Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament prophets, written after the people of Israel's return from exile in Babylon. In it, God confronts His people and the priests for their spiritual lukewarmness, their neglect of worship, and their unfaithfulness to the covenant, calling them to genuine repentance. The book closes with a powerful promise: the sending of the prophet Elijah before the great day of the LORD.
Malachi ministered around the 5th century BC, in a period of discouragement and religious formalism in Judah, probably a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah. His name means "my messenger," and his message is structured as a series of dialogued disputes in which God directly confronts the people's excuses and skepticism. This book is considered the bridge between the Old and New Testaments, since it announces the messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah.