1“See, I am going to send My messenger, Ex 23:20; 33:2; 2Ch 36:15-16 and he will clear the way before Me. Is 40:3; Mk 1:2; Lk 1:76 Then the Lord you seek Hs 5:6 will suddenly come to His temple, Ps 24:7-10 the Messenger of the covenant you desire — see, He is coming,” says the Lord of Hosts.

2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when He appears? Rv 6:17 For He will be like a refiner’s fire Dt 4:24; Is 1:25; Zch 13:9 and like cleansing lye. Jr 2:22

3He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Ps 12:6; Pr 17:3; Ezk 22:22 Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.

4And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord as in days of old Am 9:11 and years gone by.

5“I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, and cheat the wage earner; and against those who deny justice to the foreigner. Ex 20:14,16; 22:18-24; Dt 18:10; 24:14,17; Jr 5:2,7; 7:6,9 They do not fear Me,” Dt 10:17-20; Mal 2:5 says the Lord of Hosts.

6“Because I, Yahweh, have not changed, Nm 23:19; 1Sm 15:29; Ps 33:11; 119:89-91; Rm 11:29; Heb 6:17-18; Jms 1:17 you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed. Ps 124; Hs 11:9

7“Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept them. Jos 1:7; 23:6; 1Kg 8:58; 2Kg 17:15; Ezr 9:7; Am 2:4; Mal 2:8 Return to Me, Dt 4:30; 30:2; 2Ch 30:6,9; Is 55:7; Jl 2:13; Zch 1:3 and I will return to you,” 1Kg 8:33; Jr 15:19; 24:7 says the Lord of Hosts.

8“Will a man rob Pr 22:22-23 God? Yet you are robbing Me! ”

9You are suffering under a curse, yet you — the whole nation — are still robbing Me.

10Bring the full tenth into the storehouse Jos 6:19,24; 1Kg 7:51 so that there may be food in My house. 2Ch 31:4-10; Neh 10:34-39; Ezk 44:28-31 Test Me in this way,” Ex 4:1-9; Jdg 6:36-40 says the Lord of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven Gn 7:11; 8:2; Dt 11:16-17 and pour out a blessing for you without measure. Dt 28:12; Is 41:18-20; Jl 2:18-32; Am 9:13-15

11I will rebuke the devourer Perhaps locusts Jl 1:4; 2:25 for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the Lord of Hosts.

12“Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Hosts.

13“Your words against Me are harsh,” Ps 119:23; Ezk 35:13 says the Lord.

14You have said: “It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements Lv 8:35; Dt 11:1 and walking mournfully Ps 35:14; 38:6 before the Lord of Hosts?

15So now we consider the arrogant Ps 119:21,85; Is 13:11; Jr 43:2 to be fortunate. Gn 30:13; Ps 72:17; Pr 31:28 Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God Ps 78:18,41,56; 95:9 and escape.” Ezk 17:15

16At that time those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. The Lord took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance Ex 32:32; Est 6:1; Dn 12:1 was written before Him for those who feared Yahweh and had high regard for His name.

17“They will be Mine,” says the Lord of Hosts, Ex 19:5; Dt 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4 “a special possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. Ps 103:13; Jl 2:18; Zch 11:5-6

18So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.