(May 30, 2025) Dr Jim McClure begins a series that is so relevant today!

The final book in the Old Testament was written by the prophet Malachi likely around 445 – 425 BC, about 100 years after the Jews had returned to Jerusalem from exile. He was likely a contemporary of Nehemiah, who as governor, oversaw the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

The prophet identified himself as Malachi which in Hebrew means ‘My Messenger.’ We know absolutely nothing about him as he is not mentioned anywhere else in the Old Testament. Some suggest that ‘Malachi’ was not the prophet’s name but a title given to him.  In fact, the only place in the Bible in which the name occurs is in the first verse in this prophecy.

However, the same Hebrew word is repeated in Malachi 3:1 in which God promised, ‘See, I will send my messenger who will prepare the way before me.’  Jesus quoted this verse in reference to John the Baptist, ‘This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you”’ (Matthew 11:10). 

1. Prevailing Background
Following their return from captivity in Babylon Malachi’s predecessors, Haggai and Zechariah, had managed to persuade the reluctant people to prioritise God in their lives and to rebuild the temple, however, their attitude and commitment to God had not significantly improved. 

(i) Political Situation
Despite having been favourably treated by King Cyrus of Persia and permitted to return to their homeland, the Jews were still under the authority and oversight of the Persians to whom they were required to pay taxes. While they enjoyed significant freedoms, they were well aware of the fact that there was little they could do to change their situation.

Their sense of helplessness was compounded by that fact that local Jewish leadership was particularly complacent and weak.

(ii) Social Situation
Since returning from Babylon the Jews had rebuilt the walls surrounding Jerusalem (see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah) and the temple had been rebuilt but the social and economic conditions of the Jews had not substantially improved by the time of Malachi. 

Not only were they still under the control of Persia, but crop failures and continuing harassment from their neighbours added to their social discontent.

(iii) Moral Situation
The society in Malachi’s time was in moral decline. The ministry of the prophets throughout the centuries had consistently declared that sound ethical conduct was an obligation for those who claimed commitment God, but in Malachi’s day corruption had again pervaded the moral values of the people. 

For example, divorce and violence were evidently very significant issues and consequently, Mahachi recorded God’s challenge to His people, ‘“I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel, “and I hate a man’s covering himself with violence as well as with his garment,” says the Lord Almighty. “So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith”’(2:16).  

The priests also were corrupt and complacent in their behaviour and consequently their failure as spiritual leaders contributed largely to the spiritual decline of the nation.  

(iv) Spiritual Situation
The people whom Malachi addressed had become spiritually complacent. They were still  ‘religious’ in the sense that they still practised the formalities of their religion; however their worship of God was ritualistic and empty, lacking in sincerity and their offerings to God were shameful. 

The priests also were corrupt and complacent in their behaviour and consequently their failure as spiritual leaders contributed largely to the spiritual decline of the nation.  

Malachi’s message continues to be relevant to us today!

2. People’s Rebuke  
After their return to their homeland following their years of exile in Babylon, the people of Judah had expected a wonderful time of prosperity and peace— however their high expectations had not been realised. 

Earlier prophets had affirmed that a glorious future lay ahead when God would dwell with His people; however, despite their rebuilding of the temple, that ‘glorious future’ had not arrived.  In fact, their present conditions were far from splendid!  They knew that when David and Solomon were kings, the people of Israel had enjoyed a magnificent time and they also know that the day would come when God would send the Messiah who would establish peace and prosperity throughout the land. But that had not yet happened!

Although the temple had been rebuilt, their enthusiasm had disintegrated into apathy for the things of God.  Formal worship had replaced sincere commitment to God.  They were still outwardly ‘religious’ but their attitude and behaviour revealed the shallowness of their relationship with God and their lack of knowledge about Him. A relationship with God was evidently not important to them and consequently corruption was rampant and spiritual lethargy  marked both the laity and the priesthood.

3. Petulant Questions
Malachi ministered at a time when the people were struggling to believe that God loved them (Malachi 1:2). They focused on their unfortunate circumstances and refused to recognise their own sinful deeds.

So God pointed the finger back at them and, through Malachi, told them where they had fallen short in their covenant relationship with Him. If they had hoped to see changes, they needed to accept responsibility for their own actions and serve God faithfully according to the promise their fathers had made to God on Mount Sinai centuries before.

Malachi’s ministry was to challenge the moral complacency and spiritual apathy that were consuming the people of Judah. However, before he declared God’s message to them, he began his message with an affirmation of God’s love for them—

• ‘“I have loved you,” says the Lord’ (1:2).
• That affirmation is a  recurring theme in the Bible. In Deuteronomy 7:6 they are called ‘His treasured possession.’  
• In Isaiah 43:4 God described them as ‘precious and honoured in my sight.’
• And Isaiah 54:10 He stated quite unambiguously, ‘My unfailing love for you will not be shaken.’ 

However, even though those whom Malachi addressed did not deserve God’s love, it  had never faltered.  Jeremiah who ministered around 200 years earlier stated, ‘The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love”’ (Jeremiah 31:3). 

Love is central to the very nature of God.  God so loved—  and continues to love— His people that He has always wanted them to be in relationship with Him.  In the words of Jesus we are given an undeniable confirmation of the all-inclusive love of God for all people, ‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). 

4. Prophet Malachi’s Many Questions!
Having begun with the affirmation of God’s love, the prophet then presented the people with God’s answer to their questions.

Surprisingly the relatively short book of Malachi contains 22 questions.  Those questions and their answers are effectively used by Malachi to communicate his prophetic message.

We won’t explore all of them but will focus on seven particularly bad-tempered questions posed by the people that reflected their attitude and spiritual condition.

While these questions reveal much about the state of their relationship with God, they also challenge us today to question the integrity of our relationship with Him!

I’ll share insights on these seven challenging questions in Part 2, posted tomorrow. Part 3 follows early next month.

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Dr Jim McClure, author of several books and Bible studies, offers them free in electronic version in EPUB, Kindle and PDF formats.Particularly recommended is— Looking for Answers in a Confusing World.

Questions seeking enlightenment on biblical perspectives are welcomed. Link: jbmcclure@gmail.com. Link: Malachi-the prophet who revealed God’s answers to people’s questions-part 2/
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