Malachi: My Messenger

1. Malachi:My Messenger

2. His Message Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency Complacency: Self-satisfied and unaware of possible dangers.

3. Reference material used for this series: Notes on Malachi, Dr. Thomas L. Constable Old Testament Survey Notes, Dr. Doug Bookman Expositors Bible Commentary Ryrie Study Bible All the Prophets of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer, Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible..

4. Prophet Role: An extraordinary office, not part of God’s original economy but raised up because the development of the history of Israel made it necessary The Term: Nabhi = Prophet: Mouthpiece, one who speaks for another Ro’eh or Hoseh = Seer: One who sees as dreams or visions New Testament = Prophet: one who speaks for another Biblical Terminology Consensus; Prophet: One who speaks for another..

5. The Role of a Prophet: He received a message directly from God and in turn, delivered it to the people To cry out against prevailing sin in the nation Isa. 58:1, Jer. 28:8-9 To bear a message of consolation and pardon Isa. 40:1-2 To correct abuses in the religion of YHWH Isa. 1:10-16 To rebuke and direct the rulers of the theocracy 2Sam 12:1, Isa. 7:3, 38:1..

6. In summary, there were two primary aspects of the prophet’s function in the Old Testament: 1. Forth-telling (Telling forth God’s word) 2. Fore-telling (Telling the future)..

7. What does God say about His Prophets??

8. Deuteronomy 18:18 - 22 18 ‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.  19 ‘It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.  20 ‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’  21 “You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’  22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (the “like you” verse 18 refers to Moses)..

9. The six tests of a true prophet of YHWH: • Called by YHWH: Amos 7:14-15 • Spoke exclusively for YHWH: Duet. 13:1-5 • Received the message only by direct revelation: Duet. 18:9-14 • The message is in full harmony with previous revelation: 1Kings 13 • His message must come to pass in exact and complete detail: 1Sam. 3:15 • Sometimes the message is authenticated with signs and miracles: Ex. 4:1, 1Kings 22:28..

10. There are two categories of the 16 Biblical writing prophets • Major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel Why are they called major?... The length of their book 2. Minor prophets: Ezra, Nehemiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Why are the called minor?... They wrote smaller books..

11. His Parents: ??? Tribal Roots: ??? Birthplace: ??? Other Vocation: ??? All we know about him is gleaned from the book itself..

12. He probably looked more like this! Malachi is written somewhere around 434 to an audience of Jews recently returned from Babylonian/Persian captivity in Jerusalem and the Jews at large in Israel and other nations..

13. As noted, his name means “My Messenger” or can also mean “The Lord’s Messenger.” Something to ponder: It is appropriate that this special “messenger” closes the OT as the NT begins with another special messenger from God, John the Baptist, foretold by Malachi!!! Malachi calls out the people and the priests for sin and calls them to righteousness! John does the very same thing in preparing the way of the Lord, he calls out the people and leaders demanding they repent!!

14. Without getting into all of the theological debates here is what “mainstream” theologians basically agree on: • Malachi has always been placed with the minor prophets • Haggai/Zechariah/Malachi were contemporaries of each other • All three were postexilic prophets • Malachi ran the spiritual affairs from Jerusalem during Nehemiah's return to Persia somewhere around 434 BC During his tenure: • The exiles had returned • The Temple is rebuilt • The sacrificial system was operational • Jerusalem is substantially normal but under Persian rule • The people had become lazy, sluggish and lenient in spiritual matters..

15. Timeline of the Prophets: Joel 835 to Judah Jonah 770 BC to Ninevah Amos 760 - to Israel Hosea 760 - 730 to Israel Isaiah 740 – 700 to Judah Micah 737 – 690 to Judah Habakkah - 630 to Judah Zephaniah - 627 to Judah..

16. Timeline of the Prophets continued: Jeremiah 627 – 580 to Judah Daniel 605 – 530 to Judah Ezekiel 593 – 570 to Judah Nahum 593 – 570 to Ninevah Haggai 520 to Judah Zechariah 520 – 518 to Judah Obadiah 500 to Edom Malachi 445-420 to Judah..

