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Chapter 1 |
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Chapter 2 |
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Chapter 3 |
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Chapter 4 |
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This is the last
book of The Old Testament, as we have it presently arranged.
The prophet gives no identification of himself beyond his
name. He does tell us that the word of the LORD came to
Israel
by Malachi. Then with
no more preliminaries, he begins his message. In this message
he speaks of the lack of proper respect for the LORD among the
people, and even among the priests. He winds up this message
with the promise of the coming of The Day of the LORD, and the
joy of the LORD”S people after that great day.
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Chapter
1
(Verses
1 through 5) The burden of the word of the LORD to
Israel
by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein
hast Thou loved us? Was nor Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD:
yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his
heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom saith,
We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate
places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will
throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and,
The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. And your
eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from
the border of
Israel
.
The
people of
Israel
had become so indifferent to the LORD that when He said to them,
“I have loved you,” their eyes were closed to the evidence of
His love. They asked, “Wherein have you loved us?” In spite of
all He had done for them, they could not see the evidence of His
love. He then called their attention to a truth with which they were
already familiar, but failed to consider. “Was not Esau Jacob’s
brother? yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains
and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” Many
people will tell us even today that the LORD loves everyone in the
whole world just alike. And if one refers them to this scripture, or
others that set forth the same truth, they will say that “hate,”
as used here does not mean “hate” as we usually use it. They say
that it only means that the LORD only loved Esau a little less than
Jacob. Even if this were granted, there would still be a difference
in His love for Jacob, and that for Esau. But, since the LORD says,
“And ( I ) laid his mountain and his heritage waste for the
dragons of the wilderness,” one would be forced to think that here
“hate” carries at least a portion of the meaning we usually
associate with it. The LORD further declares that though they may
rebuild their desolate places, He will throw them down, so that they
shall be known as “The people against whom the LORD hath
indignation for ever.” This seems to prove the point without
further argument. And, in contrast He says to
Israel
, “And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, “The LORD will be
magnified from the border of
Israel
.” There seems to be no need of further proof.
(Verses
6 through 12) A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master:
if then I be a father, where is Mine honour? and if I be a master,
where is My fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests that
despise My name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised Thy name? Ye
offer polluted bread upon Mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we
polluted Thee? In that ye say the table of the LORD is contemptible.
And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye
offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy
governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith
the LORD of hosts. Who is there even among you that would shut the
doors for nought? Neither do ye kindle fire on Mine altar for nought.
I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I
accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even
unto the going down of the same My name shall be great among the
Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My name,
and a pure offering: for My name shall be great among the heathen.
The
LORD tells these priests (And the priests are the ones to whom He is
here speaking.) that a father will be honored by his son, and a
master will be feared by his servant. Yet, though they claim to be
the sons and servants of the LORD, they neither honor nor fear Him.
Instead they despise His name. Yet they cannot understand why such
an accusation is made against them. He answers them very clearly.
First, they even offer polluted, or defiled bread upon His altar,
knowing that His law requires all offerings to be undefiled. They
declare their contempt for the table of the LORD. When they offer a
sacrifice, it is an animal that is sick, blind, or lame, all of
which are, by the law, prohibited from being used as sacrifice. He
tells them to offer such to their governor, and see if he will be
pleased with such. Of course they knew, without trying this, what
the answer would be. They have become so indifferent to His service
that none of them would close the doors of the house of the LORD, or
kindle a fire upon His altar without demanding pay for the act. As a
result of this, He says, “I have no pleasure in you---neither will
I accept an offering at your hand.” Notice that, even though He
has no pleasure in them, and will not accept an offering from them,
He does not say anything about hating them, as He has said about
Esau. Now He declares that His name shall be great among the
Gentiles and the heathen throughout the whole world, “from the
rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same.” In every
place both incense and a pure offering shall be offered unto His
name. This may have some reference to the coming of the Christ, and
the spreading of the gospel throughout the world. But its primary
focus is on the time after the LORD has restored
Israel
, and brought all her enemies under subjection.
