The Book of Malachi, The Minor Prophets, Lesson 13, by Lane

Elijah is on the way, God is being robbed and Judgment is coming!

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1. Date: 445-432 B.C. Between the first and second visits of Nehemiah to Jerusalem. Biblical background then is Ezra 7-10 and the book of Nehemiah.

2. The Outline of the Book

A. YHWH loves His people – 1:1-5.

B. YHWH condemns the priest's faithlessness – 1: 6 – 2:9.

C. YHWH condemns illegal marriages – 2: 10-16.

D. YHWH condemns peoples indifference - 2: 17- 4:3.

E. YHWH makes one last appeal to the law – 4:4.

F. YHWH points to the Elijah to come – 4: 5-6.

3. Teachings of the Book

A. Contrast between true and false priests.

a. False priest

(1) Despise God's name – 1:6

(2) Offer polluted sacrifice – 1:7 – the blind, lame and sick – 1:8.

(3) Cause many to stumble in the law – 2:8

(4) Show respect of persons – 2:9

b. True priests

(1) Fear YHWH

(2) Truth and righteousness on his lips – 2:6a.

(3) Walks in peace and uprightness – 2:6b.

(4) Turns many away from iniquity – 2:6c.

(5) Has knowledge of YHWH

B. The sins of the People

a. Spiritless routine worship – 1: 6-8.

b. Evil Associations – 2: 10-12.

c. Questioning YHWH's justice – 2: 17; 3:6.

e. Impatience in waiting for God to act – 3: 17; 4:3.

C. What divorce is in the eyes of God.

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a. Profanity of the covenant – 2: 10.

b. Profanity of God's holiness – 2:11

c. Cause of one's sacrifice to be rejected – 2:13.

d. Treachery against companion – 2:14.

e. Against the purpose of the home – 2:15.

f. A thing that God hates – 2: 16a.

g. Violence against the innocent – 2:16b.

h. Cause of being cut off by God – 2:12.

4. Practical lessons of permanent value.

A. God loves a pure clean , happy home.

B. Divorce is an abomination in God's sight.

C. Insincerity in worship insults God.

D. One who willfully sins cannot please God by elaborate worship.

E. Our giving is a thermometer that measures our spiritual temperature.

F. The people suffer when the preacher fails to study and teach all the truth.

G. God still holds out the challenge to all His chosen ones to put Him to the test to find the rich supply of blessings that are available.

5. Questions?

A. What contribution has Malachi to make to the marriage-divorce question? Compare this with New Testament teachings.

B. Are the offerings given to God today of better quality than in Malachi's day? Is robbery a common practice?

C. What lessons about religious leadership are to be learned from Malachi?

D. What suggestions about a Godly home may be drawn from Malachi?

E. Does Malachi say anything about religious indifference in addition to the other prophets?

Expanded Outline of Malachi.

Title: Author and subject of prophecy, 1:1.

1. Condemnation of the priests' faithlessness, 1:1 – 2:9.

A. YHWH's love for Israel, 1:2: 5.

a. The divine love asserted, v. 2.

b. The divine love demonstrated, vs. 3-5.

B. Rebuke of faithless priest and people, 1:6-14.

a. Worthlessness of the people's sacrifices, vs. 6-8.

b. It would be better just to close the Temple, vs. 9-10.

c. A superior service rendered among the Gentiles, vs. 11-13.

d. The curse of YHWH, v. 14.

C. Curse pronounced on the faithless priest, 2: 1-9.

a. Immediate reformation the only way to escape, vs. 1-4.

b. Covenant with Levi and the ideal priest, vs. 5-7.

c. Condemnation of mixed marriages and divorce, 2:10-16.

2. The Day of the Lord – Condemnation of religious indifference and skepticism. 2:17- 4:6.

A. YHWH's approach to judgment, v. 2:17- 3:6.

a. Their question, Where is the God of justice?

b. YHWH's appearance as a refining fire, 3: 1-2.

c. Purification of priest and people, 3: 3-5.

d. YHWH's unchangeably, 3:6.

B. Wrongful withholding of tithes and offerings, 3: 7-12.

a. The people's fickleness, YHWH's curse, v. 7-9.

b. Reward of respect for YHWH in payment – vs. 10-12.

C. New defense of YHWH's justice, 3:13-4:3.

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a. Complaint: the wicked prosper, the righteous suffer, 3:13-15.

b. Separation of the pious from the wicked, 3:26-18.

c. Utter destruction of the wicked, 4:1.

d. Exaltation and glorification of the righteous, 4:2-3.

D. Closing admonitions, 4: 4-6.

a. Exhortation to faithful observance of the law, v. 4.

b. Elijah the messenger and his work of preparation, vs. 5-6.

Questions?

1. How does YHWH prove His love to Israel in 1:1-5?

2. In what manner were the priest despising the Name of YHWH?

3. What is the chief task of the priest?

Things to look for!

1. In God's eyes divorce is Treason. Note the word treacherously is used in connection with divorce four times.

2. Notice that Marriage is actually a covenant between a man and a woman with God as a witness.