Green Up Clean Up

Meeting Jesus in the streets

two girls lying on a car and chatting

Malachi

Malachi: A Conversation with God

Imagine you’re having a serious chat with a friend who feels hurt and misunderstood. That’s the kind of conversation happening in the book of Malachi. It’s the last book of the Old Testament, and it’s like a letter from God to His people, the Israelites.

The Backstory

The Israelites had returned from exile in Babylon, but instead of being excited about rebuilding their relationship with God, they were going through the motions. They were offering lame sacrifices, divorcing their wives, and basically acting like God didn’t matter.

God Speaks Up

In Malachi, God isn’t holding back. He tells them straight up that He loves them, but they’re not acting like they love Him back. He reminds them of His promises, but also warns them that there will be consequences if they don’t change their ways.

Key Themes

  • God’s Unchanging Love: Even though the Israelites are messing up, God reminds them that He still loves them and wants a relationship with them.
  • The Importance of Faithfulness: God calls the Israelites to be faithful in their worship, their marriages, and their daily lives.
  • The Coming Day of the Lord: God warns that a day of judgment is coming, but also promises hope and restoration for those who turn back to Him.

Questions for Reflection

  1. How does God express His love for His people in Malachi?
  2. What are some of the ways the Israelites were being unfaithful to God?
  3. Why do you think God includes both warnings and promises in this book?
  4. What can we learn from Malachi about the importance of faithfulness in our own lives?
  5. How does the message of Malachi give us hope for the future?

Challenge

Take some time to reflect on your own relationship with God. Are there areas where you’ve been going through the motions or taking Him for granted? Malachi reminds us that God desires a genuine relationship with us, one marked by love, faithfulness, and trust. Let’s respond to His call and renew our commitment to Him today.

Malachi, whose name means “my messenger,” spoke to the Israelites after their return from exile. The theological message of the book can be summed up in one sentence: The Great King will come not only to judge his people, but also to bless and restore them.

Malachi was the last of the prophets, and is supposed to have prophesied B.C. 420. He reproves the priests and the people for the evil practices into which they had villainy, and invites them to repentance and reformation, with promises of the blessings to be bestowed at the coming of the Messiah. And now that prophecy was to cease, he speaks clearly of the Messiah, as nigh at hand, and directs the people of God to keep in remembrance the law of Moses, while they were in expectation of the gospel of Christ.

Matthew Henry
road sign under clouds Zechariah - Zechariah: A Prophet's Visions and Messages of Hope Zechariah was a prophet who lived during a tough time for God's people. They had been taken away from their home and were finally allowed to return, but things were still difficult. Imagine having to rebuild everything from…
old medieval ruins of dunluce castle on ocean coast in northern ireland famous place in uk Haggai - Haggai: Rebuilding What Matters Most Imagine coming home after a long time away, only to find your house in ruins. That's how the Israelites felt when they returned to Jerusalem after being exiled in Babylon. Their temple, the centre of their worship and connection to God,…
woman sitting on sofa while looking at phone with laptop on lap Zephaniah - Zephaniah's Wake-Up Call: A Message for God's People Imagine living in a world where everyone seems to have forgotten about God. People are worshipping idols, being unfair to each other, and just generally doing bad things. That's the kind of world Zephaniah lived in. He was…
question mark on chalk board Habakkuk - Habakkuk: A Prophet's Questions and God's Answers Imagine living in a world where everything seems wrong. People are hurting each other, lying, and doing all sorts of bad things. It feels like no one cares, and you wonder if God even sees it. This is how…
ancient greek temple Nahum - The Book of Nahum: A Story of Justice and Hope Imagine a big, powerful city that bullies and hurts smaller nations. That's what Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was like in the time of the Bible. The people there were cruel and thought they were unstoppable.…
alarm clock lying on multicolored surface Micah - Micah's Message: A Wake-Up Call for God's People Imagine you're living in a world where everyone is doing what they want, regardless of whether it's right or wrong. People are treating each other unfairly, and the leaders are only looking out for themselves. Sounds pretty chaotic,…
humpback whales underwater Jonah - The Amazing Story of Jonah: A Fishy Tale with a Big Message Imagine being swallowed whole by a giant fish! That's exactly what happened to Jonah, a prophet in the Bible. But Jonah's story isn't just about a wild adventure; it's about running away from God,…
watchman mountain in utah Obadiah - Obadiah: A Tiny Book with a Big Message Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, but don't let its size fool you! It contains an important message about God's justice and the consequences of pride. The Story Obadiah is a prophet who delivers a…
gray trunk green leaf tree beside body of water Amos - Amos: God's Call for Justice and Righteousness Imagine living in a world where everything seems great on the surface – fancy houses, delicious food, and exciting parties. But beneath this shiny exterior, something dark and rotten lurks: injustice, greed, and a disregard for God's ways. This…
green grasshopper perched on grass Joel - Joel: When Bugs, Drought, and God Collide! Imagine a world where giant locusts swarm your town, eating everything in sight, leaving nothing but dust and despair. That's the scene the prophet Joel paints in his short but powerful book of the Bible. The Story Joel lived…