(Verses
12 through 14) But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of
the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even His meat, is
contemptible. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it? And ye
have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that
which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an
offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. But
cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth,
and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great
King, saith the LORD of hosts, and My name is dreadful among the
heathen.
Thus
the LORD concludes His controversy against the priests. Later He
will give them a commandment concerning what they are to do. They
have so departed from serving Him that everything they do is nothing
but ritual, and even that is not according to the rules the LORD has
given for His service. So He pronounces a curse upon any one who for
a vow or a sacrifice brings an unfit animal to offer unto Him. His
law requires that any animal that is to be offered to Him in
sacrifice be perfect, so far as natural perfection is concerned. It
cannot be sick, lame , or blind, and neither can it even have any
blemish. The LORD declares that not only is He a great King, but
that His name is dreadful even among the heathen. Why then should
His chosen people, and especially their priests, treat Him with such
disdain?
(Verses
1 through 8) And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If
ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory
unto My name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon
you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them
already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt
your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your
solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. And ye shall
know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant
might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. My covenant was with
him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith
he feared Me, and was afraid before My name. The law of truth was in
his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me
in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the
priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law
at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
The
LORD begins His commandment to the priests. He tells them at the
beginning that if they do not give heed to it and “lay it to
heart” He will send a curse upon them. Then He declares that He
has already cursed them, because they have not laid this to heart.
One might wonder why He would say they do not lay it to heart, since
He is only now giving this commandment to them. The reason is that
He long ago gave them all the necessary commandments for the
execution of their work in His service; and they have not kept them.
And in addition to this, He knows the hearts of all men, including
these priests. He declares that He will corrupt their seed.
Sometimes “seed” is used to refer to children, instead of such
seed as one would plant in a field. And in this instance, that seems
to be its meaning. For this corrupting of their seed will so
embarrass them as if the refuse of their solemn feasts were thrown
in their faces. And they will be taken away with this refuse. When
this takes place, they will know that He is the One Who has sent
this commandment to them. They will know that His covenant was not
with them, but with Levi. Then He tells them why it was with Levi.
“My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to
him for the fear wherewith he feared before Me, and was afraid
before My name.” As we look back at what has been said before, we
see that these priests neither honored Him as a father nor feared
Him as a master. They in no wise measured up to Levi. “The law of
truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he
walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from
iniquity.” On the other hand, these priests have turned many away
from the service of the LORD by calling His table contemptible, and
offering defiled sacrifices on His altar. He now tells them what is
the priest’s office. “For the priest’s lips should keep
knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the
messenger of the LORD of hosts.” And in this these priests have
completely failed.
(Verses
8 through 10) But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused
many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi,
saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible
and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept My
ways, but have been partial in the law. Have we not all one Father?
Hath not God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man
against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
In
verses 8 and 9 the LORD declares that these priests have departed
out of His way, and by their partiality in administering the law,
have caused many to stumble at the law, for they have corrupted the
covenant of the LORD. He has therefore made them contemptible in the
sight of all the people. By their failure to properly serve the
LORD, and teach His law in truth, they have completely lost the
honor that should be with the office of priest. In verse 10, it
seems that the prophet is appalled at the situation. He first asks,
“Have we not all one Father? Hath not God created us?” The only
answer to these questions is an affirmative. As Creator, God is
indeed the Father of all. Then he asks , upon the basis of this,
“Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by
profaning the covenant of our fathers?” As we look upon the world
to day, we are brought to ask the same question again.
(Verses
11 through 13)
Judah
hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in
Israel
and in
Jerusalem
; for
Judah
hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath
married the daughter of a strange god. The LORD will cut off the man
that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles
of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.
And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with
tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that He regardeth
not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your
hand.
Malachi
now declares that, not only have the priests turned away from
serving the LORD, but
Judah
, the whole nation, has committed an abomination in
Israel
and
Jerusalem
.
