Questions on Malachi
1. Did God really hate Jacob's brother Esau (Malachi 1:2 - 3)? Answer
2. Did the mythical dragon exist at the time the prophet wrote (Malachi 1:3)? Answer
3. To whom is the message of chapter 1 directed? Answer
4. In what way was God's name despised (Malachi 1:6)? Answer
5. In what way was the Lord polluted or defiled (Malachi 1:7)? Answer
6. What does Malachi 1:11 foreshadow? Answer
7. How serious is God's punishment for the priest's disobeying him (Malachi 2:2)? Answer
8. What did God expect from his priests? Answer
9. What is meant by the phrase "hath married the daughter of a strange god" in reference to Judah (Malachi 2:11)? Answer
10. What is another reason why Judah's offerings to God were unacceptable (Malachi 2:14)? Answer
11. What does Malachi 2:15 reveal about the original purpose of marriage? Answer
12. How did the people weary God (Malachi 2:17)? Answer
13. What does Malachi 3:1 fortell? Answer
14. What does Malachi 3:2 - 5 allude to? Answer
15. How does a man rob God (Malachi 3:8)? Answer
16. How did the people speak strongly against the Lord (Malachi 3:13)? Answer
17. What does Malachi 4:1, 3 reference? Answer
18. What does God promise to those who obey and revere him? Answer
Answers on Malachi
1. God did not hate Esau as we think of and define hate today. The same God who stated he hated Esau also said the following.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26).
Clearly, we are not to hate our parents as that would break the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12). Jesus also said we are to love everyone even if they curse, hate or even persecute us (Matthew 5:43 - 44). So, how did God manifest his "hate" of Esau?
[Why Does God Hate the Nicolaitans?]
And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness (Malachi 1:3).
God decided, in his own wisdom, to favor and bless Jacob and to severly punish Esau (Edom) for their sins (see Amos 1:11 - 12). It should be noted that Malachi 1:2 - 3 does not concern eternal salvation as God desires all men be saved (1Timothy 2:4). It is in the sense that God has decided to physically punish Esau and withhold prosperity, in comparison to Jacob, that he "hates" him.
2. The word "dragon" found in Malachi 1:3 is derived from the Hebrew tannah (Strong's Concordance #H8568). Strong's thinks it might refer to a jackal while Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions thinks the animals might be a jackal or a sea monster. Biblical commentaries, in general, are unsure what animal is being referenced!
[Mythical Dragons in the Bible!]
[Did Jerusalem Have a Well for Dragons?]
3. The priests who served God (Malachi 1:6) but also to Israel in general.
4. God's name was despised by not giving him the respect, honor and obediance he deserved as a Father (Malachi 1:6).
5. The Lord was polluted by the priests offering defiled food on his altar (Malachi 1:7). They offered animals that had defects or were sick, those they did not want for themselves and would not dare to offer officials (Malachi 1:8, 13). This was all contrary to God's law (Leviticus 22:19 - 22, 24).
Part of the problem was that the people, who could have offered an animal that was acceptable, chose not to do so (Malachi 1:14).
6. Malachi 1:11 foreshadows the preaching of the gospel to Gentiles found in the New Testament (see Acts 9:15, 11:1, 18).
7. God's condemnation for disobediance is blunt and to the point.
Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it (Malachi 2:3).
8. God expects the following from his priests.
For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts (Malachi 2:7).
[Does God Permit Interracial Marriage?]
[How is the Marriage Bed Defiled?]
9. God warned ancient Israel not to marry any of the pagans that surrounded them as they would lead them into idolatry (Exodus 34:11 - 16, Deuteronomy 7:3 - 4, Joshua 23:12 - 13). The Kingdom of Judah, however, at the time of Malachi, indulged in this practice which led them away from the true God.
10. Judah's offerings were unacceptable for the following reason.
Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant (Malachi 2:14).
Marriage is a covenant relationship that is meant to last a lifetime. In spite of God "allowing" divorce, due to the hardness of people's hearts, it is not his perfect will (Matthew 5:31 - 32, 19:7 - 9).
Men, at the time of Malachi, were breaking their covenant relationship with their wives and divorcing them.
[Best Bible Verses on Marriage!]
[Are Arranged Marriages Wrong?]
11. God's original purpose for marriage was that couples would have children which would be raised to worship him and manifest his glory through their righteous lives.
12. The people wearied God by making the following complaint.
Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? (Malachi 2:17).
The people claimed that those who did evil were better than those who pursued righteousness as God "approved" of the evil by not dispensing immediate justice.
[The Most Evil People in the Bible!]
Those who did evil, and prospered by it, were viewed as escaping punishment since God seemed not to correct the problem. The implication is that those who pursue obediance, who often suffer and are taken advantage of for doing what is right, are worse for doing so.
13. Malachi 3:1 fortells of John the Baptist's ministry which was to prepare the people for the coming of the Savior (Matthew 11:7 - 10, Mark 1:2, Luke 1:17).
Malachi also predicted that "the messenger of the covenant" would appear suddenly at Jerusalem's temple. This messenger is Jesus Christ who came to offer man a better or New Covenant (Matthew 26:28, Hebrews 8:6, 10, 9:15).
[Timeline of Jesus' Life and Ministry!]
14. Malachi 3:2 - 5 alludes to Jesus' Second Coming where he will judge all people including those who were specially called to serve him.
15. A man robs God by not paying his tithes and offerings that the Lord commanded (Malachi 3:8).
In the Old Testament, the first tithe that a person paid was used to support the tribe of Levi who provided the manpower for the religious needs of the entire nation (Numbers 18, Deuteronomy 18). Levi's tribe needed to be supported since they did not receive an inheritance of land in the Promised Land (Numbers 18:20 - 21, Joshua 18:7).
[Division of Promised Land Map]
A second tithe was also commanded by God to be kept to pay for expenses for observing God's seven annual Holy Days (Deuteronomy 14:22 - 27).
Modern churches vary regarding their teachings over whether or not the Old Testament principle of tithing continued in the New Testament and if so to what extent.
16. In a follow-up to what was stated in Malachi 2:17, the people spoke against God by saying the following.
It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered (Malachi 3:14 - 15).
The people believed it was useless to serve God. They felt like their repentance and obedience (at least in their own eyes) was being ignored since they were not immediately blessed. Those who indulged in wickedness, however, seemed to be doing just fine and in fact prospering.
17. The complete and final destruction of those who willingly indulge in evil was referenced by John the Baptist regarding Jesus.
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12).
[Lazarus and Rich Man Meaning]
Malachi 4 describes what is called the second death. All humans, because of Adam's sin, must die at least once (Romans 5:14, 1Corinthians 15:22). A second death, however, is reserved in the lake of fire for the incorrigdibly wicked.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13 - 15).
[What Exactly is the Second Death?]
18. God promises a bright and productive eternal future, along with healing, to those who love him.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (Malachi 4:2).