Abstract:
This article demonstrates the vindictive tone of Malachi’s final sermon by highlighting the
amazing reversal of fortunes of the righteous and shocking end of the wicked. Such a reversal
or antithesis this article proposes, serves as a climax to the literary motif and artistic brilliance
of reversal noticeable in the book of Malachi. The substance of Malachi’s message is that of
triumph of Yahweh’s justice over obvious inequalities of life. Malachi 3:13–21 reveals that
beyond the horizon of lived reality lies a judgement moment in which good and evil are still
criteria of what is acceptable and unacceptable to Yahweh. The article examines the literary
structure and content of the this unit of Malachi’s oracle, provides detailed exegesis of the
cynicism or antithesis in the text and concludes by synthesising the result in an attempt at
reconciling Yahweh’s supposed justice with obvious life’s inequalities. Malachi’s prediction of
the ultimate restoration of the fortune of the righteous and shameful end of the wicked, stands
as a refutation of the insinuation that to serve Yahweh is worthless.
INTRADISCIPLINARYAND/OR INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : This article not only focuses on the
synchronic dimensions of this text, but also the diachronic perspectives. The literary analysis
is combined with a historical embeddedness of this text. This text poses a challenge to the
reader of the 21st century and invites the modern reader to a explore life, and specifically
fullness of life amidst circumstances not conducive to fullness of life.
Description:
The article is based on research conducted by B.O.B.
(University of Pretoria) for his postdoctoral fellowship at the
Department of Old Testament Studies. His current research
project, which is an extension of the primary aims and
objectives of his doctoral thesis (‘Malachi’s view on temple
rituals and its ethical implications’) is an examination of
Malachi’s distinctive claims that guarantees a well-ordered
community, namely the validity and feasibility of Torahcompliance
community. A.G. (University of Pretoria),
co-author of the article, acted as the research leader and
corresponding author.
