for God
3rd Marriage and Divorce
4th Justice
5th Robbing God
6th Vindicating the Godly
 Disputations
I have loved you,

1 Gods love
st
Wherein hast thou loved

Malachi
Gods love
us?
2 The Very Best for God
nd

3rd Marriage
Was not Esauand Divorce
Jacob's
brother?
4th Justice
yet I loved Jacob, and I
5th Robbing
hated EsauGod
6th Vindicating the Godly
Esau
Esau had already occupied Edom when Jacob returned from Haran
(Gen 32:3; 36:6-8; Deu 2:4-5; Josh 24:4).
The Edomites had kings before any Israelite king reigned (Gen 36:31;
1 Chron 1:43-51).
Edom and the Edomites
Edom denotes Esau (Gen 25:30), or the Edomites collectively
(Numbers 20:18, 20-21; Amos 1:6; Malachi 1:4), or the land occupied
by Esaus descendants, formerly the land of Seir (Gen 32:3; 36:20-21,
30; Num 24:18).

Trivial: Edom was renowned in Israel for its wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7;
Obadiah 8), and the book of Job seems to reflect an Edomite setting.
Edom and the Edomites
Modern archaeology has shown that the land was occupied before Esaus
time, and recent excavations have shed new light on the history of Edom,
unearthing evidence of a settled state of society as early as the eleventh
century BC.
Surveys and excavations support the conclusion that Edom was a
sophisticated, urbanized society as early as the tenth century BC, with
industrial-scale production of copper at this time in that region.
The economy of Edom was based on agriculture (possible especially in the
northeast) and commerce. Its prosperity depended mostly on controlling the
caravan routes from India and southern Arabia to the Mediterranean coast
and Egypt. It seems that whenever Edom lost control of these routes,
especially the Kings Highway its civilization declined.
Destruction of Edom
In the sixth century B.C., the region appears to have been attacked by the
last Babylonian monarch, Nabonidus. References in Obadiah, Jeremiah 49
and Ezekiel 25 refer to its destruction, but here in Malachi it implies that the
territory was not as of yet abandoned by the Edomites.

But the archaeological evidence supports the fall of Edom by the end of sixth
century BC, and there is evidence that the Nabateans (an Arabian tribe)
forced their way into Edom and replaced the Edomites, many of whom went
westward of the southern Judea (later known as Idumea).

After Romes destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Idumea was absorbed into

province of Judea and ceased to exist as such.
There is no substantial reason to doubt Gods love for Israel
 Disputations
A son honoureth his father,
1st Gods love his master: if
The very
and a servant

Malachi
then I be a father, where is
Gods love 2nd The
mine Very Best
honour? and for Goda
if I be

best for master, where is my fear?

3rdpriests,
O Marriage
name.
thatand Divorce
despise my
4 Justice
th
God 5th Robbing
Wherein Godwe despised
have
thy name?
6th Vindicating the Godly
To cut costs
With the termination of funding from the Persian government, various
attempts were being made to cut costs.
Apparently one of them came in the form of relaxing the regulations
concerning the animals that could be offered for sacrifices.

Trivial: Blind, lame, and sick animals were financially worthless. The
Lord commanded his people to sacrifice healthy animals (Deut. 15:21;
17:1). Disobeying this command showed a lack of respect for the Lord
(Mal. 1:8, 14).
Lords Table
The phrase the Lords table is found only here in the Old Testament.
The term translated table is a common one used literally and
figuratively to denote a table.
Tables were used in Ezekiel 40:39-43 at the gates of the inner court to
slaughter sacrifices or for utensils.
In the context of Malachi 1:12, the Lords table appears to be
synonymous with the altar, which has been defiled by the Israelites.
It is figuratively described as a table because of the imagery of
sacrifices being food for God.
Role of Postexilic Priesthood
Over four thousand members of priestly and Levitical families returned to
Palestine after the exile under the supervision of Zerubbabel and Joshua.
Both groups engaged in a variety of activities, including the rebuilding of the
walls of Jerusalem, instructing in the law and leading in the religious duties
of the nation.
However, the priestly practices must have deteriorated during this time
(especially during Nehemiahs absence), since a foreigner (Tobiah the
Ammonite) was allowed a room in the temple. In fact, the Levites had
forsaken the temple for a time (Nehemiah 13:10-11). Malachi 2 fits in this
context, as the contemporary priesthood had abolished its priestly
responsibilities.
 Disputations
The LORD will cut off the
man thatoffereth
A son an offering
honoureth his father,
unto
st athe LORD his
of hosts.
1 Gods love
Marriage
The very
and servant master: if

