“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

Malachi 4:4-6

Last time we saw how Yahweh will burn like chaff those who insist on wickedness, and the righteous will playfully jump like calves. Today we see the final words of our messenger prophet, Malachi.

“Remember the Law of Moses my servant”

Remember is zakar – call to mind, and Law is torah – direction, instruction, law, teaching. And did you know the meaning of Moses’ name? It comes from mashah, meaning to draw or pull out (of the water); Rescued. What a precious name meaning: Rescued one. And servant is ebed – slave, servant, bond slave (from abad –  work, serve; become slaves, bondage, cultivate, do the work, labor, perform, till, worship).

Remember the teachings I gave to Moses, my rescued one, my servant.

“which I commanded in Horeb for all Israel with statutes and judgments…”

Commanded is tsavah – conditions, law, ordinance, precept, lay charge upon. Horeb (Choreb) waste, a mountain, desolate; and for (al – hover over) all Israel.

We’ve seen statutes before; it’s choq – something prescribed or owed, a statute, allotment, boundaries, conditions, due, portion, appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decreed, law; From chaqaq – to cut in, inscribe, decree; carve, lawgiver, ruler’s staff, scepter; to hack, i.e. engrave or inscribe; by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets…); hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage) — set time, statute, task

And judgments is our familiar mishpat – claim, court, crimes, decisions, justice, mode of life, order, plans, rights, rule, standard, verdict, way prescribed, what is right, worthy.

The conditions, boundaries, set tasks, and just mode of life to hover over all Israel.

Basically? Keep brining to mind all I have laid out for you as My people.

“Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet…”

Hinneh is lo! behold! Send is shalach – to send, cast away, forsake, bade his farewell, burned, cast off, certainly let them go, delivered, dismissed, divorce, driving them away, escorted him away, gave them over, get rid, gets his own way, let them down, let them go, release, remove, send them away, set free, stretched. Elijah’s name (Eliyyah) means “Yah is God,” from el and Yah. And prophet is nabi – spokesman, speaker, prophet.

Behold, I will send a spokesperson for Me, one whose name means “Yah is Creator God.“

“Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh…”

Before is paneh (the face of); great is gadol – great, high, prominent from gadal – grow up, advance, magnify, promote; and dreadful is yare – fearful reverence.

Before the prominent and reverent Day of Yahweh.

I find this part more tender as I study it. The coming Elijah was to be a mercy for God’s people, preparing them – once again – for God’s coming judgment. They had the Law of Moses, they had all the commands and prophets, they even had the exile and returning. The generations of His people had lived through all He said was true. But, even still, He would send someone to speak for Him and encourage repentance.

Those of us this side of the prophecy know this Elijah was John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin:

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Matthew 11:11-15

The other part I find tender is that “great and dreadful Day of the LORD.” That is to say, we have seen those words, gadol and yare, before. Yes, the Day will include judgement and fire and chaff. But it’s because there is nothing else to do when every knee will bow and tongue confess in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, that He is the One Who created it all, the only Rescue from ourselves. Fearful reverence and magnifying glory of the Rightful Judge is the point of such a Day.

The next part is very interesting to me. What will this prophet, the spokesperson for Yahweh, do when He comes?

“And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their sons, and the hearts of the sons to their fathers…”

The Hebrew is the same in both these phrases. Turn is shub – to turn back. Hearts is leb – inner man, mind, will, heart; care for, comfortably, consent, considered, courageous, friendly, broken, hard; the feelings, the will and even the intellect; the centre of anything, wisdom. And to their sons/fathers is al – hover over.

This Elijah will turn back the center, the inner man of sons and fathers, children and parents, to one another.

Of all the things one would think are needed in repenting before the coming Day, to me top of the list doesn’t seem like it should be parents’ and children’s hearts turning toward one another. How about you?

But as I ponder, I think this is a relationship in which the repentance necessary for entering the Kingdom would most show up in power. Parents know their children, have seen them grow all their days, and can probably point out the areas in which they are lacking. Children know their parents, have seen their shortcomings, and are still to be under their authority.

If a repentant, humble heart is required to live a righteous life before God, it could best be seen in a relationship with such history and close living.

The humility to love and be patient and shepherd children’s hearts – versus simply demanding and correcting – will begin to be obvious as we walk in humility.

And the ability to honor and obey and love someone over you – of whom you have clearly seen their weakness – will be obvious, too, as a repentant, humble heart takes over.

But, based on the words of Jesus, I wonder if there’s something else to this. He said He didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. I mean, listen to this:

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 

And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

Matthew 10:34-36

Confused yet? Especially based on what we just read in Malachi?

Perhaps these next two will help us with this:

Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Luke 14:25-27

And this:

While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 

Someone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.”

But Jesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 

And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold: My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.”

Matthew 12:46-50

Put together, and based on the people of God waiting centuries for the Coming Messiah, Malachi and Jesus are warning of the division that can be caused by entering into this Messiah’s Kingdom. It requires everything: death to self, obedience to Him above all others, and an embracing of those in His Kingdom – even if we are not naturally fans of them. Those that recognize Him as that long-awaited Messiah, will have a new heart and spirit put into them. Their hearts will turn to family members and others in His Church.

And those that don’t? Who reject Him and insist on their own way? This Good News will not be peace, but a sword.

Now let’s put it together with the final warning:

“Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Lest is pen – because, fear, might, or, or else, otherwise. Strike is nakah – to smite, beat, cast forth, clap, give wounds, go forward, indeed, kill, make slaughter, surely wound. The earth is erets – earth, country, land, region, territories, wild; common, nations, way; From an unused root probably meaning to be firm. And curse is cherem – devoted thing, devotion, ban; accursed dedicated thing, appointed to utter destruction, extermination; from charam; physical (as shutting in) a net (either literally or figuratively); usually a doomed object.

Otherwise I will indeed cast forth the land to utter destruction.

The result of not choosing the King of this Kingdom is to continue to be under the curse of destruction. And we know that because of sin, this earth will pass away. But because of redemption and resurrection, a New Heaven and New Earth will replace it.

He will make all things new.

“For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble.

The coming day will consume them,” says the Lord of Armies, “not leaving them root or branches. 

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall. 

You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the Lord of Armies.

Malachi 4:1-3

Oh my goodness, we’ve already reached the final chapter in Malachi! But it’ll take a few weeks to move through it. Last time we saw a Book of Remembrance written before Yahweh of those who felt fearful reverence toward Him and sought obedience. He promised to carefully treasure and protect them, as well as pointing out, once again, it will be obvious those who worship Him and those who do not. Today we see both fear and hope in Yahweh’s words.

