Malachi 3
The Need for Israel to Return to God
The conversation between God and His people continues in this section. Israel could clearly see the world’s need for God’s justice, but they had lost sight of their own need for His mercy.
When the Jews saw surrounding nations prosper while they suffered hardship, they complained that God was not just. Other nations made no effort to keep God’s law, whereas Israel was his people. Malachi replies that if justice is what the Jews want, then justice is what they will have; but they must realize that such justice will apply to them as well as to their heathen neighbors. They have asked for the God of justice; now he will come and do his work of justice among them. - Don Fleming
I Will Come in Judgment
My Messenger
Vs. 1 - “See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies.
In the previous exchange, the people complained by asking, “Where is the God of justice? When will God oppress the nations that have oppressed His people?” God’s answer was that a messenger would prepare the way for “the day of his coming.”
Jesus quoted Malachi to a crowd of people to identify his cousin, John, as the fulfillment of this promised messenger who would “prepare the way” for the Messiah.
Matthew 11:9-11 - What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared.
Purify The Levites
Vs. 3 - He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.
As a fire He would burn up the impurities of the priests, and as a laundryman’s soap He would wash them clean. The Levitical priests would then be able to offer sacrifices to Yahweh in a righteous condition rather than as they were in Malachi’s day. - Thomas Constable
Defend the Oppressed
Vs. 5 (NLT) - I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice
Malachi warned that the consequences of the justice the people wanted God to bring would extend to everyone, including Israel who had dishonored God by oppressing one another.
The Levites would not be the only Jews He judged; all the Israelites living then would come under His judgment. He would judge them for all types of activity forbidden for His people: sorcery; adultery; lying; oppression of employees, widows, and orphans; mistreatment of aliens; even all forms of irreverence for Him. This was His answer to their claim that He was unjust. - Thomas Constable
Return to Me
God: Return to me, and I will return to you - vs. 7 - Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies.
The prophetic conversation continues with Israel’s need to repent. God’s people had failed to remember His mercy and to obey the commands of His covenant.
Israel: How can we return? - vs. 7 - Yet you ask, “How can we return?”
’How should we return?’ is not an earnest entreaty for information but a self-serving declaration of innocence. The people, in effect, are saying, ’What need do we have to return since we never turned away to begin with?’ - Merrill
God: You are robbing me. - vs. 8 - “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!”
God provided a specific example in this section of how Israel had strayed from following Him. They had withheld for themselves what God had instructed to be distributed to others.
Israel: How have we robbed you? - vs. 8 - “How do we rob you?” you ask.
Again, Israel answered in denial and defiance.
God: By not paying the tithe - vs. 8 - “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.”
The people had failed to honor God with the firstfruits of what He had provided.
The Law of Moses had a detailed system of giving based on the tithe. If you failed to pay your tithe, you had to pay a 20% penalty (Leviticus 5:14-16; 22:14; 27:31-32). Nevertheless, the practice and principle of tithing came long before the law (Genesis 14:18-20). - David Guzik
Leviticus 27:30 - Every tenth of the land’s produce, grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29 - “At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your city gates. Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
Since God owned the land and its produce in the first place, withholding tithes when He commanded the Israelites to give them amounted to robbing Him. Earlier the Lord criticized the priests for offering inferior quality sacrifices, and now He criticized the people for offering an insufficient quantity of sacrifices. - Thomas Constable
Vs. 10 - Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.
God asked His people to test Him to see if He would not be faithful to His promise to bless their obedience.
The Difference Between The Righteous And The Wicked
God: You speak harshly about me. - vs. 13 - “Your words against me are harsh,” says the Lord.
God’s next observation was that Israel had made an accusation against Him.
Israel: How have we spoken harshly? - vs. 13 - Yet you ask, “What have we spoken against you?”
Again, Israel answered in denial and defiance.
God: You have said that it is useless to serve me. - vs. 14 - You have said, “It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping his requirements and walking mournfully before the Lord of Armies?”
Two thousand four hundred years ago people asked the same question that we ask today. The righteous often cannot understand how it seems the wicked continue to prosper while the righteous suffer. - Brent Kercheville
The Wicked Prosper
Vs. 15 - So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape.
The people were discouraged and doubtful. They could not understand why they were still suffering and waiting while surrounded by prosperous pagans.
The psalmist Asaph expressed a similar sentiment:
Psalm 73:12-13 - Look at them—the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth. Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?
The Book of Remembrance
Vs. 16 - The Lord took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the Lord and had high regard for his name.
God’s response to their harsh words is interesting. I would suppose that God could have said that they are suffering because they are not righteous. Their lives are full of iniquities such that the Lord sent Malachi to get the people to consider their ways.
But God gives a different answer in verses 16-18. God says that the righteous are written down in the book of remembrance. Why are their names written down? Because judgment is coming against the wicked and God knows who are His. God’s response throughout the scriptures about injustices is simply to wait. God will take care of all the unjust in due time. God does not strike down the wicked immediately, but allows them the time to repent. - Brent Kercheville
Whether such heavenly records exist literally, the many biblical references to them show that God knows and will reward those who belong to him. - E. Ray Clendenen
The Difference
Vs. 18 - So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
The people were saying harsh words about God. They were saying that there is no point in serving God and there is no benefit. They said that the evil prosper and get away with what they are doing. But God says that there is a book of remembrance where names are written, a distinction that will be made between the righteous and wicked, and a day prepared for judgment. Chapter 4 goes on to describe the coming judgment that will take place against those wicked people. - Brent Kercheville
