Reference: Malachi
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The last of the minor prophets, and of all the Old Testament writers; so little known, that it is doubted by some, though without sufficient reason, whether his name be a proper name, or only a generical one, signifying the angel of the Lord that is, a messenger, a prophet, Hag 1:13; Mal 3:1. Malachi most probably prophesied about B. C. 416, in the latter part of the administration of Negemiag, and after Haggai and Zechariah, at a time of great disorder among the priests and people of Judah, whom her reproves. He inveighs against the priests; reproves the people for having taken strange wives, for inhumanity to their brethren, for divorcing their wives, and for neglect of paying tithes and first fruits. He seems to allude to the covenant that Nehemiah renewed with the lord, together with the priests and chief of the nation. In the latter part he foretells the coming of John the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elijah, Mal 3:1; 4:5-6; Mt 11:10,14; 17:10-13; Lu 1:17. He also foretells the two-fold coming of Christ, and the blessedness of those who fear and serve him. Thus the Old Testament closes with Predictions of the Messiah, and the New Testament opens with the record of their fulfillment.
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Then Haggai gave Jehovah's message to the people: I am with you!
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold! I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible Day of Jehovah comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers and bring them together again before I come and strike the earth with destruction (a curse).
This is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.'
If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.
His disciples asked him: Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? In answer he said: Elijah truly has to come and put all things right. read more. I tell you that Elijah has come. They did not know him and treated him badly as they pleased. They will do the same with the Son of man. Then the disciples saw that he was telling them about John the Baptist.
He will go before God in the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness. This will make ready a people whose hearts have been directed to Jehovah (YHWH). (Malachi 3:1)
Easton
messenger or angel, the last of the minor prophets, and the writer of the last book of the Old Testament canon (Mal 4:4-5,6). Nothing is known of him beyond what is contained in his book of prophecies. Some have supposed that the name is simply a title descriptive of his character as a messenger of Jehovah, and not a proper name. There is reason, however, to conclude that Malachi was the ordinary name of the prophet.
He was contemporary with Nehemiah (comp. Mal 2:8 with Ne 13:15; Mal 2:10-16 with Ne 13:23). No allusion is made to him by Ezra, and he does not mention the restoration of the temple, and hence it is inferred that he prophesied after Haggai and Zechariah, and when the temple services were still in existence (Mal 1:10; 3:1,10). It is probable that he delivered his prophecies about B.C. 420, after the second return of Nehemiah from Persia (Ne 13:6), or possibly before his return.
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I was not at Jerusalem all this time in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. I went to the king; and after some days, I got the king to let me go.
In those days, I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes on the Sabbath, and harvesting grain and putting it on Asses; as well as wine and grapes and figs and all sorts of goods that they took into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I gave witness against them on the day when they were marketing food.
Jehovah of Hosts continues: Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me.
You priests have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has led many to do wrong. You have corrupted the covenant I made with Levi (you).
Do we all have one father? Did one God create us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers? The people of Judah have done wrong. They deal treacherously and committed an abomination in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. read more. Jehovah will remove from the community of Israel those who did this. They will never again participate in the national offerings to Jehovah of Hosts. Another thing you do is drown Jehovah's altar with tears, weeping and wailing. This is because he no longer accepts the offerings you bring him. You ask: Why do you not accept our offerings? It is because Jehovah is a witness between you and the wife of your youth. The one to whom you have been unfaithful! She is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows. Did God make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. What does God look for but godly descendants? Do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. I hate divorce and he who covers his garment with violence,' said Jehovah, the God of Israel. Jehovah of Hosts declares: 'Guard yourselves and do not deal treacherously.'
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want.
You should remember the Law of Moses my servant. I commanded the statutes and ordinances (regulations and judgments) to him at Horeb for all Israel. Behold! I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible Day of Jehovah comes. read more. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers and bring them together again before I come and strike the earth with destruction (a curse).
Fausets
("messenger of Jah"), or Jehovah; contracted for Malachijah, as Abi for Abijah (2Ki 18:2; compare 2Ch 29:1). The name is that of an office rather than of a person; it occurs in the sense "My (Jehovah's) messenger" (Mal 3:1, compare Hag 1:13). Malachi was Jehovah's last inspired messenger of Old Testament, announcing the advent of the great Messenger of New Testament; the transition link between the two dispensations, "the skirt and boundary of Christianity," to which is due his abrupt earnestness. Not identical with Ezra, as Chaldee paraphrase represents, for Malachi is never called a scribe, always a prophet, but Ezra always a scribe, never a prophet.
