-
Malachi, Book ofAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
HARMONY WITH OTHER BIBLE BOOKS
This book is in full agreement with the rest of the Scriptures. The apostle Paul quoted from Malachi 1:2, 3 when illustrating that God’s choosing depends, “not upon the one wishing nor upon the one running, but upon God, who has mercy.” (Rom. 9:10-16) Jehovah is identified as the Creator (Mal. 2:10; compare Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 43:1; Acts 17:24-26) and a just, merciful and unchangeable God who does not leave deliberate wrongdoing unpunished. (Mal. 2:2, 3, 17; 3:5-7, 17, 18; 4:1; compare Exodus 34:6, 7; Leviticus 26:14-17; Nehemiah 9:17; James 1:17.) The importance of God’s name is stressed. (Mal. 1:5, 11, 14; 4:2; compare Deuteronomy 28:58, 59; Psalm 35:27; Micah 5:4.) And encouragement is given to remember the law of Moses.—Mal. 4:4.
The book also directed Israel’s attention to the coming of the Messiah and the day of Jehovah. While it is pointed out that Jehovah would send forth the one called “my messenger,” this one would be only the forerunner of the still greater “messenger of the covenant” who would accompany Jehovah. (Mal. 3:1) The inspired accounts of Matthew (11:10-14; 17:10-13), Mark (9:11-13) and Luke (1:16, 17, 76) combine to identify Jesus’ forerunner John the Baptist as the “messenger” and the “Elijah” initially meant at Malachi 3:1 and 4:5, 6.
OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
I. Jehovah’s love for Jacob not responded to properly by Israelites (1:1-14)
A. Jehovah’s accepting Jacob and rejecting Esau constituted proof of his love for His people (1:1-5)
B. Presentation of inferior sacrifices on part of priests dishonors God (1:6-14)
II. Priests and people censured for wrongdoing and notified about coming of Lord and messenger of covenant to temple for judgment (2:1–3:18)
A. Priests fail in keeping covenant of Levi and instructing people in way of righteousness (2:1-9)
B. People deal treacherously, becoming guilty of unjust divorcing (2:10-17)
C. Jehovah announces purpose to send his messenger, also his own coming to temple with the “messenger of the covenant” (3:1-18)
1. Coming to result in cleansing of sons of Levi and adverse judgment against wrongdoers (3:1-5)
2. Opportunity for repentance before judgment starts; judgment to make distinction between righteous one and wicked one clear (3:6-18)
III. Jehovah’s day to be preceded by coming of Elijah (4:1-6)
See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” pp. 172-175.
-
-
MalcamAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCAM
(Malʹcam) [their king].
1. A Benjamite and a son of Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh.—1 Chron. 8:1, 8, 9.
2. The principal idol god of the Ammonites (2 Sam. 12:30; 1 Chron. 20:1, 2), also called Malcham. (Jer. 49:1, 3; Zeph. 1:5) Possibly the same as Milcom, Molech and Moloch.—1 Ki. 11:5, 7; Acts 7:43.
-
-
MalchamAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHAM
(Malʹcham) [their king].
Thought to be the same as the Ammonite god Milcom or Molech. (Also called “Malcam,” at 1 Chronicles 20:1, 2.) Malcham is mentioned at Jeremiah 49:1, 3 in connection with the sons of Ammon, and the name in the Masoretic text differs from Milcom, “the disgusting thing of the Ammonites,” only in the vowel-pointing of the Hebrew. (1 Ki. 11:5) Contrary to the instruction given at Joshua 23:7, the Jews began making sworn oaths by Malcham. (Zeph. 1:5) It must be determined from context when the Hebrew should be rendered as the name of the god and when as “their king.”—Amos 1:15; see MOLECH.
-
-
MalchielAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHIEL
(Malʹchi·el) [God is king, or, my king is God].
Grandson of Asher and a son of Beriah. (Gen. 46:17) He is called “the father of Birzaith” (1 Chron. 7:31) and was a family head in Israel.—Num. 26:45.
-
-
MalchielitesAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHIELITES
(Malʹchi·el·ites).
A family of Asherites that descended from Malchiel.—Num. 26:44, 45.
-
-
MalchijahAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHIJAH
(Mal·chiʹjah) [Jehovah is king].
1. A Levite who descended from Gershom and who was an ancestor of the Levitical musician Asaph.—1 Chron. 6:39-43.
2. Descendant of Aaron and head of the fifth of the twenty-four divisions of priests organized by David.—1 Chron. 24:1, 9.
3. A priest and the father of Pashhur.—1 Chron. 9:12; Neh. 11:12; Jer. 21:1; 38:1.
4. “The son of the king” into whose cistern Jeremiah was thrown. (Jer. 38:6) According to the Hebrew Masoretic text, his name is Mal·ki·yaʹhu, meaning “Yah is King,” or, “King of Yah.”
5. An Israelite “of the sons of Parosh” among those accepting foreign wives but dismissing them in Ezra’s day.—Ezra 10:25, 44.
6. Another Israelite “of the sons of Parosh” among those sending their foreign wives away. (Ezra 10:25, 44) The Septuagint Version reads “Hashabiah” instead of “Malchijah” here.
7. A man of Israel “of the sons of Harim” who was among those sending away foreign wives and sons in Ezra’s time.—Ezra 10:31, 44.
8. An Israelite, “the son of Harim.” Along with Hasshub, he repaired a section of Jerusalem’s wall and the Tower of the Bake Ovens after the return from Babylonian exile. (Neh. 3:11) He may be the same person as No. 7.
9. Son of Rechab and prince of the district of Beth-haccherem who repaired the Gate of the Ashheaps during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 3:14.
10. Member of the goldsmith guild who repaired part of Jerusalem’s wall in Nehemiah’s day.—Neh. 3:31.
11. A priest who stood at Ezra’s left hand when the copyist read the law before the Israelites in reestablished Jerusalem.—Neh. 8:4.
12. One of the priests, or the forefather of one, who attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 9:38–10:3.
13. A priest who participated in the inauguration ceremonies for Jerusalem’s wall as rebuilt under Nehemiah’s supervision. (Neh. 12:40-42) He may be the same person as No. 11.
-
-
MalchiramAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHIRAM
(Mal·chiʹram) [my king (i.e., Jehovah) is high].
One of the sons of King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) as a prisoner in Babylon.—1 Chron. 3:17, 18.
-
-
Malchi-shuaAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHI-SHUA
(Malʹchi-shuʹa) [my king saves, or, my king (i.e., Jehovah) is opulence].
One of King Saul’s sons. (1 Sam. 14:49; 1 Chron. 8:33; 9:39) He was struck down in battle by the Philistines at Mount Gilboa (1 Sam. 31:2; 1 Chron. 10:2) and his corpse (along with those of his brothers Jonathan and Abinadab and that of his father Saul) was fastened by the Philistines on the wall of Beth-shan. However, valiant men of Israel retrieved the bodies, burned them in Jabesh and buried their bones there.—1 Sam. 31:8-13.
-
-
MalchusAid to Bible Understanding
-
-
MALCHUS
(Malʹchus) [Gr., Malʹkhos, from Heb., meʹlekh, king, or mal·lukhʹ, counselor].
The high priest’s slave who accompanied Judas Iscariot and the crowd to Gethsemane, where Christ was arrested. Peter struck off Malchus’ right ear with a sword (John 18:10; Matt. 26:51; Mark 14:47), but Jesus miraculously healed it. (Luke 22:50, 51) Another slave of the high priest Caiaphas, a relative of Malchus,
-