Malachi
then I be a father, where is
Gods love 2nd The Very Best
Wherefore?
mine honour? and for Goda
if I be

andfor
best master, where is my fear?
3rdpriests,
O Marriage
Because and
the LORD
that Divorce
hath been
despise my
witness between thee and the
name.
4 Justice
Divorce
th
God
wife, against whom thou
hast dealt treacherously: yet
is5thshe
Robbing
Wherein Godwe despised
have
thy companion, and the
thy
wifename?
of thy covenant.
6th Vindicating the Godly
Marrying the daughter of a foreign god
Simply refers to mixed Jewish and non-Jewish marriages.
The women who were married to Jewish men remained devoted to the
service of their idols, and thus the Jews were brought into the family of
foreign gods, making them liable to commit idolatry.
These marriages were condemned by both Ezra and Nehemiah.
Marriage and divorce in the fifth century
Marriage contracts often included stipulations concerning the
disposition of the dowry, bride price, property and children in the
event of a divorce.
Divorce appears to have been common and uncomplicated with
economic implications being of the greatest concern.
 Disputations
The LORD will cut off the
Ye have
man wearied thean
thatoffereth LORD with
offering
A son honoureth
your words.
his father,
unto
st athe LORD his
of hosts.
1 Gods love
Marriage
The very
and servant master: if

Malachi
then I be have
a father, where is
Gods love
Wherein we wearied
2nd The Very Best
Wherefore?
mine
him? honour? and for Goda
if I be

andfor
Justice
best master, where is my fear?
3rdpriests,
O Marriage
Because
When
witness
that
between
doeth evil
name.
and
the LORD
ye say, EveryDivorce
hath
one my
despise
thee
is good in theand
been
that
sightthe
of
4 Justice
th
Divorce
God
wife, against whom thou
the LORD, and he delighteth in
hast
them; dealt treacherously:
or Where yet
is the God of
5 sheRobbing
is th
Wherein God and the
have we
thy companion,
judgment?
despised
thy
wifename?
of thy covenant.
6th Vindicating the Godly
Preparatory role of the messenger
The idea of the preparation for the way of the Lord is also found in
Isaiah 40:3.
This concept probably comes from an ancient Near Eastern custom of
sending messengers ahead of a visiting king to inform local inhabitants
of his coming in order for them to pave the way (remove all obstacles)
for the monarch.
Launderers soap
Launderers soap was used to remove impurities and unclean elements
from clothing and other items.
The soap described here is the alkali that comes from the iceplant,
which was found in Babylonia but not in Syro-Palestine. The term
occurs elsewhere only in Jeremiah 2:22.
Refiner and purifier of silver
In the ancient world silver was extracted and assayed through a process
called cupellation.
In the initial smelting process silver was extracted from lead ores (galena)
containing less than 1 percent silver in a given sample. The lead was melted
in shallow vessels made of porous substances such as bone ash or clay. A
bellows was then used to blow air across the molten lead, producing lead
oxide (litharge). Some of the lead oxide was absorbed by the bone ash, while
some could be skimmed off the surface. Ideally, the silver would remain.
Malachi might alternatively refer to the assaying process. This involved
heating a sample of silver together with large amounts of lead in order to
draw off the impurities.
 For ILORD
am the
Disputations
The LORD,
will I change
cut off the
not; therefore
man ye sons
thatoffereth anofoffering
Jacob
A son
are not
honoureth
consumed.
his father,
unto
st athe LORD his
of hosts.
1 Gods love
Marriage
The very
and servant master: if

Malachi
Return
then I beunto me, and
a father, I will is
where
Robbing
Gods love 2 The Very Best
nd unto you.
Wherefore?
return
mine honour? and for Goda
if I be

andfor
Justice
best master,
Whereinwhere
3Will
rd Marriage
Because the
is my
shall we
and
LORD
fear?
return?
Divorce
hath been

God
O priests,
witnessa manthat despise
rob God?
between theeYetand
my
ye the
name.
4 Justice
th robbed
Divorce
God
have
wife, me.
against whom thou
hast
Whereindealthave
treacherously:
we robbed yet
5thsheRobbing
Wherein
is
thee? Godwe despised
have
thy companion, and the
thy
wifename?
of thy covenant.
6th tithes
In Vindicating the Godly
and offerings.
 For ILORD
am the
Disputations
The LORD,
will I change
cut off the
Your
man words have
not; therefore ye sons
thatoffereth been
anofoffering
Jacob
A son
are not
honoureth
consumed.
his father,
stout
unto against
st athe LORDme.of hosts.
1 Gods love
Marriage
The very
and servant his master: if

