Malachi 3
HALLMalachi 3:1
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.
Behold, I will stop the mouths of all such blasphemous cavillers: I will, in my appointed time, send my messenger, John the Baptist: and he shall prepare the way before my personal and visible coming: lo, the Messiah, even the Lord, whom ye wait for, shall ere long come into his Temple; that great Messenger of the Evangelical Covenant, whom, with joy of heart, ye, my faithful ones, have long expected: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Malachi 3:2
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 fuller’s soap:
But how shall the guilty and wicked ones of the world abide the day of his coming? how shall they be able to stand before him, when he appeareth? for he shall come to purge, and refine his Church.
Malachi 3:3
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.
And he shall address himself zealously and exquisitely, to rid his Church of all that corruption of doctrine and manners, wherewith it is defiled: and, especially, he shall reform the priests of the New Testament, and quit them of that dross of error and unrighteousness, wherewith that holy calling hath been formerly impured; that they may with clean hands offer up holy sacrifices unto their God.
Malachi 3:4
Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Then shall the services of his holy Church be pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord; no less than the best sacrifices of Abel and Melchisedech, and of all the holy fathers in the Old Testament.
Malachi 3:5
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, &c.
And, whereas ye lately said, Where is the God of Judgment? behold, now ye shall see and find where he is: I will come close to you in judgment, and will take a speedy course of vengeance against the sorcerers, &c.