The analogy of the headings of the other prophets favors the view that Malachi is a proper name. He supported or followed up the governor Nehemiah in the restoration of the national polity civil and religious, as Haggai and Zechariah previously had supported Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the civil governor in building the temple, Malachi (Zec 1:10; 3) presupposes the temple already built. Like Nehemiah (Ne 13:5,15-30) he censures the secular and mercenary spirit of the priests (Mal 1:10; 2:14-16; 3:8-10); the people's marriages with foreigners; the non-payment of the tithes (Nehemiah states the cause, the high priest's alliance with Tobiah the Ammonite and Sanballat); and the rich men's want of sympathy toward the poor. Nehemiah (Ne 6:7) implies that "prophets" supported him, by his desire, in his reformation.
DATE. About 420 B.C. or later will be about the date, from the above facts. Thus kingly (Zerubbabel and Nehemiah), priestly (Joshua and Ezra), and prophetic men (Haggai and Zechariah and Malachi) headed God's people at the earlier and the later stage in the restoration of Jerusalem. The former period was that of building the temple, the later that of restoring the polity and rebuilding the city. The rebuilding of the temple was the theocratic people's first care; the political restoration was secondary. A small colony of 50,000 settled with Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:64). These became intermingled with the pagan during the 60 years that elapsed before Ezra (Ezr 9:6-15; Ne 1:3); "the remnant ... left in the province are in great affliction and reproach, the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates burned with fire."
A second restoration was therefore needed, to mold the national life into Jewish form, by reestablishing the holy law and the city. This was the work of Ezra and Nehemiah with the aid of Malachi in about 50 years, ending with the death of Malachi and Nehemiah, at the close of the fifth century B.C. Hence, the "seven weeks" (49 or 50 years) stand by themselves at the beginning of the foretold "seventy weeks" (Da 9:25), to mark the fundamental difference between them, as the last period of Old Testament revelation, and the 62 weeks of years that follow without revelation, preceding the final week standing out by itself in unrivaled dignity as Messiah's week. The 70 weeks begin with Artaxerxes' seventh year, 457 B.C., when he allowed Ezra (Ezr 7:1,6) to go to Jerusalem in accordance with the commandment which then went forth from God.
Ezra the priest purified the nation from within of pagan elements and restored the law; Nehemiah did the outer work of rebuilding the city and restoring the national polity (Auberlen). The time following Nehemiah's second return to Jerusalem from Persia (subsequently to the 32nd year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, Ne 13:6) is the probable date of Malachi's prophecies, about 420 B.C. Socrates at Athens was at about the same time awakening that corrupt city to self examination. The Jews were now in Jerusalem (Mal 2:11); the Persian "governor" (pechah, pasha'; Mal 1:8) was there, the altar (Mal 1:7) and temple rebuilt (Mal 2:13; 3:1), the sacrifices and feasts celebrated (Mal 1:13-14; 2:3).
Nehemiah bore this very title (pechah, Ne 5:14; 12:26), and its equivalent "tirshatha" (Ne 8:9; 10:1; 7:65; Ezr 2:63), the prefect of a province less extensive than a satrapy. It is curious that Malachi is not mentioned in Nehemiah nor Nehemiah in Malachi. But the same evils are sought to be remedied by both: see above; also compare Mal 2:8, "ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts," with Ne 13:29, "they have defiled the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites." Thus the closing chapter of Old Testament history is the key of the last of Old Testament prophecy.
DIVISIONS.
I. The first two chapters are mainly expostulation;
II. the last two mainly prediction.
(1) Charge against Israel for insensibility to God's love, which so distinguished Israel above Edom (Mal 1:1-5).
(2) Against the priests for contemptible offerings, profaning instead of honoring their Master and their Father, unlike Levi of old, who walked with God in a covenant of life and peace, turning many from iniquity, whereas they departed out of the way and caused others to stumble; therefore God will send a curse upon them, making them contemptible, even as they contemned and failed to give glory to His name (Mal 1:6-2:9).
