Introduction to Malachi

In this post I will introduce the book of Malachi by talking about the author, the background of the book, and the themes.

Who was Malachi? Actually, scholars aren’t even sure Malachi is a real name. You see the name simply means, “my messenger.” The same word appears twice in verse 3:1, and all it means there is simply “my messenger.” The ancient Jewish people thought the messenger who wrote the book was Ezra, but there is not substantial proof of this found anywhere else in Scripture. Many recent commentators support the idea the Malachi is actually a proper name and refers to an actual prophet functioning in Judea at the time. Regardless though, the introduction in 1:1 makes it clear that the author is functioning as the mouth piece of God to relay a message to His people.

What is also interesting about the first verse of Malachi is that it begins by stating that it is an “oracle.” The use of this word firmly links it to the books of Haggai and Zechariah as post exilic literature, that is, stuff that was written after the exile ended and the people began to return to Jerusalem and Judea. Thus, the oracle of Malachi takes place during the same situation or religious infidelity as Ezra and Nehemiah.

Remember, Ezra was the high priest who led back many Jews and under his leadership helped to reform the people. Then Nehemiah came back as governor and continued the social and religious reforms, but also began reconstructing the wall around Jerusalem and the Temple. You would think that the people would have learned their lesson about what it means to be obedient to God, and the consequences of disobedience. But apparently they had not.

In Nehemiah’s time the rich were oppressing the poor, the non-Jews were oppressing the Jews, and the people had once again intermarried with foreign women and were allowing themselves to be dragged away from their oath to be faithful to Yahweh only. Nehemiah is given great power as governor of Judea and is able to deal with all the economic and social issues by setting the example within his own household (Nehemiah 5), and some great political maneuvering (Nehemiah 4, 6). But the issues of faithfulness and living within the bounds of the covenant always seemed to come up. Despite the religious reforms Nehemiah instituted, when he left for several years to return to Persia, the people fell back into their sin. When Nehemiah returned and saw the religious infidelity of the people be reacted with righteous anger to bring the people back into line with God’s will and law. The festivals, Sabbath, tithes, and Temple were restored and the people were admonished to live sinless lives.

Malachi picks up on many of the same issues Nehemiah describes: bringing offerings and tithes and keeping the covenant (Malachi 1:6-2:9, 3:6-12); judgment on Judah for their current disobedience (2:17-3:5); and God’s refining and sanctifying power for those who truly turn to Him (3:3-4). All these items draw the reader back to the main theme of the book: the Covenant. The people seemed to only want the perks of the covenant, and not the consequences of disobedience to it. So they tried to make God something that they fit in with their life when it was convenient. God, however, shows that he will not have any of this, and renews his threats against the people in order for them to understand just how abdominal their behavior was as supposed followers of the one true God.

God insists that they do things right. He will not abandon them, but He also will not let them continue in their sinful ways and make a mockery of His requirements, Covenant, glory, and power. God is the same today: even though we live under the New Covenant, God still insists that if we claim that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, then we had better live like it. The book of Malachi is very relevant for Christians today and contains lots of great promises to hope for and look forward to, and some very sobering reminders of what unfaithfulness and unchristian behavior look like.

Now you should have a basic understanding of why the book of Malachi was written (there was obviously a problem), and the main goal of it (to bring the people back into right relationship with God). The next several posts will cover a key passage in the book of Malachi that can be easily misunderstood if not seen through the correct lenses. Stay tuned!

Lent what?

Today is Ash Wednesday, and marks the beginning of the Lent period. Lent is the first of the three periods which make up the Easter Season; the other two are Easter (Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday) and Pentecost (the following seven weeks or fifty days until Pentecost Sunday). Lent is approximately forty days (depending on your tradition) and goes from Ash Wednesday until Maundy Thursday or Easter Sunday.

Historically, Christians observed a Christian Passover called Pascha, which was adapted from the Jewish Passover. “Pascha was a festival of redemption and commemorated both the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus as the vehicle for God’s grace.”[1] As time continued, and the Easter Holy Week became more and more emphasized, the festival of Pascha became what we know today as the Season of Lent, in that the believer took the time to prepare themselves through prayer, penance, repentance, and self-denial for the full impact of the meaning of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. The idea behind Lent is that the grace received on Calvary is better understood and felt after the believer has completely examined their self, behavior, thoughts, and heart. After one realizes their own sinfulness and desperate need for a savior, Christ’s death and resurrection provide welcome relief.

