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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 3
The Lord's messenger shall prepare the way for the Second
Coming—Christ shall sit in judgment—Israel commanded to pay
tithes and offerings—They keep a book of remembrance.
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1 Behold, I will asend my
bmessenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the
Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly ccome to his
dtemple, even the emessenger of the
covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of
hosts.
2 But who may aabide the
bday of his ccoming? and who shall
dstand when he appeareth? for he is like a
erefiner's ffire, and like fullers'
gsoap:
3 And he shall sit as a
arefiner and purifier of silver: and he shall
bpurify the csons of
dLevi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may
offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
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4 Then shall the offering of aJudah
and Jerusalem be bpleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of
old, and as in former years.
5 And I will come near to you to
ajudgment; and I will be a swift witness against the
bsorcerers, and against the cadulterers,
and against dfalse swearers, and against those that
eoppress the hireling in his
fwages, the gwidow, and the fatherless,
and that turn aside the hstranger from his right,
and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
6 For I am the LORD, I
achange not; therefore ye sons of bJacob
are not cconsumed.
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7 ¶ Even from the days of your
afathers ye are gone away from mine
bordinances, and have not kept them.
cReturn unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD
of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we
return?a
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7a Wherein shall we return?
It may seem strange or unrelated, but the sign of one's returning unto the
Lord is that forsaking of the things of the world which is marked by one's
wealth or by one's wallet. If a man will not give of his substance to the
Lord then is that man really sincere? Lip service is cheap. But what the Lord
will use as a determining significant factor is whether one does honestly
pay their tithes and offereings unto the Lord. It is a sign of the degree of
one's commitment unto the Lord. If a man will not do this he is not really
committed unto the Lord. And that man must give it willingly and of himself
and not to get gain but to give freely, without question or reservation unto
the Lord for the benefit of the Lord's kingdom.
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8 ¶ aWill a man
brob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have
we robbed thee? In ctithes and offerings.
9 Ye are acursed with a
curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
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10 Bring ye all the atithes into
the storehouse, that there may be bmeat in mine house, and
cprove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will
not dopen you the ewindows of heaven, and
pour you out a fblessing, that there shall not be
room enough to
receive it.
11 And I will arebuke the
bdevourer 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.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye
shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
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13 ¶ Your words have been
astout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have
we spoken so much against thee?
14 Ye have said, It is avain
to serve God: and what bprofit is it that we have
kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of
hosts?
15 And now we call the aproud
happy; yea, they that work bwickedness are set up; yea,
they that tempt God are even delivered.
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16 ¶ Then they that feared the LORD spake often
one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a
abook of bremembrance was written before
him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
17 And they shall be amine, saith
the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my bjewels;
and I will cspare them, as a man spareth his own son that
serveth him.
18 Then shall ye return, and
adiscern between the righteous and the wicked, between him
that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
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