Malachi Chapter 1
The Book of Malachi — Introduction
The Book of Malachi is the final book of the Old Testament and serves as the concluding voice of God’s revelation before the 400 years of prophetic silence leading up to the ministry of John the Baptist. Malachi’s name means “My Messenger,” and his prophetic message was directed to the post-exilic Jewish community that had returned from Babylonian captivity and rebuilt the Temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. Though the Temple had been restored, the spiritual fervor of the people had faded, and Malachi addressed this moral and religious decline with divine authority.
Malachi prophesied around 430 B.C., during the same general era as Nehemiah. His message reflects a people who had grown careless in their worship and indifferent toward God’s covenant. The priests offered defiled sacrifices, the people withheld their tithes, and marital unfaithfulness was rampant. The nation had not fallen into idolatry as before the exile, but their hearts had grown cold and cynical. They questioned God’s justice, saying in Malachi 2:17, “Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, 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?”
The structure of Malachi’s prophecy is unique, presented as a series of disputations between God and the people. The Lord makes a declaration, the people respond with a skeptical question, and then God answers with evidence and rebuke. This dialogical style exposes the hypocrisy and spiritual apathy of Israel while revealing the faithfulness and love of God. Early in the book, God declares His covenantal love for Israel: “I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness” (Malachi 1:2-3). This opening contrast between Jacob and Esau underscores God’s sovereign choice and His enduring covenant with Israel.
The sins addressed in Malachi are numerous: corrupt priesthood, polluted sacrifices, marital infidelity, social injustice, and neglect of tithes and offerings. The people questioned the very nature of God’s justice and covenant faithfulness, implying that obedience brought no blessing and disobedience no curse. Through Malachi, God corrected their distorted view and reaffirmed His covenant promises. He called for repentance and renewed reverence, reminding them that His name is great among the nations (Malachi 1:11).
A key prophetic theme in Malachi is the coming of the “messenger of the covenant.” In Malachi 3:1, God declares, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” This prophecy anticipates the ministries of both John the Baptist and the Messiah Himself. John would prepare the way (as confirmed in Matthew 11:10 and Mark 1:2), and Christ would come as the true Messenger of the New Covenant.
Malachi also prophesied concerning the future day of judgment and the purifying work of the Lord. He wrote in Malachi 4:1-2, “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 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.” These verses point to the ultimate separation of the righteous and the wicked and anticipate the return of Christ in glory.
The closing verses of Malachi bridge the Old and New Testaments. Malachi 4:5-6 says, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” These words directly connect to the New Testament, where John the Baptist came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17) as the forerunner of Christ.
In summary, the Book of Malachi stands as God’s final call to His covenant people before the arrival of the Messiah. It confronts hypocrisy, commands repentance, and calls for sincere worship. It reminds believers that the Lord never changes, as stated in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi’s message closes the Old Testament era with both a warning and a promise, preparing the way for the dawn of the New Covenant through Christ Jesus.
“I Have Loved You”
A. God’s Love for a Rebellious Israel
(Malachi 1:1–2a) — “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the LORD.”
Malachi opens his prophecy with the word “burden,” indicating a message of weight and solemnity. The prophet was not delivering mere commentary but the very Word of the Lord to a disobedient people. The Hebrew term translated “burden” (מַשָּׂ֖א, massa) carries the idea of something heavy or grievous to bear, emphasizing both the seriousness of Israel’s condition and the divine gravity of the message.
Malachi ministered to the Jewish remnant roughly a century after their return from Babylon, following the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah. The temple had been rebuilt, sacrifices had resumed, and the covenant rituals were in place, yet the people’s hearts had grown indifferent. It was a time of external religion without internal devotion. Malachi likely prophesied during or shortly after the days of Nehemiah, since both confronted identical sins among the returned exiles. The evidence is threefold:
The temple was already rebuilt, as seen in Malachi 1:13, 3:1, and 3:10.
The Jews were under a civil governor (Malachi 1:8), which was the same governmental structure under Nehemiah.
