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Running Head: TIMES of MALACHI 1 the Times of Malachi and the Malachi Song Lynaya Doomy a Senior Thesis Submitted in Partia

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Running Head: TIMES of MALACHI 1 the Times of Malachi and the Malachi Song Lynaya Doomy a Senior Thesis Submitted in Partia Running head: TIMES OF MALACHI 1 The Times of Malachi and The Malachi Song Lynaya Doomy A Senior Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation in the Honors Program Liberty University Spring 2016 TIMES OF MALACHI 2 Acceptance of Senior Honors Thesis This Senior Honors Thesis is accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation from the Honors Program of Liberty University. ______________________________ David K. Schmal, D.M.A. Thesis Chair ______________________________ David M. Hahn, D.M.A. Committee Member ______________________________ Lynnda S. Beavers, Ph. D. Committee Member ______________________________ James H. Nutter, D. A. Honors Director ______________________________ Date TIMES OF MALACHI 3 Abstract Malachi is an Old Testament book addressing Israel’s struggles with discontentment and complacent worship, issues that are strikingly similar to those in the church today. Israel had returned to their sacred land but had left their sacred ways behind. The heart for God had perhaps been left in captivity. Selfishness and disappointment reigned, as the nation felt oddly deflated by God’s lack of a “proper response” to their desires, while they simultaneously flaunted their disobedience to God’s laws. The main sins addressed by Malachi were: the corruption of worship and offerings, the rampant sin of divorce, marriage to foreign women, and the attitude of complacency toward these sins. Half-hearted offerings, self-serving choices, and an absolute denial of their sinful state calls to mind the heart of the modern church today. Malachi delivers a rally cry that rings throughout the ages and should batter the doors of our hearts and churches today, as much as it was intended to in the times of this God-sent messenger. The words of this prophet were crucial during the times they were spoken, but their significance has not been lessened over time. This project includes a song based on principles gleaned from the book of Malachi. The Appendix of this thesis includes background information regarding the process of writing and recording this song. It also includes a music chart which reflects the recording. TIMES OF MALACHI 4 The Times of Malachi and The Malachi Song Context There is debate regarding the authorship of the Old Testament book of Malachi. Although with other prophetic books the title and author are one and the same, many scholars are unsure whether the title Malachi is specific to the author or the content. Rex Mason, for example, states that “Malachi may have been his name (proper names of this kind do occur in the Old Testament), but more probably it is a title meaning ‘My messenger.’”1 However, many scholars do believe that Malachi was the name of the prophet. Hindson and Yates say that the nature of the headings of other Prophetic books (Zechariah, Ezra, Haggai…) suggests “Malachi” is a name.2 Irving Jensen believes it is simply the shortening of a common Hebrew name, “Malachiah,” which means “messenger of Jehovah.”3 Herbert Wolf states, “[I]t would be very strange indeed if the Hebrews preserved a prophetic book without giving the name of the author. Even as short a book as Obadiah does not lack the name of the inspired writer, although nothing else is known about him.”4 Pieter Verhoef points out his reason to regard the word Malachi as a name; “…when the expression beyad is used to indicate the human instrument of God’s revelation it is normally followed by a proper name.”5 This term, beyad, is used in the 1. Mason, Rex. The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977. 135-136. 2. Hindson, Edward E., and Gary E. Yates. The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2012. 442. 3. Jensen, Irving Lester. Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament: Search and Discover. Chicago: Moody Press, 1978. 467. 4. Wolf, Herbert. Haggai and Malachi: Rededication and Renewal. Chicago: Moody Press, 1976. 58. 5. Verhoef, Pieter A. The Books of Haggai and Malachi. Grand Rapids. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987. 