At the time of Malachi, God’s people had become spiritually dull. Their discernment was blunted and they had declined in spiritual health so much that they were not even aware of it. They thought their restoration meant that, in a few days, months or years, the Messiah would come, and the Messianic age too with all its honey and milk and delights. All their pain would be gone. But the work of restoration was a slow business and they found evil still within and without. This prophecy encourages us not to lose heart, and, however long the period of restoration, to carry on.

I want to…