I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Malachi 1-4.

    Malachi (which may be a person’s name, or may just be the title they adopted since it translates as “my messenger”) calls us both to task for our unfaithfulness and to be faithful in the future. He challenges hypocrites, those who claim to hold themselves to a high standard while knowingly violating God’s law at all levels. He condemns those who claim to speak for God and to be God’s Chosen while encouraging sin and sacrificing corrupt items to God. He contrasts them to people who have no claim to a relationship with God who honor God. The prophet challenges us in two ways regarding marriage. First, he condemns those who marry someone who does not worship God, but claim to do so themselves. Second, he condemns those who are unfaithful to their spouse, either through seeking another sexual partner or through divorce (or both). Having called us out for our sins, the prophet calls us to repentance, warning that God’s day of judgement is coming. When that day arrives God will pass us through tribulations to refine us as a refiner passes silver through fire to refine it. The fewer sins and impurities there are in our lives, the less traumatic that Day will be for us.