3:3 And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of {e} Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.(e) He begins at the priests, that they might be lights, and shine unto others. read more
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... read more
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... read more
A Gallery of Pictures Malachi 1-4 We have some pictures in the prophecy that are very vivid, and some of them very humiliating. For example, we have a picture of the utterest selfishness in Malachi 1:10 : "Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought." Yet they sang how good a thing it was to be but a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord. Men do not come to this kind of selfishness all at once. For some degrees of... read more
The question is solemn, who may abide the day of his coming, whether we consider the Lord's first coming to a sinner in a way of grace, or hereafter in a day of judgment. Who can describe the soul exercises of the former? And none among the living can know the awfulness of the latter. But, among the faithful, we know that God the Holy Ghost, in his first awakening the soul, becomes the Comforter. And the same Almighty Spirit, by a voice from heaven declared, those dead blessed that die in the... read more
This verse seems to stand by itself, and is indeed most awful to all the enemies of God and of his Christ! read more
Coming. This may be explained of [John] the Baptist, (Luke iii. 7.) or of the second coming of Christ; though his first coming shewed the hypocrisy of the Jews. They would not acknowledge him, but sought his death, and brought on their own condemnation. (Calmet) --- Fuller's. Septuagint, "washers' herb." Borith is found in all the low places of Palestine, (St. Jerome) and probably denotes soda, (Jeremias ii. 22.; Calmet) or fullers' earth. (Haydock) --- Christ purified the religion of the... read more
Justice. This is spoken of the Christian priesthood, which far excels that of Levi, Hebrews v., and vii., &c. (Calmet) --- Many Jewish priests embraced the gospel, Acts vi. 7. (Haydock) read more
Years. So in the mass we beg that God would receive the sacrifice, "as he received the presents of Abel." (Menochius) read more
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Geneva Study Bible - Malachi 3:2
3:2 But who {d} may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:(d) He shows that the hypocrites who wish so much for the Lord’s coming will not remain when he draws near: for he will consume them, and purge his own and make them clean. read more