983_c; Malachi 4:2, But unto you that fear my name
983_f; Malachi 4:1, For, behold the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven
983_g; Malachi 4:2b, name shall be the Sun of righteousness
984_a; Malachi 4:6, And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children
4_2; Genesis 1:5, And the evening and the morning were the first day
981_1; Malachi 2:15, Yet had he the sesidue of the spirit
982_1; Malachi 3:1, and the Lord, whom ye seek
Ref. Matthew 11:10.
1st Clause of This Verse Quoted By John The Baptist
This verse of verse 1 is quoted of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27),
but the second clause, "the Lord whom ye seek," etc., is nowhere quoted in the
New Testament. The reason is obvious: in everything save the fact of Christ's
first advent,
the latter clause awaits fulfilment (Habakkuk 2:20).
Verses 2-5 speaks of judgment, not
of grace. Malachi, in common with other Old Ttestament prophets, saw both advents of
Messiah blended in one horizon, but did not see the separating interval described in
Matthew 13.
consequent upon the rejection of the King (Matthew 13:16, 17).
Still less was
the Church-age in his vision (Ephesians 3:3-6; Ref. Colossians 1:25-27).
"My messenger" (verse 1) is
John the Baptist; the "messenger of the covenant" is Christ in both of His advents,
but with especial reference to the events which are to follow His return.
983_1; Malachi 3:18, "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."
(1) Summary of the Old Testament revelation of Deity: God is revealed in the Old Testament
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CLASS
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ENGLISH FORM |
HEBREW EQIVALENT
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Primary
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God
Lord
Lord
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El, Elah, or Elohim (Gen. 1:1, See note)
Jehovah (Gen. 2:4, See note)
Adon or Adonai (Gen. 15:2, See note)
Compound (with
El -- God
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Almighty God
Most High, or
most high God
everlasting God
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El Shaddai (Gen. 17:1, See note)
El Elyon (Gen. 14:18, See note)
El Olam (Gen 15:2, See note)
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Compound (with
Jehovah == Lord
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Lord God
Lord God
Lord of hosts
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Jehovah Elohim (Gen. 2:4, See note)
Adonai Jehovah (Gen. 15:2, See note)
Jehovah Sabaoth (1 Sam 1:3, See note)
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Trinity
The Trinity is suggested by the three times repeated groups of threes. This
is not an arbitrary arrangement, but inheres in the Old Testament itself.
This revelation of God by His names is invariably made in connection with
some particular need of His people, and there can be no need of man to which these
names do not answer as showing that man's true resource is in God. Even human
failure and sin but evoke new and fuller revelations of the divine fulness.
(2) The Old Testament Scriptures reveal the existence of a Supreme Being, the Creator
of the universe and of man, the Source of all life and of all intelligence, who is to
be worshipped and served by men and angels. This Supreme Being is One, but,
in some sense not fully revealed in the Old Testament, is a unity in plurality. This is shown
by the plural name, Elohim, by the use of the plural pronoun in the interrelation
of Deity as evidenced in
Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:22; Psalm 110:1; and Isaiah 6:8.
That this plurality is really a Trinity is intimated in the three primary names of
Deity, and in the threefold ascription of the Seraphim in
Isaiah 6:3.
That the interrelation of Deity
is that of Father and Son is directly asserted in
Psalm 2:7 (with Hebrews 1:5); and the
Spirit is distinctly recognized in His personality, and to Him are ascribed all the
divine attributes
(e.g. Genesis 1. 2; Numbers 11. 25; Numbers 24. 2; Judges 3. 10; Judges 6. 34; Judges 11. 29;
Jud. 13:25; Jud. 14:6, 19; Jud. 15:14; 2 Sam. 23:2; Job 26:13; Job 33:4;
Psa. 106. 33; Psa. 139. 7; Isaiah 40:7; Isaiah 59:19; Isaiah 63:10; Malachi 2:15,
See Ref. See Note Page 981_1).
(3) The future incarnation is intimated in the
theophanies, or appearances of God in human form
(e.g. Genesis 18:1, 13, 17-22; Genesis 32:24-30),
and distinctly predicted in the promises connected with redemption (e.g.
Gen. 3. 15) and with the Davidic Covenant
(e.g. Isaiah 7:13, 14; Isaiah 9;. Isaiah 6, 7; Jeremiah 23:5, 6).
The revelation of Deity in the New Testament so illuminates that of the
Old Testament that the latter
is seen to be, from Genesis to Malachi, the foreshadowing of the coming
incarnation of God in Jesus the Christ. In promise, covenant, type, and prophecy,
the Old Testament points forward to Him.
(4) The revelation of God to man is one of
authority and or redemption. He requires righteousness from man, but saves
the unrighteous through sacrifice; and in His redemptive dealings with man all
the divine persons and attributes are brought into manifestation. The O.T. reveals
the justice of God equally with His mercy, but never in opposition to His
mercy. The flood, e.g., was an unspeakable mercy to unborn generations. From
Genesis to Malachi He is revealed as the seeking God who has no pleasure in the
death of the wicked, and who heaps up before the sinner every possible motive
to persuade to faith and obedience.
