Study Tip: Malachi

Malachi marks the last prophetic word from God for four hundred years, until John the Baptist burst on the scene, proclaiming the kingdom of heaven was at hand. The remnant who returned from Babylon had been back in the land around a hundred years, but they had settled into an empty ritualistic religion rather than embracing a relationship with their covenant God. God raised up Malachi to tell them in no uncertain terms that they had learned nothing from the captivity and if things didn't change, judgment would fall yet again. It's a harsh message to have hanging over them for 400 years. In spite of that, Malachi is straightforward, readable, and has just a twinge of sarcasm. It's one of my favorite of the minor prophets.

 

As you read the four short chapters, look for the questions and answers. Sometimes God asks, and sometimes Malachi. These form the framework of the letter. Note the speaker and the response. What is the tone? Are God's accusations justified? Do the people have a valid response?

 

One key word is covenant. What does God say about His covenant? 

BONUS: Knowing that marriage is a covenant, what parallels do you see between God's relationship to the people and the number of divorces among the priests? In other words, have the people treated God, the way the priests have treated their Jewish wives?

 

What are the major sins the Malachi calls the people out for? What judgments does God pronounce? (Also note to what specific group those judgments are directed.)

 

Finally, like many of the prophets, Malachi looks forward to a coming day. What does he says about that day? What will happen?

 

 

Malachi hits home because of the self-righteous justification the people respond with when God confronts them with their sins. When I evaluate my walk, I need to make sure I'm using God's standards and not my own, and that I don't pass off the warnings. Otherwise, it's kind of like sitting through a blistering sermon then telling the preacher on the way out, "Boy, you really gave it to THEM today."