The same moral failures Nehemiah confronted were present in Malachi’s day: a corrupt priesthood (Nehemiah 13:29; Malachi 1:6–2:9), marital unfaithfulness (Nehemiah 13:23–25; Malachi 2:14–15), and neglect of the tithe (Nehemiah 13:10–11; Malachi 3:8–12).
The prophetic setting was one of spiritual discouragement. The people had expected the glorious promises of Haggai and Zechariah to be fulfilled quickly. When they saw no visible manifestation of those promises—no messianic kingdom, no worldwide peace—they became cynical and careless toward God. Formal worship remained, but the fire of devotion was gone. Into that coldness God spoke a word of affection: “I have loved you.” Before confronting their sin, He reminded them of His covenant love, grounding their repentance in the reality of His faithfulness.
This opening declaration echoes the divine pattern of grace: before judgment comes mercy, and before correction comes assurance. God desired His people to know that His discipline flowed from His enduring love. As Jesus later said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience to God is always rooted in love for God, and God initiates that love. G. Campbell Morgan captured the heart of this verse by paraphrasing, “I have loved you, I do love you, and I will love you, saith the Lord.”
(Malachi 1:2b–5) — “Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.”
Israel’s response reveals their hardness of heart: “Wherein hast thou loved us?” They dared to question the love of the Lord. It was not a spoken accusation but an inward cynicism—the same attitude that whispers today, “If God loves me, why are things so difficult?” This is the first of seven sarcastic questions Israel poses throughout Malachi, each one exposing their spiritual blindness:
“Wherein hast thou loved us?” (1:2)
“Wherein have we despised thy name?” (1:6)
“Wherein have we polluted thee?” (1:7)
“Wherein have we wearied him?” (2:17)
“Wherein shall we return?” (3:7)
“Wherein have we robbed thee?” (3:8)
“What have we spoken so much against thee?” (3:13)
Each question reveals the moral decay of a nation that had become self-righteous and ungrateful. They mistook God’s patience for indifference and interpreted His chastening as neglect.
God’s answer was to point them to His sovereign election: “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau.” Both men shared the same father, the same lineage, and the same opportunities, yet God chose Jacob to carry the covenant of Abraham. Before either was born, God declared, “The elder shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). This choice was not arbitrary but rooted in divine foreknowledge and purpose.
The phrase “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” does not imply emotional hatred in the human sense, nor does it teach double predestination. The term “hated” here expresses rejection or the withholding of covenantal favor. Esau, though blessed materially (Genesis 33:9; 36:1–43), was not chosen to be the covenant bearer. Leon Morris observed that in Scripture “hate” can mean “loved less,” as seen in Genesis 29:31–33, Deuteronomy 21:15, and Luke 14:26. Calvin and later commentators rightly viewed this contrast as one of acceptance versus rejection in the context of divine purpose, not emotional animosity.
Charles Spurgeon once commented, “It is not my difficulty to understand how God could hate Esau; my trouble is to understand how He could love Jacob.” This underscores the marvel of grace—Jacob, a deceiver and schemer, was chosen by God’s mercy, not by his merit.
The historical outworking of this divine choice further illustrated God’s love. Both Israel (descendants of Jacob) and Edom (descendants of Esau) had been conquered by Babylon. Yet God restored Israel to their land, while Edom’s territory remained desolate. Edom vowed, “We will return and build the desolate places,” but the Lord declared, “They shall build, but I will throw down.” Their land would become “The border of wickedness,” a perpetual testimony to divine judgment.
This distinction was God’s assurance to Israel: His covenant love was irrevocable. He would never cast them off as He had Edom. When Israel’s eyes beheld the fulfillment of these judgments, they would confess, “The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.” God’s faithfulness to His promises and His justice against the wicked would bring glory to His name far beyond their national borders.
Theological Summary:
This passage establishes the foundation of the book’s message—God’s steadfast love contrasted with Israel’s unfaithfulness. Before rebuking their sins, God reminds them of His covenant grace, rooted not in human merit but in divine election. His love is unconditional, His purposes immutable, and His justice sure. Though Israel doubted, God reaffirmed His faithfulness: He had chosen them, preserved them, and would yet fulfill His promises.
B. Sacrifices Dishonoring to God Are Exposed and Condemned
(Malachi 1:6–8) — “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.”
