Malachi 3
18 verses
Malachi announces the coming of the Lord's messenger who will prepare the way before Him, followed by the coming of the Lord Himself to His temple, though that coming will be like a refiner's fire and purifier's lye, consuming the dross and impurities of the covenant people who have strayed from covenant faithfulness. The prophet declares that the Lord sits as a refiner and tester of silver, burning away dross until pure silver remains, and then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in days of old. Malachi turns to address the people's complaints against the Lord, condemning them for withholding tithes and offerings and questioning whether righteousness brings reward, announcing that those who rob God in tithes and offerings are robbing Him of resources needed for the maintenance of the covenant community and the continuation of proper worship. The Lord promises that those who bring the full tithe will be blessed with such abundance that there is not room enough to receive it, and that the Lord will rebuke the devourer so that your fruit of the ground is not destroyed. Malachi announces that the Lord will gather to Himself a book of remembrance in which the names of those who fear the Lord and think upon His name are written—a promise that faithful servants are eternally recorded and valued in the Lord's sight. In redemptive history, Malachi's vision of the coming messenger-refiner and the gathering of the faithful remnant into a book of remembrance establishes the framework for understanding John the Baptist's ministry and Christ's purifying and gathering work.
VERSES IN THIS CHAPTER
1
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
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God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance..
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2
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
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Following God is costly, but the reward is eternal.. We bring nothing; He provides everything.. His timing, His methods,...
3
And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
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4
Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
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God is faithful in every circumstance.. Now I understand why — it's a daily declaration of dependence on God.. God is fa...
5
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.
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The early church would have heard this very differently than we do today. God is faithful in every circumstance.. The pr...
6
For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
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7
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
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8
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
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9
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
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What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance.. What a reminder that God's way...
10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
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11
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
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12
And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
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God is faithful in every circumstance.. I notice the repetition here is deliberate — the author wants us to feel the emp...
13
Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
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14
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
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15
And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
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16
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
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17
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
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18
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
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