Scripture Helps
Malachi
Through the prophet Malachi, the Lord rebuked the Israelites for offering blemished animals for their sacrifices. The Lord also reproved the priests for setting a poor example that caused many people to stumble. He commanded the Jews to return to Him by paying tithes and offerings. He assured the righteous that their efforts to serve Him would be rewarded when He returned to earth. Malachi foresaw the fate of the wicked and the righteous at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He prophesied that the Lord would send the prophet Elijah before His Second Coming to perform a great work, turning “the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6).
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Background and Context
What is the book of Malachi?
Malachi was a prophet who preached to the Jews in Jerusalem after they returned from Babylonian exile. The exact timing of Malachi’s ministry is uncertain, but his book is generally dated between 500 and 350 BC. Some scholars place it in the mid 400s BC—about a century after the first Jews returned from exile—meaning Malachi may have been a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The name Malachi means “my messenger” in Hebrew. As the Lord’s messenger, Malachi addressed the spiritual decline among the Jews. Through him the Lord reproved the Jews, and the priests specifically, and urged them to return to Him. Malachi also prophesied of the last days, speaking of the vital work initiated by the return of Elijah before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Malachi’s writings take a distinctive literary form: a series of exchanges in a dialogue between the Lord and the people. These exchanges often include rhetorical questions posed by the Lord or the people, along with responses that revealed the misunderstanding of the people.
Though the book of Malachi is brief, it is frequently referenced in other scriptures. Malachi was quoted by New Testament writers, often to reference the mission of John the Baptist. He was also quoted by Jesus Christ to the Nephites and Lamanites and by Moroni when he appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Malachi’s well-known prophecy that Elijah would “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” appears, at times with variation, in each of the standard works.
What does it mean that the Lord “loved Jacob” and “hated Esau”?
In the Bible, the word translated as hate can sometimes mean “not to choose” rather than being an expression of contempt. That appears to be the case in this passage. Verse 2 reveals that the Jews had questioned the Lord’s love for them. In response, the Lord referred to His choosing of Jacob over Esau to remind the people of their unique status as His covenant people. The Lord had made a covenant with Jacob and his descendants that He did not make with Esau and his descendants. The Lord may have used this comparison not only to reassure the people of His love for them but also to remind them of their responsibility to live faithfully as His covenant people.
Some may wonder if it was unfair that the Lord did not choose Esau. It is important to remember that in His eternal plan, the Lord extends His covenantal love and blessings to all who are willing to make and keep sacred covenants with Him. Elder David A. Bednar taught: “To be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather, you and I ultimately can choose to be chosen through the righteous exercise of our moral agency.”
How were the priests polluting sacred ordinances?
Animal sacrifice symbolized the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Because of this, the Lord commanded that all animals offered must “be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.” This meant that animals should not be offered as sacrifices if they were blind, injured, deformed, or diseased. Many of the people in the days of Malachi, as well as the priests who oversaw the sacrifices, disregarded these commandments and accepted improper, blemished sacrifices. Through Malachi, the Lord warned that these actions would bring cursing rather than blessing.
Who is the promised messenger that would prepare the way before the Lord?
Malachi prophesied of a messenger who would come to prepare the way for the Lord. The Savior declared that John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy by preparing the way before Christ’s mortal ministry. In our dispensation, the Prophet Joseph Smith was sent as a messenger to prepare the way for the Savior’s Second Coming.
The Baptism, by Greg K. Olsen
Who is the “messenger of the covenant” that “shall suddenly come to his temple”?
“Messenger of the covenant” is a title of Jesus Christ. It can refer to His role of delivering the Father’s covenant to the people of the earth and making salvation possible through His gospel and Atonement. Malachi’s prophecy that the messenger of the covenant would “suddenly come to his temple” likely has multiple fulfillments. For example, on April 3, 1836, the Savior suddenly appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple. It will also likely be further fulfilled as part of the events associated with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
What is refiner’s fire and fullers’ soap?
