The Lord’s Messenger Will Come
Jesus told them to write down the words the Father had given to Malachi. He told them to write these words. After they wrote them down, he explained them. These are the words he told them: The Father said to Malachi: I will send my messenger. He will get things ready before I come. Then the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. He is the messenger of the promise you are excited about. He will come, says the Lord of hosts.
But who can handle the day when he comes? Who will be able to stand when he shows up? He is like a fire that makes things pure. He is like strong soap that cleans. He will sit like someone who makes silver pure and clean. He will make the sons of Levi pure. He will clean them like gold and silver. Then they can bring offerings to the Lord that are right. Then the offerings from Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord. It will be like it was in the old days and in years past.
God Will Judge the Wicked
I will come close to you to judge. I will be a fast witness against those who do magic, against those who cheat on their wives or husbands, and against those who lie when they promise. I will be against those who don’t pay workers their fair pay, who hurt widows and kids without parents, and who push away strangers. They don’t respect me, says the Lord of hosts.
I am the Lord. I don’t change. That’s why you sons of Jacob are not destroyed.
Return to God
From the time of your fathers, you have turned away from my rules. You have not kept them. Come back to me, and I will come back to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you said: How should we come back? Will a man steal from God? But you have stolen from me. You say: How have we stolen from you? You stole my tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse. You have stolen from me. This whole nation has done it.
Bring all the tithes to the storehouse. Then there will be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord of hosts. I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so big you won’t have room for it all. I will stop the bugs that eat your crops. They won’t destroy what grows in your fields. Your vines won’t drop their fruit too early, says the Lord of hosts. All nations will say you are blessed. You will be a wonderful land, says the Lord of hosts.
The People Complain
Your words have been harsh against me, says the Lord. But you say: What have we said against you? You have said: It’s useless to serve God. What good does it do that we have kept his rules and walked around sad before the Lord of hosts? We call the proud people happy. Those who do bad things are successful. They test God and nothing bad happens to them.
Those Who Respect the Lord
Then those who respected the Lord talked to each other often. The Lord listened and heard them. A book was written in front of him to remember those who respected the Lord and who thought about his name. They will be mine, says the Lord of hosts. On that day when I gather my treasures, I will be kind to them. I will treat them the way a man treats his own son who serves him. Then you will come back and see the difference between those who are right and those who are wrong. You will see the difference between someone who serves God and someone who doesn’t serve him.