Malachi

Malachi 3: The LORD does not change

Begin in prayer

Before we read that the LORD does not change, and that He sends His messenger and calls us back, please stop and come to Him together. Ask Him to open our ears, and to show us Jesus, the Lord whom the messenger announced.

Turn us again, God of Armies. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.

Psalm 80:7

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You do not change, and help us to see Jesus, the Lord whom Your messenger announced. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The LORD promises to send a messenger to prepare the way, and then the Lord will come suddenly to His temple. He will be like a refiner's fire, purifying the sons of Levi. He will also judge those who cheat workers, widows and foreigners, and who do not fear Him. Because the LORD does not change, the sons of Jacob are not consumed, and He calls them to return. The people are robbing Him in tithes and offerings, and He promises blessing if they bring the whole tithe. Some call serving God useless, but those who fear Him are remembered in a book, and He will spare them.

As you read Malachi 3, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD does not change, so He sends His messenger and calls His people back to Him.

Chapter 2 ended with the people asking where the God of justice is. Chapter 3 begins with the LORD's answer. He will send a messenger to prepare the way, and then the Lord will suddenly come to His temple (verse 1). Mark 1 verse 2 and Matthew 11 verse 10 tell us this messenger was John the Baptizer, who prepared the way for Jesus. The Lord who comes is like a refiner's fire, which heats silver and gold until they are pure (verses 2 and 3). He is also like soap that washes clothes clean. He will purify the sons of Levi, and He will judge sorcerers, adulterers, false witnesses and those who cheat the poor (verse 5). Yet the sons of Jacob are not consumed, because the LORD does not change, and He calls them to return (verses 6 and 7). Some said serving God was useless, but those who feared Him were remembered in a book (verses 14 to 16).

How does Malachi 3 show us that the LORD does not change, and that He sends His messenger and calls His people back to Him?

The LORD will send a messenger, and then the Lord will come.

The LORD says, “I send my messenger,” and he will prepare the way before Him (verse 1). Then the Lord whom they seek will suddenly come to His temple (verse 1). Mark 1 verse 2 and Matthew 11 verse 10 say this messenger was John the Baptizer, who prepared the way for Jesus. John called people to repent and be ready for the One coming after him (Mark 1 verses 4 and 7).

The Lord comes like a fire that makes silver pure.

A refiner heats silver and gold until the dirt is gone, and launderer's soap washes dirty clothes clean (verses 2 and 3). The LORD asks, “Who can endure the day of his coming?” (verse 2). He will purify the sons of Levi, the priests, so that they bring offerings in righteousness (verse 3). He will also judge sorcerers, adulterers, false witnesses, and those who cheat workers, widows, orphans and foreigners (verse 5).

The LORD does not change, so He calls His people to return to Him.

The sons of Jacob are not consumed, because the LORD does not change (verse 6). They had turned from His laws since the days of their fathers, yet He says, “Return to me” (verse 7). They were robbing Him by holding back the tithe, a tenth meant to fill the storehouse with food (verses 8 to 10). His promise of blessing on their crops in verses 10 to 12 was for Israel under His covenant. It does not promise riches to people who give money today.

The LORD listens to those who fear Him, and remembers them.

Some said it was useless to serve God, and that the proud and the wicked escape (verses 14 and 15). But those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and He listened and heard (verse 16). A book of memory was written before Him, which shows that He will not forget those who honor His name (verse 16). He says they will be His own, and He will spare them as a man spares his own son (verse 17).

Memorise

For I, Yahweh, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what am I holding back from God, and why do I need Jesus?

“Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD to a people who had turned aside. He also promised a messenger, and then the Lord Himself would come to His temple. John the Baptizer was that messenger, and the Lord he announced is Jesus.

“Who can endure the day of his coming?” None of us can stand before a holy God on our own. So at the cross Jesus died for His people and carried the whole debt of their sin. The God who does not change will not ask for that debt again. Then He rose on the third day.

So come back to Him now. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. The LORD does not change, and He forgives everyone who trusts Him.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Jesus is the Lord the messenger announced, and that He died and rose for His people. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Please explain that verses 10 to 12 were a promise to Israel, and that gifts to God never buy His favor.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He does not change and calls sinners back to Him, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil; where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:19-20

Lord God, thank You that You do not change and that You keep Your word. Thank You for sending Jesus, the Lord Your messenger announced. Forgive what we have held back, and give each of us a heart to turn from sin and trust Him. Amen.