MALACHI 3
3 Look at me sending my messenger! Yes, he will prepare the way before me. Then, suddenly, the Lord whom you seek will enter his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight.
Watch, he is coming! says Yahweh of Warriors, 2 and who can handle the day of his entrance? Yes, who will stand at his appearing? For he is like a refiner’s fire, like a cleaner’s soap. 3 So he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver – yes, he will cleanse the sons of Levi and purge them like the gold and the silver, and to Yahweh they will be men who make an offering in righteousness. 4 So Judah and Jerusalem’s offering will be pleasing to Yahweh as in days of old and as in earlier years. 5 Then I will come to you for the judgment, and I will be a witness hastening among the sorcerers, the adulterers, those who vow to the lie, and the oppressors of the worker in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and he who turns the traveller away, and those who don’t fear me, says Yahweh of Warriors.
6 For I, Yahweh, do not change. Therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not finished, 7 even though since the days of your fathers you turned away from my statutes and you haven’t kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says Yahweh of Warriors. But you said, “Why must we return? 8 Can a man rob God?” Yet you are robbing me! But you say, “How are we robbing you?” In the tithe and the offering! 9 You cursed people are being cursed because you are robbing me – the whole nation! 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so there may be food in my house. In fact, go on, test me in this! says Yahweh of Warriors. See if I don’t open the windows of the heavens for you and pour out blessing upon you until there’s beyond enough! 11 And on your account I will rebuke the devourer so that he won’t destroy the fruit of the soil for you, and the vine in the field won’t be barren for you, says Yahweh of Warriors. 12 Then all the nations will call you blessed because you – yes you! – will be a land of delight, says Yahweh of Warriors.
13 Your words against me have been strong, says Yahweh. But you say, “How have we spoken against you?” 14 You have said, “It is a waste of time to serve the Godhead! And what’s the point of us keeping watch for him or in walking like mourners before Yahweh of Warriors? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed, and evildoers prosper – yes they test the Godhead and get away with it!”’
16 At that time those who feared Yahweh spoke to each other and Yahweh took note. He listened, and a scroll of remembrance was written in his presence of them who feared Yahweh and were mindful of his name. 17 Yes, they belong to me, says Yahweh of Warriors, for the day when I will make them a treasured possession, and I will have pity on them as a man has pity on his son who serves him. 18 Then you will return and you will distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between someone who serves the Godhead and he who does not.
Comments
1) Malachi's prophecy switches to the far future; future even from now - the physical second coming of Jesus Christ. This is when the final cleansing of the Jewish people takes place.
16) The language here seems to represent the faithful as a significant minority in this day. This is consistent with Scripture elsewhere concerning the last days (e.g. 1 Tim 4). Yes, all Israel will be saved (Rom 11:26), but only because of the cleansing work of Christ as described in vv2-5 (either killing or renewing the sinners until there are only the faithful remaining).
1) Malachi's prophecy switches to the far future; future even from now - the physical second coming of Jesus Christ. This is when the final cleansing of the Jewish people takes place.
16) The language here seems to represent the faithful as a significant minority in this day. This is consistent with Scripture elsewhere concerning the last days (e.g. 1 Tim 4). Yes, all Israel will be saved (Rom 11:26), but only because of the cleansing work of Christ as described in vv2-5 (either killing or renewing the sinners until there are only the faithful remaining).