17. Malachi, Prophet to Judah

18. 538 Ezra 1-6 (Ezra began the restoration) • (Haggai and Zachariah) 482 Esther • Ezra 7-10 445 Nehemiah (History supporting Malachi) (Malachi) 420

19. Setting the Stage of the Exile Stage #1 606 BC: Nebuchadnezzar, general of the armies of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem and carries off some of the leading nobles of the city (you may remember Daniel and his three friends) He appoints Jehoiakim as a vassal King (somebody who gave loyalty and homage to a feudal lord and received the right to occupy the lord's land and receive his protection)..

20. Stage #2 597 BC: Jehoiakim rebels, is defeated and 10,000 Jews, the wealthy and elite are carried off to Babylon (March 10, 597 BC) Stage #3 586 BC: Ignoring the warnings of Jeremiah, King Zedekiah plots against Babylon leading to the second siege of the city from January 15, 588 BC to July 18, 586 BC This time the city and its Temple are burned and only a tiny remnant of Jews are left in the land..

21. Setting the Stage of the Restoration Stage #1 538 BC: Cyrus of Persia (they defeated Babylon in 539 BC) decrees that the Jews may return to Israel and rebuild their Temple Almost 50,000 return The altar is established, October 5, 537 BC The 2nd Temple foundations are laid May/June 536 BC The Jews grew selfish and careless and the work lays dormant for several years..

22. God raises up Haggai and Zechariah and the Temple is finally finished around February/March 516 BC Stage #2 458 BC: Ezra, the religious leader returns to restore pure worship. Over 5,000 more Jews return to Israel Stage #3 445 BC: Nehemiah returns to rebuild and encourage all to return and re-inhabit Jerusalem Over 42,000 return with him..

23. What is the biggest difference between the 1st Temple and the two that followed? The absence of the Glory Cloud!!!! Ezekiel 10:18 - 19 18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.  19 When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them..

24. The grouping of the book: (Per The Expositors Commentary) 1:6-7 The Failure of the Priests 1:8-9 Disqualified Sacrifices 1:10-14 Disdainful Attitudes 2:1-9 The Rebuke of the Lord 2:10-16 The Unfaithfulness of the People 2:17-3:5 The Coming Messenger of the Lord 3:6-9 The Neglect of the Tithe 3:10-12 The Promise of Blessing 3:13-15 The Faithlessness (of the people) 3:16-18 The Faithful (of the Lord’s people) 4:1-6 The Day of the Lord..

25. Malachi is in Jerusalem, raised up by God while Nehemiah was visiting Assyria To repeat: • The people for the most part are back in the land • Temple is up • Sacrificial system is operating • People are spiritually indifferent, lethargic and cynical • Priests are lax and degenerate, sacrifices are carless and deficient and tithes and offerings were neglected • Divorce and mixed marriage is rampant..

26. Purpose of the book was for: Malachi to confront the people with their sins and to encourage them to pursue holiness! Is this appropriate for us today??

27. Malachi is best understood if you visualize a courtroom, Israel is the accused and YHWH is the prosecuting attorney

28. Six “disputations” between YHWH and the people. A dispute about: • God’s love 1:2-5 • God’s honor and fear 1:6 - 2:9 • His faithfulness 2:10-16 • God’s justice 2:17 - 3:5 • Robbing God’s Riches 3:6-12 • Speaking against God 3:13 - 4:3

29. Two “appendices”*: • An admonition to remember the law of Moses • An announcement that God is sending Elijah to turn the hearts of parents.. and children before the day of the Lord 4:5-6.. *(a collection of separate material at the end of a book or document)

30. The closing of Malachi marks the end of the Old Testament and ushers in a period of 400 years of silence from God

31. From “The Message”

32. 1:1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi Oracle: A prophetic speech of a threatening or menacing character, often against the nations Some versions use the word “burden” It is used 15 times in the OT I.E..

33. Isaiah 13:1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. It carries the idea of the heavy responsibility, the heavy weight placed on Malachi and other prophets of God in delivering their message from the Lord..

34. 1:1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi In this the prosecutor's opening statement we learn three facts: • It is God’s words • They are delivered to the nation of Israel • They are delivered by Malachi..

35. What do we take home: • A prophet speaks God’s words to us • Malachi is a true/tested prophet of God • Malachi’s book is relevant for today Aijalon Valley Eastern portion from the North