Malachi 3:13-18
Summary for Mal 3:13-4:3: 3:13–4:3 a Malachi’s final message contains two distinct but related speeches, the first emphasizing service to the Lord (3:13-18 b) and the second contrasting the fate of the wicked with that of the righteous (4:1-3 c). Each speech concludes with the messenger formula (see study note on 1:8). The prophet revisits themes from the fourth message (3:1-5 d) as he reiterates God’s desire for honesty and faithfulness in worship in view of coming judgment on the day of the Lord. If Malachi is a courtroom drama, this last disputation is the sentencing. While wickedness seems to triumph over righteousness and God seems delinquent in judging sin in the community, the coming day of the Lord will vindicate God’s justice as the wicked are separated from the righteous by the fire of God’s judgment. 3:13 e You have said terrible things about me: The people had accused God of favoring evildoers and had openly questioned his justice (see 2:17 f), but the Lord loves justice (Pss 9:16 g; 37:28 h).3:14 i What have we gained? The people assumed that righteous acts would result in material blessing (Deut 28 j).
• sorry for our sins: The idea was to parade mournfully or walk in funeral garb to demonstrate penitence, as though such acts were righteous in themselves (see Matt 6:1-18 k).
3:15 l To call the arrogant blessed was blasphemy against God’s justice (see 3:13 m).
Summary for Mal 3:16-18: 3:16-18 n The prophet here serves as a recorder, reporting the audience’s reaction to his final message and God’s response to the discussion among those who feared the Lord. Although God listened to their deliberations (see 3:16 o), there is no evidence that Malachi’s message effected any real change in the majority of his listeners. 3:16 p A scroll of remembrance—a Persian tradition—was a catalog of names with a record of events associated with those individuals. We are not told how many people signed the scroll.
• Those who feared him were people who were loyal to the Lord as God, obedient to God’s commands, and righteous in conduct and worship.
3:17 q special treasure: Israel had a privileged status as God’s people; they were his private property.
Malachi 4:1-3
Summary for Mal 4:1-3: 4:1-3 r This message shifts away from the disputation format, directly warning the people that repentance is the only proper response to the Lord’s message because God’s judgment is inescapable.4:2 s The source for the title Sun of Righteousness might have been the winged sun disk that is ubiquitous in ancient Near Eastern iconography. Here it might be a title for the Messiah or a figurative description of a new era of righteousness in which God will overturn the curse of sin. Israel’s spiritual restoration, or healing, would be based on God’s cleansing the people and forgiving their sins (see Jer 33:6-8 t; cp. Jer 8:14-15 u). It would result from a collective confession of sin and their turning back to God (Mal 3:7 v; cp. Jer 14:19-20 w).
• in his wings: Outstretched wings are a symbol of God’s protection and rescue (see Exod 19:4 x; Deut 32:10-11 y; Ps 17:8 z; 18:10 aa).
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