Malachi proclaims the sinful condition of the Jews, warns of God’s judgment, and promises relief in the coming of the Savior. The nation had just come through 200 years of economic, spiritual and governmental prosperity. After 12 years Nehemiah straightened out the nation politically (in 433 B.C.) and went back to Babylon (Iraq, Nehemiah 5:14). When he left, the nation went downhill because of anarchy and religious formality without spiritual fervor. Malachi described what happened when Nehemiah left. After an unknown period of time, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem (Neh 13: 6,7). Nehemiah / Malachi ~ Zerubbabel (political) / Zechariah. The message is to the individual and the nation. (c/o Marilyn Hickey Ministries)
Chapter 1 and 2: Battle with sin, God’s love for Israel, priestly and people’s sin
Chapter 3: Forerunner of the Messiah, messenger of the covenant
Chapter 3, 4: The remnant / the Son of righteousness (c/o Marilyn Hickey Ministries)
God’s Love for Jacob
Chapter 1:1 The (A)pronouncement of the word of the LORD to (B)Israel through [a]Malachi:
2 “I have (C)loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I (D)have loved Jacob;
3 but I have hated Esau, and I have (E)made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.”
4 Though Edom says, “We have been (F)beaten down, but we will [b](G)return and build up the ruins”; this is what the LORD of armies says: “They may (H)build, but I will tear down; and people will call them the [c]territory of wickedness, and the people [d]with whom the LORD is indignant (I)forever.” AREA OF JORDAN, WHERE I VISITED FOR A WEEK.
5 And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “(J)The LORD [e]be exalted beyond the [f]border of Israel!” THAT’S A PRAYER WE ALL SHOULD HAVE FOR THE WORLD.
Sin of the Priests ROMANS 3:23 FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT
6 “‘A son (K)honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a (L)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My [g]respect?’ says the LORD of armies (I PRAY I RETIRE FROM THEM THIS YEAR.) to you, the (M)priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’
7 You are presenting (N)defiled [h](O)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The (P)table of the LORD is to be despised.’ COMMUNION = HOLY, THAT’S WHY WE DON’T DO IT WEEKLY, OR WE MAY TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
8 And when you present a (Q)blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Or when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not evil? So offer it to your (R)governor! Would he be pleased with you, or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of armies. WORTHY OFFERINGS
9 “But now, do indeed (S)plead for God’s favor, so that He will be gracious to us. [i]With such an offering on your part, will He (T)receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of armies. WE NEED TO BEG FOR GOD’S FAVOR / FORGIVENSS / GRACE / MERCY.
10 “If only there were one among you who would (U)shut the [j]gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of armies, “(V)nor will I accept an offering from your hand. I PRAY THE LORD IS PLEASED.
11 For from the (W)rising of the sun even to its setting, (X)My name shall be (Y)great among the nations, and in every place (Z)frankincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be (AA)great among the nations,” says the LORD of armies. NATIONS CAN BE PEOPLE GROUPS / RACES.
12 “But you are (AB)profaning it by your saying, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ PROFANITY IS AGAINST GOD.
13 You also say, ‘See, [k]how (AC)tiresome it is!’ And you view it as trivial,” says the LORD of armies, “and you bring what was taken by (AD)robbery and what is (AE)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I (AF)accept it from your hand?” says the LORD.
14 “But cursed be the (AG)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a (AH)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great (AI)King,” says the LORD of armies, “and My name is [l](AJ)feared among the [m]nations.” SOME ARE IN PRISON FOR SWINDLING.
Footnotes (c/o biblegateway.com)
1. Malachi 1:1 Or My messenger
2. Malachi 1:4 Or rebuild the ruins
3. Malachi 1:4 Lit border of wickedness
4. Malachi 1:4 Or whom the Lord has cursed
5. Malachi 1:5 Or will be great
6. Malachi 1:5 Or territory
7. Malachi 1:6 Lit fear
8. Malachi 1:7 Lit bread
9. Malachi 1:9 Lit This has been from your hand
10. Malachi 1:10 Or doors
11. Malachi 1:13 Lit it is hardship
12. Malachi 1:14 Or revered
13. Malachi 1:14 Or Gentiles
Priests to Be Disciplined (https://www.newsweek.com/evangelical-prophet-ends-ministry-after-apologizing-predicting-trumps-re-election-1574888)
Chapter 2:1 “And now, this commandment is for you, the priests.
