Malachi was a contemporary of Haggai & Zecharia, the last Post-Exilic Prophets. This period was 100 yrs after they returned from Babylon & the situation while rebuilding their lives & the City of David was not as they had anticipated- discouraging, oppressing, & tithing was neglected. God was telling them to return to Him through Malachi.

"In the Old Testament, the Jews were commanded to pay 10% of tithes (sometimes taken totally out of context). In the New Testament we are not commanded to Tithe but to "GIVE OUR WHOLE LIVES! YOU WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE, therefore, GLORIFY GOD with your body, spirit & mind -which are God’s. It's not 10% -everything I own is God’s, I'm a steward. If you understand that His son died & suffered for you- you were Redeemed by God. We are not tithers but willing givers-what an amazing privilege to serve God."

Malachi revealed the coming of both John the Baptist & Jesus(4:5). God fulfilled His promise (Matt:17:11-19).

"I hope as we end Malachi, we learned a lot about God, His judgements are sure. Despite we can't see the hand of God in our myopic eyes: Remember He is God, respect Him, give Him your best, NOT 10% - YOUR ALL IN ALL! He wants you! Now as we end the Old Testament, we enter a new phase, it's 400 yrs. later in God's time frame.”