◄ Malachi Devotional Commentary ►

Malachi 3:1

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi, which lists the serious charges the Lord had against backsliding Israel and the judgement that must inevitably fall on His errant people. It condemns their sacrilegious offerings and pronounces judgement on the wicked, because of their gross apostasy, serious idolatry, and shocking denial of God's holy character.

But it is also a book of hope that proclaims restoration for a faithful read more...

Malachi 3:2

Malachi was God's final messenger to the disobedient and unfaithful nation of Israel before the prophetic voice of warning was silenced for four centuries. The repetitive call for Israel as a nation to repent of their sins and to turn back to God, had resounded down through the centuries, but the numerous warnings of many prophetic voices continued to go unheeded.

And so we discover that before God finally withdrew His entreaties read more...

Malachi 3:3

The Lord chose the children of Israel to be His special, covenant people. They were called-out from among all the peoples of the earth to be a holy nation. They were to be a peculiar people who were set-apart unto God. They were to be separate and distinct from all the Gentile nations and they promised to follow all that God had told them to do. The nation of Israel was to be the tool which God used to circumnavigate the evil ways of Satan in order to demonstrate read more...

Malachi 3:4

Malachi probably proclaimed his message at the time when the third company of Jewish exiles returned with Nehemiah to rebuild the broken city-wall of Jerusalem. He confronted the returning community with their sin and unbelief, both individually and nationally.

He reminded the nation that the Lord their God was sovereign over the whole earth. He urged priests and people alike to consider their ways and do what is right. He gave read more...

Malachi 3:6

Like so many holy men of God, the writing of Malachi is a reminder to Israel of the covenant relationship that they have with Jehovah when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. The covenant was conditional and contained promises of blessings for faithfulness and a devotion to God, but gave warning of cursing for lack of faithfulness, neglect of God, and unbelief in His Word.

Like so many prophetic books, Malachi admonishes the read more...

Malachi 3:8

Many people returned to Jerusalem following their Babylonian exile, and although attempts were made to cleanse the collective heart of the nation, both priests and people fell into apostacy. Soon, all prophetic voices that warned of judgement and called for repentance were stopped, and Israel was plunged into 400 silent years, before the arrival of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Malachi was one of God's read more...

Malachi 4:2

The closing verses of the Old Testament end with a description of the day of the Lord, where fiery judgement is poured out on all evil-doers and those who have rejected God’s gift of salvation. The Lord is a consuming fire, and this passage begins with a description of God's righteous judgement on the wicked, but continues by giving encouragement to those who fear the name of the Lord.

The Day of the Lord is an extended period read more...

Malachi 4:5

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, and at the very end of his writings, just before 400 years of silent prophetic voices in Israel, we discover a tiny trace of blessing in his writings and a future hope for the little remnant of faithful Israel, while terrible judgement is the bitter chalice the wicked will have to drink:

"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet," Malachi wrote, before his pen was read more...

Malachi 4:6

As the prophetic voices in Old Testament Scriptures are silenced, the final message to Israel is from the prophet, Malachi. He describes, in awesome solemnity, the coming Day of the Lord when the full force of God's wrath will be poured out on a God-hating, sinful world which rejected the promised Messiah, and refused His gracious gift of salvation.

That time of read more...