The Prophets: Malachi

Malachi, from the Hebrew name pronounced mawl-aw-kee, meaning servant, or messenger, was a prophet of the LORD (see 'Before Abraham Was, I AM' to understand that "the LORD God" was Jesus Christ) in the time of Nehemiah (see also Ezra), when the people of Judah had returned from their Babylonian exile. Malachi's prophecies were very similar to the warnings given to the people of Judah before they had been taken into exile (see The Southern Kingdom); it seems that they were already falling back to "obeying" the LORD in ways that they chose for themselves (much of present day "Judaism," which resulted in them not recognizing the Messiah when He came, originated in the time after the return from Babylon; see Did Jesus Break The Law?, The Origin Of The Essenes, Sadducees And Pharisees and 'His Blood Be On Us And Our Children').

"^1:10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. ^1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

^1:12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. ^1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD." (Malachi 1:10-13 KJV)

"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble"

The prophecy that Malachi was given to deliver, like all of the other prophets, involved much more than a single nation. Much of what Malachi spoke has not come to happen yet, including the ministry of another prophet (referring actually to the "two witnesses" who will serve the LORD in the time just prior to Christ's return - see the Fact Finder question below) who will "prepare the way" for the LORD's Coming by preaching repentance and obedience to God's Law (a prophecy partially fulfilled by John the Baptist) i.e. "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple."

"^3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple [see also Why Did They Face East?], even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

^3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: ^3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. ^3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

^3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts." (Malachi 3:1-5 KJV)

The prophecy quoted above is the warning. Malachi then continued with the result, for those who do not repent and truly obey God's Law.

"^4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. ^4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. ^4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

^4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

^4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: ^4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:1-6 KJV)

Fact Finder: In most English-language translations of the Holy Bible, the Old Testament ends with the book of Malachi. The New Testament record begins 2 or 3 centuries later, during which the Greek Empire (see Ancient Empires - Greece) reached its peak before being overcome by the Roman Empire (see Ancient Empires - Rome) which is prevalent during the New Testament. What Greek king caused the original "abomination of desolation"?
See Abomination of Desolation - Where?; also How Long Will 'The End Time' Last?