Those who put their trust in Jesus will have eternal life.

信靠耶稣就有永恒的生命。

“I have loved you,” says the . Malachi 1:2

耶和华说：「我曾爱你们。」-玛拉基书1章2节

The final major historic acts of the Old Testament are described in Ezra and Nehemiah as God allowed the people of Israel to return from exile and resettle in Jerusalem. The City of David was repopulated with Hebrew families, a new temple was built, and the wall was repaired.

在以斯拉记和尼希米记中，记载旧约圣经最后一件历史大事，即上帝允许以色列百姓从被掳之地回归到耶路撒冷。许多希伯来人回到大卫城，重建圣殿，也重修城垣。

And that brings us to Malachi. This prophet, who was most likely a contemporary of Nehemiah, brings the written portion of the Old Testament to a close. Notice the first thing he said to the people of Israel: “ ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord.” And look at their response: “How have you loved us?” (1:2).

现在让我们来看玛拉基书，这是旧约的最后一卷书，先知玛拉基很可能和尼希米是同时代的人。他一开始就对以色列百姓说：「耶和华说：『我曾爱你们。』你们却说：『祢在何事上爱我们呢？』」（玛拉基书1章2节）

Amazing, isn’t it? Their history had proven God’s faithfulness, yet after hundreds of years in which God continually provided for His chosen people in both miraculous and mundane ways, they wondered how He had shown His love. As the book continues, Malachi reminds the people of their unfaithfulness (see vv. 6-8). They had a long historical pattern of God’s provision for them, followed by their disobedience, followed by God’s discipline.

真是不可思议，对吗？以色列人的历史证明了上帝的信实，几百年来，上帝一直以奇妙的神迹，或以平凡无奇的方式，使祂的选民一无所缺。然而，百姓竟然不明白上帝在何事上显出祂的慈爱。在过后的篇章，玛拉基还指出百姓一再悖逆上帝（请参照6-8节）。以色列人悠久的历史，显明一个典型的模式，即上帝为百姓丰富预备，但因他们的不顺服，以致上帝的忿怒和管教临到。

It was time, soon, for a new way. The prophet hints at it in Malachi 4:5-6. The Messiah would be coming. There was hope ahead for a Savior who would show us His love and pay the penalty once and for all for our sin.

时候到了，上帝要用另一种方式显明祂的慈爱。玛拉基书4章5-6节暗示弥赛亚即将来临，世人拥有盼望，因我们的救主要显明祂的奇妙大爱，也要为我们的罪一次付上永远的赎价。

That Messiah indeed has come! Malachi’s hope is now a reality in Jesus.

那位弥赛亚确实已经来到世上！玛拉基的盼望已在耶稣里应验。

Thank You, Father, for the story You told in Your Word of the people of Israel. It reminds us to be grateful for what You have done for us. Thank You for loving us so much You sent us Jesus.

天父，感谢祢，圣经记载了祢在以色列民中奇妙的作为，

这也提醒我们，要因祢为我们成就的一切而心存感恩。
谢谢祢这么爱我们，将耶稣赐给我们。

“A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord —even beyond the borders of Israel!’ “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty. “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.”

??Malachi? ?1:1-10? ?NIV??

整理：于姊妹