(5) In the experience of the Old Testament men of
faith their God inspires reverence but never slavish fear; and they exhaust the
resources of language to express their love and adoration in view of His
lovingkindness and tender mercy. This adoring love of His saints is the triumphant
answer to those who pretend to find the O.T. revelation of God cruel and repellent.
It is in harmony, not contrast, with the New Testament revelation of God in Christ.
(6) Those passages which attribute to God bodily parts and human emotions
(e.g.
Exodus 33:ll, 20; Deuteronomy 29:20; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Genesis 6:6, 7; Jeremiah 15. 6)
are metaphorical and mean that in the infinite being of God exists that which answers-to these things
?eyes, a hand, feet, etc.; and the jealousy and anger attributed to Him are the
emotions of perfect Love in view of the havoc of sin.
(7) In the Old Testament revelation
there is a true sense in which, wholly apart from sin or infirmity. God is like His
creature man (Genesis 1:27), and the supreme and perfect revelation of God, toward
which the Old Testament points, is a revelation in and through a perfect Man.
319_1; 1 Samuel 1:3, yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh
319_1b
Jehovah (Lord) of Hosts
Hebrew word = Jehovah Sabaoth.
For the distinctive meanings of Jehovah, see
Gen. 2. 4, note. Sabaoth means
simply host or hosts, but with
especial reference to warfare or service. In use the two ideas are united; Jehovah
is lord of (warrior) hosts. It is the name, therefore, of Jehovah in manifestation
of power. "The lord of Hosts, He is the King of glory"
(Psalm 24:10),
and accordingly in Old Testament Scripture this name is revealed in
the time of Israel's
need. It is never found in the Pentateuch, nor directly in Joshua or Judges, and
occurs but rarely in the Psalms; but Jeremiah, the prophet of approaching national
judgment, uses the name about eighty times. Haggai in two chapters uses the
name fourteen times; Zechariah in fourteen chapters calls upon the lord of hosts
about fifty times. In Malachi the name occurs about twenty-five times. In the
utmost extremity, the Psalmist twice comforts his heart with the assurance "the
lord of hosts is with us"
(Psalm 46:7, 11).
The meanings and uses of this name may be thus summarized:
See other names of Deity,
Genesis 1:1, Ref. Note Page 3_1;
Genesis 2:4, Ref. Note Page 6_2;
Genesis 2:7;
Gen 2:7. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust
of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
Genesis 14:18, Ref. Note Page 23_1;
Genesis 15:2, Ref. Note Page 24_1;
Genesis 17;1, Ref. Note Page 26_1;
Genesis 21:33, Ref. Note Page 32_1.
985
FROM MALACHI TO MATTHEW
985
The close of the Old Testament canon left Israel in two great divisions. The mass
of the nation were dispersed throughout the Persian Empire, more as colonists
than captives. A remnant, chiefly of the tribe of Judah, with Zerubbabel, a prince
of the Davidic family, and the survivors of the priests and Levites, had returned to
the land under the permissive decrees of Cyrus and his successors
(Daniel 5:31; See Ref. Note Page 907_1;
Daniel 9:25; See Ref. Note Page 915_2),
and had established again the temple worship. Upon this remnant
the interest of the student of Scripture centres; and this interest concerns both their
political and religious history.
I. Politically, the fortunes of the
Palestinian Jews followed, with one exception
?the Maccabean revolt?the history of the Gentile world-empires foretold by Daniel
(Daniel Chapters 2 and 7.).
(1) The Persian rule continued about one hundred years after the close of
the Old Testament canon, and seems to have been mild and tolerant, allowing to the
high priest,
along with his religious functions, a measure of civil power, but under the
overlordship of the governors of Syria. The sources of the history of the Jewish
remnant
during the Persian period were purely legendary when Josephus wrote. During
this period the rival worship of Samaria
(John 4:19, 20)
was established.
Palestine suffered much from the constant wars between Persia and Egypt,
lying as it did "between the anvil and the hammer."
(2) In 333 b.c. Syria fell under the power of the third of the
world-empires, the
Grseco-Macedonian of Alexander. That conqueror, as Josephus relates, was induced
to treat the Jews with much favour; but, upon the breaking up of his empire,
Judsea again fell between the hammer and the anvil of Syria and Egypt, falling first
under the power of Syria, but later under Egypt as ruled by the Ptolemaic kings.
During this period (b.c. 320-198) great numbers of Jews were established in Egypt,
and the Septuagint translation of the O.T. was made (b.c. 285).