God begins His rebuke with a simple yet convicting truth: “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master.” These are relationships built on natural respect and duty. If even earthly relationships demand honor and obedience, how much more should the priests have honored their heavenly Father and divine Master? The question “Where is mine honour?” cuts through hypocrisy, exposing hearts that gave God lip service but not genuine reverence.
The priests of Israel, who were appointed to uphold the sanctity of the altar and preserve the dignity of worship, had grown careless and corrupt. They were called to intercede for the people, yet they offered polluted sacrifices and profaned the holy service of God. The Lord said, “Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar.” This refers to their presenting defiled or blemished offerings, directly violating the law given through Moses. The Law clearly commanded, “But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you” (Leviticus 22:20). Likewise, “If there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 15:21).
The priests, however, had become spiritually desensitized. They dared to ask, “Wherein have we despised thy name?” Their question reveals a staggering blindness to sin. They had so long tolerated compromise that they could no longer discern right from wrong. This spiritual numbness is a warning to all who serve in ministry: sin creeps in subtly, often masked by routine and familiarity. What once would have provoked conviction now passes unnoticed.
Ministers today face the same danger. It is possible to serve God outwardly while dishonoring Him inwardly. The late Puritan Richard Baxter wrote in The Reformed Pastor, “The great and lamentable sin of ministers of the Gospel is that they are not fully devoted to God… Do we not serve God too cheaply? Do we not withdraw ourselves from that which would cost us the most suffering? Does not all this show that we seek earthly rather than heavenly things?” Baxter’s lament mirrors God’s rebuke through Malachi. The sin of indifference in ministry is no less offensive to God today than it was then.
To offer “defiled food” on God’s altar is to bring halfhearted, careless worship. For a modern preacher, that might mean presenting sermons devoid of Scripture, full of jokes, stories, and clever phrases but empty of God’s Word. A sermon that exalts the preacher instead of the Savior is defiled food. Likewise, preaching that is slothful, unprepared, or cold-hearted is an insult to the God whose truth it claims to represent. Paul exhorted Timothy, “Hold fast the form of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13) and “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Anything less is an offering unworthy of the Lord’s altar.
The priests’ contempt for God’s table revealed itself in their attitude. “The table of the LORD is contemptible,” they said, meaning the work of the ministry had become a burden rather than a blessing. They had grown weary of sacred duty, complaining of the inconvenience and expecting God to be pleased with their leftovers.
God’s sarcasm pierces through their hypocrisy: “Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee?” Even a human ruler would reject such dishonor, yet they offered it to the King of Kings. The comparison is humiliating. David’s attitude stands in stark contrast: “Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). True worship always costs something—it demands sacrifice, reverence, and sincerity.
(Malachi 1:9–11) — “And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.”
God’s response is laced with irony. The priests are told, “Beseech God that he will be gracious unto us.” But how could they seek His favor while continuing in hypocrisy? As Moffatt paraphrased, “Try to pacify God and win His favor? How can He favor any of you when you bring Him such sacrifices?” Their prayers were as defiled as their offerings.
The Lord declares that it would be better to “shut the doors” of the temple than to continue with this vain worship. Empty ritual, devoid of devotion, is an insult to His holiness. God is not impressed by activity; He desires authenticity. Not everything that is called worship is accepted as worship. He said plainly, “I have no pleasure in you.” This rebuke cuts to the heart of modern religion as well. There are churches that should close their doors rather than continue polluting the name of God with worldliness, entertainment, and false doctrine. As G. Campbell Morgan once said, “I am more afraid of profanity in the sanctuary than I am of profanity in the street.”
Even if Israel failed in their calling, God’s glory would not be diminished. “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles.” Though His chosen priests dishonored Him, the Lord would raise up worshippers from every nation. This prophetic statement looks forward to the Church Age, when Gentiles across the world would offer spiritual sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving, and obedience to God through Jesus Christ.
The phrase “in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering” speaks of the global expansion of true worship. Incense symbolizes prayer and devotion (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:3–4). God’s name, once confined to the borders of Israel, would become known and revered in every land. As Isaiah wrote, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another” (Isaiah 42:8). The nations would come to know and honor the one true God through the gospel of Christ.
