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Summary

Malachi 3:1–5 – The messenger and the Lord’s coming

What happens: God sends His messenger to prepare the way. The Lord whom they seek comes to His temple like a refiner’s fire to purify Levites. He draws near for judgment against sorcery, adultery, lies, oppression, and injustice.

What it means: God prepares His people for His presence. Holiness purifies worship and confronts sin. This points to John the Baptist and Christ’s coming to cleanse and judge.

Malachi 3:6–12 – Return to Me; robbing God

What happens: God declares He does not change; therefore Israel is not consumed. He calls them to return. They have robbed Him in tithes and offerings. He invites them to test Him and see heaven’s windows opened and the devourer rebuked.

What it means: God’s unchanging mercy invites real repentance. Generous obedience expresses trust in His provision. Blessing flows where God is honored first.

Malachi 3:13–18 – The book of remembrance

What happens: The arrogant say serving God is useless. Those who fear the LORD speak together; God listens and a book of remembrance is written. He spares them as a son, and a clear distinction appears between righteous and wicked.

What it means: God notices faithful fear and records it. He will make the difference clear in His time. Hope rests in belonging to Him as treasured children.

Application

  • Prepare your heart to meet the Lord through repentance and truth.
  • Honor God with first and best, trusting His provision.
  • Join with others who fear the LORD and speak encouragement that He hears.

Bible

1Behold, 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.

2But 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:

3And 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.

4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

5And 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.

6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7Even 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?

8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10Bring 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.

11And 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.

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

13Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14Ye 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?

15And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16Then 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.

17And 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.

18Then 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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