Wednesday Evening Bible Study

Malachi 1:1-14

"So You Ask"

Listen to the lesson!

 

The Book of Malachi brings the Old Testament to an end with a mighty call to holy living and sincere worship.  The prophet leaves no doubt that worship is an important indicator of our attitude toward the LORD.  Some call Malachi the "Hebrew Socrates" because of his use of questions and answers to convict the people of the message.  The name "Malachi" literally means "my messenger," or "my angel."  It appears nowhere else in the Old Testament as a name, so it is believed to be a title.¹

1. We know from our study of Zechariah that the Restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah was a time of high hopes and disappointed expectations.  Even the rebuilding of the Temple was a sluggish operation, indicating collective depression.  In hard times, it is not unusual for us to wonder if the LORD really cares about us.  How does the LORD address this mindset?
2. When the people question the LORD's declaration of love, what is his twofold answer?  In our personal experience, what does it say about a relationship that questions the declarations of love?
3. In the second declaration, the LORD cites examples of human relationships that the people most certainly would affirm.  Fathers should be honored by their children and masters should be honored by their servants.  If the LORD is Father and Master, then where's the respect from his priests?  The priests protest the LORD's criticism by asking "how?"  In what way do the priests show disrespect to the LORD?  What might be their reasoning in doing what they do?  Do we have similar practices today?
4. Deuteronomy 15:21 clearly indicates that no diseased or afflicted animal is eligible for sacrifice to the LORD.  Imperfect animals are acceptable for the family's daily use, but not for the worship of the LORD.  Who appears to be doing it right?
5. What are we actually saying to the LORD when we view our sacrifices as an afterthought?

⁽¹⁾ The first verse contains the title of the book:  Massa devar Yahweh el Yisroel beyad mal'aki.  "Burden of the word of Yahweh to Israel by the hand of my messenger."  The term mal'aki appears again in 3:1.