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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET MALACHI

CHAPTER THREE:
THE COMING JUDGMENT

Malachi 3:1-4 – The Angel of the Covenant

ML3:1 “Behold, I am sending my angel 45 who will prepare a way before Me. 46 [Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2] And suddenly the Lord 47 whom you seek will come to His temple, even the angel 48 of the covenant in whom you delight. Look, he will surely arrive,” says Yehowah of Hosts.

45

I am sending my angel: Or, messenger. The Hebrew is Malachi’s name, MALAKHI and the Greek is ANGELUM. Jesus himself gives the inspired interpretation proving this “angel” was John the Baptist. [Compare also Luke 1:76.] This would indicate how much power there is in Malachi applying to 1st Century Judaism.

46	Me: That is Yehowah through his Apostle or Angel, Jesus Christ.

47	The Lord: The Messiah as the Apostle of Yehowah who suddenly appears – the One the Jews longed for – to inspect and cleanse the Temple.

48	The angel: Or, messenger. This is Jesus Christ who had previously existed as “the angel of the covenant” in Israel’s desert wanderings. [Exodus 3:2; 14:19; 23:20; 33:2; Numbers 20:16] On the pre-existence of Christ see notes on John 6:62 and John 17:5.

ML3:2 However, who will be able to endure the day of his arrival, 49 and who will remain standing when he appears? For he 50 will be like a smelter’s fire and like a cleaner’s lye.

49	Day of his arrival: Primarily beginning with Jesus’ baptism and anointing. He is referred to as “the Coming One” in the Gospels. [Galatians 4:4]

50	He: The Messiah is compared to a smelter and cleanser and not an effeminate weakling.

ML3:3 And he must sit as a smelter and a purifier of silver to cleanse the sons of Levi. 51 And he must clarify them like gold and silver. They will truly become to Yehowah a people offering up a sacrificial offering in righteousness. 52

51	Sons of Levi: While most Jewish priests rejected the Messiah many thousands accepted him. [Acts 6:7]

52	Sacrificial offering in righteousness: Not those of animal sacrifices but those of Hebrews 13:15, 16 – praise and charity.

ML3:4 And the sacrificial offering of Judah and Jerusalem will please Yehowah, just as in ancient times and as during past history.

Malachi 3:5-10 – Time of Judgment

ML3:5 “And I will approach you people for the Judgment. 53 I will become swift witness against 54 sorcerers, adulterers, 55 false accusers, 56 extortionists 57 of a laborer’s wages 58 or of a widow and orphan, and those who run off strangers 59 without any fear of me,” says Yehowah of Hosts.

53	The Judgment: The time of Messiah’s visitation between 29-33 with the condemnation coming in 70 AD.

54	Swift witness against: That is those Jew’s in Christ’s generation.

55	Adulterers: Jesus calls his generation “adulterous.” [Matthew 12:39; 16:4; Mark 8:38]

56	False accusers: These became manifest during the trial of Jesus. [Matthew 26:60; Mark 14:57]

57	Extortionists: Jesus condemned the Jewish hierarchy for such. [Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:40] True worship can never ignore widows and orphans. [James 1:29]

58	Laborer’s wages: Compare the disciple James’ condemnation of Jewish Christians who did the same. [James 5:4]

59	Strangers: God will approve of no worshipper who does not show hospitality to strangers. For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 25:40-46 and Hebrews 13:2.

ML3:6 “For I am Yehowah and I have not changed. 60 For this reason you children of Judah have not been completely exterminated. 61

60	I have not changed: Or, I change not. The God of the Hebrew Bible is the same God of the Christian Bible.

61	Not been completely exterminated: An approved remnant shows up as Paul states. [Romans 9:27-29; 11:4, 5]

ML3:7 From the time of your fathers you have departed from my statutes and did not observe them. 62 Return to Me so I may return to you,” says Yehowah of Hosts. “And still you ask, ‘How shall we return?’

