Malachi

Malachi, a prophet, received the word of the Lord to Israel.

Malachi was a prophet of the Lord who delivered a message to the people of Israel after their return from Babylonian exile. The opening verse of the book bearing his name states that the word of the Lord came to Israel through Malachi. The name "Malachi" means "my messenger" in Hebrew. Malachi confronted the people about their spiritual apathy, their neglect of proper worship, and their disobedience to God's laws. He also foretold the coming of a messenger who would prepare the way for the Lord (Mal 1:1).

Messenger or angel, the last of the minor prophets, and the writer of the last book of the Old Testament canon (Mal. 4:4, 5, 6). Nothing is known of him beyond what is contained in his book of prophecies. Some have supposed that the name is simply a title descriptive of his character as a messenger of Jehovah, and not a proper name. There is reason, however, to conclude that Malachi was the ordinary name of the prophet.

He was contemporary with Nehemiah (comp. Mal. 2:8 with Neh. 13:15; Mal. 2:10-16 with Neh. 13:23). No allusion is made to him by Ezra, and he does not mention the restoration of the temple, and hence it is inferred that he prophesied after Haggai and Zechariah, and when the temple services were still in existence (Mal. 1:10; 3:1, 10). It is probable that he delivered his prophecies about B.C. 420, after the second return of Nehemiah from Persia (Neh. 13:6), or possibly before his return.