323.   MALACHI

"Who may abide the day of his coming?"

The work of rebuilding the Temple had received impetus from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Nehemiah had returned and undertaken the rebuilding of the wall. He had remained in Jerusalem for twelve years and then returned to Artaxerxes (Neh. 13:6). While he was away spiritual decay set in and on his return he commenced a series of reforms (Neh. 13). The problems he had to contend with are the same ones mentioned in the prophecy of Malachi and so it is reasonable to assume that Malachi prophesied at this time.

Our aim in this lesson is to see that: €

1. God detests apathetic worship
2. Marriage outside the Truth is a sin
3. Judgment upon the wicked is often delayed but never forgotten.

Malachi 3

MALACHI'S METHOD OF WRITING.

Malachi was interesting and different in his approach to prophecy as he endeavoured to arouse his people to their responsibilities. The prophet first makes a declaration; this is countered by an objection from the people; then the prophet exposes their sins.

For example, in 1:6-7 we have:

1. The prophet's declaration: "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O ye priests".
2. The priest's objection: "And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?"
3. The prophet's exposure of their sin: "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar".

There are eight such queries and answers. Read through the prophecy and locate them all; this will help your understanding. The prophet used the method of dialogue because it graphically brought home to Israel their deficiencies. An incredible situation had arisen in which they were oblivious of the grossness of their sins. Like Laodicea, they "knew not" that they were "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). Not only were they blindly engrossed in evil attitudes and practices, but they even posed as righteous. Sin is deceitful, and it is only by constantly comparing ourselves with the standards laid down in the enlightening Word, that we can avoid falling into the same trap.

FIVE MESSENGERS.

The meaning of Malachi is "My Messenger". As with many of the other prophets, his prophecy is woven around the meaning of his name.

Five messengers of Yahweh are referred to in the prophecy.

1. The prophet himself (1:1).
2. The priests, who were appointed to teach the law of Yahweh (2:7).
3. John the Baptist, who was to prepare the way before the Lord Jesus Christ at his first coming (3:1).
4. The Lord Jesus Christ, the "messenger of the covenant" (3:1).
5. Elijah, who will prepare the hearts of Israel at the second coming (4:5-6).

CORRUPTION OF THE PRIESTHOOD.

When Nehemiah returned from Babylon he was angered because Eliashib the High Priest was allied to Tobiah the Ammonite and had given him lodging in a chamber of the house of God (Neh. 2:10; 13:4, 7). Not only this, but one of his grandsons was married to a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite. These two men were enemies of Nehemiah and the Truth. With such perversion in high places the whole administration of the Law lapsed. The tithes were not given to the Levites (Neh. 13:10; cf. Mai. 3:8), trading was permitted on the Sabbath (Neh. 13:15-22), and alien marriages were tolerated (Neh. 13:23-30; Mal. 2:14-16).

THE PRIESTHOOD REBUKED (Malachi 2:1-9).

In Malachi 2 the priesthood is directly addressed, "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you" (v.l). Thus, for the last time for 400 years, the priests were warned of their duties and responsibilities. God required them to take seriously His words of rebuke and so He commenced with mention of judgment if they did not. He threatened to turn the blessing of the priesthood into a curse (v.2; Ex. 32:29; Deut. 33:8-11). His judgment would bring shame upon them € the "dung of THEIR (not His) solemn feasts being spread on their faces", and ultimately they would be "taken away with it". So the terrible destruction of Jerusalem which took place in A.D. 70 is threatened (v.3). But this was not the purpose of Yahweh's rebuke. He desired rather that His covenant would continue to be with Levi (v.4). God reminds the Levites of the circumstances which had led to them being chosen for the great honour of priesthood (v.5). On two occasions their faith had exceeded the faith of the other tribes and their zeal was rewarded with the high office:

1. At Sinai when they "feared before" Yahweh and refused to worship the golden calf (Ex. 32:26-29).
2. At Shittim when Phinehas the son of Eleazer, the priest, reacted against the whoredoms of Israel at Baal-Peor, so receiving a covenant of peace and an everlasting priesthood (Num. 25:10-13).

Throughout their history the tribe of Levi had been outstanding for loyalty and many of the foremost leaders had come from that tribe (e.g. Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezra). As God's mouthpiece they had instructed many "For the priest's lips should keep ("guard" R.S.V.) knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth" (v.7). But while they could exert a powerful influence for good, they could also do the opposite. This was the tragedy of the day. "Ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law (by your instruction, R.S.V.), ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi" (v.8).