2 If you do (A)not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the LORD of armies, “then I will send the (B)curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have (C)cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE LORD OR THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES.
3 Behold, I am going to (D)rebuke your [a]descendants, and I will (E)spread [b]dung on your faces, the [c]dung of your (F)feasts; and you will be taken away [d]with it. GRAPHIC
4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [e]so that My (G)covenant may [f]continue with Levi,” says the LORD of armies. THEY WERE PRIESTS.
5 “My covenant with him was one of life and (H)peace, and I gave them to him as an object of [g]reverence; so he [h](I)revered Me and was in awe of My name. WORSHIP THE LORD.
6 [i](J)True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked (K)with Me in peace and justice, and he (L)turned many back from wrongdoing.
7 For the lips of a priest should maintain (M)knowledge, and people should (N)seek [j]instruction from his mouth; for he is the (O)messenger of the LORD of armies.
8 But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to (P)stumble [k]by the instruction; you have (Q)ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of armies.
9 “So (R)I also have made you despised and of (S)low reputation [l]in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing (T)partiality in the [m]instruction.” ROMANS 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.
Sin in the Family
10 Do we not all have (U)one Father? (V)Is it not one God who has created us? Why do we deal (W)treacherously, each against his brother so as to profane the (X)covenant of our fathers? WE NEED TO TRY TO GET ALONG WITH ONE ANOTHER.
11 Judah has dealt (Y)treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has (Z)profaned the sanctuary of the LORD [n]which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. WORSHIP MAKES THE CHAPEL HOLY.
12 As for the man who does this, may the (AA)LORD eliminate from the tents of Jacob everyone who is awake and answers, or who (AB)presents [o]an offering to the LORD of armies. THIS IS A PRAYER FOR JUDGEMENT. SOME ARE ASKED TO LEAVE CHURCH IF THEY ARE DISRUPTIVE.
13 And this is [p]another thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and sighing, because He (AC)no longer gives attention to the [q]offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. WHEN IS THE LAST TIME WE CRIED RE: THE LORD?
14 Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the (AD)wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt (AE)treacherously, though she is your marriage companion and your wife by covenant. HOW IS YOUR WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND?
15 [r]But not one has (AF)done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And [s]why the one? He was seeking a (AG)godly offspring. Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals (AH)treacherously against the wife of your youth. HOW IS YOUR SOUL / SPIRIT?
16 “For [t]I hate [u](AI)divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and [v]him who covers his garment with (AJ)violence,” says the LORD of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” THIS IS VERY STRONG LANGUAGE.
17 You have (AK)wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “(AL)Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He (AM)delights in them,” or, “(AN)Where is the God of (AO)justice?” TALK VS. ACTION
Footnotes
1. Malachi 2:3 Lit seed
2. Malachi 2:3 Or vomit
3. Malachi 2:3 Or vomit
4. Malachi 2:3 Lit to
5. Malachi 2:4 Or to be My covenant with
6. Malachi 2:4 Lit be
7. Malachi 2:5 Or fear
8. Malachi 2:5 Or feared
9. Malachi 2:6 Or Law of truth
10. Malachi 2:7 Or the Law
11. Malachi 2:8 Or in the Law
12. Malachi 2:9 Lit to
13. Malachi 2:9 Or law
14. Malachi 2:11 Or in that he has loved and married
15. Malachi 2:12 Or a grain offering
16. Malachi 2:13 Lit a second
17. Malachi 2:13 Or grain offering
18. Malachi 2:15 Or Did He not make one, although He had the remnant
19. Malachi 2:15 Or what did the one do while he was seeking
20. Malachi 2:16 Lit He hates
21. Malachi 2:16 Lit sending away
22. Malachi 2:16 Lit he covers
Malachi 3 The Purifier (Jesus’ 1st and 2nd Advents (comings)
3: 1 “(A)Behold, I am sending (B)My [a]messenger (JOHN THE BAPTIST), and he will (C)clear a way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; [b]and the [c](D)messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of armies. JOHN PROCLAIMED THE
MESSIAH WAS COMING.
2 “But who can (E)endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a (F)refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap. THIS IS A GREAT VINEYARD SONG
3 And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will (G)purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may (H)present to the LORD [d]offerings in righteousness. HOW DO WE BECOME PURE? WORSHIP, PRAYER, BIBLE STUDY, AND APPROPRIATELY SHARING OUR FAITH.
