Utilizing the Word To Change Your Life: A Study of Malachi

Read the Word and it will change you. There is no neutral when it comes to the Bible, and there are no neutral people. Everyone is either on one side or another. Either we love God or we hate Him; either we trust in Him or we reject Him. It doesn’t matter if you’re an old sinner or brand new believer; a person who knows the Lord or a person who just recently met Him for the first time—if you have been touched by God’s Word, it will continually change you. As Christians, our responsibility is to read and study Scripture so that it changes us. Be encouraged and inspired with this study on the book of Malachi! Discover how the Holy Spirit uses even the strangest of circumstances to reveal things about ourselves, our lives, and God’s Word that we might not have otherwise seen.

Why You Should Read the Bible

The Bible is the most read and least understood book in the world. It has been the source of more wars, more heartaches, and more joy than any other book in the history of mankind. It has been the source of more blood, sweat, and tears than all the other books combined. It has been the source of more guidance, more comfort, and more inspiration than all the other books combined. It is the Book for all people for all time. It is the Word of God. It is your Book. There is no greater book ever written. There is no greater Book ever written.

Malachi’s Message to His Faithful People (Malachi 1:1-5)

Malachi begins his book by reminding his readers that they are God’s chosen people. They were the ones who were faithful to God when the rest of the world had turned their back on Him. He reminded them that God had called them out of darkness and into His marvelous light. This light was a symbolic reference to God giving us His Word so that we might know Him. God's light illuminates our darkened hearts and minds so that we might be able to understand His will and purpose for our lives. Malachi tells us that God had also entered into a covenant with them. This covenant was a blood covenant that was supposed to have kept them safe from harm and provided them with everything they needed. But now, Malachi is calling their attention to the fact that God is coming to see about the covenant He made with them.

Unworthy Sacrifices (Malachi 1:6-14)

Malachi begins to tear down the wall that separates him from the people he leads. He does this by telling them that the sacrifices they have been bringing to the temple have been worthless. He points out that the animals they’ve brought are blind, lame, and sick. He says that the sacrifices they are bringing are not fit to be lifted up to God. Malachi is trying to make a point. He’s trying to communicate that their sacrifices are not good enough. They are not what God wants. He wants them to stop bringing worthless sacrifices and start bringing healthy ones. Malachi is calling the people of Judah to repentance. He is telling them that God wants them to start living righteously. He’s telling them that God wants them to make a change. Malachi is setting the stage for what is to come. He is getting the people ready to turn away from their sin so that they might be able to receive the coming Messiah.

A warning to the Priest (Malachi 2:1-9)

Malachi’s message next turns to the priests who are supposed to be teaching the people. He tells them that they are supposed to be setting a good example for the people. He says, “You should not be like the people who disobey God.” He tells them that they are supposed to be setting a holy example for the people. He warns them that if they don’t start living righteously, God will punish them. He warns them that He will bring a curse upon them and that the people will know that they are at fault. Malachi then turns his attention back to the people again. He is trying to show them that they need to be careful who they listen to and who they follow. They need to be careful who they trust. They need to be careful who they put their confidence in because they could end up following an evil thing or person.

A call to Faithfulness (Malachi 2:10-17)

Malachi concludes his message with a challenge to the people of Judah to be faithful to God and to one another. He tells them that if they will be faithful, God will bless and prosper them. He tells them that if they will be faithful, He will protect and watch over them. He tells them that if they will be faithful, God will be faithful to them and He will reward them. Malachi ends his book by commanding the people of Judah to walk in the light and love each other. He tells them to walk in the light because they were the light of the world. He calls them to walk in righteousness because they were a righteous people. He challenges them to love each other because love is an expression of their faithfulness to God.

The Coming Day of Judgment (Malachi 3:1-5)

Malachi spends the next few verses warning the people of Judah that there is a coming day of judgment when God will judge the world based on what each person has done. He tells the people that they can’t get away with sin. He tells them that they can’t sin and then just go to church and get away with it. He tells them that the sins they commit will find them out. They will catch them in the end and there will be no escape. He uses a very interesting phrase when he says, “On the day of judgment, everyone will be like a piece of clothing with a mark on it.” The mark is like a stain or a mark that shows that they have been stained by sin. Malachi then makes a promise to the people of Judah. He promises to come to them like a refiner’s fire. He promises to test their hearts and minds like gold and silver are tested in a furnace. He promises to purify them like iron is purified in a furnace.

A call to repentance (Malachi 3:6-4:3)

Malachi calls the people of Judah to repent. He tells them that they need to turn from their wicked ways and start living righteously. He tells them that they need to start turning away from the sin in their lives. He warns them that if they don’t turn from their wicked ways, God will come to them like a thief in the night and take away everything they have. He tells them that God will remove His blessing from their lives. Malachi then tells them that God has not forgotten them. He tells them that God knows what they are going through. He tells them that God knows how they are suffering. He tells them that God knows the pain they are experiencing. He tells them that God knows their suffering won’t last forever. He tells them that He has heard their cries of pain and misery. He tells them that He has seen their tears and heard their cries. He tells them that He is coming to help them. He tells them that God is coming to restore their hearts, souls, and spirits. He tells them that God is coming to bring them back to Himself.

The Coming Day of Judgment (Malachi 3:6-4:3)

Malachi spent the next few verses warning the people of Judah that there is a coming day of judgment when God will judge the world based on what each person has done. He tells the people that they can’t get away with sin. He tells them that they can’t sin and then just go to church and get away with it. He tells them that the sins they commit will find them out. They will catch them in the end and there will be no escape. He uses a very interesting phrase when he says, “On the day of judgment, everyone will be like a piece of clothing with a mark on it.” The markngs on how to forgive those who have wronged us. These verses and passages from the Bible can serve as a helpful reminder in our own relationships with those around us. Read on for some Bible verses about loving your neighbor, loving your enemies, and the power of forgiveness.