There is a grim lesson in this. Virtue had won for Levi a great privilege. Privilege in turn had brought responsibility to God, but subsequent generations had failed to live up to the example of the forefathers. The same applies today. No-one will enter the kingdom of God because their parents were Christadelphians. A great responsibility rests on the children to learn the Truth, be separate from the world and "guard knowledge". Terrible judgments came upon Levi because the warnings were not heeded, and they will fall upon the heads of those who fail to realise their privileges today.

MARRIAGE WITH ALIENS DENOUNCED (Malachi 2:10-16).

God, in His wisdom, made a law that Israel must not marry those of other nations. "They will turn away thy sons and daughters from following me, that they may serve other gods", He had warned (Deut. 7:3-4). In Malachi's day even the priests had broken this law and mixed marriages were rife. The children born could not even speak the language of the Law and apostasy was the inevitable result (Neh. 13:24). "Judah hath profaned the holiness of the Lord . . . and hath married the daughter of a strange god" (v.11). Those who worshipped idols were regarded as the sons and daughters of the idols. All who were involved, "the master and scholar", would be cut off despite the offering of sacrifice (v.12).

Ezra had previously compelled the people to reform and put away their strange wives (Ezra 10:10-13). Now the same problem had arisen "again" in Nehemiah's time (v.13). The tears of the destitute wives filled Yahweh's altar, so that He could not accept the sacrifice of the husbands. This intimation provoked an objection from the husbands, "Wherefore?" (v.14). So far had they strayed that they could see no wrong in their deeds. Yahweh had witnessed their marriage vows and acceptable worship was impossible where the vows were lightly esteemed. No less importance can be put on both the choice of a marriage partner and the sanctity of marriage today. Marriage should be "only in the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:39). To choose otherwise is to "profane the holiness of the LORD." The purpose of marriage in Christ is that a "godly seed" might be preserved (v.15). Inter-marriage has ever been fruitful of apostasy. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers . . . What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" (2 Cor. 6:14). The strong implication is "None". Further, Malachi reveals plainly the attitude of God to divorce: "For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away" (v.16).

COMING JUDGMENT (Malachi 2:17-3:6; 3:14-4:3).

Because God's judgment had not come upon those who did wickedly, the people of Malachi's day thought that all their efforts for righteousness were to no avail. In fact those who were unconcerned about God and His righteous ways did not seem to be handicapped as they were. They prospered because they had time to devote to their in terests. Hence they said, "Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them" (2:17). The complete absence of immediate judgment or restraint upon the wicked led them to question whether there was a righteous God at all € "Where is the God of judgment?" Thus they had virtually denied the existence of God and said that if there was one, then His moral values were upside down. This was a very serious charge and God gives a swift answer (3:1-6).

Even though God did not visibly intervene in judgment upon evil doers in the prophet's day, this did not mean that He had set it aside in the ultimate. His purpose envisaged a day in which the righteous and wicked would be dealt with according to their ways. Wickedness would not then be seen to be profitable (3:14). The "messenger of the covenant", whom they professed to seek, would "suddenly" come into his temple, his way being prepared by another messenger, John the Baptist (3:1; Mk. 1:2-4). Of his coming there could be no doubt. Its certainty is expressed twice. The important question was, would they be ready? € "But who shall abide the day of his coming?" He would purge like a refiner's fire and cleanse like fuller's soap, and all, including the Levites, would be tested in that day. In him (Jesus), Yahweh would "come near to judgment" and be "a swift witness" against all who do wickedly (3:5). In fact they are reminded that it is only because of His covenant Name that they were preserved (3:6; Ezek. 36:20-24).

The extent of their sin can be gauged by their words recorded in 3:14-15. These defiant words are again answered by God in the remaining words of the prophecy. The faithful remnant "who spake often one to another" about the Truth would be taken by Yahweh as His "special treasure" (3:17 mg.; cp. 1 Pet. 2:9) and "spared as a man spareth his own son". But the proud (4:1; cf. 3:15) and those who do wickedly "shall be stubble" and "the day that cometh shall burn them up ... it shall leave them neither root nor branch".

Today we might easily make the same wrong assessment as the people of Malachi's day did. We might think that God has forsaken the earth and cares little if we do right or wrong. We might think this because the wicked appear to prosper and there is no immediate divine judgment. But when the Lord Jesus did come, they were unprepared for him, and in A.D. 70 the priests and the nation were judged. The signs of the times tell us that "the day of the Lord is at hand" and he has warned us that "as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth". We shall only be able to "stand before the Son of Man" if we "watch and pray always" (Lk. 21:36).

