Theme - While the book of Malachi deals largely with the conditions of the times in which he lived and wrote, it has many distinctive prophetic elements. The temple had been rebuilt; the walls of Jerusalem had been restored; and temple services had been fully re-established. Yet, the spiritual state of the remnant Jews in Palestine had greatly deteriorated: the people had become selfish and sensual; religion had degenerated into formalisms and liturgies; even priests had grown corrupt. The reforms effected by Nehemiah during the first tenure of office were largely forgotten during his absence, and on his return from Babylon he found priests lax in teaching the Law, even as they were in observing it themselves. The people offered their poorest instead of their best to the Lord; tithes were withheld; intermarriage of Jews with heathen women had become common. With all these apostasis, the prophet Malachi deals.

The style of Malachi is peculiar. It is argumentative in form, strongly polemical. The author follows the art of attracting attention by introducing objections to the truths presented, and then replying to the objections with emphatic additions to his original statement.

Outline - Malachi may be divided into four main sections: I. Jehovah's Love for Israel (1:1-5) II. Rebuke of the Sins of the Priests (1:6-2:9) III. The Sins of the People Denounced (2:10-3:18) IV. The Day of the Lord; Messianic Prophecies (4:1-6)