Judah
had loved the holiness of the LORD. But now he has turned away from
the LORD, and “married the daughter of a strange god.” That is,
they have fallen into idolatry. And the LORD will surely cut off all
who do such, whether a teacher, a scholar, or one who offers an
offering to the LORD, that is, a priest. Whereas when one makes an
offering to the LORD, he should do so with joy, they have been
covering the altar of the LORD with tears and weeping, and thus
defiling it. They have carried on this practice until now the LORD
will no longer regard their offerings, or accept them from them.
(Verses
14 through 16) Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been
witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou
hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of
thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the
spirit. And wherefore one? That He might seek a godly seed.
Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously
against the wife of his youth. For the LORD, the God of Israel,
saith that He hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with
his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your
spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
The
question is asked, “Wherefore?” That is, why did the LORD become
so aroused against
Judah
that He would no longer regard or accept their offerings? The answer
is that the LORD is witness between Judah and “the wife of his
youth,” against whom he has been unfaithful, or has “dealt
treacherously.” For the key to this, go back to the abomination
that has been committed in
Israel
and
Jerusalem
. “For
Judah
hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath
married the daughter of a strange god.” Although the LORD has
never been in favor of divorce and re-marriage, that is not what is
under consideration in this text. The real subject is
Judah
’s departure from the LORD to serve idols. This the LORD calls
“dealing treacherously against the wife of his covenant.” He
then asks, “And did not he make one?” Certainly he did. See
Exodus 19:5-8. After the LORD had presented His covenant to
Israel
, “all the people answered together, and said, “All that the
LORD hath spoken we will do.” The LORD says, “Yet had he the
residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That He might seek a godly
seed.” When
Judah
entered into this covenant he had the residue of the spirit. Why
then was there only one covenant? The LORD was seeking a godly seed.
That seed is, of course our Lord, the Christ. For He did come of the
line of
Judah
, according to the flesh. Now the declaration is made, “For the
LORD, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth putting away: for one
covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts:
therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not
treacherously.” That is, let none of you turn away from the LORD,
and worship idols.
(Verse
17) Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein
have we wearied Him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good
in the sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in them: or, Where is
the God of judgment?
The
prophet declares that they have wearied the LORD. But they could not
understand how they had done so. Therefore he answers them,
reminding them of what they have been saying. The first thing of
which he reminds them is something that seems to be very popular
today. They had said, “Every one that doeth evil is good in the
sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in him.” Today we are
constantly hearing someone say, “The LORD loves everyone, and in
his sight one is just as good as another. He gives each one the same
chance. He even loves the wicked, and has provided salvation for
them, if they will only accept it.” Is not this a declaration that
even those who do evil are still good in the sight of the LORD, and
He delights in them, and wants them to accept His wonderful offer to
them.. The two seem to be essentially the same. And the Prophet says
that such words weary the LORD. Then, we sometimes hear someone
saying that the LORD ought to come and bring judgment upon the
wickedness of the world. Is not this also approximately the same as
questioning where He is while such is going on. He doesn’t approve
of this either.
(Verses
1 through 3) 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. 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: 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.
This
has long been held, and rightly so, as a prophecy of the coming of
the Christ. But it covers much more than His first advent.
(Actually, verse 1, down to the colon, is a prophecy of the coming
of John the Baptist.) Verse 1 does announce His coming to His holy
temple, as is recorded in the gospel records. His anger at the money
changers, and the buyers and sellers in the temple may be considered
as indicating the answer to the two questions in verse 2. Yet His
actions at that time are only a preview of what He will do when
“He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: 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.” A study of the
gospel records will show that this has not yet been brought to pass.
But it will, when
Israel
is restored, as He has promised.
(Verses
4 through 6) Then shall the offering of
Judah
and
Israel
be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the years of old, and as in former
years. And I will come near to you in 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.
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not
consumed.
