The Book of Malachi
God calls his people back from half-hearted worship and promises his coming messenger.
- Author
- The prophet Malachi
- Date
- c. 450–430 BC
- Chapters
- 4
- Genre
- Minor Prophets
Summary
Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. The people have returned from exile and rebuilt the temple, but their worship has grown careless: priests offer blemished sacrifices, marriages are broken, and tithes are withheld.
Through a series of disputes, God answers the people's complaints and calls them to return to him. He promises to send a messenger to prepare the way before him and announces the coming day of the Lord — words the Gospels see fulfilled in John the Baptist and Jesus.
Outline
- Chapters 1–2 — Faithless priests and people
- Chapters 3–4 — The coming messenger and the day of the Lord
Key Themes
Key Verses
3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
Start reading MalachiBring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.