Let’s break down the whole first section before we come back together and chat about it:

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven…”

Behold is our familiar hinneh (lo, behold!), and coming is bo (to come, go, go out, advance). Burning is ba’ar – brutish, take away, burn, cause to eat up, feed, heat, kindle, consume (by fire or by eating). And oven is tannur – portable stove, fire pit; From niyr – lamp, candle, light; meaning to glisten

Lo and behold, the day will surely come consuming like a fire…

“And all the presumptuous, yes, all who do wicked…”

Here all the presumptuous is kol zed – insolent, arrogant, proud. And yes, all who do is kol asah (accomplish). Wickedly is rishah we’ve seen recently – evildoer, guilt; Feminine of resha’; wrong (especially moral)

Indeed, everyone who is arrogant, all who accomplish morally wicked deeds…

“Will be stubble and shall burn up…”

Stubble is qash – stubble, chaff, straw; burn up, set on fire, flaming, kindle, to lick, i.e. (by implication) to blaze; and shall burn them up is lahat – to blaze up, flame, aflame, breathe forth fire, consumed, set them ablaze.

Will be chaff set ablaze…

“That will leave them neither root nor branch…”

Here neither leave is lo azab – leave, abandon, loose, forsake, commit self, fail, fortify, help, leave destitute, refuse, permit. Root is shoresh – base, deep root, depths, soles; bottom, heel; From sharash; a root (literally or figuratively). And nor branch is anaph – boughs, branch; From an unused root meaning to cover; a twig (as covering the limbs).

The Day will abandon both their evil deeds and the deep roots giving them life.

When put all together, this reads:

Lo and behold, the day will surely come consuming like a fire, where indeed everyone who is arrogant, all who accomplish morally wicked deeds, will be chaff set ablaze. On this Day, I will abandon both their evil deeds and the deep roots giving them life.

Deep breath, because this is serious. The Bible, and Jesus Himself, do not apologize for talking about hell. And those of us who believe in its reality do well to ask for broken hearts for those who do not know Him. Because the certainty in these words (behold, surely, indeed, will be) is not to be missed. It’s as if the prophet can see what’s coming as God relays this Message. Behold! Look!

I’m in Matthew in my personal devotions, and I was struck for some reason this morning about how, when Jesus officially began His ministry, the word He chose was, “Repent!” He went to God’s chosen people first, and the assumption was the faithful were offering sacrifices, following the Law. And yet, the first thing out of the Savior’s mouth was, “Change your ways! Turn around! The Kingdom is here!”

While it sounds harsh, it only takes a look at the news to realize how much arrogance and moral wickedness is out there. Whether it is those given authority instead wickedly and abusively wielding it, or those taking advantage of the young or vulnerable in evil ways. We know, don’t we, that there are things that deserve punishment? That there’s a difference between good and true, wrong and evil?

The Good News is He promises there will come a Day He will take care of it all. The harsh news is we all deserve such a Day. And He made sure I had my share of falling short this week so as to not be looking down on anyone in my own perceived righteousness. Because the Best News is any who turn, all who repent, can be rescued from themselves.

“But to you who fear my Name…”

Oh good, some reassurance. Here fear is our familiar yare, and Name is shem again (name, renown, report, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character; possibly “from sum [through the idea of conspicuous position]- to place, appoint, pay attention, required.”)

But to those who have reverence for my Name, renown, and conspicuous position…

“Shall arise the sun of righteousness…”

Arise is zarach – to rise, come forth, dawned, risen, arise, rise up, as soon as it is up; properly, to irradiate (or shoot forth beams), and sun is shemesh – sun, battlements, daylight, east side, sundown, sunrise, sunset, west; From an unused root meaning to be brilliant; by implication, the east; See also Beyth Shemesh (“Sun Temple”). Righteousness is tsedaqah – right, merit; honesty, justice, righteous, vindication.

…the brilliant light, like the sunrise, will shoot forth beams of justice and right living and vindication…

“and with healing in His wings…”

Healing is marpe – healing, cure, health; brings healing, composure, incurable, remedy, soothing, tranquil, sound, wholesome, yielding; From rapha’; properly, curative, a medicine, a cure; deliverance; and wings is kanaph – wing, extremity, bird, corner, covering, edge, fold, garment, skirt.

…with the remedy, cure, deliverance in its covering…

Put together we have:

But to those who have reverence for my Name, renown, and conspicuous position, the brilliant light, like the sunrise, will shoot forth beams of justice and right living and vindication, with the remedy, cure, deliverance in its covering.

I love this visual of beams of sunlight and righteousness shooting forth, curing those under it.

Maybe this hits a nerve for you. Do you have people in your life who need healing? Desperate for a cure? We probably all do. I just this week watched the episode of The Chosen in which James asks for healing from Jesus and doesn’t receive it. Jesus is neither harsh and unfeeling nor unwilling and unable to heal Him. It was simply not what He had for him in this life.

So what do we do with verses like these, promising streams of light with healing in their wings? The same thing we do with all of God’s Word: trust the heart of Him Who wrote it. All healing will come one Day. In the meantime, we have a God Who walks with us in pain, fear, disappointment, depression, brokenness and sin. I don’t know how else any of us could do this.

“And you shall go out, fat like calves stall-fed…”

Go out is yatsa – to go or come out, go, come out, brought forth, upheld, assuredly, break out, shoot forth; fat is puwsh – up, spring about, grow up, be grown fat, spread selves, be scattered; to spread; figuratively, act proudly. Calves is egel – calf; From the same as agol (round, circular) a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (i.e. A steer). And stall-fed is marbeq – fatted, stall; From an unused root meaning to tie up.

And you will most assuredly come forth like grown but frisky calves stall-fed…

Cattle imagery isn’t my forte, but I did just have a rousing game of fetch with my pup outside in the Sunday afternoon sun. Talk about playfully jumping – he was having the time of his life! It seems to me the difference being pointed out in our verse and this definition is a cow having to search for pasture and one who is being given everything it needs. He simply can go out, leaping and playing, because he’s being taken care of. Like a sheep with a Good Shepherd. That is how free we can be when we fear God in obedience.

“And you shall trample the wicked…”

This one means exactly what it says: trample is asas – to press, crush, tread down; wicked is rasha from last time – wicked, criminal; evil, evil man, guilty, offender; condemned, ungodly, that did wrong; from rasha’; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person.

And you shall tread those who do evil…

“For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet…”

Ashes is epher – ashes, dust, and under is tachath – underneath, below, instead of. Soles is kaph – hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan, branch, foot, handful hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole; From kaphaph; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power, spoon; and feet is regel – accompany feet, follow, footstep, heels, hoof, journey, swift-footed; be able to endure, according as, after, coming, follow, haunt, journey; from ragal; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step.

For they shall be dust below the hollow of your feet.

This one, at first glance, seems unnecessarily harsh. I understand God taking vindication on those who persist in wickedness. But why must those who fear Him tread on them like dust under their feet? I sought some commentary to help guide my thoughts:

“Malachi uses tsedâqâh, righteousness, instead of ישׁע, salvation, with an allusion to the fact that the ungodly complained of the absence of the judgment and righteousness of God, that is to say, the righteousness which not only punishes the ungodly, but also rewards the good with happiness and salvation…And not only will those who fear God be liberated from all oppression, but they will also acquire power over the ungodly. They will tread down the wicked, who will then have become ashes, and lie like ashes upon the ground, having been completely destroyed by the fire of the judgment.” (Source)

I hadn’t connected the dots that this was one thought from Yahweh. Not only is He indeed righteous and will undoubtedly take vengeance on evil, but He is pointing out that those who fear Him will not be able to help but see it. The wicked will be as ash on the ground at the blazing furnace of the coming Day. Whether they want to or not, the righteous will be treading on them like dust.

