The saddest and last book of the Old Testament
The Jews had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. They’d obeyed the messages of God from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah . They’d rebuilt the temple of God. And nothing happened. No Messiah, no great divine war against Israel’s enemies, no worldwide kingdom of God—none of the good things those prophets said would come about. So the people grew indifferent. They offered faulty sacrifices ( Mal 1:8 , 13 ), married pagan women ( Mal 2:11 ), were unfaithful to their wives ( Mal 2:14 ), and withheld tithes and offerings ( Mal 3:8 ). Furthermore, the priests of God were misleading the people and disrespecting the God who had called them to ministry ( Mal 2:8 ). God has made sacred covenants with His people. He’s their Father and Master, the one who loves them and disciplines them. This sort of behavior just won’t do, so a prophet named Malachi (which means “my messenger”) points out the great disconnect between God and His people: He cares for them, but they don’t care for Him. The p