Malachi 3

1 Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts.2 But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap:3 and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness.4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years.5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sojourner from his right, and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.6 For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.7 From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?8 Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.9 Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation.10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah 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.11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field, saith Jehovah of hosts.12 And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of hosts.13 Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee?14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.16 Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.17 And they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of hosts, even mine own possession, in the day that I make; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Malachi 3

Resistance to the Lord through Self-deceit

1 “I am about to send my messenger,t who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lordt you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messengers of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the Lord who rules over all.
2 Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire,s like a launderer’s soap.3 He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering.

4 The offeringst of Judah and Jerusalems will be pleasing to the Lord as in former times and years past.

5 “It will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises,t and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans,t who refuse to helpt the immigrantt and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Resistance to the Lord through Selfishness

6 “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises,t you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.7 From the days of your ancestors you have ignoredt my commandmentst and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord who rules over all. “But you say, ‘How should we return?’8 Can a person robs God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions!s

9 You are bound for judgmentt because you are robbing me – this whole nation is guilty.t
10 “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouset so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,” says the Lord who rules over all, “to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all.11 Then I will stop the plaguet from ruining your crops,t and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest,” says the Lord who rules over all.

12 “All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live int a delightful land,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Resistance to the Lord through Self-sufficiency

13 “You have criticized me sharply,”t says the Lord, “but you ask, ‘How have we criticized you?’14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helpedt by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all?s

15 So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful.t In fact, those who challenget God escape!’”
16 Then those who respectedt the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice.t A scrolls was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.17 “They will belong to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “in the day when I prepare my own special property.s I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.

18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction betweent the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.