This commentary section also pointed more than once to Isaiah 26. So let’s look into a small section of that:

He humbles those who dwell on high,
    he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground
    and casts it down to the dust.
Feet trample it down—
    the feet of the oppressed,
    the footsteps of the poor…

But when grace is shown to the wicked,
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil
    and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.

Isaiah 26:5-6, 10

Once more we have the arrogant brought low, but did you notice whose feet are trampling on them? The oppressed and poor. Because He is a God of justice, those who have been broken down by wicked systems will have their vindication when He judges. And why? Because those who do wickedness refuse to repent. They do not want to learn righteousness. They choose their will be done.

“On the day that I do this…”

I is ani – I Myself, and do this is asah – to accomplish.

On the day when I Myself will accomplish this, says the God of Angel Armies.

Indeed, our salvation and honor depend on Him. He is the One with the Cure, the One Who will accomplish this all in perfectly loving justice. On Him we can rely.

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.

“On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Malachi 3:16-18

Last time we saw our returned exiles’ bitterness toward serving God and those who seem to go free. Today we get to see those who are choosing obedience.

“Then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another…”

I decided to dive into that word “then,” because the timing of this section feels confusing. We were just talking about how His people were envying the wicked. So, are “those who fear Yahweh” part of that group and repented? Were they a section who was always following God? Did this happen a long time after the previous rebuke?

Then is az – at that time; now, once, so, then; A demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a conjunction, therefore — beginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.

Does it make you wonder if it means, so then? I kinda hope so. I hope it implies a change of mind by God’s people, an act of turning around and walking the right way.

As for the meaning of the other words, feared is our familiar yare – affright, reverence, make afraid, dreadful, put in fearful reverence. Spoke is dabar from last time: speech, word, account, act, advice, affair, answer, business, matter, message, purpose, talk, thoughts, verdict. And one another is rea – friend, companion, fellow; another, husband, kind, lover, neighbor, opponent, brother.

Therefore, those who felt fearful reverence toward Yahweh took the same purpose and words with each other as friends and neighbors.

“And Yahweh listened and heard them…”

This one feels tender to me. We know He hears, but I love how intentionally this phrase was added. The curtain is pulled back a bit to know when they spoke to each other, He listened, too.

Here listened is qashab – to incline ears, attend; gave attention, listen, cause to hearken, give heed, incline, mark well, regard; to prick up the ears. Heard is shama – listen with intent to obey; But we’ve discussed before how, when referring to the Almighty, it more likely implies “listening with an intent to act.”

So Malachi seems to purposely point out Yahweh didn’t just turn His ears to them, He listened in order to act. I’m so glad.

“So a book of remembrance was written before Him…”

Written is kathab – to write; decreed, describe, record, registered, sign; to grave, by implication, to write. Book is sepher – missive, document, writing, and remembrance is zikkaron – memorial, remembrance, memorable sayings, memorial; From zakar; a memento (or memorable thing, day, or writing). Before Him is paneh before the face of.

So a document of memory was recorded before the face of Yahweh.

Because write implies to engrave, this section makes me think of stones of remembrance. How God commanded the Israelites to take literal stones and make a memorial of how He acted on their behalf for future generations.

It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.

Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’

 Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 

For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. 

He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

Joshua 4:20-24 (NLT)

This time it seems someone (angels?) are making the memorial. And what are they recording?

“For those who fear Yahweh and meditate on His Name.”

Fear here is yare again, and meditate is chashab – intelligent, to think, account, calculate, consider, determine, devise, esteem, intend, meant, mindful, planned, plot, regard, scheme, skillful, think, cunning, fabricate, contrive in malicious sense. Name is our familiar shem – name, renown, report, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character; possibly “from sum [through the idea of conspicuous position]- to place, appoint, pay attention, required.”

The memory written was of those who felt fearful reverence toward Yahweh and regularly consider, esteem, and think on His renown and conspicuous position.

How beautiful. And how wild. Not only were God’s people to remember ways He had been faithful, He also is recording ways His people fear Him. Seems hard to imagine Yahweh inclining His ear toward human’s faithfulness and having a book written about them. But I suppose all of Hebrews 11 could be an example of such a writing, yes? It also makes me think of how, from Abraham, what is being recorded is when we believe Him. “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Could it be when we fear and regularly consider His renown in our lives, it is being written before Him? It’s not impossible, as the phrase “the Book of Life” occurs regularly in Scripture.

“And they shall be mine,” says Jehovah-sabaoth, “On that day that I make them My jewels…”

Make is asah – do, make, accomplish; and jewels is segullah – possession, property, treasure, treasured possession; good, peculiar treasure, special; Feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to shut up; wealth (as closely shut up).

They will be Mine when I accomplish making them my treasured possession, carefully protected from harm.

This feels like the Already/Not Yet Kingdom tension we live in. Because of what Jesus already accomplished on the cross, once for all, we are already His treasured possession, carefully protected by the Holy Spirit. And, yet, there will be the final accomplishing of forever vanquishing evil and living in a New Heaven and New Earth as His treasured jewels.

“And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him…”

Spare here is chamal – concern, desires, had compassion, had pity, mercy, spared, unwilling, ruthlessly; to commiserate; by implication, to spare; and them is al (to hover over). Serves is abad from last time: work, serve; become slaves, bondage, cultivate, do the work, labor, perform, till, worship.

My compassion and mercy will hover over them as a father’s compassion hovers over the son (ben) who lovingly serves him.

Sparing is only a necessary verb if there is something from which to be rescued. If there is no eternal punishment for our deliberate sin, salvation isn’t necessary, the cross is a joke, and we should all just live as we’d like. But if it’s true we cannot stand before an awesomely perfect and holy God on our own merit, then his compassion over us to save is indeed Good News.

“And you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked…”

Shall again here is shub – to turn back; Discern is raah – to see; to see, show self, sight of others, view, behold, enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, be near, perceive, present, provide, regard. Between is bayin – interval, space between; among, champion, midst; asunder, at, between twixt; from biyn – to discern, a distinction, attend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel; to separate mentally. And righteous is our familiar tsaddiq – just, righteous, while wicked is rasha – wicked, criminal; evil, evil man, guilty, offender; condemned, ungodly, that did wrong; from rasha’; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person.

You will once more turn back, clearly beholding, discerning the space between those who do what is just and those who willingly continue with evil.

This one is hard, because, if you’re like me, sometimes the more you seek God in a certain area, the more aware you are of how far you have to go. How un-Christlike your character still is, how much you still rely on His power in your life. But it seems as though that is not what is being referred to here with “the wicked.” That part of the definition, an actively bad person, feels different. Like consistently choosing to not trust God, not meditate on His renown but our own, and willingly, continually, choosing what is evil. And He says we will clearly behold the difference, even in this life.

And, finally, our last phrase in today’s verses:

“Between one who serves God and one who does not serve him…”

Between is bayin again, and serves is abad again. Him here is Elohim, Creator God.

Clearly beholding the one who lovingly serves and worships (abad) Creator God, and one who does not (lo abad).

It will be obvious, by actions and the fruit of our lives, those who serve and worship Jesus and His Kingdom and those who do not. And the sad thing is, those who don’t are missing out on the fullness of His presence, the joy He seems to take in our obedience, and the delight of being His treasured possession.

May we continually, daily choose to make Him our Lord, have fearful reverence of His right to rule our lives, and esteem His renown in all things.

“’Your words against me are harsh,’ says the Lord.

Yet you ask, ‘What have we spoken against you?’

You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping his requirements and walking mournfully before the Lord of Armies?

So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape.’”

Malachi 3:13-15

Last time we saw Yahweh’s heart in asking His people to believe Him: That all nations would see His goodness. Today we continue on with a rebuke on how they were living.

“‘Your words have been harsh against me,’ says Yahweh…”

Words is dabar – speech, word, account, act, advice, affair, answer, business, matter, message, purpose, talk, thoughts, verdict.

Harsh here is interesting: it is chazaq, which we have seen before in other contexts, meaning to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen; cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain; to fasten upon; hence, to seize, cure, help, repair, fortify, obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer, force, fortify, make hard, harden, play the man, mend, seize, be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.

And against in “against Me” is actually al – hover over.

Obstinate, forceful, and hardened words and thoughts, purpose and verdicts from you are hovering over Me.

“And yet you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?'”

How here is our familiar mah – what? how? in what way?

“You said, ‘It is useless to serve Elohim…'”

Here useless is shav – emptiness, vanity, deceit, deception, false, lies, worthless; from the same as show’ in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective); and serve is abad – work, serve; become slaves, bondage, cultivate, do the work, labor, perform, till, worship.

It is destructive, evil, and worthless to become bond slaves to Creator God.

This one makes me shudder. It is one thing to have our prosperity gospel ideas challenged when God won’t behave like a genie and we become disillusioned. It is quite another to say worshiping, working for, and serving the Most High and His Kingdom is a lie, evil, morally ruinous. That word guile struck me this morning. The idea that serving God is nothing more than a show: a matter of going through the motions, but it won’t affect anything in our lives.

“[You have said] ‘And what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances?’

What is mah again; and profit is betsa – gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit; dishonest gain, plunder, profit, covetousness; From batsa’; plunder.

Kept is our familiar shamar, to bodyguard; and ordinances is mishmereth – guard, charge, function, allegiance, keep, obligation, post, safeguard, service, watch, worship.

In what way have we profited, plundered in this life, by bodyguarding His charge to us?

Please notice, the profit they are seeking here is one that implies violence, a war, and injustice.

“…that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts?”

The synonyms for walk (halak) listed in the definition are “go, come, accompany, am, about, became greater, becoming increasingly, brighter, continues, along, crawls, fled, flows, follow, get away, grew steadily, march, pressed heavier, travel.” And mourners is qedorannith – an adverb from qadar; blackish ones (i.e. In sackcloth), mournfully. And before in “before the Lord” is paneh – before the face of.

[In what way have we plundered in this life] by following Him and mourning before the face of Jehovah-sabaoth?

Remember, biblically, to put on sackcloth and ashes meant to grieve one’s sins, or the nation’s sins. And now the returned exiles, God’s people, are saying this is but a joke, a show, profiting nothing. Yikes.

And now we see the bitterness which has creeped into their hearts:

“So now we call the presumptuous blessed…”

Here we is anachnu – we ourselves; blessed is ashar from last time – to go straight, go on, advance; bless, direct, guide, happy, lead, relieve; to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper; and the presumptuous is zed – insolent, arrogant, proud.

We ourselves say arrogant people are the ones guided, happy, living on level ground.

“…for those who do wickedness are raised up…”

Wickedness is rishah – evildoer, guilt; Feminine of resha’; wrong (especially moral); Raised up is banah – to build, built up, rebuilt, restored.

Those who are morally wrong are built up and restored.

We wouldn’t be alone if we’d looked at the suffering in this world, looked around and saw others without God seeming to be happy, and concluded it doesn’t matter. The psalmist struggled in this way as well:

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
    I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence

Psalm 73:2-6

Almost word for word what God is saying His people think of the wicked. The difference is the psalmist looked up:

When I tried to understand all this,
    it troubled me deeply
 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.

Surely you place them on slippery ground…

Psalm 73:16-18a

That last line “on slippery ground” is interesting, as these are the final words from our verses today:

“Yes, they even tempt God and go free…”

Yes here seems important: it’s gam – moreover; addition, both, even they too, furthermore, likewise, too, yes; By contraction from an unused root meaning to gather; properly, assemblage. And tempt is bachan– to examine, try, prove, test, tempt, to test (especially metals); and go free is malat – slip away, certainly rescue, delivered, escaped; deliver self, let alone, let go, preserve; A primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness).

Not only that, but they even try God and slip away, left alone!

So let’s unpack this. Because, first of all, that word for test in “test God” is the same one He uses when encouraging His people to bring in the whole tithe and test His character like metal. Now it is being used for those people who do not worship Him, and even test Him, but go free.

I think the difference is choosing to put the Lord your God to the test (like the Israelites in the desert demanding water from Moses to prove He cared about them), and the Most High inviting you to test Him. Seems to be a significant distinction, one Jesus knew quite well.

Second, this notion of being on slippery ground is used two different ways between the psalmist and the exiles. When the psalmist worshipped God, he saw the way of people who do wickedness is slippery. As in, no firm footing, will surely fall.

The returned exiles, on the other hand, are currently seeing those who do wicked as slipping out of punishment. As in, when they disobey, God sees and invites repentance. When the wicked disobey, they slip away scot free. And, to them, being held accountable does not imply love, it implies not having the freedom to do whatever they want.

You can ask any child if they’d rather be able to have complete freedom or have an adult monitor them, and they will most likely choose freedom. Until another child’s “freedom” hurts them and they want someone to hold that child accountable. God knows this. It is one of the ways we are bent toward sin, wanting to boss ourselves, not wanting to be told what to do. But, as we mature, we can see that the most loving thing our Father can do is discipline us for our own good and others’.

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:5-11

Did you catch the “everyone undergoes discipline?” The returned exiles needed to look up, needed a fresh perspective that everyone suffers in this life. Yahweh is offering to use their suffering for a powerful Good. And we who have the Spirit of God living inside us know no one is completely unbossed. We are all mastered by something.

Shall we end with our psalmists’ words?

When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:21-26

Our flesh and heart may fail, too, friends. But He never lets go and we can let Him become the strength of our hearts.

“‘I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,’ says the Lord of Armies. 

‘Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord of Armies.”

Malachi 3:11-12

Last time we saw Yahweh challenge His people to bring Him the whole tithe and encourage them to test Him like metal – to see He has no impurities, no selfish motives. Today we see why.

