▸ AUTHOR: The only Old Testament mention of Malachi is in 1:1. Nothing else is known of Malachi, not even his father’s name. But tradition holds that he too, like Zechariah, was a member of the Great Synagogue. He is generally accepted as the author of this book. It is likely that Malachi proclaimed his message when Nehemiah was absent from Judah between 432 B.C. and 425 B.C., almost a century after Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy. Thus, because of its place in history and the Old Testament, Malachi is a transitional book. Its primary themes are consistent with the rest of the Old Testament, but it also serves as a precursor to the New Testament.
▸ TIME: c. 432–425 B.C.
▸ KEY VERSE: Mal. 2:17
▸ THEME: In Malachi, the days of political upheaval are past, and the country is living in an uneventful waiting period. The people are waiting for Messiah to bring the glorious restoration of their nation to the renewed prominence of the Davidic and Solomonic period. There is a sense the people are losing touch with God during this rather uneventful time. The old problem with idol worship is gone, but other problems have taken its place. Malachi’s role is to call the people back to a genuine, enduring faith in God. His dominant admonition is for a personal relationship with the living God, who seeks men to walk with Him (2:6).