(3) Reproof of the wrong done to Jewish wives by the foreign marriages. Jehovah being the one common Father of all Israel, putting away an Israelite wife for a foreigner is a wrong done to a sister of the same family (Mal 2:10-16). Explain Mal 2:15; "did not He (God) make us Israelites one? Yet He had the residue of the Spirit (namely, an inexhaustible fullness of the Spirit for the rest of the world, but that was to be given them by God's first choosing out, one godly seed). And wherefore did He make us the one people? That He might seek a seed of God," to be the repository of the covenant, the stock for Messiah, the witness for God against surrounding polytheism. Repudiation of Jewish wives for foreigners set aside this, God's, design.
II.
(4) In answer to their cavil, "where is the God of judgment?" Messiah's forerunner, followed by the sudden coming of Jehovah Himself the Angel of the covenant (which they had despised) to His temple, is foretold (Mal 2:17-4:6). He shall on the one hand refine the sons of Levi, so that Judah's offering shall be pleasant unto Jehovah; on the other hand He shall be a swift witness against wrong doers, wherefore "return unto Me," instead of "robbing Me of tithes," "prove Me now herewith and I will pour you out a blessing," etc. But still they cavil at God's service bringing no "profit," while God's people commune together; so "the day of the Lord" cometh, consuming to the proud scorners, but with healing beams of the Sun of righteousness to fearers of God's name; ushered in by the forerunner Elijah, preaching a return to the law of Moses, and to the piety of Israel's forefathers, lest Jehovah come and smite the earth with a curse.
CANONICITY. Established by New Testament quotations (Mt 11:10; 17:12; Mr 1:2; 9:11-12; Lu 1:17; Ro 9:13). The "incense and pure offering from the rising to the setting of the sun" points on to the spiritual sacrifices of self devotion, prayer, and praise under the gospel, based on the once for all completed sacrifice of Messiah (Ps 141:2; Re 8:3; Heb 13:10,15-16; Ro 12:1; 1Pe 2:5,12); in every place (Joh 4:21-24; 1Ti 2:8). Style. Bold and abrupt, yet with the smoothness of a reasoner rather than a poet, at the same time modeled after the old prophets.
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Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
Hezekiah began to rule as king when he was twenty-five years old. He ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah.
The Tirshatha (Governor) said they were not to have the most holy things for their food, till a priest came to give decision by Urim and Thummim. The number of all the people together was forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty,
Now after these things, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
Ezra came from Babylon. He was a scribe (copyist) and an expert in the Law of Moses which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given. The king was moved by Jehovah his God to give him whatever he requested.
I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven. From the days of our fathers till this day we have been great sinners. Because of our sins, the kings of the lands captured us. We were given to the sword and to prison and to loss of goods and to shame of face, as it is this day. read more. Now for a little time grace (favour) has come to us from Jehovah our God, to let a small band of us go free and to give us a nail in his holy place. Our God gives light to our eyes and a measure of new life in our prison chains. We are servants. Our God has not been turned away from us in our prison. He had mercy on us before the eyes of the kings of Persia, to give us new strength, to put up again the house of our God and to restore its desolate places, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what are we to say after this? For we have not obeyed your laws, Which you gave to your servants the prophets, saying: 'The land where you are going, you should take for a heritage. It is an unclean land, because of the evil lives of the peoples of the land and their disgusting ways, which have made the land unclean from end to end.' Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or do anything for their peace or well being for a very long time. That way you may be strong, living on the good of the land, and handing it on to your children for a heritage for as long as they live. After all this and because of our evil-doing and our great sin, and seeing that the punishment that you, O God, have given us, is less than the measure of our sins, and that you have kept from death those of us who are here; Are we again to go against your orders, taking wives from among the people who do these disgusting things? Would you not be angry with us till our destruction was complete, till there was not one who got away safe? O Jehovah, God of Israel, righteousness is yours. We are only a small band that has been kept from death this day. See, we are before you in our sin. For no one may keep his place before you because of this.
They said to me: The small band of Jews now living there in the land is in deep trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem has been broken down, and its doorways burned with fire.
From the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, my servants and I have never taken the food that was the right of the ruler.
And that you have prophets preaching about you in Jerusalem, and saying: 'There is a king in Judah.' Now an account of these things will be sent to the king. So come now, and let us have a discussion.
And the Tirshatha (governor) said that they were not to have the most holy things for their food, till a priest came to give decision by the Urim and Thummim.