Theological Summary:
This passage exposes the spiritual decay of Israel’s priesthood, whose ritual worship lacked reverence and sincerity. God rebuked their hypocrisy, condemned their polluted sacrifices, and declared that He would rather have no worship at all than false worship. Yet even in judgment, God revealed His plan to extend His glory beyond Israel—to be worshiped “from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same.” The passage foreshadows the Gentile inclusion in God’s redemptive plan and reminds believers that worship acceptable to God must be pure, sacrificial, and rooted in love.
(Malachi 1:12–14) — God Promises to Curse Shallow, Selfish, False Worship
“But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.”
The priests’ disdain for their sacred duties had become a public mockery of divine worship. They profaned the table of the LORD by their attitudes as much as by their actions. Their hearts were no longer reverent toward God. What was once a holy privilege had become a tiresome obligation. They muttered, “Behold, what a weariness is it!” as though serving the Lord were a burden rather than an honor. Such contempt revealed their spiritual decay—they had lost sight of who God is.
To profane something is to treat what is sacred as common. In this case, they profaned the table of the LORD, which represented His altar of communion and sacrifice. God Himself had ordained the sacrificial system as a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah, but these priests treated it as nothing more than a ritual chore. When the heart is disengaged, even holy things become empty forms. They sneered at the worship of God, as though the privilege of offering sacrifices were drudgery. Yet true worship is never wearying to those who love God. When worship becomes “wearisome,” it reveals that the worshipper’s heart has drifted from the living God.
Their contempt manifested in the offerings they brought: “Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick.” They knowingly brought the very things God had forbidden, giving to Him what they would never dare present to a human ruler. The Lord demanded offerings without blemish as a reflection of His own holiness and as a prophetic picture of the sinless sacrifice of Christ. “Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish” (Leviticus 22:19). To offer anything less was to insult the holiness of God and corrupt the symbolism of redemption.
God’s question pierces the conscience: “Should I accept this of your hand?” The answer is an emphatic no. Worship that costs nothing, that carries no heart, no obedience, no reverence, is worthless to God. The same principle applies to believers today. God does not accept the motions of worship if the heart is absent. Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8).
The Lord’s rebuke intensifies with a curse: “But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing.” The deceiver here is the man who pretends to give God his best but secretly keeps it for himself, offering instead something blemished or inferior. Outwardly he appears devout, but inwardly he is dishonest. This duplicity mirrors the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, who “sold a possession, and kept back part of the price” while pretending to give all (Acts 5:1–10). Both then and now, hypocrisy in worship provokes God’s judgment.
The gravity of this sin lies in whom it offends. “For I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” God reminds His people that He is no local deity or mere tribal god. He is the Sovereign King of all creation, the Lord of hosts—meaning the Lord of the armies of heaven. To treat Him lightly is to blaspheme His majesty before the watching nations. Even the Gentiles, who at that time did not possess the law, held the concept of deity in reverence. Yet Israel, the nation chosen to bear God’s name, dishonored Him.
This statement, “My name is dreadful among the heathen,” anticipates a future time when the nations will recognize the greatness of the Lord. It is a prophetic reminder that God’s glory will ultimately be magnified across the earth, whether His covenant people honor Him or not. He is never dependent upon the faithfulness of man for His name to be exalted. As Paul later wrote, “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
The lesson of this passage is clear: shallow, selfish worship brings God’s curse, not His blessing. He demands sincerity, sacrifice, and fear of His name. To worship God is not a casual exercise but an act of holy reverence toward the King of glory. The heart that gives grudgingly or deceitfully has no place before His throne. God will not be mocked.
Theological Summary:
This section reveals that false worship—marked by weariness, hypocrisy, and deceit—is detestable to God. The priests profaned His altar by treating sacred things as trivial and offering defiled sacrifices. Their indifference reflected a heart of rebellion rather than reverence. God cursed the deceiver who pretends devotion while withholding his best. The passage concludes with the divine reminder that God is “a great King” whose name is to be feared among the nations. True worship demands sincerity and holy fear; anything less invites divine rejection.
