玛拉基这个名字的意思是“我的使者”。神要带给祂的子民一个重要的信息，并确保他们由始至终都认真地聆听。神说，这是我的宣告，藉我的使者告诉你们。神甚至使用祂立约的名字，这个名字在希伯来原文是YHWH（Yahweh），英文翻译为 “the LORD”，中文翻译为“耶和华”。昔日神藉着摩西与祂的子民立约时（参出埃及记 3:10-20），就是以这个名字自称的。接着，在这个藉玛拉基传讲的信息中，神更再一次强调：“耶和华说”一再表明这个信息的重要性。
那么，这个神看为极其重要的信息究竟是什么呢？内容其实非常简单，就是 “我曾爱你们”。
神的爱是整本圣经中最重要的信息，而神的爱也是玛拉基书的中心信息。神爱我们！
在整卷书中，神的子民不断向神提出很多疑问，每一个问题的背后都是因为他们质疑神：“你在何事上爱我们呢？”然而神对每一个问题都有答案，衪的爱从来没有离开他们，连一刻也没有离开过。
神爱你，纵使你不能确定祂真的爱你，纵使你仍未真正认识衪，纵使你已认识祂、但却仍然抗拒祂或活在罪中，祂仍然爱你，祂切切希望你知道。
亲爱的主，祢真的爱我，听起来好得难以置信，然而祢说得非常清楚，为此我感谢祢。我也爱祢，愿意学习爱祢更深。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
玛拉基书 1:1-2a
1耶和华藉玛拉基传给以色列的默示。"A prophecy: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi. 'I have loved you,' says the LORD." — Malachi 1:1-2a
The name Malachi means "my messenger." God has a message for his people, and he wants to make sure they take it seriously from the start. This is a prophecy, God says; this is my word through my messenger. God even uses his covenant name, which in the Hebrew text is YHWH (Yahweh). In English we often render it as "the LORD" (with small capital letters). This is the name God used to describe himself when he made a covenant with his people through Moses (see Ex. 3:10-20). Then, in the message through Malachi, God adds again, "says the LORD," making clear that this is important.
So what is this important message that God makes such a big deal of? Very simply, it is "I have loved you."
God's love is the most important message of the entire Bible, and God's love is the central message of Malachi. God loves us.
Throughout the rest of the book God's people ask him a lot of questions. And behind each one they are wondering, "How have you loved us?" God always has an answer, and he has never once let his love slip, not even for a moment.
God loves you, even if you aren't sure that he does. Even if you don't really know him yet. Even if you know him but have been resisting him or living in rebellion against him. He still loves you, and he very much wants you to know that.
Dear Lord, you love me. It sounds almost too good to be true. But you say it clearly. Thank you. I love you too and want to learn to love you better. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