A refiner uses fire to heat precious metals until they reach a liquid state. The intense heat causes impurities, or dross, to rise to the surface, where the refiner can remove them to purify the metal. A fuller is someone who cleans or whitens fabrics using soap and agitation. Malachi used these terms to teach that the Lord will “purify the sons of Levi” (priesthood holders) and destroy the wicked at His Second Coming.
Refiner’s Fire and Fullers’ Soap, by Dan Burr
What does it mean that the sons of Levi will “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness”?
The term “sons of Levi” refers to ancient holders of the Levitical priesthood. Under the law of Moses, descendants of Levi were set apart by God to perform special religious duties, including those related to the tabernacle (later the temple) and animal sacrifice. In the days of Malachi, the Lord rebuked the sons of Levi for offering improper sacrifices. But He also promised that He would one day purify them so that their offerings would once again be acceptable to Him.
The Lord’s promise to the sons of Levi was echoed in our dispensation. When John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, he restored the Aaronic (or Levitical) priesthood to the earth. John declared that this priesthood would “never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.”
In the Doctrine and Covenants, this promised “offering unto the Lord” is associated with temple and family history work. Additionally, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that animal sacrifice would be restored in some form near the time of the Savior’s Second Coming and that it would be performed in righteousness by sons of Levi.
How was the law of tithing practiced in Old Testament times?
The Lord invited the wayward Israelites to return to Him by observing the law of tithing with greater faithfulness. The Hebrew word for “tithe” is related to the number 10. In Old Testament times, the Israelites were expected to offer a tenth of their animals and crops to the Lord. The first recorded instance of tithing in the Old Testament was Abraham’s payment of tithes to Melchizedek, the high priest. Under the law of Moses, tithing was used to support the temple and the priests and Levites. In our day, “tithing is the donation of one-tenth of one’s income to God’s Church (see Doctrine and Covenants 119:3–4; interest is understood to mean income). All members who have income should pay tithing.”
What blessings does the Lord promise to those who obey the law of tithing?
The Lord promised great blessings to those who faithfully obey the law of tithing. Referring to the promise that the Lord would “open the windows of heaven,” Elder Neil L. Andersen explained: “The windows of heaven open in many ways. Some are temporal, but many are spiritual. Some are subtle and easy to overlook.” Elder David A. Bednar taught: “The imagery of the ‘windows’ of heaven used by Malachi is most instructive. Windows allow natural light to enter into a building. In like manner, spiritual illumination and perspective are poured out through the windows of heaven and into our lives as we honor the law of tithing.”
Malachi also promised that the Lord would “rebuke the devourer” for the sake of the faithful. This likely referred to pests such as locusts that could cause damage to crops. More broadly, this promise suggests that the Lord will provide help and protection in many areas of our lives when we obey His law of tithing.
What is the book of remembrance?
The Guide to the Scriptures explains that the book of remembrance is “a book begun by Adam in which were recorded the works of his descendants; also any similar records kept by prophets and faithful members since that time. … Such records may well have a part in determining our final judgment.”
Malachi taught that those who “feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” were recorded in the book of remembrance. Of these faithful individuals, the Lord declared, “They shall be mine, …. in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them.” The Hebrew word translated as “jewels” is segullah, which can also mean “valued property” or “treasure.” The Lord often uses this term in the Old Testament to refer to His covenant people. Malachi’s message suggests that one purpose of the book of remembrance is to be a record of the Lord’s segullah—His treasured people who make and keep covenants with Him.
What does it mean that the proud and wicked will be left with “neither root nor branch”?
Malachi prophesied that at the time of the Savior’s Second Coming, the earth would be cleansed and the wicked would be destroyed like stubble in a fire. Stubble refers to the short, cut stalks that remain after grain has been harvested. Farmers often burn stubble to prepare the ground for future planting. Malachi also declared that those who were destroyed would be left with “neither root nor branch.”
Roots and branches can refer to our ancestors and descendants. To be left without either is to be cut off from the blessing of an eternal family. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “Without the sealings that create eternal families and link generations here and hereafter, we would be left in eternity with neither roots nor branches—that is, neither ancestry nor posterity.”
