Malachi

Malachi is praising the righteous while almost in the same breath criticizing (and cursing) the wicked. Chapter 4 is a good example in this short book.

When one teaches a class you find if you criticize the whole class for being lazy the ones who are working hard, not your target audience, are the ones most closely listening and likely to take it personally. As one who has taught (long, long ago) I remember this well. You have to make it clear that you are not speaking to all or at least one child will cry out, "Do you mean me Mr. Baker?" Now sometimes they are fishing for a compliment but other times the child is truly afraid he/she is failing and not working hard enough.

Malachi gives the promises of God's eternal blessing. He will restore his people. He will restore their hearts, or he will send a curse.

The ones who seriously look for God, who try to please God will take seriously the admonition and try harder. The ones who scoff, who Malachi is trying to reach, most of them are not listening and do not honor God. They are the ones that will eventually be cursed.