Malachi is the last prophet of the Torah. Malachi delivered a powerful message to the people of Israel about the importance of covenant relationships. Even though his words were spoken thousands of years ago, they are still relevant and are revered to this very day.
Prophecy during the moral decline of Israel
It’s hard for many people to believe that there was a time, thousands of years ago when Israel was going through a period of moral decline. Most people think that moral decline is a relatively new thing, but as Malachi was well aware, it was all around him. Israel had lost its ways and strayed far from God.
What does Malachi’s name mean?
Malachi’s name, when translated from Hebrew, means My messenger. The name seems fitting, considering he was a prophet of God. The name brings forth the importance of his message and his position as a messenger of the divine covenant.
The reminder of the covenant
At the very core of Malachi’s message is a reminder of God's covenant love for Israel. Malachi begins by declaring, "I have loved you," to which the people respond, "How have you loved us?”. This exchange sets the tone for the entire book of Malachi.
Malachi addresses the covenant violations
Malachi goes into great detail about how they were breaking their covenant with God. The priesthood was corrupt, and the priests were offering blemished sacrifices and teaching the law carelessly. This led to a decline in worship sincerity, neglecting true devotion entirely.
Men were divorcing their wives and marrying pagan women. On its surface, this might not seem like such a big deal, but it violated God's covenant requirements completely. Marrying someone outside of your faith was truly forbidden, and no one seemed to care.
People stopped tithing, which meant less money was going to the works of God. Tithing is important because it shows God how committed you are to His will. A person who isn’t willing to part with their money is someone who isn’t committed to obeying the commands of God.
The people also began to question God’s justice and doubted His love. These people felt like they were abandoned by God, but it was their own connections that were shut down, not His. However, they were unable to see it that way at the time, and the result was a deepening spiritual disconnect.
The promise of a new covenant
Despite all the doom and gloom, Malachi’s message was one of a new covenant. It didn’t matter that the world around him was falling apart, and the people seemed immoral. There was a new covenant coming, and it would fulfill God’s promise. It was these words that gave those who hadn’t fallen astray hope in God’s will and the desire for them to continue marching on.
The value of Malachi’s message today is that the covenant endures offering hope eternally. Also, we should value our relationships with others and help them in their walk with God. It is through helping others that we can help God fulfill His will and bring real change.
Wishing you a wonderful and blessed day!
See you in the next update,
Tohar Liani