Read Malachi 3
3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.
Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes
6 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned awayfrom my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.
“But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God
13 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord.
“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
The Faithful Remnant
16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be mytreasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
Go Deeper
Malachi 3 is full of applicable lessons for us to learn. First, verses 1-6 are prophecies of the two coming “messengers.” Even with Malachi’s name meaning “my messenger,” these verses refer to the prophecies of both John the Baptist and the messenger of the covenant, Jesus Christ. In the first verse, the first messenger is described as “clearing the way”, which points to John the Baptist making the way for Jesus. He spoke with authority to the Jewish people and leaders of that day and prepared them for who was to come.
The beauty in these prophetic books is the hope it gives to those who hear and believe what these prophets said hundreds of years before Christ. God’s people always had a choice in their response to these prophets, and the same is true for us today. Malachi 3:2-6 describes Christ’s purity and holiness that are offered to us as believers. Verse 6 exclaims God’s faithfulness to His people, reminding us God’s love for us never changes. He is always there. As we allow Him, God will manifest His divine nature within us, and this gives us wholeness, joy, and hope now and forever.
In verses 7-15 God spoke three things to His people. First, “return to me.” Second, “you rob me.” Third, “You have spoken against Me.” As we read in the first part of this chapter, God desired their hearts first above all else and their commitment would show in their lives and their temple practices. God convicted the Israelites of their prosperity and personal well-being superseding the laws of God. They were arrogant and self-centered, losing their awe of God and His law. Further, they were failing in their financial support of the temple. Thirdly, they were not trusting God in their current trials and oppression.
There is so much in this for us today. We must sincerely and honestly ask these same questions of ourselves and our families. God, are you first in my life above all else? Am I “robbing” You, God, in any way? Am I speaking against you? The best test of this is to look at our calendars to see how we are spending our time, and further, look at our check books on how we are using our God given resources. Finally, are we grumbling rather than doing our part and then trusting in His provision for us? The conviction of God is good and kind because He offers forgiveness and the way to return. No matter the problem, He will open His arms to us as we repent and return. In Verse 7, God lovingly says, “return to Me and I will return to you.”
Finally, verses 16-17 show the heart of God for those who love and serve Him. His covenant promise to us is His faithfulness. The Lord listened and heard the cries and hearts of those who responded to the message of Malachi, and our Lord will listen, hear, and respond to our same cries. When Christ returns, we will see the difference between the children of God and those who have turned away. The offerings we bring include our money, our time, and our hearts. May we consider the promises of Malachi 3:10 and trust every word God says.
Questions
- How did John the Baptist describe himself in relation to the coming Messiah?
- Do any of the questions God asked the Israelites apply in your life? Answer honestly and God is there to offer his grace, love, and forgiveness, and direction.
- What hope and promises do you hear in Malachi 3:10?
A Quote
Matthew Henry’s commentary on Malachi 3 says, “The saints are God’s jewels; they are dear to him. He will preserve them as his jewels. In the end, all the world will confess that those were wise and happy, who served the Lord and trusted in Him.”
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3 thoughts on “Malachi 3”
Here are some things that stood out as I read this chapter:
•the willingness of Malachi to confront the people with their sins to restore their relationship with God
•the arrogant attitude of the people to his message
•there will remain a faithful remnant who serve God
I am determined to be in that faithful band of believers who love, fear, and honor Christ. It is what I desire above all else.
My hearts desire is that neither you or me are serving God because we think we get a reward. We do but we should be loving, serving, fearing, faithful, worshipping, encouraging, edifying, yielding to, and adoring God because He is God. His is a refining fire that burns away the junk we store up thinking it is good. Going into the fire is not fun but what comes out is amazing. Being able to know that you and others can see more of Jesus in your life is worth the refining. It is God in Christ in me and you that wants to be in our life. He wants to help us mature in Him, to look at the storms or refinement as becoming more deeply committed to Him, for Him, so we can serve Him with joy. We have to trust and repent. As we do the will of God we do get rewards here and beyond but that is not the why.
God thank You for wisdom and knowledge about You and how to serve You better each day. God thank You for falling in love with You more and more. Thank You for understanding about giving more completely. I believe what I have is Yours and I am to give generously. Help me, show me, guide me on the how, when and who in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!
What struck me today is our blindness to our sins. “How are we robbing you?” said the Israelites. “What have we said against you?” LORD, help me listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings and search out my sins. Help me dedicate my whole life you, so I can live each day under the glorious shelter of your blessings.