4 Then the [e]offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be (I)pleasing to the LORD as in the (J)days of old, and as in former years. I PRAY OUR OFFERINGS ARE ACCEPTED BY HIM.
5 “Then I will come near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the (K)sorcerers, the (L)adulterers, against those who (M)swear falsely, those who [f]oppress the (N)wage earner in his wages or the (O)widow or the [g]orphan, and those who turn away the (P)stranger from justice and do not [h]fear Me,” says the LORD of armies. THESE ARE STRONG WORDS
6 “For [i]I, the LORD, (Q)do not change; therefore you, the sons of Jacob, have not come to an end. THE LORD SOMETHING CHANGES HIS MIND IF WE PRAY, ETC.
7 “From the (R)days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. (S)Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of armies. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ THIS IS A KEY VERSE. WE LEFT GOD WITH OUR SIN.
You Have Robbed God AGAIN, THIS IS STRONG LANGUAGE. WE NEED TO LISTEN.
8 “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In (T)tithes and [j]offerings. TITHES = 10%, OFFERINGS / ALMS = MORE THAN THAT.
9 You are (U)cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you!
10 (V)Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the LORD of armies, “if I do not (W)open for you the windows of heaven and (X)pour out for you a blessing until [k](Y)it overflows. I DARE YOU.
11 Then I will rebuke the (Z)devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,” says the LORD of armies.
12 “(AA)All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a (AB)delightful land,” says the LORD of armies. ALL THE PEOPLE GROUPS / RACES WILL KNOW – THE USA WAS
13 “Your words have been [l]arrogant against Me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ ARE WE FULL OF PRIDE BEFORE THE LORD?
14 You have said, ‘It is (AC)pointless to serve God; and what (AD)benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of armies? IT’S OK TO QUESTION THE LORD IF WE DON’T SEE THE FRUIT. WHY?
15 So now we (AE)call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and (AF)escape punishment.’” THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES.
The Book of Remembrance
16 Then those who [m]feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD (AG)listened attentively and heard it, and a (AH)book of remembrance was written before Him for those who [n]fear the LORD and esteem His name.
ARE WE IN THIS BOOK?
PROPHECY OF ELIJAH AND MOSES BEFORE JESUS’ 2ND COMING
17 “And they will be (AI)Mine,” says the LORD of armies, “on the (AJ)day that I [o]prepare My (AK)own possession, and I will have compassion for them just as a man (AL)has compassion for his own son who serves him.” NT GREEK COMPARED TO PITY.
18 So you will again (AM)distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
Footnotes
1. Malachi 3:1 Or angel
2. Malachi 3:1 Or that is, the
3. Malachi 3:1 Or angel
4. Malachi 3:3 Or grain offerings
5. Malachi 3:4 Or grain offering
6. Malachi 3:5 Or exploit
7. Malachi 3:5 Or fatherless
8. Malachi 3:5 Or revere
9. Malachi 3:6 Or I am the Lord; I do not
10. Malachi 3:8 Or contributions
11. Malachi 3:10 Or there is not room enough
12. Malachi 3:13 Lit strong
13. Malachi 3:16 Or revere(d)
14. Malachi 3:16 Or revere(d)
15. Malachi 3:17 Lit make
Final Admonition
4:1 “[a]For behold, the day is coming, (A)burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be (B)chaff; and the day that is coming will (C)set them ablaze,” says the LORD of armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branches. HELL = FIRE
2 But for you who [b]fear My name, the (D)sun of righteousness will rise with (E)healing in its wings; and you will go forth and (F)frolic like calves from the stall. AWE / RESPECT
3 And you will (G)crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be (H)ashes under the soles of your feet (I)on the day [c]that I am preparing,” says the LORD of armies. satan crushed
4 “(J)Remember the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. 10 COMMANDMENTS + 613 (CHABAD.ORG)
5 “Behold, I am going to send you (K)Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. 1 KINGS 18 IS WHEN THE LORD WON RE: BAAL PROPHETS
6 He will (L)turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and (M)strike the land with complete destruction.” THIS IS A KEY VERSE FOR YOU WITH CHILDREN.
Footnotes
1. Malachi 4:1 Ch 3:19 in Heb
2. Malachi 4:2 Or revere
3. Malachi 4:3 Or when I act
