The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, is a condemnation of Judah. The first verse of the book states that the prophecy is against Israel, but at the time it was written the ten northern tribes of Israel had ceased to exist as a nation. Only the two tribes of Judah remained, representing Israel.

Malachi’s prophecy contains eight statements from the Lord and eight questioning responses from Judah. Because eight is the number of new beginnings, I sense that this prophecy against Judah indicates a type of introduction to the “new beginning” of the Lord’s New Covenant.

As a reminder, seven is the number of completion. After the seven notes of the musical scale, the next note, the eighth, begins a new octave. Noah and his family, eight souls, began the human race again after the Great Flood.

1. The Lord stated, “I have loved you” (Malachi 1:2), and rebellious Judah replied, “How have you loved us?” This response shows how they had forgotten the Lord’s provision and grace toward them. The Lord reminded them of how He has loved Jacob and his descendants.
2. The Lord stated that the priests despised His name (Malachi 1:6), and they asked, “How have we despised your name.” The evidence the Lord showed was the offering of blemished sacrifices.
3. The Lord stated that the priests placed defiled food on His altar (Malachi 1:7), and their response was, “How have we defiled you?” His answer was that they considered the Lord’s Table contemptible!
4. The Lord noted that Judah wept over the altar (Malachi 2:13) because He did not regard their offerings anymore, and they asked, “Why?” His response was, because they had left the wife of their youth. Besides a lack of regard for the Lord, Judah had now turned its back on the family, the basic unit of any society.
5. The Lord declared that Judah had wearied Him (Malachi 2:17). Here the Lord speaks in the third person. I think in doing so He declared His royal, omnipotent sovereignty over all things. Of course, Judah asked, “How have we wearied you?” The Lord explained they had said that everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord! Here, they are questioning the very holiness of the Lord.
6. The Lord promised, “Return to Me and I will return to you,” and Judah’s response was, “How can we do that?” (Malachi 3:7) The Lord responded with a question. “Will a man rob God?”
7. The Lord stated that they had robbed Him (Malachi 3:8). Again, Judah asked, “How have we robbed you?” The Lord replied that they had robbed Him in tithes and offerings. He told them, “Try Me. Bring your tithes and offerings and see if I do not bless you.”
8. Finally, the Lord accused Judah of speaking arrogantly against Him (Malachi 3:13). Their answer was, “What did we say?” He stated that they said that it was vain to serve the Lord. In effect, they had said, “Why bother?”

Judah had wearied the Lord, but by His wonderful grace the Lord had a new plan, a New Covenant. He had announced this new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-33. By making these eight final statements, He was preparing Judah for the New Covenant, found in the New Testament.

Immediately following the eight statements, the Lord describes His Book of Remembrance for those who love and respect Him (Malachi 3:16). I pray my name, and yours, are in that book.

Immediately following this is the very short chapter four which is about the End of this era. This chapter describes the Day of the Lord in which the wicked are destroyed, but those who respect the Lord will be blessed. The Lord commands Judah to remember the Law of Moses, his servant. Then He promises to send Elijah the Prophet before the “great and dreadful Day of the Lord.”

The last persons named in the New Testament are Moses and Elijah. It was Moses and Elijah that appeared with the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. For these reasons, it is speculated that the Two Witnesses of the Revelation will be Moses and Elijah. That remains to be seen.

The first three chapters of Malachi explain the failure and inability of Judah and Israel to follow the Old Covenant that the Lord had given. The eight statements of the Lord confirm this, and then point to the “new beginning,” the New Covenant fulfilled in the New Testament.

Praise the Lord for that New Covenant which includes all of us, Jew and Gentile. Praise Him always!