The Sinful Priests—Malachi 1:1–2:9
Topics: Anger, Covenant, Disobedience, God, Honor, Humiliation, Law, Leadership, Love, Name, People, Prophecy, Punishment, Respect, Sacrifice, Teaching, Truth
Open It
1. What unique relationship do you treasure?
2. When you are displeased about something, how do you express yourself?
3. *When have you felt taken for granted or treated with disrespect?
Explore It
1. To whom was the word of the Lord given? (1:1)
2. What did God claim for Israel? (1:2)
3. What was the judgment of Edom? (1:3–5)
4. *What was God’s complaint against Israel? (1:6–14)
5. How were the priests implicated in contemptible worship practices? (1:8–10)
6. What worship would honor the Lord Almighty? (1:11)
7. What was the attitude of the priests in Malachi’s day? (1:12–13)
8. How were the people cheating the Lord? (1:14)
9. *What was the warning to the priests? (2:1–4)
10. What covenant were the priests expected to keep? (2:5–9)
11. *How had the priests failed in keeping and applying the law? (2:5–9)
Get It
1. What is unique about your relationship with the Lord?
2. When have you doubted God’s love for you?
3. *Israel was guilty of giving God leftovers. In what way do we sometimes give God leftovers in our worship? in our finances? in our time?
4. *How does God deal with you when you give Him less than your best?
5. How are your church leaders like or unlike the priests in Malachi’s day?
6. In your view, what areas might be temptations for your church to be unfaithful to God?
7. When have you been misled by false teaching?
8. When, if ever, do you feel you have passed along inaccurate biblical teaching?
9. What does it mean to follow in the Lord’s ways?
Apply It
1. What attitudes or actions can you change to show honor to the Lord?
2. *What would it take for you to start giving God your best in your worship, your finances, and your time?
The Sinful People—Malachi 2:10–3:15
Topics: Blessing, Covenant, Divorce, Evil, Faithfulness, God, Judgment, Justice, Listening, Marriage, Name, Oppressed, People, Prayer, Prophecy, Sin, Tithing, Unfaithfulness, Words
Open It
1. *How would your closest friend describe the kind of friend you are?
2. In conversations do you tend to be a talker or a listener?
3. When do you feel most thankful for your blessings?
Explore It
1. *How had God’s people broken faith with Him? (2:10–12)
2. What was the consequence of Israel’s sin? (2:12)
3. *What was additional evidence of a broken covenant? (2:13–16)
4. What was God’s view of divorce? (2:16)
5. What charge did God give His people? (2:16)
6. How had Israel wearied God? (2:17)
7. How were the people oblivious to their sin? (2:17)
8. What warning did God give? (3:1–5)
9. What was the basis for hope in God? (3:6)
10. *What did God require of Israel? (3:7–12)
11. How had Israel sinned against God in the past? (3:7)
12. What was the nature of the curse on the nation? (3:9)
13. What did God promise? (3:10–12)
14. How had Israel challenged God? (3:13–15)
Get It
1. *What is the extent of the price we pay, and possibly cause others to pay, when we knowingly disobey God?
2. Why is it wrong for a Christian to marry an unbeliever?
3. When have you clearly sensed that your fellowship with God was disrupted because of your sin?
4. How would the prophet speak to the issue of divorce among Christians in our culture today?
5. *In what ways do we try to rationalize our sins?
6. How have you been guilty of robbing God?
7. For what blessings from God are you most thankful?
Apply It
1. What personal unconfessed sin or negative attitude toward the Lord or others would you be willing to confront with a responsible Christian friend or small group?
2. *Starting this week, when can you set aside a few minutes in prayer with another believer, asking the Lord to help you become more faithful, obedient, and trustworthy in each of your relationships?
The Faithful Few—Malachi 3:16–4:6
Topics: Blessing, Compassion, Covenant, Evil, Faithfulness, Fear, God, History, Judgment, Law, Listening, People, Promises, Righteousness, Sin
Open It
1. *To whom are you most loyal?
2. What upcoming event are you eagerly anticipating?
3. What social events do you usually dread or not enjoy?
Explore It
1. How did the Lord respond to those who feared Him? (3:16)
2. *What assurance was given to those who were faithful to the Lord? (3:16)
3. Why did the people of Malachi’s time need to repent? (3:16–4:6)
4. *What promise did God give to His people? (3:17)
5. What distinction did God make? (3:18)
6. What will happen to the wicked in the day of the Lord? (4:1)
7. *What would the day of the Lord hold for God’s remnant? (4:2)
8. What will the righteous do to the wicked? (4:3)
9. Why did the prophet tell the people to recall the law of Moses? (4:4)
10. What did God promise through Malachi? (4:5–6)
11. What major theme of the prophets did Malachi’s last words reflect? (4:6)
Get It
1. In what ways do we deserve the Lord’s judgment?
2. *How submissive to the Lord are you?
3. How careful are you about the quality of your walk with the Lord?
4. How do you feel like the Lord’s “treasured possession”?
5. In what ways are you disobedient to the Lord?
6. How are freedom and joy part of your spiritual experience?
7. *To what blessings and promises of the Lord do you look forward?
Apply It
1. *What can you do this week to demonstrate unswerving loyalty to the Lord?
2. Starting today, how can you encourage one other Christian to remain faithful to the Lord?
Adult Questions for LESSONmaker (2024). Bellingham, WA: Logos, p. Mal 1:1–4:6.