Interactive Bible Study. Malachi. Fearing the LORD

Transcription

1 Interactive Bible Study Malachi Fearing the LORD 0

2 What do you know about Malachi? Name and Correctional Facility: Pre-test 1. What is the Main message of Malachi? 2. Who wrote Malachi? 3. Who was Malachi written to? 4. List some of the issues God confronts the people in Malachi? 5. What is the main problem in Malachi? 6. What are some key words in the book of Malachi? 7. What is the progression of events of the Lord s coming in Malachi? 8. What is the final dispute that the people have against God in Malachi chapter 3? 1

3 Lesson One Overview and Chapters One and Two I HAVE LOVED YOU Day One Read through Malachi in one sitting without interruption Do not try to figure out what the author is saying Simply read as you would read a book Record your first impressions Read through Malachi again Ask Questions: Who, What When, Where, Why, & How Who is the author? When was it written? According to Malachi 1:1, what is the book of Malachi and who is it delivered to? Check you re Bible and see if there is a marginal note in verse 1 that gives you an alternative word for what the book of Malachi is. Read through Malachi again Mark the key repeated phrases but you say or yet you say as you read Malachi Fill in the chart below of what is disputed and what they say Scripture What is disputed But you say/yet you say 1:2 I have loved you How have you loved us? How would you describe the spiritual condition of these people? Do you relate to any of this? 2

4 Day Two & Day Three Research What is the timing and the historical setting of the book of Malachi? Where does Malachi fit in time? Nehemiah is a historical book; Malachi is a prophetic book from a messenger of God sent at a specific time to speak for Him. What s the relationship between Malachi and Nehemiah? What do you know about the state of Jerusalem and the temple that had been destroyed when Babylon conquered Judah? What part of temple worship is mentioned in Malachi? Read Malachi chapter 1 Mark the following key repeated words in a distinctive way Love; hated; Esau/Edom; priests; sacrifice/offering; despise (d); defiled; profane; evil; feared/respect; My name/your name; curse/cursed Circle any references to time Underline geographical locations List the main theme of Malachi chapter one on the Malachi Chapter Theme Chart on page 10 Day Four Read Malachi 1:1-5. What point is God making and why? How is He making it? Read Malachi 1:3-4. What has God done to Edom? For how long? What might Edom say? Who will prevail and how do you know this? Read Genesis 25:19-34 and Genesis 28:6-9 List who Esau is and why he is called Edom Read Obadiah 1:4, and Hebrews 12:15-17 Why does God hate Esau? Read Romans 9:6-13. How does God support His right to choose? How does this make you feel about God? From a strictly human perspective, what does it call into question about God? How might someone object who does not have a full understanding of God s sovereignty? How would you answer such an objection from the text? Romans 9:14-21 What does faith do? What will you do with all this? 3

5 Day Five Has the content of Malachi surprised you in any way? Read through Malachi chapter 1 again Who are verses 6-14 directed to? According to the key words you carefully marked, list the main issues the Lord deals with in these verses? Read Leviticus 21:6, 8, 17 and Leviticus 22:1-2, What was the priest s responsibility in serving the Lord in respect to the sacrifices and offerings? What did you learn from these verses and from Malachi chapter 1 about the name of the Lord? What do you think profaning (despising) the name of the Lord means? What do you think God means when He calls the priests to shut the gates the doors? Is there any possible application to today? Read Malachi 1:11. What do you learn from marking name and nations? Application: Read Romans 12:1. Take a few minutes for prayer, and reflect on this verse. Ask the Lord to reveal to you any way in which you might be profaning the name of the Lord and what you should do about it. Do you see the connection between what you offer to God, your sacrifices, and how it reflects your view of God and His name? How does this show His worth to others? 4

6 Lesson Two-Chapter Two Take Heed to Your Spirit Let No One Deal Treacherously Day One Read Malachi 1 and 2 List your observations you have on Malachi 2 Remember to ask the who, what, when, why, where, & how questions Mark the following key words: covenant; Levi (same as you did priest); reverence/revered (same as you did fear); iniquity (same as you did evil); deal treacherously Record the theme of Malachi chapter 2 on the Malachi Chapter Theme Chart on page 10 Day Two Read Malachi 1:6-2:9 List what the text says about priests What do you learn about the general state of the priests in this portion of Malachi? Instruction was repeated four times in Malachi 2:6-9 The marginal note on instruction in the New American Standard Bible translation is law. Review your list on the priests What is the implication of the references to instruction? Think about the vital role of the priests in the spiritual well-being of the people Do you see any application for today? Read Exodus 19:1-6 What did God say about Israel? Read 1 Peter 2:1-5, 9-10; Revelation 5:6-10; Revelation 20:6 What do you learn about how God regards believers in Jesus Christ? Read Matthew 28:16-20 List what you learn about the role of the priest, God s words about instruction, and the commission Jesus gave His disciple and us Application: How would all this look in your life if you saw your role as a priest to the world around you? Day Three Read Malachi 2:1-9 Why is God going to do what He says He will do? (Malachi 2:1-4) What does this tell you about God and about His chastening, His discipline? Read Numbers 3:1-12; Numbers 18:21-32; Deuteronomy 33:1-11; Numbers 25:1-13 Record what you learn about God s relationship to Levi? Contrast what you learned in the cross-references with the priests of Malachi s day Application: What have you seen that you can apply to your life? That will show you how to live in today s culture? 5

