last of the twelve minor prophets, but those twelve prophets stretch over a period of 400 years. Malachi delivered his messages to expose and rebuke the sins of the people and admonish them to change. He found in the people an outward appearance of faith expressed in a perfunctory service but with no inward conviction or devotion. There was widespread skepticism as well, for the people complained that the earlier prophetic promises had not been fulfilled and divine justice was not present. So they