Malachi 3 and the Critic

Critics use Mal 3:5 as a proof text against God claiming that "He's asleep at the wheel". Let's check out the context of that text and see if it gives them what they claim.

Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

John the Baptist prepared the way of Jesus. As Jesus said of John:

"For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee." - Mat 11:10.

John was so effective in his ministry that all of the people went to him to be baptized.

"And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins." - Mark 1:5.

Hence this particular part of the prophecy was literally fulfilled.

Further, Jesus (the Lord) Himself did come to the temple. In Malachi, hundreds of years prior to the event, God told the Jews that He (the Lord --- Jesus) would come to them. The effectiveness of the ministry of Jesus was such that the entire city of Jerusalem was affected by Him:

"And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?" - Mat 21:10.

Hence, this part of the prophecy was also literally fulfilled in the coming of Christ.

Mal 3:2 But who 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:

The appearance of Christ separated the Jews into two groups. Those who accepted Him and those who rejected Him. He drove out the money changers from the temple in direct fulfillment of these two verses.

"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves," - Mat 21:12.

Hence, this verse was also literally fulfilled.

Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

That's the priesthood. Jesus told the priests:

"And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." - Mat 21:13.

This verse was literally fulfilled in ca 30 AD.

Mal 3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

In Deu 14:2 and Deu 26:18 God called the Jews His "peculiar people". This title is transferred to the church in Titus 2:14 and 1 Pet 2:9 showing that it is fulfilled in the New Jerusalem, ie, the church. As Peter said

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." - 1 Pet 2:9-10.

Hence, the Mal 3:4 passage has been literally fulfilled in the church. It is still being fulfilled as well.

Mal 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

That's exactly what Jesus did. He spoke [witnessed] against those very things. One example is:

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." - Mat 23:14.

Jesus also said "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." - Mat 23:23.

He also witnessed against those things. This verse was literally fulfilled in the time of Christ.

Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

God did not destroy them because He has made a promise to Abraham that the world would be blessed through him. After Jesus came that promise was fulfilled. There was no more need for the nation as they had already produced the Messiah. That's why they were destroyed in 70 AD and carried into the earth. Another one fulfulled.

The critic's charge that God is asleep on the job stands refuted. God did what He promised and sent His own Son to perform it.

Last Updated 08/09/99

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