“And I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer…”

Rebuke is gaar – corrupt, rebuke, reprove; to chide; and devourer is akal – ate, consume, feast.

Chide simply means to scold, like a child. And in the sentence before God promised to open the floodgates of heaven and pour out more than the returned exiles could store. One way He will do this is to chide any insect or animal that would feast on what is theirs.

Several translations say, “I will rebuke the locust…” for they were what often took farmer’s crops, devastating acres in a single day.

Makes me think of these verses in Joel:

“’I’ll make up for the years of the locust,
    the great locust devastation—
Locusts savage, locusts deadly,
    fierce locusts, locusts of doom,
That great locust invasion
    I sent your way.
You’ll eat your fill of good food.
    You’ll be full of praises to your God.'”

Joel 2:25-26a (MSG)

Don’t you love the idea of Him chiding locusts and bringing redemption from ruin? 

“…so that he will not destroy your fruit of the ground…”

Here not destroy is shachath – act corruptly, depravity, devastate, raiders, ravage, spoil, wreaking destruction, mar, perish.

Fruit is peri – earnings, offspring, produce, reward; From parah; fruit (literally or figuratively). And of the ground is adamah – dust, earth, fields, ground, land; From adom – to be red; soil (from its general redness).

He will chide the destroyer so it will no longer devastate and spoil the produce of your fields. 

For those of us who are not farmers, I appreciate that the word for fruit can be literal or figurative. I may not have an orchard, but my life can bear fruit if I abide in the Gardener.

“Nor shall the vine in the field fail to bear fruit for you…”

Vine is gephen – from an unused root meaning to bend; a vine (as twining), especially the grape.

And the root for fail to bear fruit is shakol – to be bereaved; abort, bereaved of my children, childless miscarried, unfruitful, barren, deprive; properly, to miscarry, suffer abortion.

Whew, these are definitions loaded with emotion, yes? If you talk with someone dealing with miscarriage or infertility, it is not an objective topic. Daily, hourly, thoughts are dedicated to the sorrow. Granted, in this context Yahweh is referring to the grapevine being barren. But I believe when we test Him to see He is perfectly pure in motive, it most pointedly affects the areas most tender to us.

And isn’t that where we most need Him to show Himself trustworthy? The returned exiles were continuing to withhold from God and the result was reflected in their crops and vines and herds. And the places we have the most difficult time surrendering and trusting God are likely where He will continue to nudge us to test His character.

I think we all know this side of heaven that Him opening the floodgates when we obey does not always mean every sorrow is taken away and our prayers are answered how we’d like. But can’t many of us testify that He comes through? That He becomes enough? The floodgates opening used our sorrow and disappointment for something greater? 

It may never mean we stop asking for our miracle. But it can always mean fruit for His glory and our good. Even with tears.

And now for a peek into His heart:

“And all nations will call you blessed…”

Here all nations is kol goy – every nation, Gentiles, people. And blessed is ashar – to go straight, go on, advance; bless, direct, guide, happy, lead, relieve; to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper.

Every people who sees how I answer will call you happy, guided, on level ground.

And why?

“For you will be a delightful land…”

We have seen delightful before; It’s chephets – delight, pleasure, care, desirable things, matter, precious, sight. And land is erets – earth, country, land, region, territories, wild; common, nations, way; From an unused root probably meaning to be firm.

You may notice this is a different word than above for ground, adamah. This isn’t just your field or my vineyard; this is our common land as God’s people. That is what will be seen as desirable, precious, and cared for by all watching. Our country will be recognized as desirable compared to what the world offers.

And is all that just so we can brag about our lives on firm ground? Or so He will only be gracious to one nation and not others? Of course not. It never has been.

It is so His Kingdom looks inviting and others seek it. 

The ultimate goal in tithing is the goodness of God reaching all nations.

“‘You are under a curse — your whole nation — because you are robbing me. 

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.’

‘Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it…’

Malachi 3:9-10

Last time we saw the fantastic news that Yahweh does not change, and that His people were robbing Him by not bringing a tenth of their produce nor ensuring the priests were given the heave offering. Today we see God’s challenge if they would just obey.

“You are cursed with a curse…”

Cursed is the verb arar, and curse in “with a curse” is meerah, the noun which comes from arar. There’s just no getting around that this means curse. And this is not the first time we’ve heard about a curse in Malachi.

Remember, Yahweh had spelled out up front how obedience would yield blessing, and disobedience a curse on themselves and their land. This section is simply reiterating how they are currently reaping what they’ve sown, even in their return from exile. And why?

“…for you have robbed Me, this whole nation…”

We began exploring the concept of robbing last time – this word qaba, meaning “rob, take, spoil; to cover, defraud.” You probably remember, it not only implied taking what is not yours, but also spoiling what is someone else’s. In this case the tithe and heave offering for the priests.

Now for the solution:

“Bring all the tithes into my house, the storehouse…”

Bring is bo – to come in, come, go in, go; abide, apply, attain, be, befall, besiege, bring forth, in; House is bayith; and Storehouse is otsar – a treasury, storehouse, cellar.

We have seen this word for storehouse before when we found out the men who had been appointed over it. God’s challenge is to bring every last tenth of every last crop and herd into this storage unit. And why?

“…that there may be food in my house…”

Simple as that. As much as the Most High has been tough on the priests for accepting unacceptable offerings, He is still ensuring they have their portion under His law. This was literally their food to eat.

Now for the challenge of it all.

“…now try me in this,’ says Jehovah-sabaoth, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven…’

Here now is na – I (we) pray, now; Ah, beg, beseech, implore, O may, please; a particle of entreaty or exhortation. The phrase try me is bachan – to examine, try, prove, test, tempt, to test (especially metals); and open is pathach – appear, break forth, draw out, let go free, engrave, loose self, be, be set opening, to open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carve ungird, unstop, have vent.

Windows is arubbah – a lattice, window, sluice; chimney, floodgates; from arab – to lie in wait. And heaven is shamayim – heaven, sky; astrologers, horizons; Dual of shameh meaning to be lofty; the sky, perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve.

I beg of you, my children, test me like metal, as I have tested you. See if I won’t break wide open the floodgates of heaven.

I love, love this. Because if we’re honest, the main reason we don’t give God the first and best is we do not genuinely believe He has our best interest at heart. He is holding out on us, doesn’t understand our needs or anxieties, and basically wants us to be unhappy. So He speaks to this. Test me, try me, give it a shot, and see if I don’t open the floodgates.

The testing Him as metal made me think of this section from a few weeks ago:

“...flux [is] any substance introduced in the smelting of ores to promote fluidity and to remove objectionable impurities…Bleach, fire, soap, flux: all used to remove impurities. You don’t just take out impurities for no reason; you do it so what is left is pure.” 

Don’t you love it? He wants them to test Him like they would a metal to remove impurities – only He has none! Zero. He’s perfectly pure and He wants them to trust that as He implores them to bring the whole tithe.

Reminds me of Peter’s response in how the disciples had left everything to follow Jesus:

“Then Peter spoke up, ‘We have left everything to follow you!‘

‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — along with persecutions — and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.’”

