1 Of the messenger of the Lord, John Baptist, and of Christ’s office.

Behold, I will send my [a]messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the [b]Lord whom ye seek, shall speedily come to his Temple: even the [c]messenger of the Covenant, whom ye desire: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

But who [d]may abide the day of his coming? and who shall endure, when he appeareth? for he is like a purging fire, and like fuller’s soap.

And he shall sit down to try and fine the silver: he shall even fine the sons of [e]Levi and purify them as gold and silver, that they may bring offerings unto the Lord in righteousness.

Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be acceptable unto the Lord, as in old time and in the years afore.

And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the soothsayers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that wrongfully keep back the hireling’s wages, and vex the widow, and the fatherless, and oppress the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

For I am the Lord: I change not, and ye sons of Jacob [f]are not consumed.

From the days of your fathers, ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them: [g]return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts: but ye said, Wherein shall we return?

Will a [h]man spoil his gods? yet have ye spoiled me: but ye say, Wherein have we spoiled thee? In [i]tithes and offerings.

Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have spoiled me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, and pour you out a blessing [j]without measure.

11 And I will rebuke the [k]devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a pleasant land, saith the Lord of hosts.

13 Your words have been stout [l]against me, saith the Lord: yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is in vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his commandment, and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts?

15 Therefore we count the proud blessed: even they that work wickedness, are set up, and they that tempt God, yea, they are [m]delivered.

16 [n]Then spake they that feared the Lord, everyone to his neighbor, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a [o]book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name.

17 And they shall be to me, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day [p]that I shall do this, for a flock, and I will [q]spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 3:1 This is meant of John Baptist, as Christ expoundeth it, Luke 7:27.
  2. Malachi 3:1 Meaning, Messiah, Ps. 40:1, 7; Dan. 9:17, 25.
  3. Malachi 3:1 That is, Christ, by whom the covenant was made and ratified, who is called the Angel or messenger of the covenant, because he reconcileth us to his father and is Lord or king, because he hath the government of his Church.
  4. Malachi 3:2 He showeth that the hypocrites which wish so much for the Lord’s coming will not abide when he draweth near: for he will consume them, and purge his and make them clean.
  5. Malachi 3:3 He beginneth at the Priests that they might be lights, and shine unto others.
  6. Malachi 3:6 They murmured against God, because they saw not his help ever present to defend them: and therefore he accuseth them of ingratitude, and showeth that in that they are not daily consumed, it is a token, that he doth still defend them, and so his mercy toward them never changeth.
  7. Malachi 3:7 Read Zech. 1:3.
  8. Malachi 3:8 There are none of the heathen so barbarous, that will defraud their gods of their honor, or deal deceitfully with them.
  9. Malachi 3:8 Whereby the service of God should have been maintained, and the Priests and the poor relieved.
  10. Malachi 3:10 Not having respect how much ye need, but I will give you in all abundance: so that ye shall lack place to put my blessings in.
  11. Malachi 3:11 Meaning, the caterpillar, and whatsoever destroyeth corn and fruits.
  12. Malachi 3:13 The Prophet condemneth them of double blasphemy against God: first, in that they said that God had no respect to them that served him, and next, that the wicked were more in his favor than the godly.
  13. Malachi 3:15 They are not only preferred to honor, but also delivered from dangers.
  14. Malachi 3:16 After these admonitions of the Prophet, some were lively touched, and encouraged others to fear God.
  15. Malachi 3:16 Both because the thing was strange that some turned to God in that great and universal corruption, and also that this might be an example of God’s mercies to all penitent sinners.
  16. Malachi 3:17 When I shall restore my Church according to my promise, they shall be as mine own proper goods.
  17. Malachi 3:17 That is, forgive their sins, and govern them with my Spirit.

“I will send my messenger,(A) who will prepare the way before me.(B) Then suddenly the Lord(C) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(D) whom you desire,(E) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure(F) the day of his coming?(G) Who can stand(H) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire(I) or a launderer’s soap.(J) He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;(K) he will purify(L) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.(M) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,(N) and the offerings(O) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.(P)

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(Q) adulterers(R) and perjurers,(S) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(T) who oppress the widows(U) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(V) among you of justice, but do not fear(W) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

“I the Lord do not change.(X) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.(Y) Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away(Z) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return(AA) to me, and I will return to you,”(AB) says the Lord Almighty.

“But you ask,(AC) ‘How are we to return?’

“Will a mere mortal rob(AD) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes(AE) and offerings. You are under a curse(AF)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe(AG) into the storehouse,(AH) 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(AI) of heaven and pour out(AJ) so much blessing(AK) that there will not be room enough to store it.(AL) 11 I will prevent pests from devouring(AM) your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,(AN)” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed,(AO) for yours will be a delightful land,”(AP) says the Lord Almighty.(AQ)

Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

13 “You have spoken arrogantly(AR) against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask,(AS) ‘What have we said against you?’

14 “You have said, ‘It is futile(AT) to serve(AU) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements(AV) and going about like mourners(AW) before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant(AX) blessed. Certainly evildoers(AY) prosper,(AZ) 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.(BA) A scroll(BB) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared(BC) the Lord and honored his name.

17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my(BD) treasured possession.(BE) I will spare(BF) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son(BG) who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous(BH) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.(BI)