How was Malachi’s prophecy about Elijah fulfilled?
Elijah was a prophet who lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the ninth century BC. We know from modern-day revelation that Elijah held the sealing keys before the Savior lived on the earth. At the end of his life, Elijah was translated and taken into heaven without dying.
Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah would return to the earth before the Second Coming was fulfilled in our dispensation. When the angel Moroni appeared to the 17-year-old Joseph Smith on the evening of September 21, 1823, he quoted Malachi’s prophecy and indicated that it would soon be fulfilled. Twelve and a half years later, on April 3, 1836, Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the newly dedicated Kirtland Temple. He gave them the keys of the sealing power and declared: “Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi. … Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.”
President Russell M. Nelson explained that the sealing power restored by Elijah “authorized Joseph Smith—and all succeeding Presidents of the Lord’s Church—to … place a ratifying seal on priesthood ordinances and covenants, and to seal families eternally.”
Vision in the Kirtland Temple, by Gary E. Smith
Who are the “the fathers” referred to by Malachi?
Modern prophets have spoken of “the fathers” in two ways. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught it can refer to our ancestors. President Russell M. Nelson taught it can also refer to the ancient patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
What does it mean that Elijah would turn the hearts of fathers to children and children to fathers?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught: “With access to the sealing power, our hearts naturally turn to those who have gone before. The latter-day gathering into the covenant crosses through the veil. In the perfect order of God, the living cannot experience eternal life in its fulness without forging enduring links to ‘the fathers,’ our ancestors. Likewise, the progress of those who are already on the other side, or who may yet cross through the veil of death without the benefit of sealings, is incomplete until vicarious ordinances bind them to us, their descendants, and us to them in the divine order.”
President Henry B. Eyring observed that since Elijah’s appearance, “interest in exploring one’s family history has grown exponentially. At ever-increasing rates, people seem drawn to their ancestry with more than just casual curiosity. Genealogical libraries, associations, and technologies have emerged around the world to support this interest. The internet’s power to enhance communications has enabled families to work together to do family history research with a speed and thoroughness never before possible.
“Why is all of this happening? For lack of a better term, we call it the ‘spirit of Elijah.’ We could also equally call it ‘fulfillment of prophecy.’ I bear testimony that Elijah did come. The hearts of the children—of you and me—have turned to our fathers, our ancestors.”
What does it mean that the Lord would “smite the earth with a curse” if Elijah did not come?
Malachi prophesied that if Elijah did not fulfill his mission, the Lord would “smite the earth with a curse.” The angel Moroni stated this line differently to Joseph Smith. He said that if Elijah did not come, “the whole earth would be utterly wasted” at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained: “Elijah did … indeed confer the promised priesthood, the keys for the redemption of the dead and the union of husbands, wives, and families across all generations of time and throughout all eternity. Without this, the purpose of creation would be frustrated, and in that sense, the earth would be cursed or ‘utterly wasted’ [Doctrine and Covenants 2:3].”
Learn More
Refiner’s fire and fullers’ soap
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“Refiner’s Fire and Fullers’ Soap,” Ensign, Sept. 2016, 74–75
Tithing
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Neil L. Andersen, “Tithing: Opening the Windows of Heaven,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 32–35
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David A. Bednar, “The Windows of Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 17–20
The sealing power and Elijah’s return
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Russell M. Nelson, “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys,” Liahona, May 2024, 119–23
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D. Todd Christofferson, “The Sealing Power,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 19–22
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Quentin L. Cook, “Roots and Branches,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 44–48
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David A. Bednar, “The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 24–27
After Malachi
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S. Kent Brown and Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, “The Lost 500 Years: From Malachi to John the Baptist,” Ensign, Dec. 2014, 56–60
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“Between the Old and New Testaments,” in Scripture Helps: New Testament
Media
Images
Illustration of the prophet Malachi, by Mitchell W. Heinze
Moroni Appears to Joseph Smith in His Room, by Tom Lovell
Moroni quoted Malachi’s prophecies about Elijah to Joseph Smith.
Elijah Appearing in the Kirtland Temple, by Daniel Lewis