Mark 10:28-31

Basically? Anything you have to sacrifice is worth nothing compared to the freedom obedience brings you.

And finally for the over and above:

“‘…and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be enough room to receive it.'”

Here pour out is ruq – arm, cast out, draw out, make empty, pour forth out; (see riq – to make empty, empty out, to no purpose, vanity, figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, in vain — empty, to no purpose.)

Blessing is our familiar berakah – benefit, generous, gift, peace; and not be is beli – wearing out; because, lack, no more, overflows, without; From balah – failure, without. And enough (room) is day – sufficiency, enough; ability, often, sufficient, what you need, able; used chiefly with preposition in phrases (as in “enough room” – room is implied only).

I will not only open the floodgates of heaven, I will empty them by pouring out generous gifts and peace. So much so that you will have no more room to receive it.

Remember, God making our wildest dreams come true this side of heaven is not His goal – especially if it would not conform us into the image of Jesus. And we will continue to see as we travel on in Malachi who and what this over-abundant of blessing is for.

But for now, can we each pause at the start of this new year and ask ourselves where we’re holding back from God? Then let’s confess to Him our fears about why. And rather than stay there, let’s make a plan for letting go, walking in faith, and trusting Him with the results. Based on the authority of His Living Word, only blessing will result.

“’I, the Lord, do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.

But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.

But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

In tithes and offerings.”

Malachi 3:6-8

Last time we saw the LORD declare mishpat and be swift to witness in protest to anything that dishonors God or people, grateful He came in the flesh and tabernacled with us. Today we see some details of His faithfulness and His people’s responsibility.

Frankly, we begin with the best news first:

“I, Yahweh, do not change.”

Aren’t you so grateful?

Change here is shanah – to repeat, speak again, strike again, alter, double, be given to change, disguise, be diverse, pervert; to fold, i.e. Duplicate (literally or figuratively); by implication, to transmute (transitive or intransitive).

Did a little grammar googling, in case you’re like me and forgot what transitive means. It’s a verb that requires a direct object; intransitive verbs do not. So you can say, “I run,” and it’s a full sentence. But you cannot say, “I want,” on its own. You have to name what you want – it’s transitive verb. And transmute means “to change or alter in form, appearance, or nature and especially to a higher form.”

So when Yahweh says He does not change, and the verb implies to change in nature, He is describing His otherness. He cannot be duplicated, has no alter ego, and cannot change into a higher form because He is the highest form. The Alpha and the Omega, no other outside Him, the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And He not only doesn’t change form or character, He simply does not alter in existing – He is the great I Am. Always has been, always will be.

(And shall we not dissect the glorious trinity in this? I believe we will lose that argument. They were all there in the Beginning.)

Isn’t it just such a breath of fresh air? In this world of fickleness, reacting versus responding, making decisions on a whim or according to feelings, He. does. not. change. And when you’re dealing with perfection to start with, that is very good news indeed. But it also implies another glorious Truth…

“…therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed…”

Consumed is kalah – to be complete, at an end, finished, spent, annihilate, ceased, completely gone, demolish, devoured, ended, terminate, waste away, consume away, destroy utterly, wholly reap, make clean riddance; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume).

Goodness with this transitive/intransitive business. His people will neither have their lives and generational line completely spent nor will they be utterly consumed. And why? Because even when they (we) are faithless, He is faithful. And He cannot be Anyone other than Who He is. We aren’t wholly reaping what we sow or being devoured by evil because He does not change.

“Yet from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from my ordinances…”

“Gone away” is sur – to turn aside, abolished, avoid, departed, escape, left, put away, removed, swerve, turn aside, wanderer, withdrawn, eschew; decline, grievous, pluck away, put down, rebel, revolt, be sour.

And ordinances is choq – something prescribed or owed, a statute, allotment, boundaries, conditions, due, portion, appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decreed, law; From chaqaq – to cut in, inscribe, decree; carve, lawgiver, ruler’s staff, scepter; to hack, i.e. engrave or inscribe; by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets…); hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage) — set time, statute, task.

I will write My commandments on their hearts

I will circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their descendants

And “have not kept them” is shamar – keep, watch, preserve; attend, being careful, bodyguard, give heed, keeper, perform, preserve, protect, regard, secured, take care, take heed, waits, watch, look narrowly, observe.

From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside, swerved and grievously withdrawn from my conditions and boundaries, My appointment for you as My people. You have not carefully body guarded my decrees, but have revolted, rebelled sourly, and become wanderers.

Fortunately, there is a remedy:

“Return to Me and I will return to you,” says Jehovah-saboath.

This, when taken down to their roots, is “shub el, shub el.”

Shub means to turn back, return, bring back, draw, draw back, give an answer, pass away, pay back in full, refresh, refund, repent, restore, make restitution, revoke, turn away, turn back, withdraw.

Return toward Me, I will return toward you.

Such intimacy, no? The God of the Universe – the One Who never changes in form or Being – desires our return, our relationship.

I’m in Lamentations in my morning reading, but also doing a devotional given to me by sweet friends. Lamentations details God’s people being taken into captivity, of reaping all they’d sown. But in the devotional, the Psalm today was 148, and this section in particular struck me:

“And he has raised up for his people a horn,

the praise of all his faithful servants,

of Israel, the people close to his heart.”

Psalm 148:14

To juxtapose one author detailing the destruction of their city and people with how those people were close to His heart made me think of how our actions and relationship affect Him. That always causes me to pause – our actions, heart, decisions, thoughts, and the way He responds affecting Him. So Other, so much higher than us, yet so intimately involved. Thank You, Jesus.

Unfortunately, God anticipates their pushback:

But you say, “How (mah – what? how? ) shall we return (shub again)?”

Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me.

Rob is qaba – rob, take, spoil; to cover, defraud

This definition seems to imply not only taking what’s not yours, but spoiling and defrauding what is someone else’s. And when it says, “rob God,” the Hebrew word for God is Elohim – the Most High Creator. As in, everything belongs to Him.

But, when we’ve experienced His salvation, tasted forgiveness, watched Him move in our lives and relationships, and know experientially we and other believers belong to Him, that is a different level of “what’s His.” We are His people. We should not be spoiling or defrauding each other.

But our verses today point specifically to how His people are robbing Him…

But you say, “In what way have we robbed You?”

In tithes and offerings.

Pretty straight forward. Tithes here is maaser – tenth part, tithe. And offerings is terumah – contribution for sacred uses, heave offering, shoulder, lifted up; from rum – to be high or exalted; a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute — gift, heave offering (shoulder).

That heave offering, amiright?

