Bible Commentaries
Malachi 1

Verse 1

Mal 1:1. Burden means an important message or saying, and the Lord had something of that character to say to the people of Israel. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets and wrote about four centuries before Christ. This would place him not long after the work of re construction following the return from the captivity. The people of Israel never worshiped idols after the return, but they often were careless about their duty to God and became selfish in their desires.

Verse 2

Mal 1:2. When the Lord censured them for their worldliness they com· plained that He did not love them. The Lord's reasoning that he still loved his people is couched in the Question Was not Esau Jacob's brother? The fact that while these men were brothers, the Lord chose Jacob or Israel instead of Esau was proof that He loved him.

Verse 3

Mal 1:3. Hated Esau means the Lord denied him any special favors, also He chastised him severely for wrong doings.

Verse 4

Mal 1:4. Esau was the founder of the Edomites who thought they could resist the work of God that was meant for their punishment. Yet they failed, for the Lord was determined to through doing their work. All of this was evidence that Israel had fared better than his brother and hence was beloved by the Lord.

Verse 5

Mal 1:5. The objective of the Lord in thus punishing Esau or Edam was that He might be magnified. Israel was supposed to see all this and ac- knowledge God's greatness.

Verse 6

Mal 1:6. The usual treatment of a son for his father or a servant for his master is cited as an example of proper respect. God's people were not that respectful to Him, but at the same time they were denying their guilt of neglect.

Verse 7

Mal 1:7. The services of the Jews were beneath their abilities and short of the requirements of the law. Their neglect of duty was rendered more objectionable by their attitude. They would ask what was wrong in a way that implied that they could see nothing for the Lord to complain about.

Verse 8

Mal 1:8. The animals to be used in the services were required to be those in the best condition. These Jews were bringing the blind and otherwise defective ones and seemed to think the Lord would accept them notwithstanding their poor qualities. He challenged them to try it out with their earthly ruler and see If he would accept it.

Verse 9

Mal 1:9. The prophet implies that it will be in vatn for them to seek mercy of God while they are conducting such interior services. Been by your means denotes that the corrupt situation was brought about by their own greed.

Verse 10

Mal 1:10. These Jews had become so selfish that they wanted to be paid for all of their services. They would not even close a door unless they were promised a reward for it. With such motives behind their activities the Lord was displeased with them.

Verse 11

Mal 1:11. God had intended from the start that the services of the law were to be temporary (Gal 3:19), but when these people became so insincere in their sacrifices it caused Him to be all the more displeased with them. This will shed some light on the language of Heb 10:5-8 as to the displeasure of God with the animal sacrifices. Among the Gentiles is a prediction that another law and service will be Instituted that will be oftered to all people, not to Jews only.

Verse 12

Mal 1:12. To profane a thing means to cause it to become merely a temporal something instead of a sacred one. These Jews were pronouncing the services of the Lord to be only common activities and thus they profaned them.

Verse 13

Mal 1:13. This verse means the same as most of the preceding ones.

Verse 14

Mal 1:14. The Jews were required to offer the best of their animals for sacrifice on the altar. A male means just such a beast with all the special requirements as to qualities directed under the Law. God never asks more of a man than he is able to give, but He will not accept any service that is less than one is capable of performing.