"It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?" (Mal. 3:14)
Malachi is the last Old Testament voice, and his book serves as a good prelude to the next 400 years of biblical silence. From the Israelites' point of view, those four centuries could be termed "the era of lowered expectations." They had returned to the land, but that land remained a backwater province under the domination of several imperial armies. The grand future of triumph and world peace described by the prophets seemed a distant pipe dream. Even the restored temple caused stabs of nostalgic pain: It hardly rivaled Solomon's majestic building, and no one had seen God's glory descend on this new temple as it had in Solomon's day.
A general malaise set in among the Jews, a low-grade disappointment with God that showed in their complaints and actions. They were not "big" sinners like the people before the Exile, who had practiced child sacrifice and brought idols into the
temple. They went through the motions of their religion, but had lost contact with the God whom the religion was all about.
Malachi is written in the form of a dialogue, with the "children" of Israel bringing their grievances to God, the Father. They were questioning God's love and his fairness. One gripe bothered them more than any: Following God had not brought the anticipated reward.
In reply, Malachi calls his people to rise above their selfishness and to trust the God of the covenant; he has not abandoned his treasured possession. "Test me," says God, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
At least some of Malachi's message took hold. During the next 400 years, reform movements like the Pharisees became increasingly devoted to keeping the Law. Unfortunately, many of them would cling fiercely to that Law even when Jesus, the "messenger of the covenant" prophesied by Malachi, brought a new message of forgiveness and grace.
Life Question: What treatments does God offer for the Israelites' "lukewarm" faith?
