The priests MALACHI. reproved. in the Divine worship before. What was of no worth in itself, and what could not be used by its owner, was brought to God's altar, and offered for sacrifice! Was not the punishment of these wretches less than their crimes? abolition of the Mosaic sacrifices, and the establish- the sick] There had never been such abominations ment of a spiritual worship over the whole earth, is here foretold. The incense of praise, and the pure offering of the Lamb without spot, and through him a holy, loving heart, shall be presented everywhere among the Gentiles; and the Jews and their mock offerings shall be rejected. Verse 12. Ye have profaned it] Ye have desecrated God's worship; is it any wonder that God should cast you off, and follow you with his judgments? Verse 13. Ye have snuffed at it] A metaphor taken from cattle which do not like their fodder. They blow strongly through their nose upon it; and after this neither they nor any other cattle will eat it. Verse 14. Cursed be the deceiver] Those who act thus, as they cannot elude God's notice, so neither shall they escape his curse. And voiveth, and sacrificeth—a corrupt thing] The history of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts v. 1, &c., is a complete comment on this. It was high time to break up this corrupt service; and after this time God does not appear to have paid any regard to it, for he sent Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and them no other prophet. CHAPTER II. The priests reproved for their unfaithfulness in their office, for which they are threatened to be deprived of their share of the sacrifice, (the shoulder,) and rewarded only with ignominy and ordure, 1-3. The degeneracy of the order is then complained of, and they are again threatened, 4-9. The rest of the chapter reproves the people for marrying strange and idolatrous women; and multiplying divorces, with all their consequent distress, in order to make way for such illicit alliances, 10-17. See Neh. x. 30, and xiii. 33, &c. commandment is for you. 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have 'cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have scnt this a Lev. xxvi. 14, &c.; Deut. xxviii. 15, &c.—2 Pet. ii. 14. | * Or, it shall take you away to it, 1 Kings xiv. 10. NOTES ON CHAP. II. Verse 2. If ye will not hear] What I have spoken, lay it to heart, and let it sink down into your souls. Give glory unto my name] That honour that is due to me as a Father, and that fear that belongs to me as a Master, chap. i. 6. I will even send a curse upon you] I will dispense no more good. I will curse your blessings] Even that which ye have already shall not profit you. When temporal blessings are not the means of leading us to God and heaven, they will infallibly lead us to hell. In speaking of the abuse of temporal blessings, one of our old poets, in his homely phrase, expresses himself thus, Thus God's best gifts, usurped by wicked ones, Yea, I have cursed them already] This may refer, generally, to unfruitful seasons; or, particularly, to a dearth that appears to have happened about this time. See Haggai i. 6-11. Verse 3. Behold, I will corrupt your seed] So as to render it unfruitful. Newcome translates," I will take away from you the shoulder." This was the 802 Num. part that belonged to the priest, Lev. vii. 32; Deut. xviii. 3. Spread dung upon your faces] Instead of receiving a sacrifice at your hands, I will throw your offerings back into your faces. Here God shows his contempt for them and their offerings. Verse 4. This commandment] That in the first verse; to drive such priests from his presence and his service. That my covenant might be with Levi] I gave the priesthood and the service of my altar to that tribe. Verse 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace] These are the two grand blessings given to men by the New Covenant, which was shadowed by the OLD. To man, excluded from the favour of God, and sentenced to death because of sin, God gave n berith, a covenant sacrifice, and this secured life-exemption from the death deserved by transgressors; communication of that inward spiritual life given by Christ, and issuing in that eternal life promised to all his faithful disciples. And, as it secured life, so it gave peace, prosperity, and happiness; peace between God and man, between man and man, and between man and his own conscience. ( 51* ) The Lord's covenant A. M. cir. 3607, Ol. cir. XCV. 4. B. C. cir. 397. Urbis Conditæ cir. annum 356. CHAP. II.. peace; and I gave them to him one God created us? why do we name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye n have caused many to stumble at the law; Pye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have s been partial in the law. with Levi. A. M. cir. 3607. B. C. cir. 397. Ol. cir. XCV. 4. Urbis Conditæ cir. annum 356. 11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.. W 12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, y and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. 13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and 10 Have we not all one Father?" hath not the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast h Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9.- i Deut. xxxiii. 10.. James v. 20. Deut. xvii. 9, 10; xxiv. 8; VII. 10; Jer. xviii. 18; Hag. ii. 11, 12. 1 Sam. ii. 17; Jer. xviii. 15.-o Or, fall in xiii. 29.91 Sam. ii. 30. k Jer. xxiii. 