NO OPEN VISION.

With the death of Malachi the voice of the prophets fell silent for 400 years. Micah had threatened that continued wickedness would bring the "night" upon them, and that they should "not have a vision" (Mic. 3:6; cf. Amos 8:11). In this period, the land was subject to the prevailing world empires. The Persians were defeated by the Greeks, who were led by Alexander the Great. The Greeks imposed their religion, culture and language upon the world they conquered. This explains why the Greek language was widely spoken in New Testament times. Prior to those times the Old Testament Scriptures were translated into Greek and today this version is known as the Septuagint. Along with the universally spoken Greek language, this translation was to facilitate the spread of the gospel into all the world.

The repression of the worship of Yahweh by the Greeks, especially by Antiochus Epiphanes, led directly to a revolt by the Jews led by the Maccabees. In 165 B.C. Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem, cleansed the temple and rededicated it. (The feast in Jn. 10:22 recalled this event.) Independence was enjoyed for about 100 years as successive members of the Maccabean family governed. The Romans then moved into Palestine in B.C. 66 led by the brilliant general Pompey. Julius Caesar, a rival Roman general, was victorious over Pompey and he was assisted by Antipater, the Idumean. For his help Antipater was rewarded with the propcurator-ship of Judea. Next the Parthians took Jerusalem and placed Antigonus, a Maccabee, on the throne. Later Herod the Great, with Roman aid, took Jerusalem and was made "King of the Jews". He slew Antigonus, and married ten wives including Mariamne, a Maccabean. He was suspicious and bitterly cruel and slew Mariamne and her sons. He began building the Temple and also Caesarea, in honour of Caesar Augustus (Lk. 2:1). At the birth of Christ it was he who slew the Bethlehem babies. Later his kingdom was divided among his three sons, Archelaus receiving the tetrarchy of Judea. It was upon his death that Jesus and his parents returned from Egypt (Matt. 2:1, 16, 22).

LESSONS FOR US:

• Malachi denounced the priests for their lack of knowledge and failure to teach and uphold the Truth. Indifference and apathy on the part of young Christadelphians will bring the same judgments.
• Marriage out of Christ is a breach of the commandments and frustrates God's purpose of preserving a "holy seed".
• Marriage vows are to be kept, whether for better or for worse. God "hates" divorce.
• Our marriage partner must therefore be chosen with care and with due consideration over a period of time.
• Though the wicked may prosper, it is only for a time. God has not overlooked judgment but only postponed it. The messenger of the covenant will come suddenly and we must watch and pray always that we may be accounted worthy to escape the judgments upon the wicked (Psa. 37:1-3; Psa. 73; Lk. 21:36).

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"Prophets After the Exile" (J. Carter)

"The Story of the Bible" (H.P. Mansfield) € Vol. 7, Nos. 9, 10

"Malachi" (J. Ullman) € C.S.S.S. Notes

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. Mixed marriages were rife in the days of Nehemiah. Why is it important for us to choose partners in the Truth?
2. Why were the Levites chosen to be the Priests? What responsibilities did they have?
3. List the successive powers that ruled over Palestine from the days of Nehemiah to the birth of Christ.
4. In the times of Malachi the people said, "Where is the God of judgment?" What did they mean? What was Malachi's reply?

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1.    What five messengers are mentioned in the prophecy of Malachi? List their particular duties.

2. What sins of the people does Malachi reprove? What lessons can we learn from his rebukes?
3. How was apathy manifested when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem? What did he do to change the situation?
4. What did Malachi say about the marriages of the Jews of his day?
5. What lessons do we learn from Malachi that are appropriate to marriage today?

Section 4 THE MESSIAH ARRIVES

With the passing of Malachi, the sun had gone down on the prophets. A long 400 years of darkness came over the world, but God was not inactive. Providence was preparing the world for the greatest event in its history.

Rome had conquered far and wide. Roman law guaranteed the peace and well-made roads made travel possible. Greek culture and language had made their impact and translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek gave a wider audience to God's Word. To all but a few students of God's Word, the world unknowingly waited for the coming of the true Light whose work would send his followers unto the darkest corners of the earth to reveal the light of the knowledge of God's glory.

Then the angel Gabriel appeared € first to Zacharias in the Temple, then to Mary in a city of Galilee named Nazareth. Then an angel revealed to some shepherds of Bethlehem: "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord". A new age had begun. The hope of the prophets was here. The Messiah had arrived.