Malachi 3:11

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,.... Or "eater" (m); the locust or caterpillar, or any such devouring creature, that eats up the herbage, corn, and fruits of trees; every such creature

Even from the days of 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?

I will rebuke; lay a restraint upon, or prohibit, and the prohibition shall be effectual; if God so check, no creature is or dares be deaf to it; such a check not only quiets the unruly sea, but can dry it up. The devourer; all kinds of devourers, the locust, the canker-worm, caterpillar, &c., pests of those countries very often; though they are in mighty armies and incredible multitudes, yet a rebuke from God will check them all at once as if they were but one. For your sakes; not for merit in you, but for good to you. He shall not destroy; consume and eat it, as those vermin always did wherever they came. The fruits of your ground; corn sown by your hand, and grass springing up of its own nature, both which these locusts devour wheresoever they come, and leave penury or famine behind them. Neither shall your vine cast her fruit; no blasting or burning winds shall make them drop, no frosts or hails shall destroy your vines. This was once the plague of Egypt, . Before the time; your vines shall carry their fruit till they are fully ripe. In the field; where they had large vineyards and oliveyards planted, and God will make them prosper if this people will return to him.

Malachi 3:11 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.Ver. 11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes] Caterpillars, cankerworms, and such hurtful creatures. God’ s terrible army, as they are notably set forth in their march and mischief, Joe 2:2-5; cf. Joe 1:4, to tame his rebels, to ease him of his adversaries, and to avenge him of his enemies, Isaiah 1:24. These he will rebuke (for every creature is at his beck and check), as he "rebuked the Red Sea and it was dried up," Psalms 106:9, and as he rebuked the winds, Matthew 8:26, the fever, Luke 4:39, the devil, Matthew 7:18, he will say unto them, Abite actutum hinc, Get you hence, and that is enough, for they are all his servants, Psalms 119:91. He is the great Centurion, or rather Lord of hosts, that saith to this creature, "Go, and he goeth," and to another, "Come, and he cometh," &c. If he do but say, Who is on my side, who? all creatures look out at their windows, as ready prest to do his pleasure; neither is there any so mean among them, or so despicable, that cannot, if set on by him, make the proudest on earth stoop, and say, "This is the finger of God." But of this see more in the 1st Doct. on Malachi 3:18. Let all that look for God’ s blessing, either upon their persons or possessions, make their peace with God (the genealogy of grain and wine is resolved into him, Hosea 2:22), and bring him all his tithes into the storehouse, &c., lest he blast their fair hopes, cut off the meat from their mouths, take his own and be gone, take away his grain in the time thereof, and his wine in the season thereof, &c., Hosea 2:9. The Jews in our Saviour’ s time, suis malis edocti, were punctual in paying their tithes, even to a pot herb, Matthew 23:23. And at this day, though not in their own country, nor have a Levitical priesthood, yet those of them that would be reputed religious do distribute, in lieu of tithes, the tenth of their increase unto the poor: being persuaded that God doth bless their increase the more: for their usual proverb is, Decima ut dives fiat, tithe and be rich. Of the young Lord Harrington (the last of that name) it is reported by Mr Stock, who preached his funeral, that he constantly gave the tenth of his yearly revenue to pious and charitable uses. And of reverend Mr.

(11) For your sakes.—The same word as in Malachi 2:3 : here in a good sense, there in a bad. The devourer—i.e., the locust, &c. Rebuke.—Better, corrupt. The same word is used as in Malachi 2:3, but in a different construction. (With this verse comp. Haggai 1:6-11.)

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.

11. the devourer] lit. eater, i.e. any insect, especially the locust, that would devour the fruits of the earth. The same verb is used of the ravages of four insects, “probably different kinds of locusts, or locusts in different stages of growth” (R.V. marginal note), Joe 1:4. The threatened curse was the “rebuke” (ch. Malachi 2:3, note) of the seed: the promised blessing is the “rebuke” of the devourer. cast her fruit before the time] lit. miscarry. Comp. “a miscarrying womb”, Hosea 9:14; “miscarrying ground”, 2 Kings 2:19; 2 Kings 2:21. So Pliny speaks of “arborum abortus”. (Pusey after Gesen.) In Revelation 6:13 we read: “the stars of the heaven fall unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs, when she is shaken of a great wind.”

And I will rebuke the devourer - , the locust, caterpillar, or any like scourge of God. It might be, that when the rain watered the fields, the locust or caterpillar etc.

8. The reply is in the form of a question. Will a man rob God?