E.
To refine and purify the priests by His coming as the messenger of Jehovah
3:1-4
Mal. 3
:1
3:1
I am about to
asend 1My messenger, and he will
bclear the way before Me; and suddenly the Lord, whom you seek, will come to His temple. And the
2cAngel of the covenant, whom you
3ddesire, He will come, says Jehovah of hosts.
Mal. 3
:2
3:2
And who will endure the
aday of His coming? And who will
bstand when He appears? For He is like a
1refiner’s
cfire and like fullers’ soap.
Mal. 3
:3
3:3
And He will sit as a
arefiner and a purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and purge them like gold and like silver, and they will offer to Jehovah a sacrifice in righteousness.
Mal. 3
:4
3:4
And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will be pleasing to Jehovah, as in the days of old and as in the former years.
IV.
Jehovah's dealing with the sons of Jacob
3:5—4:6
A.
Jehovah's judgment by His drawing near
3:5-6
Mal. 3
:5
3:5
And I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely and against those who
aoppress the hired worker for his hire,
and the widow and the orphan, and those who turn the
1stranger aside, and who do not fear Me, says Jehovah of hosts.
Mal. 3
:6
3:6
For I, Jehovah, do
anot change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are
bnot consumed.
B.
Jehovah's advice to the sons of Jacob
3:7-12
Mal. 3
:7
3:7
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept
them.
AReturn to Me, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of hosts. But you say, How shall we return?
Mal. 3
:8
3:8
Will a man
1rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, How have we robbed You? In
atithes and offerings.
Mal. 3
:9
3:9
With the curse you are cursed, yet you,
even the whole nation, rob Me.
Mal. 3
:10
3:10
Bring the whole
atithe to the storehouse that there may be
1food in My house; and prove Me, if you will, by this, says Jehovah of hosts, whether I will open to you the
bwindows of heaven and pour out
2cblessing for you until there is no room for it.
Mal. 3
:11
3:11
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and for your sake he will not destroy the fruit of the ground; and for your sake the vine will not lose its fruit in the field, says Jehovah of hosts.
Mal. 3
:12
3:12
And all the nations will call you
ablessed, for you will be a
bland of delight, says Jehovah of hosts.
C.
Jehovah's encouragement to those who fear Him and serve Him
3:13-18
1.
The words of some of the sons of Jacob being strongly against Jehovah
vv. 13-15
Mal. 3
:13
3:13
Your words have been strongly
aagainst Me, says Jehovah; but you say, What have we spoken against You?
Mal. 3
:14
3:14
You say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge and have walked
1mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
Mal. 3
:15
3:15
And now we call the arrogant blessed; not only have those who act wickedly been built up, but they also try God and escape.
2.
The word of encouragement by Jehovah
vv. 16-18
Mal. 3
:16
3:16
Then those who feared Jehovah spoke to one another, each with his neighbor. And Jehovah gave heed and listened, and a
1abook of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared Jehovah and considered His name.
Mal. 3
:17
3:17
And they will be
aMine, says Jehovah of hosts, a personal treasure, in the
1day that I prepare; and I will spare them, as a man spares his son who serves him.
Mal. 3
:18
3:18
And you will return and discern between him who is righteous and him who is wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him.
