Malachi 3

King James Version

Full text for Malachi Chapter 3

1¶ Behold, 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.

7¶ Even 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.

13¶ Your 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Malachi 3 foretells the coming of a messenger to prepare the way for the Lord, who will suddenly appear in His temple as a refiner's fire to purify the priests and judge the wicked. God rebukes the people for robbing Him in tithes and offerings, promising abundant blessings if they return to obedience. The chapter concludes with God assuring those who fear Him that their faithfulness is remembered, and a clear distinction will eventually be made between the righteous and the wicked.

Medium Summary

Malachi 3 begins with a prophecy of a messenger sent to prepare the way for the Lord, the messenger of the covenant, who will swiftly come to His temple. His arrival is likened to a refiner's fire and fullers' soap, signifying a period of intense purification, particularly for the Levitical priests, so they may offer righteous sacrifices. God declares His intent to come near for judgment against various transgressors, including sorcerers, adulterers, and oppressors of the vulnerable. Despite their transgressions, God's unchanging nature ensures the sons of Jacob are not utterly consumed. He calls them to return from their departure from His ordinances, specifically accusing them of robbing Him in tithes and offerings. God challenges them to bring their tithes, promising an outpouring of blessings, including protection from devourers, if they obey. The chapter also addresses the people's cynical questioning of the value of serving God, contrasting it with God's promise to remember and spare those who fear Him, ultimately distinguishing them from the wicked.

Long Summary

Malachi 3 opens with a powerful prophecy concerning the Lord's imminent arrival. God declares He will send His messenger to prepare the way, followed by the sudden appearance of the Lord, the messenger of the covenant, in His temple. This coming is described with imagery of a refiner's fire and fullers' soap, signifying a profound process of purification. The primary focus of this refining is the sons of Levi, the priests, who will be purged as gold and silver, enabling them to offer righteous sacrifices pleasing to the Lord, as in former times. Following this purification, God asserts His intention to draw near for judgment, acting as a swift witness against a litany of transgressions, including sorcery, adultery, false swearing, and the oppression of laborers, widows, the fatherless, and strangers. The Lord emphasizes His unchanging nature as the reason the sons of Jacob have not been utterly consumed despite their persistent sin. He then directly confronts the people, accusing them of departing from His ordinances since ancient times and challenging them to return. When they question how to return, God explicitly states they have robbed Him in tithes and offerings, a sin affecting the entire nation and resulting in a curse. God then issues a direct command to bring all tithes into the storehouse, presenting a divine challenge: "prove me now herewith." He promises to open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings so abundant there will not be room enough to receive them, along with rebuking the "devourer" to protect their crops and ensure their land is fruitful, leading other nations to call them blessed. The chapter also reveals the people's cynical attitude, where they complain that serving God is futile and that the proud and wicked prosper. However, God assures that those who genuinely feared Him and thought upon His name were heard, and their faithfulness was recorded in a "book of remembrance." These faithful ones will be His special "jewels" in a future day, and He will spare them as a father spares his obedient son. The chapter concludes with the promise that a clear distinction will ultimately be made between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Core Concepts

  • The Messenger and CovenantGod promises to send a messenger to prepare the way for the Lord, who is also identified as the "messenger of the covenant," signifying a divine agent who will bring about a new phase of God's interaction with His people.
  • Purification and RefiningThe Lord's coming is likened to a refiner's fire and fullers' soap, indicating a severe but necessary process to purify the priests (sons of Levi) and the people, making their offerings acceptable to God.
  • Divine JudgmentGod declares He will come near to judge various sins, including sorcery, adultery, false swearing, and the oppression of the vulnerable, demonstrating His active involvement in upholding justice.
  • Robbing God in TithesThe nation is accused of robbing God by withholding tithes and offerings, leading to a curse, and is commanded to return to faithful giving to receive abundant blessings.
  • God's Unchanging NatureGod states, "I am the LORD, I change not," which serves as both a reason for the people's continued existence despite their sin and an assurance of the steadfastness of His promises and character.
  • Book of RemembranceFor those who feared the Lord and thought upon His name, a "book of remembrance" was written, signifying God's attentive awareness and recording of their faithfulness amidst general apostasy.
  • Distinction of the RighteousThe chapter concludes with the promise that a clear discernment will be made between the righteous and the wicked, and between those who serve God and those who do not, with the faithful being recognized as God's treasured "jewels."