I Will Send My Messenger

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Malachi 2:17-3:6
Psalters: 245, 107, 274, 212
  1. God’s motive for sending His messenger.
    1. God responds with the gospel of His grace concerning Christ’s coming (“my messenger”).
      1. It is the coming of God’s Messenger which delivers Israel from their sins and provides redemption and cleansing.
      2. It is emphasized that this messenger reveals God as the God of judgment.
    2. It is God’s immutability which assures the believers who see their sins as that which would condemn them.
      1. Though Judah thought God had changed because they were not enjoying “blessings,” but He would save them.
      2. He is not slack concerning His promise so the day of the Lord will come for us too.
  2. The messenger.
    1. The messenger of the covenant whom God is sending is the Messiah, but also John the Baptist.
      1. Scripture looks at John, the forerunner, as a real part of the messenger (cf. Mt. 11:10; Mk. 1:2).
      2. John, like Malachi, bears the same name and office as Christ.
    2. Further descriptions of God’s messenger.
      1. The Messenger is identified as the “Lord whom ye seek,” i.e., the God of judgment (2:17).
      2. He will “come to His temple,” i.e., the church (John 2:19).
      3. He fulfilled all God’s promises and who would bring God’s people into the full enjoyment of their covenant relationship.
  3. The messenger’s work.
    1. Christ’s work is to cleanse and purify His people (2b,3a).
      1. The objects of this cleansing are “the sons of Levi;” a name for God’s people in the priesthood of all believers.
      2. Jesus’ suffering and death removes all our guilt and legally purifies us; then He sanctifies us by His Spirit
    2. Jesus comes near to judgment and as a swift witness (5).
    3. The sins He judges are sins not previously mentioned in Malachi, but which were widespread.
  4. The result of the messenger purifying the sons of Levi is that they now bring “an offering in righteousness” (3b).
    1. All of God’s people are a “holy priesthood” who “offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God” (I P.2:5).
    2. Such is “in righteousness” because it is acceptable to God, for His grace bears such fruit in us.