It was written about one hundred years after Cyrus decreed that Judah could return to their land (538 BC). During that time the Jewish faith was reformed under Ezra and Nehemiah, but soon the priests and people became apathetic, indifferent, and morally corrupt. Malachi revealed Judah’s sins and proclaimed that judgment would be forthcoming unless the people returned to God. Author Malachi means my messenger or my angel and is not mentioned outside of this book. Thus, some scholars believe that Malachi