When
the LORD shall thus purify the sons of Levi, they will be able to
make an offering to the LORD in righteousness; and that offering
will be pleasant to Him, as were the offerings of former years. That
is, the years before they turned away after idols. When He comes at
that time, He will be a swift witness against, that is, He will
quickly destroy, all of these evil ones He mentions. All of these
evils are so well known that none should wonder who it is that He
will destroy. It might be well to remark that, although the LORD
hates, and has issued His commandments against natural adultery,
perhaps, the adultery against which He speaks here is what is called
spiritual adultery, the turning away from the LORD to worship and
serve idols. And the swearers to whom He refers are those who take
false oaths. That is, they will not do that to which they have
committed themselves by an oath. Verse 6 is a statement that is very
often taken out of context. And sometimes it seems to be used as an
excuse for us to continue on in our sins, because since for His own
immutability the LORD spared the “sons of Jacob,” surely He will
continue to spare us. That is a totally false doctrine. He is only
declaring that His immutability is all that has prevented the
“sons of Jacob” from being totally wiped out. He has spared, and
will spare a remnant of them, not because they are righteous, but
because He will not break His word.
(Verses
7 through 12) Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away
from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I
will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye say, Wherein
shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye
say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are
cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat
in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts,
if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a
blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I
will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy
the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit
before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all
nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land,
saith the LORD of hosts.
The
LORD reminds
Israel
that they have, even from the days of their fathers, been guilty of
turning away from His commandments and ordinances. They have always
been rebellious, and disobedient to His word. Yet He says, “Return
unto Me, and I will return unto you.” The present day religious
world likes to try to address this offer to the entire world, in
spite of its specific address being to the “sons of Jacob.” Yet,
if allowed to so address it, could they hope for any better response
than that of the sons of Jacob? Their answer is, “Wherein shall we
return?” The significance of this answer is that they did not
think they had ever left the LORD. It is very similar to the answer
the Jews made to Jesus when He told them that the truth would make
them free. (John 8:33) “They answered Him, ‘We be Abraham’s
seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, “Ye
shall be made free?”’” They overlooked two outstanding points.
First, He was not speaking of being in bondage to man, but to
ignorance. And, second, they lied about having never been in
bondage. At that moment the Romans held them in the bondage of
occupation. Although they had some local officers of their own,
these served only by the permission of
Rome
. Those whom the LORD here addresses don’t believe they have ever
left the LORD. So to them it is foolishness to speak of returning to
Him. In addition to this, they have robbed God. The question is,
“Wherein have we robbed Thee?” That is, “What have we done
that can be considered robbing God?” The answer is obvious. They
have not continued bringing in their tithes and offerings. This is
another text that modern religionists like to quote to prove that we
should still pay tithes, just as they did in the Old Testament
times. But instead of being obligated to pay tithes, Christians are
to present their “bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service.” That is we owe, not only
all we have, but all we are to the LORD. But under the law the Jews
were to pay tithes. And evidently this had been for some time
neglected. Because of their robbing Him thus, the whole nation is
cursed with a curse. Yet the LORD sets a proposition before them.
Let them prove Him by this test. Let them bring all, not part, of
their tithes and offerings to Him, as they have been commanded to
do. Then He will open the windows of heaven, and pour out upon them
such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. If
they will do this, He will cause them to prosper in all they
undertake. And all nations will see it, and declare them blessed of
the LORD: for their whole land will be a delight to all.
(Verses
13 through 15) Your words have been stout against Me, saith the
LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against Thee? Ye have
said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have
kept His ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the
LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
This
is the same trap into which many professed Christians fall today.
They become careless in their service to God, even turning away to
the things of the world, but still thinking that they are doing a
great job of serving Him. They lose their perspective concerning the
things around them. They may even have a few set backs, whether in
financial matters, health, or in some other field. Then they begin
to say that there is no profit in serving the LORD. They forget that
it is only by His mercy that things are not worse with them. If we
were given what we deserve, we would be in terrible straits. But
when one begins to ask, “What profit is it that we have kept His
ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of
hosts,” he needs to take a closer look at whether he has kept the
ordinance of the LORD as he ought. He may have missed it somewhere.
