malachi-3:2,-malachi-3:3-niv

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Malachi 3:1-18

Cheating God (2:17-3:18)When the Jews saw surrounding nations prosper while they suffered hardship, they complained that God was not just. Other nations made no effort to keep God’s law, whereas Israel was his people (17). Malachi replies that if justice is what the Jews want, then justice is what they will have; but they must realize that such justice will apply to them as well as to their heathen neighbours. They have asked for the God of justice; now he will come and do his work of justice... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Malachi 3:2

who may abide. ? Compare Joel 2:11 . Figure. abide = endure soap = lye; as in Job 9:30 , i.e. water mixed with the ashes of certain plants containing alkali. Compare Mark 9:3 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Malachi 3:2

"But who can abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap."The coming of the "day of the Lord" is not the prophecy of any one-day event, except in the case of that day of the final judgment of all men, when God will judge in righteousness by that man whom he hath appointed ... even Jesus Christ; and, despite all the New Testament references to the final judgment being an apparent reference to a single, simultaneous... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Malachi 3:2

Malachi 3:2. But who may abide the day, &c.— Though the Jews promised themselves great felicity from the coming of the Messiah, yet he was to be considered by them in the character of a severe and just judge: for, however they delighted themselves with the hopes of his coming, the prophet declares that it should eventually prove no matter of joy to them; for the day of his coming should be a day of exact retribution; when he appears, he shall be like a refiner's fire, and as fuller's soap;... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Malachi 3:2

2. (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 6:17). The Messiah would come, not, as they expected, to flatter the theocratic nation's prejudices, but to subject their principles to the fiery test of His heart-searching truth (Revelation 6:17- :), and to destroy Jerusalem and the theocracy after they had rejected Him. His mission is here regarded as a whole from the first to the second advent: the process of refining and separating the godly from the ungodly beginning during Christ's stay on... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Malachi 3:1-6

E. Negative motivation: the coming messenger of judgment 3:1-6Like the first address (Malachi 1:2 to Malachi 2:9), this one ends with more motivation. Unpleasant things would happen if the people failed to change in their dealings with one another. The warning centers around the coming of another messenger whose arrival would bring judgment in the future. This section contains four predictions (Malachi 3:1 a, Malachi 3:1 b, Malachi 3:3, Malachi 3:5). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Malachi 3:2-3

When the Lord came suddenly to His temple, no one would be able to stand before Him. Elsewhere the prophets foretold that this time would be a day of judgment on the whole world marked by disaster and death (Malachi 4:1; Isaiah 2:12; Joel 3:11-16; Amos 5:18-21; Zechariah 1:14-17). Here Malachi said no one would be able to endure His coming because He would purify the priesthood, the people who stood closest to Him. As a fire He would burn up the impurities of the priests, and as a laundryman’s... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 3:1-18

3The Speedy Judgment1. This v. is closely connected with the preceding. It is the answer to the question, ’Where is the God of judgment?’ The messenger is evidently a prophet or a succession of prophets: cp. Deuteronomy 18:9-22. The phrase he shall prepare the way before me is probably borrowed from Isaiah 40:3-5, where the thought is that a highway must be prepared on which ’the Glory of the Lord’ may lead Israel to the land of Canaan. Zechariah (Zechariah 8:8) had promised that Jehovah would... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Malachi 3:1-18

REBUKE OF INFIDELITY. THE ADVENT OF THE LORD FORETOLD (Malachi 2:17 to Malachi 3:18).(17) A new section of the prophecy begins with this verse. The prophet now directs his reproofs against the people for their discontent and their want of faith in the promises of God, because the expected manifestation of God’s glory did not take place immediately. Because the doers of evil seem to flourish, the people say that God takes delight in them, “or” i.e., if this be not the case, “Where is the God of... read more