Minor Prophets · Old Testament
Malachi
c. 430 BC
- Section
- Minor Prophets · Old Testament
- Events span
- c. 430 BC
- Written
- c. 430 BC critical view: c. 5th century BC
- Author
- Malachi critical view: Malachi ("my messenger"); the name may be a title
Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, confronts a spiritually lax post-exilic people — corrupt priests, empty worship, broken marriages, and withheld tithes — through a series of disputes. He promises a coming messenger to prepare the way and the return of Elijah before the great day of the LORD.
Chronological placement: The last of the writing prophets (c. 430 BC), roughly contemporary with Nehemiah; about 400 silent years then follow until John the Baptist.
Key themes
- Sincere versus empty worship
- A corrupt priesthood
- Faithfulness in marriage
- Tithing and robbing God
- The coming messenger
Key events
- God affirms his love for Israel, but the people question whether he really loves them
- The priests are rebuked for offering blemished, contemptible sacrifices
- God condemns unfaithfulness and divorce: "I hate putting away"
- A messenger will prepare the way before the Lord suddenly comes to his temple
- The people are robbing God in tithes; he invites them to test his blessing
- God will send Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the LORD
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”