3 “Look! I’m sending my messenger on ahead to clear the way for me. Suddenly, out of the blue, the Leader you’ve been looking for will enter his Temple—yes,

3 “Look! I’m sending my messenger on ahead to clear the way for me. Suddenly, out of the blue, the Leader you’ve been looking for will enter his Temple—yes, the Messenger of the Covenant, the one you’ve been waiting for. Look! He’s on his way!” A Message from the mouth of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.2-4 But who will be able to stand up to that coming? Who can survive his appearance?He’ll be like white-hot fire from the smelter’s furnace. He’ll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He’ll take his place as a refiner of silver, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He’ll scrub the Levite priests clean, refine them like gold and silver, until they’re fit for GOD, fit to present offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will Judah and Jerusalem be fit and pleasing to GOD, as they used to be in the years long ago.

5 “Yes, I’m on my way to visit you with Judgment. I’ll present compelling evidence against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit workers, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, those who are inhospitable to the homeless—anyone and everyone who doesn’t honor me.” A Message from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.6-7 “I am GOD—yes, I AM. I haven’t changed. And because I haven’t changed, you, the descendants of Jacob, haven’t been destroyed. You have a long history of ignoring my commands. You haven’t done a thing I’ve told you. Return to me so I can return to you,” says GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.“You ask, ‘But how do we return?’8-9 “Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day.“You ask, ‘How have we robbed you?’“The tithe and the offering—that’s how!

10-11And now you’re under a curse—the whole lot of you—because you’re robbing me. Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don’t open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. For my part, I will defend you against marauders, protect your wheat fields and vegetable gardens against plunderers.” The Message of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.12 “You’ll be voted ‘Happiest Nation.’ You’ll experience what it’s like to be a country of grace.” GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.

God had a special purpose in asking for the tenth. It was to teach his people to put him first. "Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields . . . so that you will always learn to fear the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 14:22-23).

"'Test Me in this way,' says the LORD of Hosts" (Mal. 3:10). God challenged His people to give according to the Law so that He could bless them. Do you realize that this is the only time in Bible where God puts out that kind of challenge? Too often we get hung up on the amount and miss the promise. We trust God for our salvation, our eternity in heaven, won't trust God with our finances. What's the logic in that?

God's hand is bigger. His shovel is bigger. His wallet is bigger. His generosity is bigger. His love is bigger. In the end, when we rob from God we are actually robbing from ourselves. We are robbing ourselves of spiritual blessings, of God's provisions, of a church that can meet the needs of others.

13 GOD says, “You have spoken hard, rude words to me.“You ask, ‘When did we ever do that?’14-15 “When you said, ‘It doesn’t pay to serve God. What do we ever get out of it? When we did what he said and went around with long faces, serious about GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, what difference did it make? Those who take life into their own hands are the lucky ones. They break all the rules and get ahead anyway. They push God to the limit and get by with it.’”

16 Then those whose lives honored GOD got together and talked it over. GOD saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the GOD-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored GOD’s name.17-18 GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies said, “They’re mine, all mine. They’ll get special treatment when I go into action. I treat them with the same consideration and kindness that parents give the child who honors them. Once more you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, between serving God and not serving him.”

God is to be held in awe. We are to tremble at the thought of offending Him in any way. What benefits of reverence to God do you see in verses 16 & 17?

God listens to us"The LORD took notice and listened" (3:16). When we reverence God, He gives us His undivided attention. The image communicated is that of God leaning forward to take in everything that is being said about Him.

God remembers us"So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared Yahweh and had high regard for His name" (3:16). Oriental rulers frequently recorded the names and deeds of citizens who did beneficial deeds to make certain they were not forgotten when the time came for appropriate rewards. God keep tabs on us all. He remembers what we have done. In fact, the only thing God forgets is our confessed sins. God said, "Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands" (Isaiah 49:16). We write something on our hands so we won't forget it. God doesn't forget us. He remembers.

God claims us"'They will be Mine,' says the LORD of Hosts" (3:17).

God treasures us"'A special possession on the day I am preparing'" (3:17). Special possession means to set aside a thing or property. For example, you have many possessions, but those items of great value are placed somewhere for safekeeping.

God spares us"'I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him'" (3:17). Malachi is a book of warnings of God's judgment. But it also is a book of compassion in sparing those who serve, fear, and honor God.

4 1-3 “Count on it: The day is coming, raging like a forest fire. All the arrogant people who do evil things will be burned up like stove wood, burned to a crisp, nothing left but scorched earth and ash— a black day. But for you, sunrise! The sun of righteousness will dawn on those who honor my name, healing radiating from its wings. You will be bursting with energy, like colts frisky and frolicking.4 “Remember and keep the revelation I gave through my servant Moses, the revelation I commanded at Horeb for all Israel, all the rules and procedures for right living.

References

How Do You Treat God? – Rick Ezell

The Refiner's Fire -- Fred Mueller

What is Your Decision? – Rick Ezell

A PURE PEOPLE -- Charles Lyons, Ph.D.