The Book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, serves as a prophetic dialogue between God and the Israelites. It addresses issues of spiritual apathy, corruption among priests, and the people's neglect of tithes and offerings. Through a series of rhetorical questions, God calls for sincere worship and faithfulness, promising blessings for those who honor Him. Malachi emphasizes the importance of genuine devotion and the anticipation of a coming messenger who will prepare the way for the Lord.
1. The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.2. I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,3. And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
1. And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you.2. If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings: yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.3. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts.2. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.
1. For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. ¶2. But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.3. And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the LORD of hosts. ¶
