Knowing The Word in the Minor Prophets: The Messenger of the Lord, Malachi 2:17-3:1 and 4

The people who returned from exile expected the glory of God to return to the temple as in the days of Moses’ tabernacle and Solomon’s temple. Yet God remained absent. Malachi promises that the day is coming when the temple will be filled with an even greater glory.

2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Take some time to reflect on where you see the glory of God in your life and in the world, and then pause and give him thanks.