Nehemiah, who was the Tirshatha (Governor), and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were the teachers of the people, said to all the people: This day is holy to Jehovah your God. Let there be no sorrow or weeping. For all the people were weeping on hearing the words of the law.
Now those who put down their names were Nehemiah the Tirshatha (Governor), the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
These were in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the ruler and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. I was not at Jerusalem all this time in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. I went to the king; and after some days, I got the king to let me go.
In those days, I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes on the Sabbath, and harvesting grain and putting it on Asses; as well as wine and grapes and figs and all sorts of goods that they took into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I gave witness against them on the day when they were marketing food. There were men of Tyre there. They came with fish and all sorts of goods, trading with the children of Judah and in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. read more. Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them: What is this evil you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy? Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? You are causing more anger to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy. When the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the gate to be shut and not to be open again until after the Sabbath. I put some of my servants by the gate so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day. So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I gave witness against them and said: Why are you waiting all night by the wall? If you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath. I gave the Levites orders to make themselves clean and come and keep the gates and make the Sabbath holy. Keep this in mind to my credit, O my God, and have mercy on me, for great is your mercy. I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab: Their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples. I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair. I made them take an oath by God, saying: You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women. Are we then without protest to let you do all this great evil, sinning against our God by taking strange women for your wives? One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the chief priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I sent him away from me. Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites.
Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites. I made them clean from all strange people. Regular watches were fixed for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work.
Let my prayer be accepted as sweet-smelling incense in your presence. Let the lifting up of my hands in prayer be accepted as an evening sacrifice.
Know and discern, that from the utterance of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Messiah), the Leader: there shall be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again with a public square and moat, even in terrible times.
Then Haggai gave Jehovah's message to the people: I am with you!
The man answered: These are they whom Jehovah sent to inspect the earth.
This is Jehovah's (YHWH) Word, a divine revelation to Israel through His Messenger, Malachi: I have loved you, said Jehovah. You replied: How have you loved us? Was Esau Jacob's brother? Responded Jehovah: Yet I loved Jacob. read more. And yet I hated Esau and his descendants. I devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned his inheritance to the desert jackals. Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say: Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them. Thus Jehovah (YHWH) will reply: Let them rebuild. I will tear them down again. People will call them the evil country. They are the nation with whom Jehovah has a long lasting anger. The people of Israel will see this with their own eyes. They will say: Jehovah is mighty even outside the land of Israel!
This is how you despise me. You offer worthless food on my altar. Then you ask: 'How have we failed to respect you?' I tell you it is by showing contempt for my altar. You bring blind, sick and lame animals to sacrifice to me. Do you think there is nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?
Jehovah of Hosts continues: Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me.
And you say: 'We are tired of all this!' You turn up your nose at me. You offer the lame and the sick and even stolen animals, said Jehovah. Do you think I will accept that from you? The cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me will be cursed. For he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! I am a great King, Jehovah of Hosts declares. People of all nations will respect my name!
I will punish your children and rub your faces in the dung of the animals you sacrifice! You will be taken away with the dung heap of your feasts.
You priests have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has led many to do wrong. You have corrupted the covenant I made with Levi (you).
Do we all have one father? Did one God create us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers? The people of Judah have done wrong. They deal treacherously and committed an abomination in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
The people of Judah have done wrong. They deal treacherously and committed an abomination in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. Jehovah will remove from the community of Israel those who did this. They will never again participate in the national offerings to Jehovah of Hosts. read more. Another thing you do is drown Jehovah's altar with tears, weeping and wailing. This is because he no longer accepts the offerings you bring him.
Another thing you do is drown Jehovah's altar with tears, weeping and wailing. This is because he no longer accepts the offerings you bring him. You ask: Why do you not accept our offerings? It is because Jehovah is a witness between you and the wife of your youth. The one to whom you have been unfaithful! She is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows.
You ask: Why do you not accept our offerings? It is because Jehovah is a witness between you and the wife of your youth. The one to whom you have been unfaithful! She is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows. Did God make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. What does God look for but godly descendants? Do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
Did God make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. What does God look for but godly descendants? Do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
Did God make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. What does God look for but godly descendants? Do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. I hate divorce and he who covers his garment with violence,' said Jehovah, the God of Israel. Jehovah of Hosts declares: 'Guard yourselves and do not deal treacherously.'
