Malachi was written several generations after the return from exile. Although the temple had been rebuilt and worship restored, the spiritual vitality of the community had begun to decline. Priests neglected their responsibilities, sacrifices were offered carelessly, and many people questioned whether serving God truly mattered. The book is structured as a series of dialogues in which God confronts the people’s attitudes and actions. Through these exchanges, Malachi calls the community to renewed faithfulness in worship, marriage, and daily life. The book closes with the promise that a messenger will prepare the way before the Lord comes to His temple. In the biblical timeline, Malachi stands as the final prophetic voice of the Old Testament era, calling the people back to covenant devotion.