22; Lev. x. 11; Ezra m Gal. iv. 14. the law. -P Neh. See Verse 6. The law of truth was in his mouth] the qualifications of Levi: 1. "He feared me;" he was my sincere worshipper. 2. "He was afraid;" he acted as in the presence of a just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did. 3. "My law of truth was ever in his mouth;" by this he directed his own conduet and that of others. 4. "No iniquity;" nothing contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded "from his lips." 5. He walked with me in peace;" he lived in such a way as to keep up union with me. 6. "He did turn many away from iniquity;" by his upright administration, faithful exhortations, and pious walk, he became the instrument of converting many sinners. This character suits every genuine minister of God. And as the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, so the people should seek "the law at his mouth;" for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, ver. 7. Verse 8. But ye are departed out of the way] Ye are become impure yourselves, and ye have led others into iniquity. Verse 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible] The people despised you because they saw that you acted contrary to your functions. This has happened repeatedly since, to several classes of priests. Not maintaining, by purity of life and soundness of doctrine, the dignity of the ministerial function, they became contemptible before the people; their meager preaching was disregarded, and their persons at last cast out as a general loathing to the universe! See what happened to the truly abominable priesthood of France and Rome, 1796-8. They Or, lifted up the face against.- - Heb. accepted faces. 1 Cor. viii. 6; Eph. iv. 6. Gen. i. 27; Deut. iv. 32; Job xxxi. 15. -Or, ought to love.- Ezra ix. 1; x. 2; Neh. xiii. 23. Or, him that waketh and him that answereth.- - Neh. xiii. 28, 29. z Prov. v. 18. were the sole cause of that infidelity that brought about the revolution. They are now partially restored; and are endeavouring to supply by grimace, paltry superstition, and jesuitical cunning, what they want in purity of morals, soundness of doctrine, and unction from God. They must mend, or look for another revolution. Mankind will no longer put up with the chaff of puerile and fanatical ceremonies in place of the wheat of God's word and worship. Verse 10. Have we not all one Father?] From this to ver. 16 the prophet censures the marriages of Israelites with strange women, which the law had forbidden, Deut. vii. 3. And also divorces, which seem to have been multiplied for the purpose of contracting these prohibited marriages.—Newcome. Why do we deal treacherously] Gain the affections of the daughter of a brother Jew, and then profane the covenant of marriage, held sacred among our fathers, by putting away this same wife and daughter! How wicked, cruel, and inhuman! Verse 11. Daughter of a strange god.] Of a man who worships an idol. Verse 12. The master and the scholar] He who teaches such doctrine, and he who follows this teaching, the Lord will cut off both the one and the other. Verse 13. Covering the altar of the Lord with tears] Of the poor women who, being divorced by cruel husbands, come to the priests, and make an appeal to God at the altar; and ye do not speak against this glaring injustice. Verse 14. Ye say, Wherefore ?] Is the Lord angry with us? Because ye have been witness of the . The people are reproved· A. M. cir. 3607. B. C. cir. 307. Ol. cir. XCV. 4. Urbis Conditæ cir. annum 356. MALACHI. dealt treacherously: a yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. b с for their cruel divorces. eth violence with his garment, B. C. cir. 337. saith the LORD of hosts: there- Ol. cir. XCV. 4. fore take heed to your spirit, ye deal not treacher Urbis Conditæ cir. annum 15 And did not he make one? that Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And ously. wherefore one? That he might seek a godly 17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied let none deal treacherously against the wife of him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he his youth. 16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of h that he hateth putting away: for one cover-judgment? a Prov. ii. 17. d Heb. a seed of God. unfaithfully. ( i b Matt. xix. 4. 5. eOr, excellency. e Ezra ix. 2; 1 Cor. vii. 14.- Or, contract made between the parties; and when the lawless husband divorced his wife, the wife of his youth, his companion, and the wife of his covenant, ye did not execute on him the discipline of the law. They kept their wives till they had passed their youth, and then put them away, that they might get young ones in their place. Verse 15. And did not he make one ?] ONE of each kind, Adam and Eve. Yet had he the residue of the Spirit; he could have made millions of pairs, and inspired them all with living souls. Then wherefore one? He made one pair from whom all the rest might proceed, that he might have a holy offspring; that children being a marked property of one man and one woman, proper care might be taken that they should be brought up in the discipline of the Lord. Perhaps the holy or godly seed, O'bx yn zera Elohim, a seed of God, may refer to the MESSIAH. God would have the whole human race to spring from one pair, that Christ, springing from the same family, might in his sufferings taste death for every man; because he had that nature that was common