I hate divorce and he who covers his garment with violence,' said Jehovah, the God of Israel. Jehovah of Hosts declares: 'Guard yourselves and do not deal treacherously.'
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
I ask you: 'will you rob and defraud God? Of course not, yet you are robbing and defrauding me!' 'How have we robbed and defrauded?' You ask. 'In the matter of tithes and offerings.' A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. read more. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want.
This is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare the way for you.'
I tell you that Elijah has come. They did not know him and treated him badly as they pleased. They will do the same with the Son of man.
The prophet Isaiah wrote: I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way.
Then they asked him how is it that the scribes say that Elijah must first come? He said: Elijah does come first and restores all things. It is written that the Son of man should suffer and be treated with contempt?
He will go before God in the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness. This will make ready a people whose hearts have been directed to Jehovah (YHWH). (Malachi 3:1)
Jesus replied: Woman believe me. The hour comes when you will worship the Father neither in the mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know. Salvation is from the Jews. read more. But the hour comes and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father with spirit and truth. The Father seeks such people to worship him. God is a Spirit. They who worship him must worship him with spirit and truth.
It is written: I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau.
I request (urge) (implore) you brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Have sound speech that cannot be condemned so the man opposing us may be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God through him [Jesus], that is, the fruit of lips that make confession (give thanks and offer praise) to his name. Do not forget (neglect) to do good and to communicate (fellowship) (share), for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Another angel, with a golden incense vessel, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense so he could offer it with the prayers of all the holy ones upon the golden altar before the throne.
Hastings
MALACHI
1. Author.
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One-tenth of what comes from the land, whether grain or fruit, is holy and belongs to Jehovah. If you buy back any part of it, you must add one-fifth more to it. read more. Every tenth head of cattle or sheep that you counted is holy and belongs to Jehovah. You must not look to see if it is good or bad or exchange it. If you do exchange it, both the first animal and its substitute will be holy. They may not be bought back.'
I have given the Levites one-tenth of every Israelite's income. This is in return for the work they do at the tent of meeting. The other Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting. Otherwise, they will suffer the consequences of their sin and die. read more. Only the Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They are responsible for their own sins. This is a long lasting law for future generations. They will own no property, as the other Israelites will. Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to Jehovah, one-tenth of the Israelites' income. This is why I said about them: They will own no property as the other Israelites do. Jehovah said to Moses: Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'You will take one-tenth of the Israelites' income that I am giving you as your property. When you do, you must contribute one-tenth of that income as your contribution to Jehovah. Your contribution will be considered to be grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. You will also contribute one-tenth of your income to Jehovah out of all that you receive from the Israelites' income. You will give Jehovah's contribution to the priest Aaron. Out of all the gifts you receive, you must contribute the best and holiest parts to Jehovah.' Also tell them: 'When you contribute the best part, your contribution will be considered to be produce from the threshing floor or winepress. You and your households may eat it anywhere. This is because it is the wages you receive for your work at the tent of meeting. When you contribute the best part, you will not suffer the consequences of any sin. You will not be dishonoring the holy offerings given by the Israelites, and you will not die.'
Jehovah continued speaking to Moses: Jehovah said to Moses: Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of the priest Aaron, turned my fury away from the Israelites. Since he stood up for me, I did not have to stand up for myself and destroy them. read more. Tell Phinehas that I now make a promise of peace to him. My promise is that he and his descendants will be priests for a very long time because he stood up for his God. He made peace with Jehovah for the Israelites.
From the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, my servants and I have never taken the food that was the right of the ruler.
I went to Jerusalem. It was clear to me what evil Eliashib had done for Tobiah by making ready for him a room in the buildings of the house of God.
It was the second year that Darius was king of Persia. Jehovah spoke through Haggai the prophet in the sixth month, on the first day of the month. The message was delivered to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and to the High Priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.
Then Haggai gave Jehovah's message to the people: I am with you! Jehovah inspired everyone to work on the Temple. That included: Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah; Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people who had returned from the exile. They worked on the house of Jehovah of Hosts, their God.
This is Jehovah's (YHWH) Word, a divine revelation to Israel through His Messenger, Malachi:
This is Jehovah's (YHWH) Word, a divine revelation to Israel through His Messenger, Malachi:
This is Jehovah's (YHWH) Word, a divine revelation to Israel through His Messenger, Malachi: I have loved you, said Jehovah. You replied: How have you loved us? Was Esau Jacob's brother? Responded Jehovah: Yet I loved Jacob.
