What's Malachi about?

Malachi was written about five hundred years before Jesus, after the people had been released from Babylon and had rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. The author is concerned that the people, and particularly the priests, were being unfaithful to God’s call to justice in all aspects of life.

This short book addresses four main issues: first, the people don’t trust God to accompany and support them, leading to the offering of sacrifices using second-rate animals. God will punish priests allowing this abuse of holy worship. Second, Malachi is highly critical of divorce, but may be using marriage and divorce as a symbol of the people’s faithfulness, or lack thereof, to God who has married them and always been faithful to them. Thirdly, the people have not been giving the full tithe to the temple, and finally, the people have abandoned any hope of living with integrity. These critiques are presented as if the people are being accused in a law court overseen by a great ruler.

The book was widely quoted by the early Christians, and one quote: “See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me" was applied by the early Christians to John the Baptist.

How Malachi is helpful to us

Malachi faces us with the challenge of asking to what degree change is needed in our own society if we are to live fully by participating in God’s call to justice for all. The book ends with the expectation that God’s kingdom is about to arrive, and that God will provide a way for the people to respond in time. Such an expectation could energize our world to make the changes necessary for a long and fullfiling future for all live on this planet.