Malachi 3:1

MALACHI CHAPTER 3 The forerunner, and coming of the Messiah to cleanse his church, and to judge the wicked, Zechariah 3:1. The people are warned to repent, and turn from their sins, Zechariah 3:7; particularly their sacrilege, Zechariah 3:8, and impious blasphemy, Zechariah 3:13. God's blessing promised to those that fear him, Zechariah 3:16. The former chapter, as we have it cast, ended with an inquiry made by vicious and ungodly priests and people, who either doubted or denied the present government. or future judgment of God over the world. This being reproved ill the last verse of the second chapter, now God condescends to give a very full and particular answer to this question, for the instruction and consolation of the good, whatever use the evil will make of it. Behold: this note in this place, and on this occasion, requires our best attention; consider it well, therefore, all ye that inquire with doubt, and all ye that inquire who belief, that he will come, who is God of judgment. I will send; or, I am sending, I will shortly send: it is Christ who here speaketh, and who sendeth. My messenger; John Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, as evidently appears from Matthew 11:10 Mark 1:2 Luke 7:27,28. He is this messenger, whom some by mistake have taken to be an angel; but though the word so signifieth, it doth also signify a messenger, and so it is very fifty rendered in this place: see Zechariah 1:1. He shall prepare the way before me, by preaching repentance because the kingdom of heaven was at hand, by baptizing, by calling them to believe on the Messiah, who should now ere long be revealed, &c.: so John Baptist made ready the people to entertain Christ, and to believe in him. This was he who came in the spirit and power of Elias, and such a one the Jews expected. The Lord; Messiah, who is Lord and Christ, Acts 2:36; Lord of lords, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16. Whom ye seek; you ungodly disputers seek, but not aright, for you seek, i.e. inquire whether there be such a God of judgment. Beside these, there are others also, who did seek, i.e. humbly, longing and praying that he would come, and waiting, assured that he will come: it is these chiefly intended. Shall suddenly come, after the coming of his forerunner: this suddenly in the text is not very fitly interpreted of a time so long as between this prophecy and the coming of Christ, but it very well suiteth to the time between John Baptist's appearing to prepare the way, and Christ's appearing now the way was prepared. To his temple; that temple which was the second temple at Jerusalem, lately built by Zerubbabel and Joshua, into which the Messiah was to come; and so he did. There old Simeon met him, there he disputed with the doctors, thither he went to drive out buyers and sellers, and this according to what was foretold of him, Haggai 2:7; and all the religious Jews, who lived and died before the desolation of this second temple, did believe, and did confess, that the Messiah would come whilst that house did stand. He is then come, for that temple hath been ruined long since by the Romans. The messenger of the covenant; the Angel of the covenant, not Elias, but Christ, the Messiah, in whose blood the covenant of grace was confirmed, for whose sake it is performed to us. Whom ye delight in; you Jews, among whom few there are who do not please themselves to think of his coming, for the expectation of the best among the Jews was fixed on salvation, as that they hoped for by Christ. Others expected great but worldly advantage by his coming and setting up his kingdom among them. Behold; behold again, saith the prophet, consider thoroughly what is foretold. He shall come, at the time, to the place, in the manner foreshowed. Saith the Lord of hosts; all confirmed by the word of the great God.