62	Not observe them: Jesus so condemns the Jewish hierarchy [Matthew 15:9] as does Paul. [Galatians 6:13]

ML3:8 Will a human being rob God? But all of you keep robbing Me!” And you ask, “How did we rob You?’ By your tithing and contributions! 63

63	By your tithing and contributions: Or, tenth. The person with worldly riches who spends more on leisure and luxuries than on the poor and needy – rob God. [For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 15:5; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; James 1:27; 2:14-17; 1 John 3:17]

ML3:9 You are cursing Me and you are robbing Me – the whole nation! 64

64	The whole nation: The entire nation of Israel stands condemned by Messiah’s appearance and he several times mentions his “generation.”

ML3:10 Bring the complete tithe 65 into the storehouse that there may be food in my House. 66 In this regard, test Me,” Yehowah of Hosts says, “and see whether I will not open to all of you persons the floodgates of the sky and for a certainty pour out upon all of you a blessing 67 until there is no more room.”

65	Bring the complete tithe: The principle, if not the meaning, can be applied to the thought of 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2.

66	Food in my House: See how the early Christians were so blessed at Acts 2:44-46.

67	Blessing: Here the blessing is material if God’s worshippers will give to charity.

Malachi 3:11-15 – Why Serve God?

ML3:11 “Because of you I will rebuke the devouring insect and it will not ruin your produce of the soil, nor will your vineyard be unproductive,” says Yehowah of Hosts. ML3:12 “And all the non-Jews will declare you blessed 68 for all of you will become a land of delight,” says Yehowah of Hosts.

68	Declare you blessed: For two primary reasons: a] the Jews produced the Messiah [Galatians 4:4]; and, b] because the Bible was entrusted to them. [Romans 3:1, 2]

ML3:13 “Your words against Me have been powerful,” says Yehowah. “And all of you ask, ‘How did we talk among ourselves against You?’ ML3:14 “You have said, ‘There is no point in serving God. What have we gained by obligating ourselves to Him? And what was the reason we walked so forlornly in behalf of Yehowah of Hosts? ML3:15 And now during these times we declare the arrogant blessed. Also, we build up the lawless. Also, those who test God get away with it.’”

Malachi 3:16-18 – A Log of Remembrance

ML3:16 At that time those who revere Yehowah talked with each other, each with his friend, and Yehowah continued watching and listening. 69 And a log of remembrance 70 was written in His presence for all those 71 in fear of Yehowah and for those who thought on His Name. 72

69	Watching and listening: God is paying strict attention to the spiritual events in Jerusalem during the time of angelic Messiah’s coming.

70	Log of remembrance: Or, book, scroll. The Greek is BIBLION [small scroll]. Note the same at Revelation 20:12.

71	Those: Two characteristics mark those entered into the log or book: a] those in fear of Yehowah; and, b] those thinking on His Name.

72	Thought on His Name: Most of the Jews of Jesus’ generation did not use the divine Name. The majority of Christians two thousand years later call Him either God or Lord, with few ever “thinking on His Name.”

ML3:17 “And for a certainty they 73 will all become mine,” says Yehowah of Hosts, “during that period 74 when I am preparing a treasured possession. 75 [1 Peter 2:9] And like a man showing compassion to a son who serves him, I will show empathy toward them.

73	They: Those mentioned previously.

74	During that period: Beginning with the ministry of Jesus and continuing throughout the Gospel Age.

75	Treasured possession: Or, special property, treasured possession, preparing treasure, prized possession, peculiar possession. The Greek LXX has EIS PERIIPOIESIN exactly as Peter in 1 Peter 2:9. By Peter’s inspired allusion these are “God’s People” [1 Peter 2:10] – the Body of Christ.

ML3:18 So all of you will return and see the difference between 76 the law-abiding and the lawless – between a person who serves God 77 and one that does not serve Him.

76

See the difference between: Observers would see examples of the difference or distinction between the two groups of people: those Jewish observers of the Law who come under the curse of God for polluted worship and wife abuse; and, those “true worshippers” who worship “in spirit and truth” and who “dwell with their wives according to knowledge.” [John 4:22-24; 1 Peter 3:7]

77	Serves God: Both have the outward appearance of serving God, but one practices polluted worship and lives hypocritically, while the other does not.

Review Questions on Chapter Three