Malachi - A Message to the Unfaithful and the Faithful
Malachi the name means "My Messenger" he was the last of the Old Testament prophets probably in the times of the Reformers Nehemiah and Ezra. Some think that Ezra was the author, but we don't know, Sadly God's people after a time of revival. They have again become religiously indifferent a ungrateful to God, and morally sinful people, They were guilty of profanity, adultery, perjury and oppression, robbing God of the tithes, inferior sacrifices, failing in their family responsibilities, marriages to unbelievers neighbors and cruel divorces, Still having a form of godliness, but far from God. They doubt that God would punish them, for we are Gods people, Malachi challenges them about their unfaithfulness, calls o them to repent and turn back to God. He tells them that the Messiah is coming, but all that awaits them is God's Judgement for their many sins. They have rebelled, choosing to live without God. Having their own ideas not God's. So, for the next 400 years apart from a small faithful few, that remain faithful to God, the rest of the Jews are all far from God, living to please themselves. rejecting Gods Word. After Malachi God did not speak again till Christ Came. You cannot be faithful to God and go your own way, so obey God, fight against sin, looking to Jesus.
Malachi, 1;-3; A Tale Of Three Messengers. Malachi 1; The Tragedy Of Apathy. Malachi 2;1-16 Priests & People Are Polluted, Malachi 3;6-18, God Will Bless The Faithful, // Malachi 1;1-5 The forgotten doctrine of Election. Malachi 1;6-14 A neglected practice of consecration, seen in their attitude to public worship & lack of Repentance. Malachi 2;1-16 God hates sin & God is good. Malachi 2;17-35 Three symptoms of the spiritual deserted. Malachi 3;1-6 & 3;16-4;6 God's final word to backsliders, Judgement is coming, so repent & keep God's law. Malachi 3;8-10 Spiritual deterioration, Will a man rob God, the practice of tithing (Mark 12;41-44 & Mark 14;3-9) // Malachi 1;6-14 the Curse Of Careless Worship. Malachi 2;1-9 The Priesthood. Malachi 2;10-16. Great Is Gods Faithfulness. Malachi 2;17-3;15. The Living God. Malachi 3;16-4;6. The Difference The 'Coming Day' Will Make. // Malachi 1; Spiritual Coldness & decline. 1. Malachi 3;6. I am the LORD I change not. 2. Malachi 1;1-2;9.They forgot Gods love, despising the worship of God. 3. Malachi 2;10-3;12.An Indifference to moral issues & they rob God. 4. Malachi 3;13-18. They envied unbelievers & said its pointless to serve God. 5. Malachi 4; Remember, the final prophetic words of a man of God. /// D. Mountain, S, Olyott, A. Morrell, D, Back, B. Bygroves.