(3) In b.c. 198 Judsea was conquered by Antiochus the Great, and annexed to
Syria. At this time the division of the land into the five provinces familiar to
readers of the Gospels, Galilee, Samaria, Judsea (often collectively called Judsea),
Trachonitis and Pergea, was made. The Jews at first were permitted to live under
their own laws under the high priest and a council. About b.c. 180 the land became
the dowry of Cleopatra, a Syrian princess married to Ptolemy Philometor,
king of Egypt, but on the death of Cleopatra was reclaimed by Antiochus Epiphanes
(the "little horn" of
Daniel 8:9; See Ref. Note Page 912_1),
after a bloody battle. In 170 b.c., Antiochus,
after repeated interferences with the temple and priesthood, plundered Jerusalem,
profaned the temple, and enslaved great numbers of the inhabitants. December 25,
b.c. 168, Antiochus offered a sow upon the great altar, and erected an altar to
Jupiter. This is the "desolation" of Dan. 8. 13, type of the final "abomination
of desolation" of
Matthew 24:15. The temple worship was forbidden, and the people
compelled to eat swine's flesh.
(4) The excesses of Antiochus provoked the revolt of the Maccabees,
one of the
most heroic pages of history. Mattathias, the first of the Maccabees, a priest of
great sanctity and energy of character, began the revolt. He did little more than
to gather a band of godly and determined Jews pledged to free the nation and
restore the ancient worship, and was succeeded by his son Judas, known in history
as Maccabseus, from the Hebrew word for hammer. He was assisted by four brothers
of whom Simon is best known.
In b.c. 165 Judas regained possession of Jerusalem, purified and rededicated the
temple, an event celebrated in the Jewish Feast of the Dedication. The struggle
with Antiochus and his successor continued. Judas was slain in battle, his brother
Jonathan succeeding. In him the civil and priestly authority were united (b.c.
143). Under Jonathan, his brother Simon, and his nephew John Hyrcanus, the
Hasmonean line of priest-rulers was established, under sufferance of other powers.
They possessed none of the Maccabean virtues.
(5) A civil war followed, which was terminated by the Roman conquest of
Judaea
and Jerusalem by Pompey (b.c. 63), who left Hyrcanus, the last of the Hasmoneans,
I a nominal sovereignty, Antipater, an Idumean, wielding the actual power. B.C. 47
Antipater was made procurator of Judasa by Julius Caesar, and appointed his son,
Herod, governor of Galilee. After the murder of Csesar disorder ensued in Judaea,
and Herod fled to Rome. There he was appointed (b.c. 40) king of the Jews, and
returning, he conciliated the people by his marriage (b.c. 38) with Mariamne, the
beautiful grand-daughter of Hyrcanus, and appointed her brother, the Maccabean
Aristobulus III., high priest. Herod was king when Jesus Christ was born.
II. The religious history of the Jews during the long period from Malachi
(b.c. 397) to Christ followed, as to outer ceremonial, the high-priestly office,
and the temple
worship, the course of the troublous political history, and is of scant interest.
Of greater moment are the efforts and means by which the real faith of Israel
was kept alive and nurtured.
(1) The tendency to idolatry seems to have been destroyed by the Jews'
experience and observation of it during the captivity. Deprived of temple and priest,
and of the possibility of continuing a ceremonial worship, the Jewish people were
thrown back upon that which was fundamental in their faith, the revelation of God
as One, the Creator, to be conceived of as having made man in His own image, and
therefore as having such analogies to the nature and life of man as to be
comprehensible by man, while remaining the Eternal Spirit, God. This conception of God,
enforced by the mighty ministries of the pre-exilic and exilic prophets, finally
prevailed over all idolatrous conceptions, and this ministry was continued amongst the
returned remnant by Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The high ethics of the older
prophets, their stern rebuke of mere formalism, and their glowing prophecies of the
ultimate restoration of Israel in national and religious supremacy under Messiah,
were all repeated by the three prophets of the restoration.
The problem was to keep alive this exalted ideal in the midst of outward persecu-
tions and sordid" and disgraceful divisions within.
(2) The organic means to this end was the synagogue, an institution which
formed no part of the biblical order of the national life. Its origin is obscure.
Probably, during the captivity, the Jews, deprived of the temple and its rites, met on
the Sabbath day for prayer. This would give opportunity for the reading of the
Scriptures. Such meetings would require some order of procedure, and some
authority for the restraint of disorder. The synagogue doubtless grew out of the
necessities of the situation in which the Jews were placed, but it served the purpose
of maintaining familiarity with the inspired writings, and upon these the spiritual
life of the true Israel (see Rom. 9. 6, note) was nourished.
(3) But during this period, also, was created that mass of tradition,
comment
and interpretation, known as Mishna, Gemara (forming the Talmud), Halachoth,
Midrashim and Kabbala, so superposed upon the Law that obedience was trans-
ferred from the Law itself to the traditional interpretation.
(4) During this period also rose the two great sects known to the
Gospel narratives as Pharisees and Sadducees.
(See Matthew 3:7; Ref. 996_2, and 996_3). The Herodians
were a party rather than a sect.
Amongst such a people, governed, under the suzerainty of Rome, by an Idumean
usurper, rent by bitter and unspiritual religious controversies, and maintaining an
elaborate religious ritual, appeared Jesus, the Son and Christ of God.
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