2 MALACHI AT-A-GLANCE 2 & 0.T. BOOK #39 AUTHOR: MALACHI WRITTEN: 433-424 BC Covering this time period: 424 BC – 24 AD Old Testament: 39 Books 39 New Testament: 27 Books CLAIMS TO FAME: Last book of the Old Testament FAMOUS STORIES INCLUDED: MOST FAMOUS VERSES: • There are no stories in this final book of Old Testament prophecy. See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. Malachi 4:5 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10 Important Points about the Book: • By the time of Malachi, the people of Judah had been back in Judah after the Babylonian exile for more than 100 years. They were looking for blessings. The temple had been rebuilt. However, there was corruption in the priesthood and the people had become spiritually disinterested. • God showed the people through Malachi where they were falling short and in danger of hurting themselves and others again. The book closes with the famous passage above, Malachi 4:5. It refers to John the Baptist and is a verse most religious leaders knew about when Christ was alive. Jesus confirms the spirit of Elijah was in John the Baptist. But because people were looking for the physical appearance of Elijah, they missed the fact that John was God's messenger to announce the Messiah was here.