to the whole human race. Had there been several heads of families in the beginning, Jesus must have been incarnated from each of those heads, else his death could have availed for those only who belonged to the family of which he was incarnated. which induce you to put away your wives. Verse 16. For the Lord-hateth putting away] He abominates all such divorces, and him that makes them. Covereth violence with his garment] And he also notes those who frame idle excuses to cover the violence they have done to the wives of their youth, by putting them away, and taking others in their place, whom they now happen to like better, when their own, wives have been worn down in domestic services. Verse 17. Ye have wearied the Lord] He has borne with you so long, and has been provoked so often, that he will bear it no longer. It is not fit that he should. Every one that doeth evil] Ye say that it is right in the sight of the Lord to put away a wife, because she has no longer found favour in the sight of her husband. And because it has not been signally punished hitherto, ye blaspheme and cry out, “Where is the God of judgment ?" Were he such as he is represented, would he not speak out? All these things show that this people were horribly corrupt. The priests were bad; the prophets were bad; the Levites were bad; and no wonder that the people were irreligious, profane, profligate, and cruel. CHAPTER III. In allusion to the custom of sending pioneers to prepare the way for the march of an eastern monarch, the -coming of Christ's forerunner is described, and then the coming of Christ himself, I; with the terrible judgments which were to accompany that event, in order to refine and purify his people and his priests, 2–6. The following verses reprehend them for withholding the legal tithes and offerings, with large promises in case of their repentance and amendment, 7-12. The prophet expostulates with the people for their hard and profane speeches against the conduct of Providence, and declares God will one day make a fearful and final distinction between the righteous and the wicked, whose different characters are in the mean time carefully recorded, 13-18. 804 The Messiah promises to send A. M. cir. Ol. cir. XCV. 4. cir. annum a B. C. cir. 397. Ol. cir. XCV. 4. Urbis Conditze cir. annum 356. B. N. CU 3907. BEHOLD, I will send my and I will be a swift witness A. M. cir. 3607. messenger, and he shall against the sorcerers, and against bprepare the way before me: and the adulterers, mand against false the LORD, whom ye seck, shall swearers, and against those that suddenly come to his temple, even the Mes-oppress the hireling in his wages, the senger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: be- widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside hold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. the stranger from his right, and fear not me, 2 But who may abide the day of his com- saith the LORD of hosts. ing? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. d NOTES ON CHAP. III. Verse 1. Behold, I will send my messenger] Malachi, the very name of the prophet. But this speaks of John the Baptist. I, the Messiah, the Seed of God, mentioned above, will send my messenger, John the Baptist. He shall prepare the way] Be as a pioneer before me; a corrector of civil abuses, and a preacher of righteousness. And the Lord, whom ye seek] The Messiah, whom ye expect, from the account given by the prophet Daniel, in his seventy weeks, chap. ix. 24. Shall suddenly come to his temple] Shall soon be presented before the Lord in this temple; cleanse it from its defilement, and fill it with his teaching and his glory. The Messenger of the covenant] He that comes to fulfil the great design, in reference to the covenant made with Abram, that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. See the parallel texts in the margin, and the notes on them. Verse 2. But who may abide the day of his coming?] Only they who shall believe on his name; for they that will not, shall be blinded, and the unbelieving nations shall be destroyed by the Romans. 6 For I am the LORD, I change not; there fore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7 Even from the days of 4 your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed But ye say, Wherein have we robbed In tithes and offerings. me. thee? 9 Ye are cursed with a'curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. k Chap. i. 11.- Or, ancient. m Zech. v. 4; James v. 4, 12. Or, defraud. Num. xxiii. 19; Rom. xi. 29; James i. 17.- — Lam. iii. 22.9 Acts vii. 51.-Zech, i. 3. Chap. i. 6. Neh. xiii: 10, 12. ing of our Lord, a great number of the priests became obedient to the faith, Acts vi. 7; and, as to the others that did not believe, this great Refiner threw them as dross into the Roman fire, that consumed both Jerusalem and the temple. Verse 5. I will come near to you to judgment] And what fearful cases does he get to judge! Sorcerers, adulterers, false swearers, defrauders of the wages of the hireling, oppressors of widows and orphans, and perverters of the stranger and such as do not fear the Lord: a horrible crew; and the land at that time, was full of them. Several were converted under the preaching of Christ and his apostles, and the rest the Romans destroyed or carried into captivity. Verse 6. I am the Lord, I change not] The new dispensation of grace and goodness, which is now about to be introduced, is not