Bible Commentaries
Malachi 3

Verses 1-4

SECOND DIVISION (Malachi 1:6 to Malachi 3:4 ) consists of an address to the priests and Levites, more especially the former, in which they are charged with three kinds of offenses. The first is neglect of their temple duties, see Malachi 1:6 to Malachi 2:9 . The character of the offense is seen in Malachi 1:7-8 ; Malachi 1:12-13 , while the punishment in the event of impenitence is in Malachi 2:1-9 . The second offense concerns unholy marriages, Malachi 2:10-16 . It was for this sin as well as the preceding one that Jehovah refused to accept their offerings (Malachi 2:13-14 ). Notice the strong argument against divorce found in Malachi 2:15 . God made one wife for one man at the beginning though He had the power to make more, and He did this because of the godly seed He desired. The third offense is that of skepticism, and as Beecher calls it, a bad skepticism, for there is a species of doubt which deserves compassionate treatment and which cannot be called evil in its spirit and motive. That, however, is hardly the kind of doubt now under consideration (see Malachi 2:17 ). This division closes, as does the division following, by a predication “concerning a day in which the obedient and disobedient shall be differentiated and rewarded.” This “day” we have often recognized as the “day of the Lord” still in the future both for Israel and the Gentile nations (Malachi 3:1-4 ).

Notice the partial fulfillment of Malachi 3:1 in the career of John the Baptist, as indicated in the words and context of Matthew 11:10 ; Mark 1:2 ; Luke 1:76 . But the concluding verses of the prediction show that a complete fulfillment must be ahead. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem has not yet been so purified by divine judgments as to be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old, but it shall yet come to pass.

Verses 4-18

THIRD DIVISION (Malachi 3:5 to Malachi 4:3 ) consists of an address to the people as a whole, who like the priests, are charged with three kinds of offenses. The first is certain public wrongs in The second is the failure to support the temple and its ministers (Malachi 3:8-12 ), in which case notice the charge of divine robbery, and the blessing promised to faithfulness in tithes. The third is the same kind of skepticism as with the priests (Malachi 3:13-15 ). The prediction concluding this section covers Malachi 3:16 to Malachi 4:3 , and is more comforting in character than the preceding one.