Debating God's Justice

The people of God in Malachis day had watched God do a miracle in allowing them to come back to rebuild the Temple and work miracles to help them rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. They people renewed their covenant with their God, as the sacrificial system was restored. When those things happened their expectations and hopes for the miraculous appearing of the messiah were stirred to a fever pitch. But, the messiah did not appear at that time. The people remained under Persian rule. The "promised land" did not become a paradise. In fact, crops failed due to the natural injustices locusts and drought. Religious activities were becoming burdensome and God didn't seem to be hearing their prayers or coming to their aid. In time, as we have learned in our series so far, the priests and the people began to lose heart and they began to compromise in their obedience in all sorts of areas of their lives. As they watched the wicked prevail over and over again, they began to ask, "Is all this God stuff for real?"