From JewishEncyclopedia.com:

“[The heave offering is a] present made to the Tabernacle or Temple for the use of the priests…

The heave-offering of the tithe (“terumat ha-ma’aser”): the tithe of their tithe which the Levites surrendered to the priests (Num. xviii. 26)…

The heave-offering for the priests (“terumat ha-kohanim”): taxes paid to the priests from the yield of the fields, olive-groves, and vine-yards…

Tithe and heave-offering are occasionally mentioned together (II Chron. xxxi. 10-14; Neh. x. 39; Mal. iii. 5). In such cases that portion of the agricultural produce reserved for the priest is so designated, and this was permitted to be eaten only by priests in a state of Levitical purity, or by members of their family.“

So, the tithe is giving a tenth to God by giving it to the Temple and Levites. The heave offering was the portion specifically for the priests. Those who stand between God and the people, offering sacrifices and intercession on their behalf. And did you notice it was to be eaten in a state of Levitical purity? Privileges and responsibilities combined.

So when God says they are spoiling, robbing, defrauding Him, this is what He points to that they have neglected: giving a tenth of what they earn, and making sure the priests are provided the heave offering.

Financial giving has always been interesting to me, as God has no need for our money. But it clearly affected His work among His people – Temple upkeep, sacrificial duties, payment for those whose lives were committed to Yahweh’s service.

But it seems to always be more than that, doesn’t it? It matters because giving is directly tied to our hearts. Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. And God is saying there is no way to return to Him, to make Him first in their inmost being, without getting this right first. It speaks to lordship, obedience, and trust in His provision – that He is Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider, and the Good Shepherd. That He will actually take care of us.

Next time we can see Yahweh speak to their anxieties. For now, can we lean in on this New Years Eve to what it would look like to not defraud God and others in 2023?

There is only joy to be found in taking Him at His Word.

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Malachi 3:5

Last time we saw how the Messenger would sit as a Refiner and Purifier of the Levites, making the people’s offerings pleasing once again. Today we get to see God’s zeal for justice and righteousness.

“I will come near you for judgement…”

This is another intense beginning. But let’s lean into why He’s the perfect judge.

Come near is qarab – to come near, approach; accept, appear, approach, assisted, bring, came close, draw near, join, keep, offer, present; cause to approach, cause to bring forth, near, cause to come near, nigh; to you is el – to, into, towards; and judgement is mishpat from last time – claim, court, crimes, decisions, justice, mode of life, order, plans, rights, rule, standard, verdict, way prescribed, what is right, worthy.

I will draw near to you to proclaim mishpat – a just mode of life, the Way that is worthy, innocent in a court of law.

“And I will be a swift witness…”

Here swift is mahar – to hasten; act quickly, anxious, hurry, immediately; be carried headlong, fearful, fetch; to be liquid or flow easily.

Witness is ed – evidence; concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder; from ud – admonish, to return, go about, repeat, do again; charge, earnestly, lift up, protest, relieve, rob.

He will hurriedly be a witness, a faithful Recorder to charge against in protest…

“Against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers..”

Interestingly, the preposition against is listed before each of the nouns in this section:

Against sorcerers, kashaph: to whisper a spell; to enchant or practice magic; denominative verb of kesheph – sorcery.

Against adulterers, naaph: adultereress, committing adultery, woman that breaks wedlock.

Against perjurers…

Here against is interesting. It is shaba, meaning to swear, adjure, curse, promised them by oath, vow; Shaba can also mean “to be complete,” but used when only as a denominative from sheba’ – seven; to seven oneself, to swear, as if by repeating a declaration seven times. And perjurers here is sheqer – deception, disappointment, falsehood; deceit, lying, lying visions, perjury, slander, treacherously, wrongfully; without a cause; It is from shaqar – an untruth; a sham, a vain thing.

I will hurriedly be a Witness in protest against those who practice magic, who break their wedding vows, and who swear with lies, dealing with falsehood, shams, and lying visions.

First, isn’t it interesting that to swear can imply “to seven?” Like how Peter asked Jesus, “How many times should I forgive my brother? Seven?” That number of completeness was right to him, more than enough. And, of course, our Lord said, “Not seven, but seventy times seven.”

“And against those who exploit wage earners, and orphans, and widows…”

Here exploit is ashaq – crushed, defrauded, extorted, oppress; get deceitfully, deceive, drink up, use oppression, do violence, wrong; to press upon, violate, overflow. Wage is a verb, sakar – hire, compensation, fare, reward and earners is an adjective sakir – hired man, wage earner.

And orphans and widows mean just that: almanah means widow and is the feminine of alman – forsaken, in the sense of bereavement; discarded (as a divorced person). Orphan is yathom – orphan, fatherless, from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved person.

I will not only hurry to witness against those who practice magic, break their vows, and lie, I will also go after anyone who deceitfully gains from or violates hired workers, or those forsaken, lonely, and grieving.

Don’t you love his heart? I want mine to reflect His more and more.

“And against those who turn away a sojourner…”

Here turn away is natah – to stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend; afternoon, turn aside, turn away; apply, decline, deliver, go down; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); carry aside, let down, offer, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, cause to yield.

And sojourner is ger – alien, foreigners, immigrants, stranger; from gur – to abide; assemble, be afraid, dwell, fear, gather together, inhabitant, remain; to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose); to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather for hostility (as afraid) — abide, assemble, be afraid, dwell, fear, stand in awe, (be) stranger.

I will also hurry to witness against anyone who turns away, lets down, or overthrows the way for an immigrant – one who turns aside, possibly in fear, to abide in a new, strange place.

Do you wonder why? Why would God’s heart so quickly witness against those who ignore or make difficult a sojourner’s life?

I can think of a lot of reasons, and many of them are tender right now at Christmas. As Mary and Joseph left their familiar town to travel somewhere different. Then fled a murderous king as refugees until the babe was safe.

Whatever else we think Christmas is, it certainly involves sojourners. But the reason given, at least in our text today, for God caring about how we treat others – especially those in difficult circumstances – is because of our final section:

“Because they do not fear me,” says Jehovah-sabaoth.

Fear is our familiar yare‘ – affright, reverence, make afraid, dreadful, put in fearful reverence.

I think we often struggle with genuinely believing God cares how we treat one another. We just don’t think He’s that concerned; we’re not afraid, living in fearful reverence, that He would have something to say about it.

But the Word does not let us separate our relationship with God from our relationship with people. And He is a swift witness against us when we defile others.

May we worship the One so concerned with Love and Justice that He came. Came as a sojourner, came as One lonely and grieved. Came to understand what it’s like to be exploited and lied to, with feelings, a personality, body that became tired and heart that felt pain.

And One Who will come again, ensuring perfection in love and justice is complete. May your Christmas celebrate this God With Us.

“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. 

Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.”

Malachi 3:3-4

Last time we heard the beginning of the Good News: a messenger would clear the way for the Messenger. And the intense news: He will be like bleach and fire, refining His people individually and corporately to create a pure Bride. Today we continue on with this Refiner.

“And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver”

Sit is yashab – to sit, remain, dwell; refiner is tsaraph from last time: to smelt, refine, test, cast, refiner, founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away. Here purifier of silver is taher – to be clean, pure, purge, become clean, pronounce him clean, purified; and silver is keseph – money, silver.

He will dwell among them as one who refines silver, purging what’s needed…

Whenever Christ is referred to as sitting, it makes me pause. The idea that He’s seated at the right hand of God in heaven reflects One in confident control of things. Not anxiously pacing, not running to keep up with the world spinning out of control. Remaining, dwelling with His Father, both intimately aware of the pain of living and supremely confident in the redemption of all things.

