Who, When, Where

Written by Malachi. Malachi means "My Messenger"
About 424BC, making this the last book written in the Old Testament.
After this came about 400 years called “The Silent Years”.
There are apocryphal books included in the Roman Catholic Bible, called Maccabees which tells the story of the Jewish rebellion in the 160’sBC, against the Greek empire of the time, (brought in by Alexander the Great and divided up to his four generals when he passed away).
In Israel, to the Jews.

Summary

So after the Babylonian exile you would think the Jews would have learned their lesson and finally stayed true to Yahweh. But here we are a hundred years later… I guess at least they’re not worshipping other gods but they aren’t holding Yahweh with the honour he deserves. They have become familiar with him and offering contemptible sacrifices they would never offer another person.
God says he will spread dung on their faces. The dung they are offering him. (dung is a polite word).

Before You Read

There are some big challenges in Malachi.
He wrote them for the Jews, but even modern Christians face the same issues. Although for us it is the offering of Yeshua on our behalf which counts. For the Jews it was all based on what they did themselves.

How do you think this book goes for ending the Old Testament? Is this where you though it would end? Do you feel like there is more to come?

Key Verses

Malachi 2:10

Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

This isn't really about racism, but it's similar. We have one father. We are one family. (We are one race too, the human race). We are all related. All descendants of Adam, and Eve, and Noah, … we all have at least 10 ancestors in common. And yet we hate each other. We kill each other.
We have a serious problem with our attitude to others.

Malachi 3:1

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!’says Yahweh of Armies.

Is this talking about Yohannes the Immerser and Yeshua?

Malachi 3:10

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,’says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough for.

The Jews had been shortchanging God. They were supposed to offer the best of their flock, not the worst.
They were offering lame animals. That's not self denial. That's not putting God first. Our giving to God isn't about money or flocks, it's about our attitude to him.
Is your giving just out of obligation, or are you delighted to do it?
You can't out-give God. In this verse he is basically challenging you to try.

After You Read

What verses really stood out to you?

How would you summarize this book in a sentence or two? What is it about? What is God trying to say to us?

How is your worship to God? How highly do you value him?
What evidence do you have?
What evidence could I find against you?

How about your giving? Are you honouring God or doing what you think you can get away with?