1“I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the
2Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.
3He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the
4The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the
5“I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the
Resistance to the Lord through Selfishness
6“Since, I, the
7From the days of your ancestors you have ignored my commandments and have not kept them! Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the
8Can a person rob God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions!
9You are bound for judgment because you are robbing me – this whole nation is guilty.
10“Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,” says the
11Then I will stop the plague from ruining your crops, and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest,” says the
12“All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in a delightful land,” says the
Resistance to the Lord through Self-sufficiency
13“You have criticized me sharply,” says the
14You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the
15So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!’”
16Then those who respected the
17“They will belong to me,” says the
18Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.