MALACHI THE PROPHECY OF.

A canonical book of the Old Testament. The author of the Lives of the Prophets, and the Alexandrian Chronicle, say, that Malachi was of the tribe of Zebulun, and a native of Sapha, and that the name of Malachi was given him because of his angelical mildne ; which made Origen and Tertullian believe, that he was an “angel incarnate.” He is called an “angel” by most of the Fathers, and in the version of the Septuagint. Some think that Malachi is no other than Ezra, or Esdras, and this is the opinion of the ancient Hebrews, of the Chaldee Paraphrast, and of St. Jerome. Malachi is the last of the twelve le er prophets. He prophesied about three hundred years before Christ , reproving the Jews for their wickedne after their return from Babylon, charging them with rebellion, sacrilege, adultery, profanene , and infidelity, and condemning the priests for being carele and scandalous in their ministry. At the same time, he forgets not to encourage the “pious remnant,” who, in that corrupt age, “feared the Lord , and thought upon his name.” This prophet distinctly points at the Me iah , who was “suddenly to come to his temple,” and to be introduced by Elijah the prophet, that is, by John the Baptist, who came “in the spirit and power of Elias,” or Elijah. The Jews pretend that, in the time of Darius, son of Hystaspis, there was held a general a embly of the heads of their nation, to settle the canon of their Scriptures; that Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi presided in this council, and that Esdras was their secretary. But it is certain Daniel did not live at that time. They add, that in the last year of Darius, died the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, and with them ceased the spirit of prophecy among the Israeli tes; and that this was the sealing up of vision and prophecy, spoken of by Daniel. The death of the prophet Malachi is placed, in the Roman martyrology, on the 14th of January.