I have loved you, said Jehovah. You replied: How have you loved us? Was Esau Jacob's brother? Responded Jehovah: Yet I loved Jacob. And yet I hated Esau and his descendants. I devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned his inheritance to the desert jackals. read more. Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say: Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them. Thus Jehovah (YHWH) will reply: Let them rebuild. I will tear them down again. People will call them the evil country. They are the nation with whom Jehovah has a long lasting anger. The people of Israel will see this with their own eyes. They will say: Jehovah is mighty even outside the land of Israel! Jehovah of Hosts declares to the priests: Children honor their parents and servants honor their masters. I am your father. Why do you not honor me? I am your master. Why do you not respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask: How have we despised you?
Where ever the sun rises and sets my name will be great among the people of the nations. Incense will be offered to my name everywhere. It will be a pure offering! For my name will be great among the nations, said Jehovah of Hosts.
You must honor me by your actions. If you will not listen to what I say, and give glory and honor to my name, I will bring a curse on you. I will put a curse on the things you receive for your support. I have already put a curse on you. Your blessings are cursed already because you do not take my command seriously.
You will know I sent this commandment to you! This way my covenant with Levi will continue, said Jehovah of Hosts.
You will know I sent this commandment to you! This way my covenant with Levi will continue, said Jehovah of Hosts. My covenant was with him [Levi]. It was of life and peace. I gave them to him that he might reverence me. He respected me and stood in awe of my name.
My covenant was with him [Levi]. It was of life and peace. I gave them to him that he might reverence me. He respected me and stood in awe of my name.
I caused you to be despised and low before all the people. You are contemptible and do not keep my ways. You show partiality when applying the law. Do we all have one father? Did one God create us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers? read more. The people of Judah have done wrong. They deal treacherously and committed an abomination in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. Jehovah will remove from the community of Israel those who did this. They will never again participate in the national offerings to Jehovah of Hosts. Another thing you do is drown Jehovah's altar with tears, weeping and wailing. This is because he no longer accepts the offerings you bring him. You ask: Why do you not accept our offerings? It is because Jehovah is a witness between you and the wife of your youth. The one to whom you have been unfaithful! She is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows. Did God make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. What does God look for but godly descendants? Do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
You have made Jehovah weary with your words. You ask: 'How have we wearied him?' You say: 'Every one that does evil is good in Jehovah's sight.' You also say: 'He delights in them.' Then you ask: 'where is the God of justice?'
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
I will approach you people for judgment! I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers and those acting fraudulently with the wages of the worker, the widow and the fatherless. I will be a speedy witness against those who swear falsely and take advantage of the stranger, and do not show me reverence, said Jehovah of Hosts. I am Jehovah. I have not changed! You are the sons of Jacob. You have not yet been destroyed! read more. Like your fathers before you, you have turned away from my laws and have not obeyed them. Return to me and I will return to you, said Jehovah of Hosts. But you ask, 'how will we return to you?' I ask you: 'will you rob and defraud God? Of course not, yet you are robbing and defrauding me!' 'How have we robbed and defrauded?' You ask. 'In the matter of tithes and offerings.' A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want. I will not let insects destroy your crops. Your grapevines will produce abundantly. read more. All the nations will pronounce you happy because your land will be a good place to live. You have said terrible things about me, said Jehovah of Hosts. Yet you ask: 'What have we said about you?'
You have said terrible things about me, said Jehovah of Hosts. Yet you ask: 'What have we said about you?' You have said: 'There is no value to serve God. What is the use of doing what he says or of trying to show Jehovah of Hosts that we are sorry for what we have done?' read more. We call arrogant people happy. Evil people test God's patience with their wicked deeds. They not only get away with it, they also prosper. Those who respected Jehovah spoke to one another, and Jehovah listened to what they had to say. In his presence a memorial record was written down in a book listing those who reverence Jehovah and respect (esteem) (regard) his name.
Those who respected Jehovah spoke to one another, and Jehovah listened to what they had to say. In his presence a memorial record was written down in a book listing those who reverence Jehovah and respect (esteem) (regard) his name. They will be my people, said Jehovah of Hosts. On the day when I act, they will be mine (my special treasure) (my jewels). I will show them compassion just as parents show compassion to the children who serve them. read more. Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the one who does not.
Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the one who does not.
Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the one who does not.
Once again my people will see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between the person who serves God and the one who does not.
Jehovah of Hosts proclaims: The day is coming when all arrogant and evil people will burn like stubble. On that day they will burn up and there will be nothing left of them, either root or bough.
You should remember the Law of Moses my servant. I commanded the statutes and ordinances (regulations and judgments) to him at Horeb for all Israel.
You should remember the Law of Moses my servant. I commanded the statutes and ordinances (regulations and judgments) to him at Horeb for all Israel.
He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers and bring them together again before I come and strike the earth with destruction (a curse).
Morish
Mal'achi
The last of the minor prophets. Nothing is recorded of the prophet's personal history, he is named once only. He was prophet near the time of Nehemiah's return to the land, and the prophecy reveals the moral condition of the people. The first chapter, while it shows their insensibility, shows also the sovereign love of Jehovah to them, a love on which His purpose depended. When charged with their sins, they asked wherein had they sinned. The answer is that they brought to the Lord that which was torn, the lame, and the sick, and had offered polluted bread upon Jehovah's altar: in effect saying, "The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible." This brought judgement upon those who were insensible to what was due to the Lord. Yet Jehovah should be magnified beyond the border of Israel, and His name be great among the Gentiles.
Mal. 2. The priests who ought to have been guides to the people, are called to account. Judah had intimate fellowship with idolatry; had symbolically married the daughter of a strange god; and had associated this with the worship of Jehovah. Israel had also dealt treacherously with the wife of their youth: this was but the discovery of a treacherous principle in them. God hated putting away: notwithstanding all this, they were apathetic, and asked wherein had they wearied God.
Mal. 3 opens with the announcement of the Lord's messenger, which was fulfilled in John the Baptist. But the first coming of the Lord is here connected with His second coming, when He will sit as a refiner, and will purge away the dross, and then shall the sons of Levi offer an offering in righteousness.
God challenged the returned Jews to be faithful to Him, and they should have such a blessing that they would not have room enough to contain it. When called upon to return to Jehovah they are still unconscious of their condition, and ask, "Wherein shall we return?" and "Wherein have we robbed thee?" "What have we spoken so much against thee?" They had said it was in vain to serve the Lord; they had called the proud happy; the wicked were built up, and they that tempted God were delivered.
Yet God's purpose should stand: their land should be a delightsome land, and all nations should call them blessed. In the meantime the remnant are spoken of as those that feared the Lord and thought upon His name: they communed often one with another. God had a book of remembrance of such: they shall be remembered when the Lord of hosts makes up His jewels, and shall be spared when He comes in judgement.
Mal. 4. A day of great judgement is coming when the wicked shall be consumed. But to them that fear His name the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings (not the morning star here, as for the church). There will be judgement for the disobedient, as was indeed fully shown in the law at the beginning of the covenant with them.
But Elijah will come as Christ's forerunner, to call them to repentance before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. John the Baptist would have fulfilled this mission had they received him; but, except a few, they did not, and therefore when asked if he was Elias, he said, No. He fulfilled the prophecy in the first clause of Mal 3:1; but not that of Mal 4:5-6; the people did not repent. Elijah will still come. There will be judgement first, but great blessing in the end to those that are spared.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Behold, I send my messenger! He will prepare the way before me. Seek Jehovah! He will suddenly come to his Temple along with the messenger of the covenant. He is one you desire, behold, he comes, said Jehovah of Hosts.
Behold! I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible Day of Jehovah comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers and bring them together again before I come and strike the earth with destruction (a curse).
Watsons
MALACHI, the last of the twelve minor prophets. Malachi prophesied about B.C. 400; and some traditionary accounts state that he was a native of Sapha, and of the tribe of Zebulun. He reproves the people for their wickedness, and the priests for their negligence in the discharge of their office; he threatens the disobedient with the judgments of God, and promises great rewards to the penitent and pious; he predicts the coming of Christ, and the preaching of John the Baptist; and with a solemnity becoming the last of the prophets, he closes the sacred canon with enjoining the strict observance of the Mosaic law, till the forerunner, already promised, should appear in the spirit of Elias, to introduce the Messiah, who was to establish a new and everlasting covenant.