An Appropriate Proverb

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
Proverbs 21:30

Saturday, December 29, 2012

December 30

OT -- Malachi
My Bible in a Year breaks this book into 2 parts, today and tomorrow. So, I am going to do the complete book today and then save the lovely, lovely Proverbs piece for tomorrow.

Malachi was probably written late after the return of the captives and after the reconstruction of the Temple and the wall of Jerusalem. It is an 'oracle' or an oral prophesy. Basically, the book is a redemptive book for the Jews. It explains why the Jews were still to be redeemed by God -- "Jacob have I loved; Esau have I hated" but only if they straightened up and flew right. The whole concept of sacrificing 'blemished' animals, the withholding of the tithes to the Temple, the ill treatment of widows and orphans -- this had to stop in order for the Chosen to stay the chosen.

Malachi has some serious apocalyptic visions with the 'coming of the Lord' and the destruction of the wicked. But it also foretells a 'messenger', who will prepare the way for the Lord. It is no wonder that this is the last book of the OT for Christians.

One of the more interesting factoids that I learned in my Inter-Faith classes last winter was that the order of the Hebrew scriptures is different when it is Christian Bible vs. a Jewish Tanakh. The Hebrew Bible ends with Chronicles with the book of Malachi inserted into the other 12 minor prophet books somewhere in the middle of the book.
Why? The question was asked at the dinner that night. My guess is that Malachi specifically points to a messenger, one sent from God to proclaim the Day of the Lord.

NT -- Revelation 21:1-27
This is the New Heaven passage that is repeated so often at funerals. The city of Jerusalem, remade in fabulous glory and delight.

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