Malaquias 3
John Piper · Citado em PreceptAustin
Malaquias 3
Piper - This is another Messenger, different from the first. Who is this person? Three things point to the divine Son of God and Messiah. - He is called "Lord" -- a term that Malachi would not apply to Elijah or John the Baptist. This person is someone greater. The temple is said to belong to him: He will suddenly come to "HIS temple." Of whom could you say that he is the owner of the temple of God? This person seems to be almost identical with Jehovah, not only because Jehovah's temple is his temple, but also because he seems to take the place of the word "me" in the first half of the verse. It says, "Behold, I send my messenger (John the Baptist) to prepare the way before ME … " But then he switches without any difficulty and instead of saying, "And I will suddenly come to my temple … " he says, "And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple." It looks as though "me" -- Jehovah -- is virtually interchangeable with this other person called the Lord, Who owns the temple of God. (He Is Like a Refiner's Fire) MARANATHA THE LORD COMES The Lord is adon which when preceded the definite article (hä´ädôn, cf use in Mal 1:6) always signifies deity (cf Ex. 23:17; 34:23; Is. 1:24; 3:1; 10:16, 33). Adonai (Lord, Master) in Ps 110:1 (note) refers to the Messiah, the rightful Owner of everything that exists (cf Zech 6:5 = Adonai)! Pious Jews refuse to pronounce the name Jehovah (Yahweh) when reading the OT - when they come to the Name Jehovah, they will read it as "Adonai". In the Septuagint (LXX) Adonai (and Jehovah) are translated with the same Greek noun kurios which signifies sovereign power, supreme authority, absolute ownership. In the NT, Jesus is referred to <20 times as Savior (soter) and over 700 times as Lord (kurios)! When the two titles are mentioned together, Lord always precedes Savior. Adonai depicts the Sovereign Master and implies a submissive servant, because Adonai speaks of His right to rule over us. Lordship conveys a sense of complete possession of the servant by the master and complete submission of the servant to the master. Nathan Stone writes that Adonai "signifies ownership or mastership and indicates "the truth that God is the owner of each member of the human family, and that He consequently claims the unrestricted obedience of all." SUDDENLY! UNEXPECTEDLY! CAUSING SURPRISE! Will suddenly come to His temple - When the forerunner has cleared the way, the King enters the stage of human history! Malachi's prophecy has a double fulfillment - Jesus came to earth as the God-Man, when "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:1+, Jn 1:14+) Jesus came into the Temple the first time as an Infant (Simeon and Anna in Lk 2:27-38+), then as a young Boy (Lk 2:46-47-+) and finally as a Man as He began His ministry (Jn 2:13-19+). The final fulfillment will be when Jesus returns suddenly as the glorified God-Man, the King of kings and Lord of lords, at which time He will take up His throne in the Temple in Jerusalem (Rev 1:7+, Rev 19:16+, Mt 25:31-46, Zech 14:5, 9+). Suddenly! You are asking for the God of justice and here is your answer - He will come suddenly! Suddenly yes, but not without warning. This passage in Malachi is ample evidence of ample warning! If you really seek Him, you had better prepare yourself to meet Him! Steven
Malaquias 3
Piper - To fear the Lord is to tremble at the thought of offending him by unbelief and disobedience. It is the feeling that God is not to be trifled with. It is the very opposite of the attitude of the people in Mal 3:13–15 who speak with an incredible swagger: "It doesn't pay to serve God." Those who fear God shudder at the thought of speaking that way about their Majestic Father. Anything that dishonors God is anathema to those who fear God. Woodrow Kroll - In the midst of the spiritual declension that surrounded them they were drawn together by their mutual concern of manifesting obedience to the Lord. (Ed: A good pattern in our day of moral declension in America!) Walter Kaiser - The “fear of the Lord” is a virtual synonym for the righteous living and holy lifestyle that grow out of this fear (Lev 19:14+; Dt. 17:19+; 2Ki 17:34). Fear (reverential fear) is one motivation for holy living and maintaining an attitude of complete trust and obedience to the Lord as one’s Master and Savior. RIGHTEOUS REMEMBERED A book of remembrance (book of memorial) ("memory book") - The NET Bible says "A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the LORD and honored his name." Why did the godly need this book? Or why would Malachi describe this book at this juncture? John
Malaquias 3
Piper writes Mal 3:14 says it is pointless to serve God. And Mal 3:17 says God will count them his possession and spare him who serves Him. What is the difference? It is the difference between the service of a son and the service of a slave. It's the difference between the younger brother and the elder brother in the parable of the the Prodigal Son. The younger brother, broken and humbled, wanted to serve because he knew that to be at home with the father was the greatest blessing in the world—all his needs would be met. The elder brother had the mindset of a slave—if anybody around here deserves a party, I do. Who has worked harder than anybody to earn such a blessing! There is a formal, slavish service of God that thinks in terms of what it is contributing to the plantation and what the slave owner owes me. That service is indeed in vain. But there is another kind of service that thinks like a son in the house of his father—here is total security, here is food on the table, here is rest and recreation and love and education and inheritance and the fame and glory of my Father! Why would I want to work anywhere else but here! That is the mindset of the true servant of God. • Fear God. • Hallow his name above all names. • And serve him like a son serves a Majestic Father. (I Will Spare Them as a Man Spares His Son) Malachi 3:18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.: Will again: Mal 3:14,15 Mal 1:4 Job 6:29, 17:10 Jer 12:15 Joel 2:14 Zec 1:6 distinguish: Ge 18:25 Ps 58:10,11 Isa 3:10,11 Da 12:1-3 Mt 25:46 Ro 2:5,6 2Th 1:5-10 between: Josh 24:15 Da 3:17-26 Jn 12:26 Ac 16:17 27:23 Ro 1:9, 6:16-22 1Th 1:9 Malachi 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A HEBREW PARALLELISM RIGHTEOUS WICKED SERVE GOD DOES NOT SERVE GOD So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked - Will again is in a sense a time phrase and conveys a promise of future blessing to Israel. This would find fulfillment any time a Jewish man or woman choose to fear God (to believe in Him, to receive imputed righteousness by grace through faith), but will find its full and final fulfillment at the Return of Messiah, Who will return to those who have "returned" to Him (see Ro 11:25-29-note) John MacArthur (MacArthur Study Bible) agrees writing that "The distinction between the godly and ungodly will be evident for all when the righteous Lord is present, ruling from the throne of David in Jerusalem." As added support for this eschatological interpretation, Malachi continues the thought in Malachi 4:1-2, which speak of the first and second advent of Christ. In that day the LORD Himself with distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. You will again - This is the Hebrew verb shub, which means return as in Mal 3:7 (also used in Mal 1:4, 2:6, 4:6). Young's Literal = "And ye have turned back." You have returned, obeying His call in Mal 3:7. Distinguish - This is literally the verb "you will see." NIV = "And you will again see the distinction between." Woodrow Kroll on the distinction between the righteous and the wicked writes that "the righteous remnant who have turned to the Lord and serve Him. They will clearly be able to realize the falseness of the objection raised in verse 16. They will realize that God does not treat the wicked and the righteous in the same way, for He will sovereignly deliver the righteous and destroy the wicked. The wicked may appear to prosper, but judgment lies ahead for them. The righteous may suffer now, but a glorious deliverance for them lies ahead."