Malachi 3:1-4 Fulfilled

MALACHI 3:1-4

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 

2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

Some say this prophecy must yet be fulfilled in future in Israel. 

But a future-fulfilment is impossible literally. It can only have been literally fulfilled at a time when the Old Covenant still stood.

It can't still be awaiting a future fulfilment, because God will never again require Levites to offer offerings. 

It was literally fulfilled in Israel through the ministries of cousins John the Baptist, and Jesus the Lord.

John was the messenger who prepared the way. Jesus is the Lord who suddenly came to His Temple. The Temple still existed at that time, but was later destroyed within that generation. The message was the covenant - both the Abrahamic covenant, and Moses', and the New.

It wasn't all going to be bliss for everyone though. It was going to require repentance - in both clergy (the sons of Levi) and laity (Judah and Jerusalem). 

The offerings of clergy and laity - priests and people - alike, were made pure, righteous and pleasant. Repentance occurred in the nation on a large scale. John was the greatest prophet who had ever arisen. But still, not everyone truly repented. It was only those who did repent whom the prophecy had in focus when it said that the nation's offering would again be pure, righteous and pleasant. The Bible often speaks in all-inclusive terms when only believers receive it.

And it would be as in former years. Not in some other, new way - such as by modern Judaism, or spiritually by the Church. But as in the days of old. The offerings would again be carried-out purely, exactly as they had been at an earlier time in Israel's history, and in exact accord with Moses' Law. This exact compliance with Moses' Law, comparable with the way Israel formerly observed it, can't happen again in future. It could only be fulfilled in Old Covenant times.

If we're vague about the prophecy having been fulfilled in Israel already, then we're also vague that Jesus must be the Lord whom Israel sought; and we're vague about the Levitical order having been superseded by the New Covenant. But if we're precise that the prophecy was fulfilled in Israel while the Old Covenant still stood, then we're clear that Jesus is the Lord whom Israel sought; and we're clear that the New Covenant has completely superseded the Levitical style of worship.