Between the Testaments

MEMORY VERSE: “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” —Psalm 119:11

PSALM 119:1-8; LUKE 2:1-3

MALACHI was the last of the Old Testament prophets. While scholars are uncertain as to the date of his prophecy all seem to agree that it was written more than five centuries before the coming of Jesus; probably about the time of the rebuilding of the temple and the walls of Jerusalem, which was following the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, although the prophet does not mention these events. Because he does not, some place the writing of his prophecy somewhat nearer to the coming of Christ and the opening of the New Testament.

The exact date of Malachi’s prophecy is not important. We know that there was a long period when Israel was without a prophet, and when the nation would be guided and encouraged by the written Word and law of God. Since in those ancient times the rank and file of the people were illiterate, this meant that the Israelites generally would have to depend on their scribes and priests to present God’s Word to them.

At the time Malachi wrote his prophecy Israel as a nation was not living very close to the Lord, but this was not a new thing with Israel. Through Malachi the Lord said to the Israelites, “Even from the days of your fathers ye have gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.”—Mal. 3:7

However, we are reminded by Malachi that individuals in the nation could enjoy God’s blessing as a result of their devotion to him, and without doubt this was true of the faithful remnant during that period between the Testaments. The Lord encouraged these to bring all their tithes into the storehouse, and that he in return would pour them out a blessing such as they would not have room enough to receive.

The unfaithful and disbelieving of that time were saying, “It is vain to serve God; … now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.” (Mal. 3:14,15) The prophet’s answer to this is, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”—Mal. 3:16-18

In this last of the Old Testament books there is a prophecy of the coming of John the Baptist as a messenger to announce the first presence of Christ—“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me.” (Mal. 3:1) The coming of Jesus is also referred to in this same verse as the “messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Chapter 4, verse 2 refers to the coming of Jesus at his second advent in kingdom glory as the rising of “the Sun of righteousness, with healing in his wings.” And then, in the last two verses of the book is foretold the coming of “Elijah the prophet” which had a partial fulfillment in John the Baptist. So we see that the Israelites, in this last book of the Old Testament, were given courage to look ahead to great developments in the plan of God, and we believe that the faithful among them received much encouragement from these assurances that their messianic hopes were indeed to be realized.

We believe that the faithful remnant in Israel during that long interval between the Testaments did indeed, as our memory verse mentions, endeavor to keep the Word of God hidden in their hearts, that by its righteous influence they would be kept from sinning against the Lord. This has been the desire of every “Israelite indeed,” both of the natural house of Israel, and the spiritual house of Israel of the present age.

These have ever sought to know and to do God’s will. Their prayer has always been, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.”—Ps. 119:5-7

QUESTIONS

About what time did Malachi write his book?

What prophecies concerning the coining of Christ did he record?

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