Malachi

Malachi ('my messenger'), the final prophetic voice before four centuries of silence, ministered around 460-430 BC during the post-exilic period when spiritual lethargy had replaced early enthusiasm.'Malachi' (מַלְאָכִי) means 'my messenger' or 'my angel,' leading some scholars to question whether this is a personal name or a title. The Septuagint renders 3:1 as 'his messenger' rather than as a proper name. However, Jewish tradition and most conservative scholars accept Malachi as the prophet's actual name. The 'four hundred silent years' between Malachi and Matthew's Gospel (roughly 430 BC to 5 BC) saw no canonical prophetic voice in Israel, though this intertestamental period witnessed the Maccabean revolt, the rise of Pharisees and Sadducees, synagogue development, and the completion of the Septuagint translation.

His prophecy employs a distinctive disputational style: God makes a statement, the people question it, and God elaborates. Through this format, Malachi exposed Israel's sins—defiled offerings, faithless priests, divorce, withholding tithes, and speaking against God—while affirming divine love and calling for repentance.

His most famous passage concerning tithes—'Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing'—promises supernatural provision for faithful givers.

Malachi concludes the Old Testament with twin prophecies: Elijah would come before the great and dreadful day of the LORD (fulfilled in John the Baptist), and 'the Sun of righteousness' would arise 'with healing in his wings' (fulfilled in Christ). The final words—a curse unless hearts turn—leave Israel awaiting the messenger who would prepare Messiah's way.