Malachi
Return
What
then unto
have
I be me, and I willsois
we spoken
a father, where
Robbing
Gods love
Vindicating 2 The Very Best
nd against
Wherefore?
return
much
mine unto you.
honour? thee?and for Goda
if I be

andfor
Justice
best master,
Whereinwhere
3Will
rd
It Marriage
is vain
Because
shall we
to
the
is my
and
serve
LORD
fear?
return?
Divorce
God:
hath and
been

theGod
Godly
O priests,
whataprofit
witness man that
rob despise
is itGod?
between theeYet
that we my
yehave
and the
name.
4 Justice
th robbed
Divorce
God
have
wife,
kept me.
hisagainst whomand
ordinance, thouthat
hast
we dealtwalked
have
Wherein treacherously:
have robbed yet
wemournfully
5thsheRobbing
Wherein
is
before
thee? thy Godweofdespised
have
companion,
the LORD and the
hosts?
thy
wifename?
of thy covenant.
6th tithes
In Vindicating the Godly
and offerings.
1st Disputation
 The LORD of Hosts
50

45

40

35

30

25

43.6 The LORD of Hosts

20

15
31.6

21.8
10

5
6.1 5.9 4.7 4.3 3.8 1.8 1 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3
0
 The LORD of Hosts

Malachi
Haggai
11%
%
0%
0%
0%
0% Zechariah
3%1%
1%
3% Amos
4% 34%
5% Jeremiah

5% Isaiah
Nahum
Zephaniah
17% Habakkuk
Micah

25% 2 Samuel
Psalms
1 Samuel
Hosea
1 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Kings
Citation of Malachi in the New Testament
Malachi 1:2 => Romans 9:13

Malachi 3:1 => Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27

Malachi 3:17 => 1 Peter 2:9

Malachi 4:5 => Matthew 17:10; Mark 9:11

Theological Message
As is typical of the biblical prophets, the covenant is at the center of
Malachis prophetic proclamation.
Three covenants in particular are cited: the covenant of Levi (2:8), the
covenant of the fathers (2:10), and the covenant of marriage (2:14). Gods
people have violated these covenants.
God loves them in a special way, but they do not return that love. Their sin
breaks their covenant relationship; thus the prophet warns them of the
possibility of future judgment.
Even so, God is also a redeemer, and so Malachi also presents a vision of
future restoration. He foresees a day when God will intervene in the world,
bringing victory to those who obey Gods laws and punishment to those who
do not (3:1-5; 4:1-6).
Todays Application

Even though Malachi writes to a nation that had been living in the
rebuilt Jerusalem for nearly a century after the first exiles had returned,
the pictures that he paints of halfhearted religion should strike us as
very contemporaneous with our own situation. We can see the sins of
the saints laid out to view. Further, the book deals with issues that are
common to usmoney, marriage, family, contributing to Gods work,
and many more.
Reflection and Application
Malachi challenges the people of God today to examine their lives and
ask whether their behavior matches their belief.
Do Christians acknowledge Gods love for them (1:2-5)?
Do they honor and respect God as they should (1:6-2:9)?
Do they honor their relational commitments, particularly those made
in the covenant of marriage (2:15-16)?
These are just some of the issues that the ancient prophet raises for
modern Christians reflection and application.
What else happened during those times:

Rome becomes a republic in 509 BC.

Athenian democracy ca. 500 BC.
Themistocles is elected archon in 493 BC.
The citizens of Athens defeat the Persians in the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC.
Darius I of Persia dies in 486 BC.
The Persians led by Xerxes I defeat the Greek-city states under the command of Leonidas in the Battle of Thermopylae in
480 BC.
The Greek-city states under the command of Themistocles decisively defeat the Persians in the Battle of Salamis in 480
BC.
The founder of Confucianism, Chinese philosopher Confucius dies in 479 BC.
Xerxes I of Persia is murdered in 465 BC.
Beginning of the First Peloponnesian War in 457 BC.
Peace of Callias ends the Persian Wars in 440 BC.
Pericles is elected strategos of Athens in 440 BC.
Construction of Parthenon in Athens is completed in 432. BC.
Beginning of the Second Peloponnesian War in 431 BC.
Greek historian Herodotus dies in 430 BC.