God’s Judgment and Mercy

MEMORY SELECTION: “Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” —Malachi 2:10

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Malachi 3:1-10

THE Prophet Malachi wrote to stimulate the hearts and minds of the children of Israel during the time that Nehemiah (Israel’s governor) was absent from the court of Persia. There had been a falling away on the part of the Jews in connection with their observance of the requirements of the Law. This was true not only among the worshiping community but, more importantly, on the part of the priesthood.

The nation of Israel had experienced a surge of enthusiasm to rebuild their homeland, but the restored community became weary of waiting for additional evidences of God’s grace and blessing on their behalf. The spirit of enthusiasm began to wane, and there was a need to set things in order once again.

Malachi was the last of the Hebrew prophets. He wrote: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom you 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.”—Mal. 3:1

There is reference in this passage to the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the great Messenger of God’s covenant. Malachi sought to inform the Jews of the great event that was approaching and to warn them that they should turn from their wayward deeds and prepare their hearts accordingly.

John the Baptist was the promised messenger who prepared the way for our Lord. He preached repentance, looking forward to the remission of sins, and he announced the advent of the great “Messenger of the covenant.” The Jews, however, failed to recognize the providences of God and did not go about setting their hearts and minds in order.

When the Messiah appeared in their midst, they were unprepared to receive him. They did not heed the warning from their prophets of old, nor did they recognize the King in all his beauty. Neither were they prepared to stand the tests of faith and character that were necessary to prove their worthiness of the blessing promised in the Abrahamic Covenant.

Only a handful of believers were found ready. These were of such grace and humility that they inclined their hearts to the teachings of their prophets, of John the Baptist, and of the Messiah. This small number thus became the inheritors of the promise under the Abrahamic Covenant—the promise that “in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18) But the nation of Israel as a whole, who were the heirs to the promise, lost the inheritance and the blessing related to it. Instead, upon their rejection of the Messiah, the nation was overthrown. Thus did Israel suffer for nearly two millennia for their wrongdoing, and their holy city Jerusalem was overrun with marauding invaders. They, as a people, were scattered as fugitives from one end of the earth to the other and received persecution at the hands of their enemies until the very dawn of the present twentieth century.

Malachi’s prophecy, as it was addressed to the children of Israel, applied primarily to them at that time. But upon examination of the subject, it becomes clear that there is a much wider application of the prophecy than appears on the surface.

The lessons toward faithfulness and heart preparation apply also to those who seek to follow the Lord during the present dispensation. They would do well to heed the instructions of God’s Word and apply themselves accordingly, even as fleshly Israel was admonished to do.

During the present Gospel Age there has been a class of consecrated believers who, like John the Baptist at the first advent, have announced the second advent of our Lord Jesus and his coming kingdom in power and great glory. In due time all the families of the earth will be blessed by the administration of the new kingdom order, under the terms of the New Covenant.

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