156. TIMES OF MALACHI 5 book of Malachi in the introductory verses. This would indicate that Malachi is a proper name. Verhoef concludes, “In the absence of compelling arguments to the contrary it is logical to accept that the prophet was called Malachi.”6 The question of when Malachi was written is more complicated to answer. Malachi fails to offer any notable identifiers as to the date of authorship. A basic frame of reference can be created, however, by the content of the book. Malachi is one of the three Postexilic Prophets, along with Haggai and Zechariah.7 “Postexilic” means “post-exile,” which would place this book after the return of Israel from the captivity of Babylon to the land of Canaan. This is believed by most scholars because Temple worship is addressed, and during the Babylonian exile and captivity, the Temple was destroyed. This gives us a very basic idea of when the book was written to Israel. However, this does not clarify the specific date. There are several considered for the book of Malachi. Jensen writes about one popular theory that the book of Malachi should be placed right in the middle of Nehemiah’s timeline.8 This would mean that Nehemiah was back in Babylon, between his first and second term as Governor of Jerusalem. That would place the date of Malachi at about 433 B.C. The reasons that this makes sense are: The Temple is complete, a Persian governor rules over Jerusalem, and Nehemiah addresses similar issues when he returns from Babylon for his second term as 6. Verhoef, Pieter A. The Books of Haggai and Malachi. Grand Rapids. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987. 156. 7. Jensen, Irving Lester. Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament: Search and Discover. Chicago: Moody Press, 1978. 467. 8. Ibid. TIMES OF MALACHI 6 Governor.9 Wolf would agree, but goes a bit farther, “The correspondence between the list of sins in Nehemiah 13 and those against which Malachi preached suggests a date during Nehemiah’s second period as governor or just prior to his return.”10 Wolf would possibly place Malachi during Nehemiah’s second period of governorship. This would mean that the governor in the book of Malachi was Nehemiah himself. Wolf would also place the date “tentatively” around 433 B. C.11 Mason, however, insists that “…the date of the book must still be regarded as an open one.”12 He points out plainly that “it is true that some of Nehemiah’s reforms during his second period of governorship, recorded in Neh. 13, correspond to abuses attacked by Malachi, but there are also differences. Nehemiah does not apply himself to the question of divorce while Malachi has nothing to say about the Sabbath observance.”13 It may be hasty to presume that since some of the information aligns between the books, the date can be certain. Mason is not the only skeptic regarding this theory. Richard Taylor and R. Ray Clendenen both state in their New American Commentary that the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles “may have been written later”14 than Malachi, which would 9. Jensen, Irving Lester. Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament: Search and Discover. Chicago: Moody Press, 1978. 467. 10. Wolf, Herbert. Haggai and Malachi: Rededication and Renewal. Chicago: Moody Press, 1976. 57. 11. Wolf, Herbert. Haggai and Malachi: Rededication and Renewal. Chicago: Moody Press, 1976. 58. 12. Mason, Rex. The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977. 137. 13. Ibid. 14. Taylor, Richard A., and E. Ray. Clendenen. Haggai and Malachi: The New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2004. 203. TIMES OF MALACHI 7 mean that Nehemiah had little or nothing to do with the times of that prophet. Although a precise year cannot be determined, it is clear that most believe Malachi to have been written around 400-500 B.C. It is interesting to observe the style of the book of Malachi. Mason briefly describes it as “prophetic dispute.”15 This style is presented in a question and answer format, or “Charge/Accusation.”16 Jensen briefly describes this format through an example found in Malachi 3:8: ““You have robbed me,” Interrogation “How have we robbed you?” Refutation “Answer.””17 The answer is where God explains the guiltiness of Israel. There are twenty-three such questions presented in the book of Malachi.18 In proportion to its size, the book of Malachi has the most words directly from God of any prophetic book. Forty-seven verses out of the total fifty-five are spoken directly by the Lord; the book also holds the last recorded words of the Lord in Old Testament times.19 There is no doubt from whom Malachi recieved this revelation. Herbert Wolf counts “twenty times within the fifty-five verses, the notation “says the LORD of hosts” appears”.20 Since the message in the book of Malachi is one of correction, it is appropriate that the words came from the Lord and not from man. 15. Mason, Rex. The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977. 136. 16. Jensen, Irving Lester. Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament: Search and Discover. Chicago: Moody Press, 1978. 469. 17. Ibid. 18. Hindson, Edward E., and Gary E. Yates. The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2012. 19. Jensen, Irving Lester.
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