7 Day Four Read Malachi 2:10-16 Do you think these verses are a continuation of what the Lord of hosts was saying to the priests or has He broadened His words to others? List your reason for you answer What is the problem (the abomination)? What is its consequence? What is the another thing you do in verses 13 and 14? What is their question? What is God s answer? What is happening that God hates? Read Exodus 20:1-6; Exodus 23:31-33; Deuteronomy 7:1-6 What do you learn about Married the daughter of a foreign god? Read 1 Kings 11:1-11; Ezra 9:1-4, 10-14; Ezra 10:1-3, 9-12; Nehemiah 13:23-28 (Remember this was during Malachi s time) What do you learn about what Israel did? Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 Application: How would you disciple another person in respect to dating and marriage with all you have learned today? Day Five How sacred is marriage? Malachi chapter two says I hate divorce. Why does God hate it? The only way to answer that is to understand what God says about marriage. What does our culture say about: Marriage? Sex outside of marriage? Divorce? Read Genesis 2:18, Where did the concept of marriage come from? Read 1 Corinthians 6:15-18 How do these verses help define the one flesh in Genesis 2:24? Read Leviticus 21:10-15; Deuteronomy 22:13-21 What do you learn about marriage? Read Matthew 19:1-9 What did Jesus say about divorce and why? (Read Deuteronomy 24:1-4 to learn about the certificate of divorce) Read Malachi 2:13-16 How would God s words protect the wife of one s youth, keep a man from dealing treacherously with her? Who else besides the wife is affected by divorce? Read Isaiah 61:6-9 What did you observe about offspring? Read 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 What do you learn about children? What do you learn about God s reason? Read Malachi 2:17 What are the people saying that wearies the Lord? Application: Do you see this happening today? Where and how? Why do you think this is happening? 6

8 Lesson Three Chapters Three and Four ARE YOU ROBBING GOD? ARE YOU AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES? Day One Read the book of Malachi in one setting What is the primary purpose of this book? Read Malachi chapter 3 and 4 Mark the key words evil, iniquity, the day of the Lord, return, blessed, the temple, the house of the Lord in a distinctive way Ask the who, what, where, why, when, and how questions as you observe chapter 3 and 4 Record the theme of Malachi chapter 3 and 4 on the Malachi Chapter Theme Chart on page 10 Day Two Read Malachi 2:17-3:18 What is the connection between 2:17 and 3:18? How does the content of chapter 3 fit with that of 2:17? Read Malachi 3:1 How would you describe the people in this verse? How many are referred to? What is their relationship to each other? Read Matthew 11:1-10 & Luke 1:5-17, 59-60, What do you learn? How does it fit with Malachi 3:1? Read Isaiah 42:1-8 Watch the description of this person in this verse? Watch the mention of covenant and write down who you think this person is and why Read Malachi 3:2-6 Pay attention to the times phrases day of His coming and the thens List the progression of events When do you think this will happen and why? Why is this going to happen? Read Zechariah 13:8-9 Is there a connection between Zechariah 13:8-9 and Malachi? 7

9 Day Three & Day Four Read Malachi 3:7-12 What is the admonition in 3:7? What follows in 3:8-12? Mark the references to tithe List what you learn Read Exodus 23:14-17 What do you learn about appearing before the Lord? Read Nehemiah 10:32-39 & Nehemiah 13:10-14 What do you learn about the people and their tithes? Read Deuteronomy 12:10-12, 14:22-25, 14:28-29, 26:1-19 What did God teach His people about tithes? Ask the 5 W s and H questions (who is to tithe or receive the tithe, what is to be tithed, when is it to be tithe, where is it to be brought?) Read Leviticus 22:17-24; 1 Chronicles 29:6-17; Ezra 1:4-6 What do you learn about by way of instruction or example? Read Genesis 14:17-20 Did tithing, like the Sabbath, precede the giving of the Law? Answer as many of the 5 Ws and H questions that the text gives you Compare with Hebrews 7:1-10 Who is paying tithes? To whom? Who receives the tithes? What is the point? Read Acts:2:1-47, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 2 Corinthians 9:5-8 What do you learn about financial stewardship and accountability? Read 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (do you see any parallels here with Malachi 3:8-12?) What do you think God expects of those who are partakers of the New Covenant of grace? 8

10 Day Five Read Malachi 3:13-4:6 What is the last dispute in 3:13-15 about? What classes or categories of people are mentioned in this last section of Malachi? What do you learn from these people? Look at the references to time that you marked: the day of His coming (3:2), the day that is coming (4:1), the day which I am preparing (3:17; 4:3) and the great and terrible day of the Lord (4:5). What do you learn about these day references? Do you think they are different days or the same day and why? What do you learn about Elijah the prophet in the last two verses of Malachi? Read 2 Kings 2:1-3, 11-12, Hebrews 9:27 How did Elijah die, or go to heaven? What does God tell us about Elijah s death? How many times does a man die and stays dead? Read Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5 Who else went to heaven without dying? Read Matthew 17:1-4, 9-13 What is the bottom line regarding Elijah? Is he coming or not? What will he do if he does come back? Read Revelation 11:1-13 How long does the two witnesses minister? When and how do they die? Where do they go? Read Malachi 4:4 What is God s final charge to Israel? If they did that, how would it cover what the Lord of hosts said to Israel through Malachi the prophet? Application: How has God spoken to you through His word these last three weeks? 9

11 Malachi Chapter Theme Chart Book Theme: (Summary Statement of the Theme of the Book) Chapter Themes Author: 1 Date: 2 Purpose: 3 Key Words: 4 10

12 What do you know about Malachi? Name and Correctional Facility: Post-test 1. What is the Main message of Malachi? 2. Who wrote Malachi? 3. Who was Malachi written to? 4. List some of the issues God confronts the people in Malachi? 5. What is the main problem in Malachi? 6. What are some key words in the book of Malachi? 7. What is the progression of events of the Lord s coming in Malachi? 8. What is the final dispute that the people have against God in Malachi chapter 3? 11

13 NOTES 12

14 Notes 13