The Writings of Malachi

Imagine that your country is playing in the final of the FIFA World Cup.  Imagine that you are in the stands, excitedly waiting for your team to come onto the field!  Your hope rises as the hours and minutes pass waiting for the game to start.  Your team runs onto the field and everything is set. The whistle blows and the crowd roars as the wait is finally over! And then… your team plays the worst match they have ever played.  It’s like they don’t even want to be there. They don’t chase the ball well, they refuse to tackle the other team and each time something happens in the crowd, the players get completely distracted. 

As the game continues, the score is 0-3 at half time. How are you feeling? Perhaps at first you think your team will surely get themselves back into the game.  But as the game nears the end and your team is still losing, how are you feeling now? Are you angry with your team for their losing attitude? Are you disappointed with their effort? Do you want to shout at them? Do you wish you had been in the locker room at half time to tell them how much it means to you that they play better?

If you can imagine feeling this way, then you can also understand how God may have been feeling when He inspired the book of Malachi to be written.  The Israelites had been back living in Jerusalem for about 100 years after their time of captivity in Babylon.  The temple had been rebuilt and the Israelites were free and able to worship God.  The Israelites had been punished for being disobedient to God last time, so it would seem that they would serve God wholeheartedly now – but this is not the case.  The next generation of Israelites appear to have forgotten God again and are having some problems.  They are like your football team in the World Cup.  They could succeed but don’t seem to care at all.  God is disappointed in the Israelites and the book of Malachi is written about God showing them their problems so that they can change their ways and be ready for the wonderful future he has planned.

The book of Malachi is conversation, much like you would have at halftime of the World Cup match.  Malachi is six discussions between God and the Israelites.  As they question each other, the Israelites try to blame God and defend their corrupt behaviours.  Just like the football team in our story, the people have become lazy and are not giving God their best.  Instead of taking responsibility for their actions the Israelites want to argue with God.  First, they ask God, “How have you loved us?”.  This shows a lack of respect for God, a lack of trust in him and a lack of gratefulness for all that God has done for them and their ancestors.  Second, God confronts the Israelites about the poor way they treat him and his temple.  Like the effort of your football team, the Israelites give such disappointing offerings that it might be better if they closed the temple instead.  Third, there is a dispute over the Israelites being unfaithful. They have divorced their wives and married people who worshipped other gods. 

These first three discussions were a call for the Israelites to change their actions.  Then in the final three discussions, God continues to challenge their behaviour but God also confirms that justice is coming.  The people have given up on God’s goodness and accuse God of ignoring injustice.  God responds by telling them that they are the ones who are unjust.  God judges them for robbing him of tithes and offerings.  In the final disagreement, the Israelites are full of pride and speak harshly against God for allowing evil people to prosper.  But God confirms that the day is coming where wicked people will be judged and the righteous will rise. 

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and in the last few verses the author tells the people to remember God’s law and encourages them to prepare their hearts because the day of Lord is coming.  The whole Old Testament has been leading us to this moment that Malachi is now talking about, a moment when God’s presence will come to earth in the form of a person – the person of Jesus Christ.  It will be 400  years until Christ comes to earth but God is in control and there is hope for the future!