“He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver…”

Here purify is taher again, but refining is a different verb: zaqaq – to refine, purify, distill; fine, pour down, purge; to strain, extract, clarify.

It seems taher has more to do with cleaning and zaqaq with refining. It makes me thing of something already good, like water, in which we continue to extract whatever isn’t best until it’s as clear as it can be. Fine, pure, distilled water, like a mountain stream.

And who is He refining? The Levites, those workers in Temple.

“That they may offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness…” 

We have seen these words before as Malachi’s prophetic song has targeted the priests. Offer is nagash – to draw near, approach, bring offered, present, stand, touch; offerings is minchah – gift, tribute, offering, sacrifice [bloodless and voluntary]; and righteousness is tsedaqah – right, merit; honesty, justice, righteous, vindication.

I appreciate that chapters one and two outline the issues God has with Temple sacrifice. And while He offers ways to make it right (offering the best of the flock and harvest, not treating wives with contempt), His ultimate answer is in this Messenger Who will cleanse and refine. Who will take out hearts of stone and give hearts of flesh, ready to obey His will.  

“…and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.”

Here will be acceptable is arab – to be sweet or pleasing, pleasant, to be agreeable; days of old is olam – antiquity, always, forevermore; and former years is qadmoni – former, eastern; ancients, things of the past; same as qedem – aforetime, before, east end, everlasting; the front, of place (relatively the East) or time (antiquity)…

Because of this Messenger’s refinement, His people’s voluntary sacrifice will once again be pleasant to Him. Like before the kingdom splitting, the exile, and reaping what they’d sown. And for us, back to Eden, walking before Him without shame.

But then again, this Messenger-born-teeny-babe was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. El Olam, God of antiquity, the Everlasting One. Ready with the cure before we knew we were gravely ill. In the flesh Sacrifice before a sacrificial Temple system was ever enacted. And One Who knew the number of hairs on each of our heads before being born with his own locks and soft spot, cradled and cooed over.

May we celebrate this Refiner today.

“’See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in — see, he is coming,’ says the Lord of Armies.

But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s bleach.”

Malachi 3:1-2

Last time we continued on with the people of God acting treacherously toward their wives, clothing themselves with violence. We also saw God wearied with words questioning His character and justice. Today we begin to look toward Good News.

“See, I am going to send my messenger”

See is our familiar hen – lo! Behold! Send is shalach from last time – to send, cast away, forsake, bade his farewell, burned, cast off, certainly let them go, delivered, dismissed, divorce, driving them away, escorted him away, gave them over, get rid, gets his own way, let them down, let them go, release, remove, send them away, set free, stretched; and messenger is malak (as in Malachi).

Lo and Behold! I am sending, letting go of, giving over, my messenger…

“And He will prepare…”

Prepare here is panah – to turn, approaches, cleared away, dawns, empty, faced, have regard, prepare, return, turn; appear, at eventide, behold, cast out, dawning, empty; to turn, by implication, to face, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away.

This messenger will clear any night, dawning the light…

“The way before me…”

Here the way is derek – way, road, distance, journey, manner, actions, conduct, course, crooked, direction, example, favors, highway, impulses, line, manner, mission, path, practice, safely, street, toward, walk, way, way toward; along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, eastward, journey; from darak; a road, figuratively – a course of life or mode of action; and before me is paneh – before my face.

“Prepare the way before me” is more literally “Panah the way paneh.”

Put together, this is My messenger will clear away the night from the mission, path, safe street, course of life before My face.

Behold, a voice calling in the desert…

“Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple…”

This one is very straightforward: The Lord whom you (attah – you yourself) seek (baqash – aim, beg, concerned, consulted, eager, inquired, investigated, pursuit, request, search) will suddenly (pithom) come (bo) to el (to, into, towards) His temple (hekal)…

The Adonai you yourselves eagerly pursue will suddenly come into His Temple.

“And even the Messenger (malak) of the covenant (berith – covenant, allies, treaty) in whom you delight…”

This one is a different messenger, One from whom the delightful covenant comes. Delight is chaphets again – desire, to delight in, to be pleased with; to incline to; by implication (literally but rarely) to bend; figuratively, to be pleased with, desire — favour, be well pleased.

The Messenger of the covenant treaty in whom you are well pleased and delight in…

It seems, based on this Hebrew reading [“in whom” versus “in which”], that it’s the Messenger in whom the people delight. In some English translations it looks as though the covenant is what they are pleased with. Either way, He’s coming!

“Behold! He is coming!” says Jehovah-sabaoth”

Now for the intensity of Who He is:

“But who can endure the day of his coming?”

Who (mi) can endure (kul – to comprehend, contain, calculated, endure, hold, provided, sustain; be able to, can abide, bear, feed, forbearing, guide; properly, to keep in; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses); nourish(-er), be present…coming (bo again)?

Who is able to comprehend Him and bear, keep in, be fully present when He comes?

The knowledge of His holiness, paired directly with our unholiness, is intense.

It seems the next part is the reason for the intensity:

“And who will be able to stand (amad – take one’s stand) when He appears (raah – to see, show self, sight of others, view, behold, enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, be near, perceive, present, provide, regard)?”

What footing do we have when He sees right through us? Every unkind thought, angry word, bitter whisper under our breath, word spoken in secret, selfish act, and hidden sin will be revealed. Laid bare in His gaze, perception, view. Indeed, who can stand? We know who because of the Gospel, but let’s dig in a bit more…

“For He will be like a refiner’s fire and launderer’s bleach.”

Here fire is esh – blazing, burned, fiery, flame, flashing, man; refiner is tsaraph – to smelt, refine, test, cast, refiner, founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away.

Both painful and purposeful, the goldsmith heats up the metal to refine it, his fiery flame fully deliberate.

The root word for launderer’s is kabas – to wash; to trample; hence, to wash (properly, by stamping with the feet.)

Once again, a painful-sounding process that from the outside could look like meanness.

But bleach here is borith – lye, alkali, soap; from bor; vegetable lye (from its cleansing); used as a soap for washing, or a flux for metals; purely.

Hmm, that “purely” strikes me.

And once again, metal is brought up. I wasn’t sure what a “flux” was, so according to Britannica.com:

“...flux [is] any substance introduced in the smelting of ores to promote fluidity and to remove objectionable impurities…”

Bleach, fire, soap, flux: all used to remove impurities. You don’t just take out impurities for no reason; you do it so what is left is pure.

Yes.

It is interesting to hold all this holiness, refining-talk in tension with the Advent season and how this Messenger came: completely helpless as an infant. Unable to meet His own needs let alone ours. Yet.

He had to go through the neediness to understand ours. He embraced the vulnerability to know in the flesh how scary it is to be human.

And yet, all that holiness was as much in Him at birth. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His Being.

This Baby God came to make us pure. To refine us individually and as His Church. No matter how uncomfortable or even painful, may we listen, lean in, and join where He is working.