E R 1,2-. His coming.
S -2-4. The Reason. "For".
R 5. His coming.
S 6. The Reason. "For".
374 B.C.
Malachi 3)
1 "Behold Me sending My messenger (John the Baptist [Matt. 3:3; 11:10. Mark 1:2,3. Luke 1:76; 3:4; 7:26,27. John 1:25. Cp. Matt. 22:2,3. Isa. 40:3-5), and he shall prepare (by removing obstacles from the way. Cp. Isa. 40:3; 62:10)the way before Me: (quoted in Matt. 11:10. Mark 1:2. Luke 1:76; 7:27. Not to that present generation, but to the "generation" of our Lord's day. See Matt. 11:18. This is the question to "Where?" in 2:17) and the LORD (Messiah [Ex. 23:20; 33:14,16), Whom you seek, shall unexpectedly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant (through the mouth of His elect), whom you delight in: behold, He shall come, has said the LORD of hosts.
2 But who may endure the day of His coming? (cp. Joel 2:11) and who shall stand when He appears? (The Lord's Day, 2nd Coming.)
for He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' lye: (As in Job 9:30: i.e. water mixed with the ashes of certain plants containing alkali. Cp. Mark 9:3)
3 And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi (judgment begins at the house of God. See 1 pet. 4:17), and purge them as gold and silver, that they may bring near to the LORD a gift-offering in righteousness. (Offer your love and be honest in prayer. Cleanliness begins at the pulpit.)
4 Then (when Yehovah shall have sent His messenger [Messiah], and He is accepted) shall the gift-offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be acceptable to the LORD, as in the age-past times, and as in ancient years.
5 And I will come near to you to judgment (both good and bad. See Rev. 14:13); and I will be a swift witness (cp. Mic. 1:2) against the sorcerers (ref. Ex. 22:18. Deut. 18:10), and against the adulterers (ref. Ex. 20:14. Lev. 20:10), and against them that swear to a falsehood (ref. Lev. 6:3-5; 19:12), and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages (defraud, rip off artists Ref. Ex. 22:21. Deut. 24:14), the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right (ref. Ex. 22:22. Deut. 14:29; 16:11,14; 24:17), and revere not Me, has said the LORD of hosts. (God will take care of the scoffers. See 2 Pet. 3:1-10.)
6 For I am the LORD, I have not changed; And you are Jacob's sons; you have not failed. (If He didn't love you, you'd be gone. See Zech. 8:11-16,23.)
C T V 7-. Sin. Backsliding.
W -7-. Command. "Return to Me." Conditional promises.
U -7. Israel's reply. "Wherein?"
T V 8,9. Sin Defrauding.
W 10-12. Command. "Prove Me." Conditional Promises.
7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from My statutes, and have not kept them.
Return to Me, and I will return to you," (2 Thess. 2:4) says the LORD of hosts.
But you said, 'Wherein shall we return?' (They are in Satan's camp, deceived by the "rapture". They think Satan was Christ.)
8 Will a man defraud God? Yet you are defrauding Me. (covered the truth. See Ezek. 13:18) But you say, 'Wherein have we robbed You?' In tithes (ref. Lev. 27:30-33. Num. 18:21-32. Deut. 12:17,&c.; 14:22-29) and heave offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse: for you have defrauded Me, even the nation, the whole of it.
10 Bring you the whole tithes into the storehouse (implying that a part had been withheld), that there may be prey (i.e. animals for sacrifice) in My house, and prove Me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and empty you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Ref. Gen. 7:11; 8:2. See and cp. Amos 8:11. If you do the word of God, He will supply the material.)
11 And I will rebuke the eaters (i.e. the locust. Satan, evil spirits, and Kenites Cp. Joel 1:4. Amos 4:9) for you, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, has said the LORD of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delight-some land (Why do you think this nation, the U.S.A. is so blessed? Cp. Isa. 62:4. Dan. 8:9), has said the LORD of hosts.
D X 3:13-15. The Proud. Incrimination.
Y 3:16-18. The Reverers of Yahaveh. Remembrance and blessing.
X 4:1. The Proud. Destruction.
Y 4:2-4. The Reverers of Yahaveh. Blessing and Remembrance.
13 Your words have been hard (or bold) against Me, has said the LORD. Yet you say, 'What have we spoken so much against You?' (They teach the "Fly away" doctrine. See Ezek. 13:18-20)
14 You have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept (this is a lie!) His charge (to guard God's word - watchman), and that we have gone off mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
15 And now (cp. 1:9; 2:1) we call the proud happy; yes, the workers of lawlessness prosper (or built up. Put for being prospered. Cp. Job 22:23. Jer. 12:16); yes, [they, the proud ones] (marking a climax), they that have tempted God are even delivered.' "
16 Then (i.e. when Malachi had spoken thus to them, and at a time of such apostasy, allowing us what is possible and practicable in these like days and "perilous times" which are closing this present Dispensation) they that revered the LORD spoke often one to another (each one with his friend): and the LORD hearkened, and heard it (as he heard the groaning of Israel [Ex. 2:23,24; Moses, without words [Ex. 14:15; and Nehemiah [Neh. 2:4], Hannah, without words [1 Sam. 1:13]; Jeremiah, his breathing [[Lam. 3:55,56]; Jonah, when dying [Jonah 2:2] the disciples, their thoughts [Luke 24:15,38]), and a book of remembrance was written (ref. Ex. 28:29. Num. 10:10) before Him for them that revered the LORD, and that thought (precious comfort for those who cannot speak. We can walk with God [like Enoch, in the darkest days], and think of Him with those God-reverers now, in these similar days) upon His name.
17 And they shall be Mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day (the Lord's Day) when I am preparing My jewels (= a peculiar treasure. The elect, first fruits, double blessing. See Ezek. 44:25); and I will spare them, according as a man spares his own son that serves him.
18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not. (See Rev. 9:4; 13:18)