The name "Malachi / מלאכי" means messenger. Interestingly enough, the Hebrew word translated as angel is מַלְאָך / mal'ACH. It, too, means "messenger. The prophet Malachi lived in the beginning of the Second Temple period. Haggai, Z'charyah / Zechariah and Malachi were the last three prophets prior to the end of prophecy. They were part of Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה, "The Men of the Great Assembly") -- a Sanhedrin of 120 scribes, sages, and prophets which met 50 years before prophecy terminated in 3448 (approximately 313 B.C.E.). This group formalized Jewish prayer and blessings and closed the T'nach (bible). The word T'NaCH is actually an acronym for the parts of the Hebrew Bible: "T" is for Torah, "N" is for Nevi'im, and "CH" is for Ketuvim. It is the acronym used to describe the Jewish (Hebrew) bible. The Christian version of the Jewish bible moves the books around – which changes not only the flow but the logic of many of them. Prophets are mixed in with Writings and many things are out of order making it nearly impossible to make sense of anything. The T’nach is comprised of תּוֹרָה (Torah), translates to "instruction." The Torah is often called the “Five Books of Moses” sometimes called the Pentateuch. G-d dictated the Torah to Moses and it is the holiest part of the bible. Moses was the greatest prophet to ever lived. G-d communicated directly with him. G-d also spoke to the entire Jewish nation at Horeb (Mount Sinai). The second part of the bible is נְבִיאִים / Nevi’im (Prophets). Prophecy is direct communication from G-d to a human via dreams and / or visions. The message from G-d is for the then living generation and the prophet must pass along the message to his (or her) people. Malachi is the last book in נְבִיאִים / Nevi’im (Prophets), but it is far from the last book of the Hebrew bible. After the Prophets comes כְּתוּבִים / Ketuvim -- translated as "Writings." כְּתוּבִים / Ketuvim is the third section of the T'nach consisting of history, stories, essays, songs and poems inspired by G-d, but not in direct communication (a level below prophecy). The Men of the Great Assembly, including Malachi, compiled Ketuvim. Just as Nevi'im is holy, but not as holy as the Torah, so too is Ketuvim holy, but not as holy as Nevi'im. The Writings were written under the influence of the spirit of G-d, which is a communication with G-d that is a level less than that of prophecy. In prophecy G-d speaks through the prophet. In the case of Ketuvim (Writings) people are influenced by G-d, and using their own words and thoughts they write inspired by a ruach haKodesh (spirit of holiness). The Christians put the book of Malachi last in their version of the Hebrew bible. This is seemingly to be a "lead in" to the birth of Jesus since Jesus will ask John the Baptist if he is the prophet Eliyahu (Elijah) -- and it is Malachi who prophesies that Elijah will come before the messiah. . . FYI, John the Baptist denied being Elijah in the Christian bible (John 1:2). Most Christians do not believe in reincarnation -- yet the story of John the Baptist' birth is given in the Christian bible -- so he would have to have been a reincarnated Elijah (going against Christian beliefs) -- so many contradictions! Malachi 3:1 has G-d saying (through Malachi) that His messenger will clear the way before Him. G-d will come to the Temple and the angel to punish the wicked will arrive. Not the messiah. This claimed prophetic fulfillment is indeed made in Matthew 11:10 which says "This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’" but Matthew's anonymous author is misusing the prophecy of Malachi. Malachi 3:1 is not about preparing the way for the messiah. This messenger does not prepare the way for the messiah. He prepares the way for G-d. "Behold I am sending My messenger (angel? Malachi? Eliyahu / Elijah?), and he will clear a path before Me; suddenly, the L-rd Whom you seek will come to His Sanctuary (Temple). And behold! The messenger of the covenant, for whom you yearn, behold He comes, says HaShem, Master of Legions." Malachi 3:1. It is clear that this chapter is not about Jesus. How do we know this? G-d says that this messenger will straighten out the Levites (the priestly tribe) who has been "going through the motions." He will purge them as one refines gold and silver. . . "And then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and former years." Malachi 3:4 Now ask yourself: 2000 years ago, when Jesus supposedly lived, was the Temple purified and the sacrifices pleasing to G-d? Not even close. Both the Talmud and the Christian bible (as well as external historical resources) speak of the corruption of the Temple in the time of Jesus. Matthew 21:12–17, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45–48 and John 2:13–16 all speak of Jesus "cleansing" the Temple. Aha! Jesus CLEANSED the Temple. No, that is what the Christian bible calls the "pacifist" Jesus as he whips and beats the money lenders in the Temple. The Christian bible accuses the priests of killing Jesus (remember?). Hence he didn't "cleanse" it as per the prophecy of Malachi. The Talmud tells us that the Second Temple became corrupted over time. Miracles had been sporadic and in decline after the death of Simon the Just. He died around 200 BCE (200 years before Jesus' supposed birth). Malachi's prophecy was not about the Second Temple -- and Jesus did not "fulfill" it. See Yoma 38 and Yoma 39. No, this prophecy did not come to pass in the time of Jesus -- G-d did not send a messenger to herald the way for Him. This has yet to happen in the real messianic era. The people have neglected G-d’s Torah for a long time. Now He says, “Return to Me and I will return to you.” Malachi 3:7. Not Jesus being rejected. Not Christianity. Christianity teaches that Jesus came to replace the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people. "By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear." Hebrews 8:13. The T'nach (Jewish bible) tells us time and again that the covenant with the Jews is eternal (the "new" covenant of the T'nach is a renewal of the existing one). It will never be replaced, made obsolete or outdated as Hebrews claims. This is how we know that the claim that Jesus fulfilled Malachi 3 is false. Jesus did not replace the Jewish covenant. Malachi states that at the time this messenger clears the way for G-d to enter the Temple the Levites (priestly tribe) will be purified so that the offerings of Israel will be pleasing to G-d as in earlier times. Far from being replaced by Jesus, the sacrifices of the Temple will be pleasing to G-d. The idea of Jesus' "new" covenant and a priesthood based on any group other than the Levites (Melchizedek ring a bell?) is false. It is impossible to repudiate the Levitical priesthood and Jewish sacrificial system as Christianity does and then claim that this prophecy has anything to do with Jesus. "From the days of your fathers you have departed from My laws and have not kept [them]. "Return to Me, and I will return to you," said the L-rd of Hosts..." Malachi 3:7. Return to Me (G-d) and my Torah (instructions) -- not turn to Jesus and ignore the Torah and the priests (Levites) and the sacrifices of the Torah. . . Malachi 3 gives the prophecy that the Jewish people will, as a whole, become Torah observant in the messianic age. Christianity will not replace Judaism -- belief in Jesus will not replace the Torah. "Keep in remembrance the teaching / תּוֹרַ֖ת / torah (torot) of Moses, My servant-the laws and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb (Mount Sinai) for all Israel." Malachi 3:22. (Malachi 4:4 in Christian versions. There is no "chapter 4" in the T'nach). Observe the Torah so that you will be spared on judgment day. . . For on the day of Judgment G-d will send the prophet Eliyahu / Elijah to turn back (to G-d) the hearts of the fathers to their sons and the sons to their fathers. This did not happen with Jesus. None of it happened -- including the coming of Elijah, let alone the glorious judgment day.
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