Malachi 3:1

Jehovah accepts the challenge implied in the question and replies in Malachi 3:1 ff., that he will appear speedily in a terrible judgment, that will result in the utter annihilation of the wicked, and in the purification and exaltation of the faithful. But before he himself appears he will send a messenger to prepare his way.

Behold, I will send Better, Behold, I am about to send. The Hebrew construction implies the imminence of the event (G.-K., 116p).

My messenger As the coming of an earthly king is heralded by a forerunner, so the coming of Jehovah will be heralded by a messenger. This messenger is not to be identified with “the messenger of the covenant” in this same verse, nor is he identical with the prophet, as if he declared himself to be the forerunner of Jehovah; on the other hand, he is identical with Elijah mentioned in Malachi 4:5.

Prepare the way By removing every obstacle, so that Jehovah can move along smoothly. This forerunner is needed the more because Jehovah will come suddenly. The prediction is based upon Isaiah 40:3 ff.

The Lord God himself. This title, which denotes the divine sovereignty, is frequently used by Isaiah, as here, to introduce threats. The change from the first person to the third is not uncommon in prophetic discourse.

Whom ye seek Points back to Malachi 2:17, where they are represented as inquiring where he is ( compare Isaiah 5:18).

Suddenly Unexpectedly (compare Malachi 3:5; Luke 21:34).

To his temple From which his activities will proceed once more (compare Amos 1:2; Isaiah 2:2-4). The coming will be in fulfillment of the prophecies of Haggai (Haggai 2:9) and Zechariah (Zechariah 2:5; Zechariah 2:10; Zechariah 8:3; compare Ezekiel 43:7).

Even the messenger of the covenant According to this translation the messenger of the covenant is identical with the Lord; if so, he would be the same as the “angel of Jehovah,” who sometimes is identical with Jehovah himself (see on Zechariah 1:11). This identification is favored by the parallelism and the entire context, which knows of the coming of only one person to judgment. Why the title is applied to Jehovah is not quite clear; some have seen here an allusion to the new covenant of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34); Smend explains it as a title describing Jehovah as the one living in the midst of the covenant people (compare Daniel 11:22; Daniel 11:28; Daniel 11:30). Both these interpretations seem far-fetched. It seems much better to bring the expression into connection with the covenant mentioned in Malachi 2:10, and alluded to several times in chapter 2. Jehovah, appearing for judgment, is called the messenger of the covenant, because by means of the judgment he seeks to re-establish the covenant (compare Malachi 3:3-5), which priests and people have so shamefully desecrated.

Whom ye delight in Identical in meaning with “whom ye seek” in the parallel clause; like it, it refers back to Malachi 2:17. There they express a wish for the appearance of Jehovah; this wish will be granted, though the sequel may not be to their liking (compare Amos 5:18-20). R.V. reads, “and the messenger of the covenant,” as if the messenger and the Lord were two distinct persons. Those who accept this translation, which the Hebrew permits, identify this messenger either with the messenger who is to be the forerunner of Jehovah, or with a being not mentioned otherwise. To identify the two messengers with one another is not possible, since the one precedes Jehovah while the other accompanies him. The other view sees in the messenger of the covenant the patron angel of the covenant nation (Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:20), who will appear with Jehovah and will sit by the side of Jehovah when he comes to dwell in the midst of the people. This is not an impossible interpretation; but on the whole the first interpretation discussed, which identifies the messenger of the covenant with the Lord, is to be preferred.

Behold, he shall come The promise that Jehovah will come is reiterated for the sake of emphasis, and receives additional strength from the closing formula, “saith Jehovah of hosts.”