The Sun of Righteousness

Malachi 1:1-4:6

Key Verse 4:2

In this passage we see the hope to get all of our broken relationships restored in the Savior to come. 

Read 1:1-5. The Lord says, “I have loved you”, but they (the people of Israel) ask, “How have you loved us?” Why is it a problem for one not to recognize (or appreciate) God’s love for him or her?

** It is this love (deep conviction of it) that puts the relationship together, and keeps it tight. [It is not money or something else, but love that keeps the relationship for good, because as taught in the Bible it is this love of God that never changes, the love that never fails.] So by all means we need to think about the kind of love God has for us (cf. 1Co 13:1-13). Jesus came to demonstrate this love for all of us to see and live by. 

 

Read 1:6-2:9. In verse 6 the Lord characterizes the Lord’s relationship with them [priests in particular] as a “father-son” and “master-servant” relationship, and yet this relationship remained broken. Why? (2:2,5-8)

** 1) They did not “set” their hearts on serving the Lord, but on something else like pleasing people or on money making businesses. 

2) They forgot the purpose of calling (mission) [to teach God’s word]. They abandoned the mission to represent God and his word, so people would get educated by God’s word.

Read 2:10-16 and describe the way(s) in which people broke “faith” with one another. (11,14,16) Why did they break faith like this? (10,11,14-16)

** 1) Believers married with unbelievers. They were like people in the day of Noah when they married purely based on what is physical (like physical appearance).  

2) Divorce; marriage based on utility, not on the eternal love of God, is bound, and indeed was broken, when the basis is bound and indeed was gone.

** 1) They lost faith in God the Father (2:10). Marriage comes from God the Father, not men. What God has joined together, men should not asunder. 

2) They forgot that marriage is a divine institution (a sanctuary) by which God chose to fulfill His purpose (that is producing spiritual children bearing God’s image, so the world would be filled with them). They turned marriage into an entertainment center, the place where they serve their own fleshly purposes. 

3) When they broke faith with the Lord, it was impossible for them to be faithful to their marriage partner.  

Read 2:17-3:5 and think about what the Israelites used to say in 2:17c. What will the Lord do in judgment of “all” who do evil?

** The Lord judges and will judge by speaking against all who do evil. Indeed this is what Jesus did when he came, and this is what he is going to do when he comes again. 

 

Read 3:6-12. What is the “whole” tithe? The passage says not bringing the whole tithe is robbing God. Why? The passage says tithing is the way to return to God. Why? (Matthew 6:21) How will the Lord bless those who return to the Lord in this way?

** Read 1:8,13,14; whole tithe means offerings that are free of defects, that is, what is best of what you have. What makes the best (materially) even better is to bring it with the best of your heart (like deep thanks to God for all the blessings that the Lord blessed you with). 

** Robbery is called robbery for in taking something that belongs to someone else away, one uses “force”. When Jesus came Jesus said the same thing of those who were in charge of the Lord’s temple saying they turned the temple into a den of robbers. They turned out to be robbers for when Jesus tried to reclaim what already belonged to Him, they turned around and murdered Jesus. 

** 3:10-12 [Two things are noteworthy – all others will call you blessed; and your environment will be a delightful land.]

Read 3:13-4:3. How many categories of people are mentioned? What does the Lord think of their words? What will the Lord do for (or against) them? 

** 2 [the wicked who speak harshly against the Lord; and the righteous who speak well of the Lord]

** The words of the wicked make the Lord feel “hard” (or terrible).

The words of the righteous make the Lord feel “good” [honored]. 

** The Lord does not regard the wicked as his own, whereas the Lord regards and will gather into his presence the righteous; the Lord will let people see the distinction between the wicked and the righteous.

 

Read 4:4-6. By the time Malachi spoke, Elijah had already come. Yet, verse 5 says that the Lord will send the Prophet Elijah [who turned out to be a man named John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Savior of the world.] What is his mission? In what respect is the day of the Lord’s coming “great” and “dreadful”? 

** To mend broken relationships in the family.

** It will be great for those who revere His name, for the Lord will bless them as described in 4:2-3, but it will be dreadful for those who are wicked (unbelieving) for the Lord will ensure that they will have no future. 

The end