Read the Passage: Malachi 2:10–4:6

Distortion of Marriage (2:10–3:7)

After addressing the people’s polluted offerings and corrupt priests earlier in this book, Malachi turns in Mal. 2:10–17 to the practical issue of marriage. Indeed, just as Ezra and Nehemiah had confronted the people’s distortion of marriage (cf. Ezra 9–10; Neh. 13:23–27), so Malachi was provoked to address similar sins. Evidently, the people had married foreigners (cf. Mal. 2:11), had been unfaithful to their spouses (cf. Mal. 2:14), and had normalized divorce (cf. Mal. 2:15). In this passage God is not opposing marriage to all foreigners; rather, He is addressing mixed-faith marriages (cf. Deut. 7:3–4). Similarly, God is not opposing all divorce; rather, He is confronting the people’s casual embrace of divorce. These distortions of marriage threatened the production of “godly offspring” (cf. Mal. 2:15), and well placing the promise of a Jewish Messiah in jeopardy (cf. Ezra 9:2).

As was mentioned, one of the main reasons for the concern about inter-spiritual marriage is that God had promised to send a Jewish Messiah to rescue His people (cf. Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12–13). With this idea in view, at Mal. 3:1–7 God reminds His people about the coming Messiah. In Mal. 3:1, before mentioning the arrival of the Messiah, Malachi cites the coming of a messenger. Note that this verse is cited twice in the New Testament (cf. Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2), as it identifies John the Baptist as the forerunner of the promised Messiah. Note that Mal. 4:5–6 is also quoted at Luke 1:17 to make the same point. Next, Mal. 3:2–5 notes that one of the Messiah’s ministries to God’s people will be to make their sacrifices acceptable. Specific sins that will be purged from God’s people are identified in Mal. 3:5 as: sorcery, adultery, perjury, and exploitation.

Lack of Generosity (3:8–18)

Earlier, the book of Nehemiah recorded that those who returned from exile were guilty of economic oppression (cf. Neh. 5:1–13), a sin that Malachi just addressed in Mal. 3:5. A similar sin that Nehemiah mentioned was the people’s failure to tithe in order to support the Levites, which was required by the Jewish civil law (cf. Lev. 27:30–33; Neh. 13:10–14). In Mal. 3:8–12 the people are again confronted about this sin, as four times Malachi refers to the people’s failure to tithe as “robbing God.” Indeed, this was a serious offense, for the Levites had no other means of financial support. Without the tithe being given, the Levites were forced to abandon the temple, to return to their family fields, and to engage in agricultural work to provide for themselves. In Mal. 3:10–12 God invited the people to test His faithfulness by giving the tithe, as He promised to materially bless them if they would obey His law.

Just as Malachi had recorded the people’s questioning of God’s love for them at Mal. 1:2, so again in Mal. 3:13–15 the prophet reports that the people were questioning God’s love and claiming, “It is useless to serve God” (Mal. 3:14). Moreover, the people were saying that there is no benefit to keeping God’s laws, and they were claiming that it is the proud who are blessed, raised up, and set free (cf. Mal. 3:14–15). Indeed, this adversarial stance toward God was why the people had distorted marriage and refused to be generous. In response, at Mal. 3:16–18, God notes that the names of those who feared Him were being written in “a book of remembrance” (Mal. 3:16). Furthermore, God claimed that those who feared Him were His, that they were a special treasure, and that they’d be spared (cf. Mal. 3:17). God sees the difference between those who are evil and those who are just.

Promise of Messiah (4:1–6)

In Mal. 3:1–7 God had encouraged the faithful by reminding them about the coming Messiah. Now, in Mal. 4:1–6, the prophet returns to this same theme; however, in this passage Malachi places more emphasis on the judgment of sin that will occur on “the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5). After mentioning the judgment of the proud and wicked (cf. Mal. 4:1), Malachi writes of the triumph of the godly (cf. Mal. 4:2–3) as he exhorts the people, “Remember the Law of Moses” (Mal. 4:4). Indeed, faith, hope, and eternal life comes by the hearing of the Word (cf. Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23). In conclusion, Malachi writes of the forerunner of the Messiah, whom he refers to as “Elijah the prophet” (Mal. 4:5). As was observed earlier, Mal. 4:5–6 is quoted at Luke 1:17 as John the Baptist is identified as the fulfillment of this great prophecy (cf. Matt. 11:14).

Application Questions:

1. Is God still concerned with practical matters such as believers’ worship practices, the institution of marriage, and financial generosity?
2. Why do false teachers and unbelievers often attack or distort the institution of marriage (cf. 1 Tim. 4:3)?
3. What is God’s plan of financial giving for His people in the New Testament (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1–2; 2 Cor. 9:6–7)?
4. Are you ever tempted to question God’s love for you? Do you find it difficult to wait on the Lord?
5. If Jesus identified John as being like Elijah (cf. Matt. 11:14; 17:11–13), why did John deny being Elijah (cf. John 1:21)?