The clear parallel between the historical man Jacob and the people of Israel is brought out in Mal. 1:2: “I loved you… I loved Jacob”. Had Israel appreciated God’s love for the man Jacob, and perceived that he was typical of them, then they would never have doubted God’s love for them. And the same is true of us, whom Jacob likewise represents. It can be demonstrated that the weakness of Jacob, morally and even doctrinally, runs far deeper than may be apparent on the surface. Even at the end, despite the level of spiritual maturity which Jacob doubtless achieved, he still had serious aspects of incompleteness in his character. And yet he is held up as a spiritual hero, a victor in the struggle against the flesh. This was (and is) all possible on account of the phenomenal imputation of righteousness which God gave to His Jacob. He was saved by grace, not works; and Malachi appeals to God's people to see in Jacob's salvation an eternal reminder of God's grace (Mal. 1:2; 3:6). Very often, the name Jacob is associated with the way that God sees His people of Jacob / Israel as righteous when in fact they are not (Num. 23:7,10,21; 24:5; Ps. 47:4; 105:6; 135:4; Is. 41:8).

Mal. 1:9 indicates that the Angels even associate themselves with Israel's sins, such is their closeness to them: "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts (Angels). . Beseech God that He will be gracious unto us".

2:1 It had been hard to get priests to return from Babylon initially- Ezra even delayed his departure until he had persuaded some to accompany him. Those who did return perhaps did so with no real commitment to the principles of priesthood. At the time of Nehemiah, it was hard to get them to even live in Jerusalem- they were so caught up with their own lives.

2:2 Already- God states a judgment, which is in one sense a good as executed- but there is a gap between the pronouncement and the execution, during which there is still the possibility for repentance and thus a changing of His mind.

2:4 In the day of their condemnation and rejection, they would reflect that this message from Malachi had been because God really wanted to continue His covenant relationship with them. The realization of God’s love by the rejected, all too late, will be one of the tragedies of rejection which results in “gnashing of teeth”.

2:7- see on Ecc. 5:1-7

2:10 The teaching against divorce in Mal. 2:10-12 seems to be that if we break covenant with our brethren, e.g. by impenitently divorcing our believing wife and taking a Gentile, then we are breaking our covenant with God. We can break covenant with our brethren likewise by disfellowshipping them [as is often done, paradoxically enough, over issues of divorce and remarriage!]. Our covenant relationship with God is not simply a contract between God and us as individuals. Our covenant with Him is based upon our partaking in a covenant which is between God and a group of people- Abraham’s seed, the body of Christ, the people of God. If we break covenant with them we are thereby breaking covenant with God. This is Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians, although expressed in different terms- if we opt out of the body of Christ by refusing to fellowship those within His body, we are thereby signalling that we end our relationship with Him. In this lies a most sober warning to all those who refuse to fellowship members of the body of Christ. And it is the more poignant in that many of those who do so consider that their actions are a sign of some higher spirituality which they hold, as opposed to those whom they disfellowship. The paradox is poignant.

2:11 Daughter… We are all the children of our gods, whether Yahweh (:10) or the idols of this world.

2:14- see on Jer. 31:32

2:15 This appears to be an answer to the Jewish reasoning that Abraham had had a relationship with Gentile Hagar. Perhaps some allusion to an unknown document or saying is what makes the Hebrew so difficult; it could mean that anyone who has even a remnant of spirituality would not put away the wife of his youth; and Abraham divorced Hagar (rather than taking a Gentile wife) in order to “seek a Godly seed” by raising Isaac without Hagar and Ishmael’s influence. That would admittedly appear to be a very generous reading of the Genesis text concerning Abraham’s behaviour with Hagar, but maybe God wishes us to join Him in reading into Abraham’s actions the very best motives.

Take heed to your spirit- As ever, the Bible locates all failure in the attitude of mind preceding the action.

2:16 Violence- A passive action such as divorce is seen by God as proactive violence.

2:17 Wearied- The language implies some limitation to God.

A nice picture of the Angels at work in dealing with our prayers is given in Mal. 2:17: "Ye have wearied the Lord with your words" (in prayer). The Hebrew for "wearied" means to 'exhaust by work'- as if God really makes a lot of effort in considering our prayers. God Himself never wearies- such language is surely more relevant to the Angels? The exhortation to an Israel whose prayers were half hearted and formal repetition needs to be heeded by all of us; and encouragement taken at the great energy expended to deal with our prayers.

3:7- see on Zech. 1:3

"I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your land" (Mal. 3:11) sounds as if there was an Angel called "the devourer" at the time of the restoration, as there was one called "the destroyer" at the Exodus. He was given command to destroy Judah's harvests due to their lack of commitment to God's house; yet He could be rebuked or restrained by God, implying the Angel focused on fulfilling what He was told to do without taking into account any other factors- until God overrode or restrained Him.

Mal. 3:16 describes the acceptable attitude of the minority after the restoration from Babylon in the midst of the general apathy to the work of fully restoring the Kingdom that Malachi, Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai decried. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him (i. e. in His presence- the Angels) for them that feared the Lord, and that  thought upon His name". Note the numerous examples of Angelic language in Malachi 3, not least in the allusions to the wilderness Angel. This "book" (singular) therefore contains a record of our individual works, or good words in the Malachi context. There are other indications that the book contains a record of our individual works and ways: "The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Rev. 20:12). "I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life" (Phil. 4:3). Notice how being in the book of life is associated with certain works committed by those in it. This "book of life" was written from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8; 17:8), although it contains the records of our individual works. "The works were finished from the foundation of the world" (Heb. 4:3)- the works and actions that comprise each saint were finished from the beginning, written by the Angels in God's book. The statement in Gen. 1:31 that at the end of the natural creation "God saw everything that He had made. . " may imply that He saw then everything He would ever make- "the works were finished from the foundation (creation?) of the world". Notice again how the unfathomable system of predestination and foreknowledge is in the hands of the Angels. The Angel wrote the book initially- Moses pleaded with the Angel on Sinai in Ex. 32:32 "Blot me, I pray thee, out of Thy book (of life), which Thou hast written" (from the foundation of the world).

A day of fiery trial would result in them not being left "root nor branch" (4:1). These are both clear titles of Christ. By grace, this didn’t happen.