Prophet Malachi (Return Era)

Malachi prophesied after the return from the Babylonian exile, addressing a period of spiritual decline in Judah. He strongly criticized corrupt priests, empty sacrifices, and people who were outwardly religious but inwardly unfaithful. He emphasized covenant loyalty, proper worship, and warned that God was no longer pleased with hollow rituals—reflecting a sense that divine favor and closeness were fading due to the people’s behavior.

He is traditionally considered the last prophet of the Hebrew Bible, marking the end of the prophetic era. His book closes with the promise of a future messenger who will prepare the way before God’s coming, leaving Israel in a state of expectation after a period where prophetic voices—and the direct spirit of prophecy—would become absent.