Malachi Overview

Malachi:

• Written to people living in Jerusalem.
• About 100 years after the Exile.
• They were unfaithful to the covenant law.

I. Malachi organized series of Six arguments:

Argument 1: (Malachi 1:1-5)

• Esau represents those who reject covenant with the Lord.
• Jacob (Israel) represents those who love covenant with the Lord.
• In this passage, the Lord is saying that Israel (Jacob) is behaving like Esau who despised his birthright.

Argument 2: (1:6-2:9)

• Accusation: They bring lame sacrifices to the Lord.
• God calls them to shut the doors. (Malachi 1:10)
• Worship is supposed to be a witness to Gentiles. (Malachi 1:11)
• The rebuke to the priest is that they do not bring the Word of God.
• God’s command to spread “dung” on the faces of the priest is because they have treated God’s word like dunk.
• Malachi 2:4, they have violated the special covenant given to the tribe of Levi.

Argument 3: . (Malachi 2:10-16)

• Unfaithful both to God and their wives.
• God hates divorce, not divorced people.
• Notice he says it does “violence.”

Argument 4: (Malachi 2:17-3:5)

Argument 5: The Lord invites them

• The repentant heart is demonstrated in unusual ways.
• They are to show faithfulness to God by giving back to God.
• Is tithing only part of the Law? Abraham tithed before the Law was given. Malachi is the last book; does it seem like God would make such a hard clear command at the chapter before closing the Old Testament? Grace exceeds the Law. The early church did not tithe; they gave all.

Argument 6: Accusation against God: There is (3:13-18)

• Why serve Lord when evil people prosper?
• God’s promise: He remembers the righteous.
• He calls them to write a “book” of remembrance.

II. Malachi sketches the life of Jesus:

1. Messiah would be

(Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:5, Luke 1:15-17, Matthew 11:11-15)

2. Messiah would (Malachi 3:1)

3. Messiah would (Malachi 4:1)

(2 Peter 3:7 , 2 Peter 3:10)

4. Messiah would have the (Malachi 4:2)

• Like the rising sun brings healing.
• Beams of righteousness, Jesus make things right.
• Healing in his wings. (Matthew 9)

5. Messiah will (Malachi 4:5, Revelation 22:3, Acts 4:12)

Group Questions:

1. What new things did you learn tonight you did not know before about Malachi?

2. What things did Malachi say to the people then that speak to us today?

3. Jesus not only cleared the temple; he said the temple was His Body. In what ways was the temple symbolic of the body of Jesus?

(A place of worship) (A place of Sacrifice. At the temple Sheep sacrificed. Jesus sacrificed His Body) (At the Temple the Word of God is read. Jesus is the Word of God.)

4. The people were accused of bringing lame offerings to the Lord. Likewise Cain was accused of simply giving God leftovers. How do we give God inadequate offerings?

5. Malachi accused the nation of being unfaithful to the marriage covenant. In their time, they were divorcing older wives to marry unbelieving Canaanite wives. What are some ways we dishonor the marriage covenant:

–In the Church culture.

–In the larger culture.

6. Malachi prophesied that a forerunner would come before the Messiah.

–How did John the Baptist fulfill the role of a forerunner?

–Why was that role necessary?

7. Scan over the book of Malachi.

–What are some verses that speak deeply to you?

–What are some things the Lord said that seem very harsh?

8. What are some ways Jesus brings healing? (Malachi 4:2)