WAR, TERROR, PAIN, and sickness—signs of our times. It behooves us to remember that we are not alone in these situations. People from every generation have faced these challenges, and many have turned to God for help. Joel’s audience faced a natural catastrophe in the form of a plague of locusts, which, with accompanying drought, threatened their agricultural livelihood. These events, along with overwhelming military forces, put their national existence in jeopardy, driving them to God. Obadiah’s people faced attack from their neighbors, and Malachi had to contend with his own people showing antagonism and opposition to God. Each had to speak God’s words of comfort or confrontation into their situation, just as the church must do in today’s world.
I thank the faculty, administration, and students of Ashland Theological Seminary for providing a supportive environment in which to teach and write. It is interesting to see the truths of the prophets enfleshed, at times standing in faith before nature’s onslaughts and at times exemplifying Malachi’s experiences. I thank the institution for study leave support to pursue this project. I also thank those editors associated with this exciting and challenging commentary project: Terry Muck for the invitation, and Andy Dearman and Verlyn Verbrugge for their suggestions and improvements throughout the book.
Tyndale House in Cambridge, England, is a vibrant and supportive place in which to research and write, and I thank its staff and my fellow learners for the time I was able to spend there. I also thank the library staff and the interlibrary loan system at Ashland for its efficiency.
Most of all, I thank my wife, Morven, and my children, son Adam and his wife Jennifer, and daughter Emily, for their presence and support during the writing process. During this time, Morven completed her own doctoral studies in an area of counseling—sexual abuse and recovery—which receives mention in Malachi; she also took the time to read and comment on this work, which I deeply appreciate. My children are moving toward careers in education and counseling, for which we thank our God. The times spent apart for writing and research have been difficult, but I pray that God “will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25).