Malachi 3:1–7, 3:16–4:2

Explore the Bible
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

A Pure People

Malachi 3:1–7, 3:16–4:2

God’s Messenger (3:1–5)

The Israelites asked at the end of Chapter 2 where the God of justice was and God answers them in Chapter 3. God affirmed that He would receive His due when His messenger would come to the temple — a messenger who was none other than John the Baptist. Verse 1 refers to the first coming of Christ but verses 2–6 address His second coming. This section begins by asking, “Who can endure the day of His coming?” because the second coming brings judgment. The only ones who can withstand the judgment of Christ are those who have accepted Christ as their Savior. Christ’s death on the cross is a substitutionary atonement in which His death is in place of ours. His perfect sacrifice satisfies God’s demand for our perfection and it is only through belief in Christ we can be saved from God’s wrath (Acts 4:12; John 14:6).

God’s Unchangeable Character (3:6–7)

The Bible is full of people who turned away from God. We all do it every time we sin. It would seem that God needs to destroy the entire population of the world because of our depravity and due to His righteousness. However, the message of the Bible is one of mercy and grace as well as God’s justice and wrath. 

God always offers us salvation. We can always be forgiven of our sins. In fact as you read the Old Testament you see God calling out for His people to return to Him. Just like the father in the story of the prodigal son longs for his son’s return, God longs for us to return to Him. So when God warns us of coming judgment we can be spared by returning to Him. God does not change. None of us are good enough to come to God but the good news is He saves us because we cannot save ourselves. We also can be certain that all of the promises in the Bible will come true because God is unchangeable, but this includes all the judgments He promises as well. This should encourage us to choose to cling to God instead of to our own selfish desires.

God’s Record (3:16–18)

Some who heard Malachi’s prophecy repented and wrote down a scroll of remembrance. One of the ways we can remember God’s faithfulness is by recounting past times when He has answered our prayers or when He has comforted us in the midst of a sorrowful time. If we only look at our current circumstances it is easy for us to become fearful or dismayed when things are going bad. Many people question God and His goodness when they face trials. But if we remember God’s goodness to us in the midst of bad times we can hold fast to His promises for us now and in the future.

This group that repented from their sins and turned to God are representatives of God’s remnant who are recounted throughout the Bible. There are always a few that remain faithful to God and these should be models for us to follow. In a culture that increasingly despises God it is important to remain steadfast in our faith and continue to serve God no matter the cost.

Hope for the Faithful (4:1–2)

Those who remain faithful to God will be spared the judgment on the day of the Lord. This again refers to the second coming of the Lord. When Jesus returns there will be universal judgment and those who have rejected God and have despised His truth will face an eternal separation from God while those who have remained faithful will be taken up to be with the Lord for eternity. 

This should spur us on and give us confidence that even when we face hard times, God has not forgotten us and we can look forward to a time of peace and joy for eternity when He returns. We should live in a way that shows we are thankful for the provisions God has given us in our salvation. This should be reflected in our lives so the world can see the joy we have in serving the one true God.