Malachi 2:17-3:7

Sermon Title: "The Purifying Justice of Jesus” (Malachi 2:17-3:7)

#GodsPromise #Justice #Malachi #BibleStudy #FaithJourney

Introduction:

Brief overview of the context of Malachi: addressing Israel's spiritual apathy and corruption.

Main Point 1: God’s Justice is Promised and Perfect (Malachi 2:17-3:1)

Sub-point 1: The People's Complaint (Mal 2:17)

Malachi 2:17 ESV

17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

Psalm 73:3–12“3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.”

Quote: “When we question God’s justice, we often reveal our impatience with His timing.” — R.C. Sproul

Illustration: Consider a child who thinks their parent is unfair for not giving them dessert before dinner, not understanding the bigger picture of nutrition and health.

Application: Trust in God’s perfect timing and justice, even when circumstances seem unfair.

Sub-point 2: Misunderstanding God's Character (Mal 2:17)

Malachi 2:17 “17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?””

Psalm 73:11 “11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?””

Quote: “When God’s justice seems delayed, it is not denied." - Charles Spurgeon

Sub-point 3: The Promise of His Messenger (Mal 3.1)

Malachi 3:1 ESV

1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 40:3 “3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Quote: “God’s promises are certain, even when the world seems uncertain.” — Charles Spurgeon

Illustration: A letter sent ahead of a visit to announce the arrival of an important guest, ensuring preparations are made.

Application: Prepare your heart for the coming of Christ by living a life of expectation and readiness.

Main Point 2: God Has Sent and Is Sending His Purifying Messenger (Malachi 3:2-5)

Sub-point 1: | The Refiner’s Fire (Mal 3.2-3)

Malachi 3:2–3 ESV

2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

1 Peter 1:7 “7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 3:13–15 “13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

Zechariah 13:9 “9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ””

Quote: “God’s fire is not to destroy, but to refine and purify.” — A.W. Tozer

Illustration: Gold being purified in a furnace, removing impurities to reveal its true beauty.

Application: Embrace God’s refining process in your life, knowing it leads to holiness.

Sub-point 2: Our Need for Refining and Purification (Mal 3.4)

Malachi 3:4 ESV

4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Isaiah 1:18 “18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

1 Peter 2:9 “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Quote: A.W. Tozer: "God’s purpose in redemption is to make us holy, as He is holy."

Quote: “God’s cleansing is thorough, leaving no stain of sin behind.” — John Stott

Illustration: The meticulous process of cleaning a delicate piece of fabric to restore its original beauty.

Application: Allow God to cleanse your heart and mind from the impurities of sin.

Sub-point 3: The Difference Between Refining and Consuming (Mal 3.5)

Malachi 3:5 ESV

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 3:5 “5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.”

James 5:4 “4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”

Isaiah 1:17 “17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

Quote: “God’s judgment is the ultimate answer to the cries for justice in a broken world.” — Timothy Keller

Illustration: A courtroom scene where justice is finally served, bringing relief to the oppressed.

Application: Stand for justice in your community, reflecting God’s heart for righteousness. Application: Allow God's purification to lead to a life of justice and righteousness.

Main Point 3: Jesus Christ is The Just, Justifier of His People (Malachi 3:6-7)

Sub-point 1: The Unchanging Nature of God (Mal 3.6)

Malachi 3:6 ESV

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Hebrews 13:8 “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Quote: “God’s constancy is our assurance in a changing world.” — J.I. Packer

Illustration: A lighthouse standing firm amidst the raging storm, guiding ships safely to shore.

Application: Rely on God’s unchanging nature as your anchor in life’s uncertainties.

Sub-point 2: The Call to Return (Mal 3.7)

Malachi 3:7 ESV

7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

Joel 2:12–13“12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

James 4:8 “8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Quote: “Returning to God is the first step towards restoration.” — Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Illustration: A prodigal son returning home, finding open arms and acceptance.

Application: Regularly examine your life and return to God with a repentant heart.

Sub-point 3: The Assurance of Mercy (Mal 3.7)

Malachi 3:7 ESV

7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 10:11 “11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.””

Quote: “God’s mercy is vast, inviting us back despite our failings.” — D.L. Moody

Illustration: A king pardoning a wayward servant, restoring him to his position with grace.

Application: Rest in God’s mercy and grace, knowing He welcomes you back with

The Covenant of Refinement

Jeremiah 31:31 “31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,”

Hebrews 8:6 “6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”

Application: Prepare your heart to receive Christ, welcoming His transformative work.

Conclusion:

Reiterate the necessity of trusting in God’s perfect justice and purification. Encourage the congregation to embrace God's refining work in their lives, leading to personal and communal righteousness. Close with a prayer for openness to God's transformative justice.

Group Questions

Have you ever looked around and thought that the wicked were prospering and the righteous were being mistreated? How did you respond?

How have you wearied the Lord with your sin in the past? How does this text warn us against such a sinful practice?

How is it comforting to know that God will come to judge the world? How should we Christians anticipate this judgment?

There are two messengers in this text. What are the roles of each one, and how are they fulfilled in the New Testament?

Why do you think the Lord starts with the priests and then moves to the other people? Where else can we see this principle in Scripture?

What does it mean to only have two days on your calendar: this day and that day? How can this help you keep perspective in this life?

If Christians are in Christ and are fully accepted by God through Him, why are they still judged on their works? Is this inconsistent?

What is the purpose of God’s purifying process in our lives? Read 1 Peter 1:6–7 for more insight.

What does the imagery of 3:2–3 reveal about God’s work in our lives? How have you seen this process play out in your life?

What acts do you do that reveal a lack of “fear of the Lord”? Examine your heart and consider why you still chase after these things.