MALACHIIntroduction &1:1-5

• North York (Chinese) Baptist Church

• ESC Sunday School • October 2, 2011• Pastor Lu-Lu Ling

Malachi

Historical Background

YEAR (B.C.) EVENT

722 Israel fell to Assyria

605 1st deportation

597 2nd deportation

586 Jerusalem fell, 3rd deportation

583 4th deportation

539 Cyrus – Persian Empire

538-537 1st return (Ezra 1:1-3)

???? 2nd return (Ezra 2, 3)

YEAR (B.C.) EVENT

536-530 Opposition (Ezra 4:1-5)

530 Building stopped (Ezra 4:24)

520 Building restarted (Ezra 5:2,6:14; Hag 1:14)

516 Temple completed (Ezra 6:15)

458 3rd return: build faith (Ezra 7)

445 4th return: build wall (Neh)

500-430 Malachi: holy living

God’s Building ProjectsTemple Zerubbabel, Joshua, Haggai, Zechariah

536-516 B.C.

People Ezra: taught the Law (7:10)457 B.C.

Wall/People

Nehemiah444 B.C., 432 B.C., ???

People Malachi: Holy Living 500 – 430 B.C.

Malachi: Title or Name?

Subject Malachi Ezra Nehemiah

Foreign wives 2:10-16 9-10 13:23-27

Social Justice 2:17-3:6 5:1-13

Tithing 3:7-12 13:1-14

Common Themes in Malachi, Ezra. Nehemiah

Malachi

Structure

6 questions that God said the people were asking/ thinking

# Six Questions & Conclusion 7 Questions & ConclusionIntroduction 1:1 Introduction 1:1

1 How have you loved us? 1:2-5 How have you loved us? 1:2-52 How have we despised your name?

1:6-2:9How have we despised your name? 1:6-2:9

3 For what reason? 2:10-16 For what reason? 2:10-164 How they have wearied the Lord?

2:17-3:6How have we wearied the Lord? 2:17-3:6

5 Now should we return? 3:7-12 How should we return? 3:76 How have we spoken against the

Lord? 3:13-15

How have we robbed the Lord? 3:8-12

7 How have we spoken against the Lord?3:13-15

Conclusion 4:1-6 The Day of the Lord 4:1-3 The Promise 4:4-6

Malachi Chiastic StructureA Superscription (1:1)

B First Disputation (1:2-5)

C Second Disputation (1:6—2:9)

D Third Disputation (2:10-16) D' Fourth Disputation (2:17—3:6)

C' Fifth Disputation (3:7-12)

B' Sixth Disputation (3:13—4:3

A' Summary challenge (4:4-6)

Malachi Chiastic StructureA Superscription (1:1): Yahweh has a message for Israel.

B First Disputation (1:2-5): God distinguishes between the good and thewicked. The proof of His love is His sparing the righteous and condemning the wicked.

C Second Disputation (1:6—2:9): Condemnation of improper,begrudging offerings, promise of reversal of blessing, and thegreatness of Yahweh's name among the nations.

D Third Disputation (2:10-16): The Lord is witness to maritalfidelity, and Judah is unfaithful.D' Fourth Disputation (2:17—3:6): The Lord is witness tomarital fidelity, and Judah is unfaithful.

C' Fifth Disputation (3:7-12): Condemnation of improper, begrudgingofferings, promise of reversal of blessing, and the greatness ofYahweh's name among the nations.

B' Sixth Disputation (3:13—4:3): God distinguishes between the good andthe wicked. The proof of His love is His sparing the righteous andcondemning the wicked.

A' Summary challenge (4:4-6): Yahweh has a message for Israel.

Malachi 1:2-5

1An oracle: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi .2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” 4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the LORD Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the LORD—even beyond the borders of Israel!’

Structure of Malachi 1:1-5 1:1 An oracle: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi

A. Blessings for Jacob v. 2

B. Judgment for Esau v. 3

C. Edom’s lack of Repentance v. 4a

B. Judgment for Esau v.4b

A. Blessings for Jacob v. 5

Esau and Edom

How has God loved Israel?

What is common between Esau and Jacob?

What is the difference between Esau/Edom and Israel?

Was God fair to Esau?

(Paul used this passage in Romans 9:13)