The Book of Malachi
Recenty for the Digital Bible Study Program I did a live study on the book of Malachi. The Book of Malachi was believed to be written around the timeframe of 450 BC. It comes at a time following the captivity of Israel in Babylon. The temple has been rebuilt during the timeframe of Haggai and Zechariah. Ezra had come and shared the Book of the Law with the people. Nehemiah had rebuilt the wall. Yet, there were problems.
Malachi as a prophet of God is given a message to rebuke the Levite priests. The priests were allowing lame and blind sacrifices. This defiled the altar and the name of the Lord. They were engage in this action because their hearts were not in the right place. Consequently, they were failing God in both spirit and truth according to the commandments of God.
Within the book of Malachi it is also established that the actions of the priests had created a stumbling block for Judah. Judah consequently acted faithlessly in their offerings to God. The concept of a faithless priesthood and faithless Jerusalem and Judah is repeated oft in this book. Their faithlessness did not lend itself to making the name of the Lord great among the nations. Consequently, if they would not bring glory to God in their faithfulness, they would glorify Him as God demontrated his righteousness in judgment upon them.