I found conflicting information as to when Malachi prophesied.
The Bible Project (and many other chronological plans) put Malachi as the last prophet. He’s way past Ezra and Nehemiah.
The Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (and another chronological plan I’ve used) state that just because Malachi has been placed last in our Protestant Bibles doesn’t mean he’s the last in time. The CBSB states that Malachi pre-dates Esther, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles, and that its writing coincides with the word of Ezra and Nehemiah. The themes of Malachi and Ezra-Nehemiah are similar, as are the problems face. The CBSB also states that linguistically Malachi is more sixth century BC than fifth century BC.
So when did Malachi prophesy? I don’t know. But I wouldn’t put him last just because he’s the last book in our English Old Testament. Chronicles is the last book of the Jewish Scriptures, but not because it occurred last chronologically.
All that aside, I do love the above video and how it breaks down the book so clearly.
Malachi is a short little book, but it reiterates God’s deep love for His people, His covenant promises, and His ever-present desire for justice and for the vulnerable to be cared for. That’s a lot for four chapters!
Why Read the Bible in Hebrew
I’m going to link to a Twitter thread (I know it’s X now. X is a stupid name. It’s Twitter.) It’s a LONG thread. But it is 1000% worth your time to read the whole thing. It is amazing.
https://x.com/AriLamm/status/1705204514289021136?s=20
New Mercy for Today
One of the things Protestant pastors and teachers always bring up about Esther is the lack of a mention of God. The Catholic Bible, with the deuterocanon included, does not have this issue.
But what that means is that the Hebrew version of the book really doesn’t have any mention of God, but the Greek Septuagint does.
Regardless of when and why the extra material was added, the prayers of Mordecai and Esther that the additional texts add are beautiful and well worth reading. So I’m sharing them here.
9 “O Lord, Lord, King who rulest over all things, for the universe is in thy power and there is no one who can oppose thee if it is thy will to save Israel. 10 For thou hast made heaven and earth and every wonderful thing under heaven, 11 and thou art Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist thee, who art the Lord. 12 Thou knowest all things; thou knowest, O Lord, that it was not in insolence or pride or for any love of glory that I did this, and refused to bow down to this proud Haman. 13 For I would have been willing to kiss the soles of his feet, to save Israel! 14 But I did this, that I might not set the glory of man above the glory of God, and I will not bow down to any one but to thee, who art my Lord; and I will not do these things in pride. 15 And now, O Lord God and King, God of Abraham, spare thy people; for the eyes of our foes are upon us[c] to annihilate us, and they desire to destroy the inheritance that has been thine from the beginning. 16 Do not neglect thy portion, which thou didst redeem for thyself out of the land of Egypt. 17 Hear my prayer, and have mercy upon thy inheritance; turn our mourning into feasting, that we may live and sing praise to thy name, O Lord; do not destroy the mouth of those who praise thee.”
Esther 13:9-17, RCVCE (Mordecai’s prayer)
And Esther the queen, seized with deathly anxiety, fled to the Lord; 2 she took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body, and every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair. 3 And she prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said:
“O my Lord, thou only art our King; help me, who am alone and have no helper but thee, 4 for my danger is in my hand. 5 Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that thou, O Lord, didst take Israel out of all the nations, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, for an everlasting inheritance, and that thou didst do for them all that thou didst promise. 6 And now we have sinned before thee, and thou hast given us into the hands of our enemies, 7 because we glorified their gods. Thou art righteous, O Lord! 8 And now they are not satisfied that we are in bitter slavery, but they have covenanted with their idols 9 to abolish what thy mouth has ordained and to destroy thy inheritance, to stop the mouths of those who praise thee and to quench thy altar and the glory of thy house, 10 to open the mouths of the nations for the praise of vain idols, and to magnify for ever a mortal king. 11 O Lord, do not surrender thy scepter to what has no being; and do not let them mock at our downfall; but turn their plan against themselves, and make an example of the man who began this against us. 12 Remember, O Lord; make thyself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! 13 Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. 14 But save us by thy hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but thee, O Lord. 15 Thou hast knowledge of all things; and thou knowest that I hate the splendor of the wicked and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised and of any alien. 16 Thou knowest my necessity—that I abhor the sign of my proud position, which is upon my head on the days when I appear in public. I abhor it like a menstruous rag, and I do not wear it on the days when I am at leisure. 17 And thy servant has not eaten at Haman’s table, and I have not honored the king’s feast or drunk the wine of the libations. 18 Thy servant has had no joy since the day that I was brought here until now, except in thee, O Lord God of Abraham. 19 O God, whose might is over all, hear the voice of the despairing, and save us from the hands of evildoers. And save me from my fear!”
Esther 14:1-19, RSVCE (Esther’s prayer)
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that even the lists of names in Scripture have value and meaning. Thank You that You reveal Yourself to us.
Thank You that we can come to You in prayer. Thank You that You hear our praise and our petitions.
Thank You for teachers and scholars who are wiser than we are, from whom we can learn. Thank You for examples of holiness and humility that we find in Scripture and in the world.
Thank You for examples of prayer in Scripture. And thank You that Your Spirit teaches us Your Word. Thank You that He enables us to pray. And thank You that He prays for us.
May we be people of justice, and may we rest in Your love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Mercies New Every Morning 