 |  |
A
1:6.
Priests despise Name, 'contemptible' (1:7,12).
B
1:11,14.
Nations great, dreadful Name.
Rising Sun.
A
2:2,5.
Priests glory, fear Name, 'contemptible' (2:9).
B
3:16; 4:2.
Remnant fear Name.
Rising Sun.
The strictly prophetic passages of Malachi are found in chapters 3 and
4. Chapter 3 opens with the words, 'Behold, I will send My messenger', and
chapter 4 closes with the words, 'Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet'.
The messenger of chapter 3 is John the Baptist, the passage is a
partial quotation of Isaiah 40:3. John the Baptist went before the Lord 'in
the spirit and power of Elias' (Luke 1:17,68 -79). Had Israel accepted their
Messiah, then John the Baptist 'would have been' Elijah which was for to
come. But they did not, and God in His Divine foreknowledge knew that they
would not, hence the provision and the double interpretation.
The outstanding feature of the day of the Lord's Coming, is the
purifying of the people:
'He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and 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. Then shall the offering of Judah
and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as
in former years' (Mal. 3:2 -4).
Zechariah 13:9 speaks of a third part of Israel being brought through
the fire which 'will refine them as silver is refined'; Daniel 11:35 and
12:10 speak of the refining effect of the last days; and to the like effect,
Isaiah 48:10. (See Millennial Studies, p. 12). The 'fuller' makes us think
of that foreshadowing of the kingdom which took place on the mount of
Transfiguration, when the Saviour's raiment became so white 'so as no fuller
on earth can white them' (Mark 9:3). This purifying is for 'the sons of
Levi' and for 'Judah'. The covenant of Levi had been corrupted by the
priests (Mal. 2:8), and Judah had dealt 'treacherously' and had 'profaned'
the holiness of the Lord (Mal. 2:11). Levi stands for priesthood, Judah for
kingship, and the bringing of the two together at the last, is a reference to
the destiny of this people, namely, to be 'kings and priests' (Rev. 1:5,6).
The fire purifies and refines the chosen people of God, but:
'Behold, the
day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud,
yea, and all
that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that
cometh shall
burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave
them neither
root nor branch' (Mal. 4:1).
In contrast with which, to those that fear the name of the Lord, shall
'the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings' (Mal. 4:2).
In conclusion, we turn back to that passage which
has heartened many believers in time of darkness and departure: