1. Malachi : Debating God
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2. Malachi Malachi – My Messenger Perhaps he was a priest
Little is known of him
He wrote about 400 BC
He is the last of the prophets for about 400 years.
The next would be John the Baptizer

3. Malachi 1:2-3
"I have loved you," says the Lord. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" Says the Lord. "Yet Jacob I have loved; 3 But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness."

4. Debating God 7 times in KJV - “Wherein” In NKJV – “In what way”
God makes a statement, Malachi says (or is thinking) “In what way” is that true ?
Others versions ask “How ?”

5. Debating God
1 Questioning God's love – 1:2 "I have loved you," says the Lord. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" Says the Lord. "Yet Jacob I have loved;

6. Debating God
2 Questioning God's view of their attitude – 1:6 "A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'

7. Debating God
3 Questioning God's view of their offerings – 1:7 "You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, 'In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, 'The table of the Lord is contemptible.'

8. Debating God
4 Questioning God's assessment of their life view – 2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words; Yet you say, "In what way have we wearied Him?" In that you say, "Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the Lord, And He delights in them," Or, "Where is the God of justice?"

9. Debating God
5 Questioning God's assessment of their backsliding – 3:7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the Lord of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?'

10. Debating God
6 Questioning God's view of their giving – 3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.

11. Debating God
7 Questioning God's view of their selfish service – 3:13 "Your words have been harsh against Me," Says the Lord, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?'

12. Lessons from Malachi
1 There is no point in arguing with God. He is right.
2 God cares about you and your marriage (2:16) "For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one's garment with violence," Says the Lord of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously."

13. Lessons from Malachi
3 Man sees himself as good. (2:17) You have wearied the Lord with your words; Yet you say, "In what way have we wearied Him?" In that you say, "Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the Lord, And He delights in them," Or, "Where is the God of justice?"

14. Lessons from Malachi
4 Obedience in giving to God results in blessings (3:10) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

15. Lessons from Malachi
5 Serving God is profitable whether we see results or not. (3:14) You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?

16. End of Old Testament
Malachi lays down his pen of inspiration. There will not be another for more than 400 years.
Malachi ends with a promise ; Another prophet is coming (John the Baptizer) to prepare the way for the Messiah.