the effect of any change in my counsels; it is, on the contrary, the fulfilment of my everlasting purposes; as is also the throwing aside of the Mosaic ritual, which was only intended to introduce the great and glorious Gospel of my Son, And because of this ancient covenant, ye Jews are not totally consumed; but ye are now, and shall be still, preserved as a distinct people-monuments both of my justice and mercy, Verse 7. Gone away from mine ordinances] Never acting according to their spirit and design, Return unto me] There is still space to repent. Like fuller's soap] ♫ keborith, from barar, to cleanse, any thing that deterges. Kali, or fern ashes, or such things. I doubt whether the composition which we call soap, was known in ancient times. Verse 3. He shall sit as a refiner] Alluding to the case of a refiner of metals, sitting at his fire; in-seared, and they knew not that they were sinners. creasing it when he sees necessary, and watching the process of his work. The sons of Levi] Those who minister in their stead under the NEw covenant, for the OLD Levitical institutions shall be abolished; yet, under the preach Verse 8. Will a man rob God?] Here is one point on which ye are guilty; ye withhold the tithes and offerings from the temple of God, so that the Divine worship is neglected. Verse 9. Ye are cursed with a curse] The whole The privileges A. M. cir. 3607. Ol. cir. XCV. 4. cir. annum u B. C. cir. 397. O cir. XCV. 4. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into ordinance, and that we have walk- A. M. cir. 3607. the storehouse, that there may ed mournfully before the LORD be meat in mine house, and prove a me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. b of hosts? Urbis Conditæ cir. annum 356. 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness hare set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. ' 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. . 8 Psa. lxxiii. 12; chap. ii. 17. Heb. are built. Psa. xcv. 9. Psa. lxvi. 16; chap. iv. 2. Hebrews iii. 13. m Psa. Ivi. 8; Isa.. lxv. 6; Rev. xx. 12. Exodus xix. 5; Deut, vii. 6; Psa. cxxxv. 4; Tit. ii. 14; 1 Peter ii. 9. Or, special treasure. Isa. lxii. 3. Psalm cui. 13. г Psa. viii. 11. nation is under my displeasure. The curse of God is declared to be useless. upon you. Verse 10. Bring ye all the tithes] They had so withheld these that the priests had not food enough to support life, and the sacred service was interrupted. See Neh. xiii. 10. And prove me now herewith] What ye give to God shall never lessen your store. Give as ye should, and see whether I will not so increase your store by opening the windows of heaven-giving you rain and fruitful seasons-that your barns and granaries shall not be able to contain the abundance of your harvests and vintage. Verse 11. I will rebuke the devourer] The locusts, &c., shall not come on your crops; and those that are in the country I will disperse and destroy. Neither shall your vine cast her fruit] Every blossom shall bear fruit, and every bunch of grapes come to maturity. Verse 12. All nations shall call you blessed] They shall see that a peculiar blessing of God rests upon you, and your land shall be delightsome; like Paradise, the garden of the Lord. This was a high pitch of ungodliness; but see what follows; behold the general conclusions of these reprobates Verse 15. And now we call the proud happy] Proud and insolent men are the only happy people, for they domineer everywhere, and none dares to resist them. They that work wickedness are set up] The humble and holy are depressed and miserable; the proud and wicked are in places of trust and profit. Too often it is so. They that tempt God are even delivered] Even those who despise God, and insult his justice and providence, are preserved in and from dangers; while the righteous fall by them. Verse 16. They that feared the Lord] There were a few godly in the land, who, hearing the language and seeing the profligacy of the rebels above, concluded that some signal mark of God's vengeance must fall upon them; they, therefore, as the corruption increased, cleaved the closer to their Maker. There are three characteristics given of this people, viz. : 1. They feared the Lord. They had that reverence for Jehovah that caused them to depart from evil, and Verse 13. Your words have been stout against me] to keep his ordinances. He speaks here to open infidels and revilers. What have we spoken] They are ready either to deny the whole, or impudently to maintain and defend what they had spoken! Verse 14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God] They strove to destroy the Divine worship; they asserted that it was vanity; that, if they performed acts of worship, they should be nothing the better; and if they abstained, they should be nothing the worse. This was their teaching to the people. Walked mournfully] Even repentance they have 2. They spake often one to another. They kept up the communion of saints. By mutual exhortation they strengthened each other's hands in the Lord. 3. They thought on his name. His name was sacred to them; it was a fruitful source of profound and edifying meditation. The name of God is God himself in the plenitude of his power, omniscience, justice, goodness, mercy, and truth. What a source for thinking and contemplation! See how God treats such persons: The Lord hearkened to their conversation, heard the meditations of their hearts; and so |