December 14

The Messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in. - Malachi 3:1.

THESE words unquestionably refer to the Messiah, and here let us observe the character under which he is here presented to our notice. He is described in three ways- First, By his person, “THE LORD.” Here the word used signifies authority and dominion, and how fully this applies to him. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He was to be “Ruler in Israel,” and the “King of saints,” and he was to be the “Governor among the nations.” And though all power is given to him as Mediator, yet if it be true that “all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made,” he must have had a previous claim to the dominion before he acquired this by obedience and suffering unto death.

Secondly, He is described by his office, “the Messenger of the covenant.” This covenant means the covenant of grace, “ordered in all things and sure,” to which David fled for refuge and solace in the hour of his distress, and he found it all his salvation and all his desire. From his various relations to it, he is called the covenant itself. He is the “Mediator,” the “Surety,” and the “Messenger” of the covenant, because he was not only to procure and to possess its blessings, but to bestow them. And, in order to this, it was necessary that he should announce them and make them known. And he did, and made a full disclosure of all these treasures, and prefaced all his invitations with the announcement of his commission from the Father. “All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal him.” “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

When he is spoken of as the “Messenger of the covenant,” this is his inferior title; but this, so far from detracting from his glory as “the Lord,” displays it, magnifies it, because it shows us his infinite condescension and grace. And his people will never suffer his glory to be injured in their esteem by his goodness.

Thirdly, He is described by the estimation in which he was holden: “Whom ye delight in.” This will apply even to the carnal Jews. They were mistaken in him, they viewed him as a temporal Messiah, and under this mistaken notion of him, they did “seek” him, and “delighted” in him. But it applies always, and in a much nobler sense, to the Spiritual Jews.

He was desired and delighted in by all the people of God, from the beginning. Thus the patriarchs embraced the promises concerning him. “Abraham desired to see his day; he saw it, and was glad.” “Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” The earlier Jews were alive to this; they were ever seeking after and looking for a better country, that is, an “heavenly.” They were exclaiming, “Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!”

To seek him and to delight in him will always characterise the redeemed- those who believe in him; for “to them that believe he is precious.” All that is desirable, all that is delightful to us we find in him. If in darkness, he is our “sun;” if in danger, he is our “shield;” if exposed, he is our “refuge;” if diseased, he is our “physician;” if naked, he is our “righteousness;” and if perishing for want, he is our “bread,” and the “water of life,” and he is “all and in all.”

Let the hearts of them rejoice, therefore, that seek the Lord.