Malachi

Introduction and God's Election of Israel

1:1What follows is divine revelation.1 The word of the LORD came to Israel through Malachi:2

1:2 "I have shown love to you," says the LORD; but you say, "How have you shown love to us?"

"Esau was Jacob's brother," the LORD explains, "yet I chose Jacob, 1:3 and rejected Esau.3 I made Esau's4 mountains bare of population5 and gave his land6 to the jackals of the desert."

1:4 Edom7 says, "Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places." So the sovereign LORD8 responds, "They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as9 the land of evil, the people with whom the LORD is permanently displeased. 1:5 Your eyes will see it, and then you will say, `May the LORD be magnified10 even beyond the border of Israel!'"

The Sacrilege of Priestly Service

1:6 "A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects11 his master. If I am your12 father, where is my honor? If I am your13 master, where is my respect? The sovereign LORD asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, `How have we made light of your name?' 1:7 You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, `How have we offended you?' By treating the table14 of the LORD as if it is of no importance! 1:8 For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick,15 is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them16 to your governor! Will he be pleased with you17 or show you favor?" asks the sovereign LORD. 1:9 But now plead for God's favor18 that he might be gracious to us.19 "With this kind of thing in your hands, how can he be pleased with you?" asks the sovereign LORD.

1:10 "I wish that one of you would close the temple doors,20 so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you," says the sovereign LORD, "and I will no longer accept an offering from you. 1:11 For from the east to the west my name will be great among the nations. Incense and pure offerings will be offered in my name everywhere, for my name will be great among the nations,"21 says the sovereign LORD. 1:12 "But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings22 despicable. 1:13 You also say, `How tiresome it is.' You turn up your nose at it," says the sovereign LORD, "and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?"23 asks the LORD. 1:14 "There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king,"24 says the sovereign LORD, "and my name is awesome among the nations."

The Sacrilege of the Priestly Message

2:1"Now, you priests, this commandment is for you. 2:2 If you do not listen and take seriously1 the need to honor my name," says the sovereign LORD, "I will send judgment2 on you and turn your blessings into curses--indeed, I have already done so because you are not taking it to heart. 2:3 I am about to discipline your children3 and will spread offal4 on your faces,5 the very offal produced at your festivals, and you will be carried away along with it. 2:4 Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant6 may continue to be with Levi," says the sovereign LORD. 2:5 "My covenant with him was designed to bring life and peace. I gave its statutes to him to fill him with awe, and he indeed revered me and stood in awe before me. 2:6 He taught what was true;7 sinful words were not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity and he turned many people away from sin. 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him8 because he is the messenger of the sovereign LORD. 2:8 You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law;9 you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,"10 says the sovereign LORD. 2:9 "Therefore, I have caused you to be ignored and belittled before all people to the extent to which you are not following after me and are showing partiality in your11 instruction."

The Rebellion of the People

2:10 Do we not all have one father?12 Did not one God create us? Why do we betray one another, in this way making light of the covenant of our ancestors? 2:11 Judah has become disloyal, and unspeakable sins have been committed in Israel and Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned13 the holy things that the LORD loves and has turned to a foreign god!14 2:12 May the LORD cut off from the community15 of Jacob every last person who does this,16 as well as the person who presents improper offerings to the sovereign LORD!

2:13 You also do this: You cover the altar of the LORD with tears17 as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. 2:14 Yet you ask, "Why?" The answer is that the LORD is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young18 and to whom you have become unfaithful, though she is your companion and wife by covenant.19 2:15 No one does this who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him.20 What did that one of our ancient times21 do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth.22 2:16 "I hate divorce,"23 says the LORD God of Israel, "and the one who is guilty of violence,"24 says the sovereign LORD. "Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful."

Resistance to the Lord through Self-deceit

2:17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" Because you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord's opinion,1 and he delights in them," or, "Where is the God of justice?" 3:1"I am about to send my messenger,2 who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord3 you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger4 of the covenant whom you long for is coming," says the sovereign LORD.

3:2 Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire,5 like a launderer's soap. 3:3 He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the LORD a proper offering. 3:4 The gift6 of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in former times and years past.

3:5 "I7 will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises,8 and those who exploit workers, widows and orphans,9 who refuse to help10 the immigrant11 and in this way show they do not fear me," says the sovereign LORD.

Resistance to the Lord through Selfishness

3:6 "Since, I, the LORD, do not go back on my promises,12 you, sons of Jacob, have not perished. 3:7 From the days of your ancestors you have ignored13 my commandments14 and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you," says the sovereign LORD.

"But you say, `How should we return?' 3:8 Can a person rob15 God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, `How are we robbing you?' In tithes and contributions!16 3:9 You are bound for judgment17 because you are robbing me--this whole nation is guilty.18

3:10 "Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse19 so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter," says the sovereign LORD, "to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all. 3:11 Then I will stop the plague20 from ruining your crops;21 the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest," says the sovereign LORD. 3:12 "All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in22 a delightful land," says the sovereign LORD.

Resistance to the Lord through Self-sufficiency

3:13 "You have criticized me sharply,"23 says the LORD, "but you ask, `How have we criticized you?' 3:14 You have said, `It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped24 by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before him?25 3:15 So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful.26 In fact, those who challenge27 God escape.'"

3:16 Then those who respect28 the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD took notice.29 A scroll30 was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respect the LORD and honor his name. 3:17 "They will belong to me," says the sovereign LORD, "in the day when I prepare my own property.31 I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 3:18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between32 the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.

4:1 (3:19)1 "For indeed the day2 is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. The coming day will burn them up," says the sovereign LORD. "It3 will not leave even a root or branch. 4:2 But for you who respect my name, the sun of vindication4 will rise with healing wings,5 and you will go out and skip about like calves released from the stall. 4:3 You will trample on the wicked, for they will be like ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says the sovereign LORD.

Restoration through the Lord

4:4 "Remember the law of my servant Moses, to whom at Horeb6 I gave rules and regulations for all Israel to obey.7 4:5 Look, I will send you Elijah8 the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 4:6 He will encourage fathers and their children to return to me,9 so that I will not come and strike the earth with judgment."10