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Activity 1|Activity 2|Activity 4|Activity 5
Process
Activity 3: Know Your
Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures
Group 1: Your Prophets are: Isaiah (first) and Malachi
Complete the tasks for Malachi.
2
Malachi
Use the following information and the listed resources to complete your tasks.
Malachi
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| Images: |
His Name Means |
My
Messenger |
| |
Appears |
Malachi |
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The
prophet and his situation |
Despite
his attacks on priests (1:6 - 2:4), he was favourable to the levitical priesthood (2:4 -
7), and he insisted on the people's obligation to contribute to the expenses of the Temple
and the support of the personnel (3:6-12). He had a humane concern for the wife who
suffers rejection(2:14-16), for the people of Judah who wonder about God's love for them
(1:2-5), and he was sure that those who wrong the defenceless would eventually receive
punishment from God (3:5). He had a religious sense of God's honour (1:6-14) and of the
transcendence which enables God to enforce his will wherever he wishes (1:5). |
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Best
Known As |
Malachi
is the last work in the collection of the Twelve Minor Prophets, and therefore brings to
an end the prophetical books of the Old Testament. |
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Special
Interest |
Malachi's
prophecy is expressed in the unusual form of six questions-and-answer dialogues. |
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Time |
A
Post-exilic prophet. Malachi prophesied after the rebuilt temple was completed (515 BC)
and after Haggai and Zechariah, but before the arrival of Nehemiah (445 BC) |
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Key
Themes/
Messages |
God's
Love for Israel (1:1- 5) Calls
to repentance
Worthless Sacrifices (1:6 - 2:9)
Broken Promises (2:10 - 16)
The coming of the Day of the Lord
God's Judgement (2: 17 - 3:5)
The Importance of Tithes (3: 6 - 12)
The return of Elijah (4:6)
God's Promise of Mercy (3:13 - 4:6)
Married people are expected to show
loyalty and faithfulness to each other (2:10 - 16) |
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Key
Passages |
This
book is a call to the people to change their ways. It condems the offering of polluted
sacrifice and mixed marriage. In return for repentance, it promises the enduring
protection of God. "From
the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every
place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering, for my name is great among the
nations, says the LORD of hosts"
God's messenger (3:1)
I will open the windows of heaven
(3:10)
The sun of righteousness will rise
(4:2) |
Sources:
Bower, J. 1998, The Complete Bible Handbook - An Illustrated Companion,Dorling
Kindersley, UK
Brown, R.E., Fitzmyer, J.A.,and Murphy, R.E., 1992. The New Jerome Bible
Handbook, Geoffrey Chapman, England
Comay, J., and, Browning, R., 1980. Who's Who in the Old Testament,
Bonanza Books, NY
Drane, J.(ed), 1998, The Lion Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Bible,
Lion Publishing, England
Motyer, S. 1998. Who's Who in the Bible - An Illustrated Guide,
Dorling Kindersley, UK
Resources
Malachi - Bible Study
Catholic Encyclopedia - Malachi
(reading difficult)
Bible Sermons Online - Malachi
Bible Basics - Scroll down the
list on the left to Malachi
When you have finished
Activity 3, go to Process
Introduction|Task|Process|Resources|Evaluation|Conclusion|Teachers
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