It is obvious that these Israelites had missed it. They had even
begun to consider the proud, or arrogant, as the ones that are
blessed, or happy. They even claimed that those who were wicked were
the ones who received the greater blessings, and that even those
that tempted God were delivered, while they who thought themselves
to be such great servants of the LORD were left behind. What
terrible ideas self pity will bring upon us!
(Verses
16 through 18) Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to
another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of
remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD,
and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the
LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will
spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then
shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked,
between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.
There
were, evidently, among the “sons of Jacob” some that really did
fear the LORD. For he says, “Then they that feared the LORD spake
often one to another.” It seems that the LORD’S speech to them
took effect upon some, those who did fear the LORD. Nothing is said
about what these talked to each other about. But inasmuch as only
those who feared the LORD are mentioned, one would think that their
likely subject would be the LORD and His word. And for those who did
fear Him, and think upon His name, there was a “book of
remembrance” written before the LORD. Although the LORD cannot
forget, that He might give the greater assurance to those who fear
Him, He caused this book of remembrance to be written before Him,
that they might be assured that they are forever remembered. And in
the day that He makes up His jewels, He will spare them, “as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him,” that is, an obedient son.
At that time those who return can discern between the one who serves
the LORD and the one who does not. They may be confused about it
now, as in verses 14 and 15; but in that day all will be made clear.
(Verses
1 through 3) For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;
and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble:
and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that
fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in
His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the
stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes
under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith
the LORD of hosts.
Thus
the LORD declares that there is a terrible day coming for the
wicked, such that it will completely burn them up, leaving them
“neither root nor branch.” But, on the other hand, those who
fear the name of the LORD will be made to rejoice. For “the Sun of
righteous shall arise with healing in His wings.” This is not a
prophecy of the Son of God coming into this world to, by His death
on the cross, redeem His people. It looks beyond that by far. It is
a reference to the eternal happiness of those who fear the name of
the LORD. There will be such healing in His wings that none who
receive it will ever know any more sickness, pain , death , or sin.
“They shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” They
shall have all their cares taken away forever. There is nothing that
anymore symbolizes freedom from care than a young calf released from
the stall, as he runs and jumps around, simply rejoicing in life
itself. From verses 1 and 3, some may have tried to teach that the
wicked will be burned up in such a manner that they will be
completely annihilated, thus destroying the teaching that there is
eternal punishment for the wicked. However that idea is completely
denied by many other scriptures. What is here indicated is that they
will be so far removed from any possibility of ever disturbing the
righteous anymore, that they will amount to no more than ashes under
the feet of the righteous. For none of them will be left to ever
cause trouble again.
(Verse
4) Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto
him in Horeb for all
Israel
, with the statutes and judgments.
Having
comforted those who fear the name of the LORD, He now commands them
to remember the law that He commanded His servant Moses for all
Israel
. This law, though given to Moses, was not for him alone, but for
all
Israel
. They were all under its statutes and judgments, none of which are
to be forgotten.
(Verses
5 and 6) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he shall turn
the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a
curse.
Although,
the Lord in answer to the question His disciples asked Him
concerning why the scribes said that Elijah had to come before the
Messiah could come, identified John the Baptist as having come as
Elijah, there is yet another appearance of Elijah set forth here.
For here He says, “I will send Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” Although John
came as the voice crying in the wilderness, and thus in the spirit
and power of Elijah, Elijah’s personal appearing will be just
before the “great and dreadful day of the LORD,” the day of the
judgment of this world. Early Christians believed and taught that
Elijah is one of the two witnesses that will prophecy in the time of
the beast . See Revelation 11. “And He shall turn the hearts of
the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” This may
refer partly to the work of John the Baptist, and partly to the
witness of Revelation 11.
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