Today many people mark this with the tradition of “giving up” something for the period of Lent. Chocolate, Caffeine, Alcohol, and TV are common items that people try to give up for the period of Lent as a way of showing their self discipline and commitment to Christ. But more than that, whatever is given up should be something that causes the believer to cling to the Cross and depend on the strength of Christ to endure for the forty day period. Hence the term: fasting. Fasting is the act of abstaining from food (and possibly drink) in order to make oneself completely dependent upon God for their sustenance. Most periods of fasting are marked with fervent prayer as they believer earnestly seeks the truth of God and His presence. 

As we begin the season of Lent, if you chose to give something up, please remember that it is supposed to be done as a way to make you grow closer to Christ during this time. A great friend of mine once told me that their pastor encouraged them to take something on, rather than just give something up. He encouraged his congregation to cultivate some godly habit that could continue past the Lent Season, rather than simply sacrifice a luxury for the time. I absolutely love this idea. Even better, you can give something up, and take something on!

Are you giving up listening to the radio as you drive? Awesome, now listen to the Bible on CD, or use the time in the car to memorize Scripture (at stoplights please!). Are you giving up TV? Good, use the time to spend with your family and friends, growing those relationships and encouraging them. Are you giving up some sort of food and drink (this one may be hard this year given that Valentine’s Day is tomorrow)? Now when you get the munchies for what you gave up, eat something healthier, go for a walk, or call a friend and chat.

But above all, Pray! Keep yourself in prayer. Tell God that it is hard and you are struggling. You think he doesn’t understand? Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness eating nothing and Satan himself came to tempt him. Count your blessings too! Remember that after the first Passover the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years eating manna and quail. You think you’re getting tired of eating differently or the same old thing? God gets it. He was human remember. He knows what it feels like to be tired, hungry, sad, annoyed, and tempted. Take the opportunity to get to know your Savior during this time. It’s worth it, I promise.

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[1] http://www.cresourcei.org/cyeaster.html

I AM

In Exodus 3, Moses comes across a rather troubling sight: a burning bush that isn’t actually burning. Exodus 3:2 says that “the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.” So what did Moses do? Go for a closer look, of course!

What follows is God revealing His plan for Moses and His own divine name. Moses is to be God’s instrument of redemption because he will lead the people out of Egypt and into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses is to go before Pharaoh, his adopted grandfather, who has already tried to kill him (Exodus 2:15), and demand that the people be released from their oppressive slavery so they can freely worship their God in their land.

When Moses states that the Egyptians would ask what god sent him, he is actually asking a rather practical question. In Egypt, all the gods had names, histories, and mythologies, that explained who they were and why they did what they did. Furthermore, their gods had bodily figures. For example, the sun God, Ra, had the head of a falcon crowned with the golden disk of the sun. Bastet, the god of cats, had the head of a cat. By stark contrast, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob looked like…nothing. He has no image to define Him because he has made humanity in His image. But try telling that to the Egyptians.

Furthermore, remember the Egyptians had built an empire, and were a strong and very advanced culture at this time. The Canaanites were still living in city states. To the Egyptians, they must have seemed small, puny, uneducated, and insignificant. So when Moses would tell them that their God demanded their worship and the time and space to do it, the Egyptians would have heard that their small, tribal god wanted them to conduct some sort of stupid festival.

As Moses would enter the palace, there would have been colorful and detailed etchings on the magnificent stone columns and walls the depicted the glory and splendor of the Egyptian gods, and the deeds of their Pharaohs, who were also considered to be gods. All Pharaoh had to do was glance to the side to be reminded of his glorious heritage, strength and power. Moses needed at least a name to show that their indeed had a God who was powerful and able to do as he demanded.

So he was given a name, a memorial name for all generations of His people: I AM. As you read the rest of the story, the plagues, the destruction, and humiliation of the Pharaoh and all Egypt, you can tell that the Egyptians still didn’t take Moses or his God, I AM seriously. Do we do better today? In Revelation, there are three places where God proclaims that he is the Alpha and Omega:

1:8 – “ I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

21:6 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”

22:13 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

These verses point to the eternality of God. He has always been around, is always around, and will always be around. There is no point in time where he did not exist, so it is completely proper for Him to call Himself, “I AM.”

When we pray, therefore, we are praying to this God. His hands have never been tied, and never will be. He is as completely powerful and glorious then, as he is now, as he will be later. God does not change. He did not become more graceful and loving when Jesus came, He has always been just as graceful and loving. He was not more angry and wrathful then, He is still as angry and wrathful, and still as slow to anger as He was then. Remember that Abraham lived about 2000 years before Jesus was born. He believed that God would redeem the world, and so God has, by sending His only son 2000 years later. So now, 2000 years after Jesus, let us not become anxious when we do not see what we believe would be a quick and righteous judgment of others, let us instead be thankful that our God, I AM, is still the same I AM He has always been, and graciously gives us all time to repent and seek His forgiveness rather than demanding justice for our sins immediately.