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lesson 37 MALACHI I. BACKGROUND 1. Author - Malachi: 1:1 2. Date - 445 - 432 B.C. 3. Setting - Malachi, meaning "messenger", was probably one of the last of the Old Testament prophets. He wrote between the first and second visits of Nehemiah to Jerusalem. The biblical background then is Ezra 7 - 10 and the book of Nehemiah. II. PURPOSE OF THE BOOK 1. Key Verses: 2:7; 14-16; 3:1; 6; 4:1-6 2. Theme: As the Old Testament is about to close, Malachi the messenger of God, wants to reveal two things to the people of God: judgment is coming because God's people are corrupt and My messenger (Messiah) is coming. 1) Contrast between true and false priests a. False priests: a) despise God's name: 1:8 b) offer polluted sacrifices: 1:7-8 c) cause many to stumble in the law: 2:8 d) show respect of persons: 2:9 b. True priests a) fear Jehovah: 2:5 b) speak truth and righteousness: 2:6a c) walk in peace and uprightness: 2:6b d) turn many away from iniquity: 2:6c e) have the knowledge of Jehovah: 2:7 2) The sins of the people a. Spiritless, routine worship: 1:6-8; 13 b. Evil associations: 2:10-12 c. Questioning Jehovah's justice: 2:17; 3:6 d. Robbing God: 3:7-12 e. Impatient in waiting for God to act: 3:17; 4:3 3) What divorce is in God's eyes a. Profaning of the covenant: 2:10 b. Profaning of God's holiness: 2:11 c. Cause of one's sacrifice being rejected: 2:13 d. A thing that God hates: 2:16a e. Violence to the innocent: 2:16b f. Cause of being cut off by God: 2:12 III. ABOUT THE MESSIAH 1. Messenger of the Lord, Messenger of the covenant: 3:1 2. The purifier, refiner's fire and laundryman's soap: 3:2-3 IV. APPLICATIONS - LESSONS 1. God loves a pure, clean, happy home 2. Divorce is an abomination in God's sight 3. Insincerity in worship insults God 4. One who sins willfully and without control cannot please God by an elaborate worship exercise. 5. Our giving is a thermometer that measures our spiritual temperature. 6. The people suffer when God's priests fail to study and teach all the truth. 7. God still holds out the challenge to all His chosen ones to put Him to the test to find the rich supply of blessing that is available. MALACHI QUESTIONS 1. How does Johovah prove His love to Israel in 1:1-5? 2. In what manner were the priests despising the Name of Jehovah? 3. What is the main task of the priest? 4. Who are God's priests today? (I Peter 2:5; 9; Revelation 1:5-6) 5. Who is the messenger of 3:17? 6. What is the reason for the "messenger's" coming? 7. How had God's people robbed God? Can we do that today? |