A Book of Remembrance
Malachi 3:13-18
God identifies and spares those who fear his name.
#fear
#spared
#rest
Published March 15th, 2022; Updated March 15th, 2022
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OT
Malachi 3:13-18
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13 g “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord . h But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, i ‘It is vain to serve God. j What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call k the arrogant blessed. k Evildoers not only prosper but l they put God to the test and they escape.’” The Book of Remembrance 16 Then those who feared the Lord m spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and n a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, o in the day when I make up p my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall q see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
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notes
Main point summary
In spite of evil-doers' feigned ignorance, God indicts them; identifies and spares as his own those who fear him so the distinction between the righteous and the wicked will be plain.
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editing
Malachi 3:13-18
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g “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord .
“You have criticized me sharply,” 23 says the Lord ,
h But you say,
“but you ask,
‘How have we spoken against you?’
‘How have we criticized you?’
ideaexplanation
concessive
You have said,
You have said,
i ‘It is vain to serve God.
‘It is useless to serve God.
j What is the profit
How have we been helped 24
of our keeping his charge
by keeping his requirements
or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?
and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all? 25
series
And now we call k the arrogant blessed.
So now we consider the arrogant to be happy;
k Evildoers not only prosper
indeed, those who practice evil are successful. 26
but l they put God to the test
In fact, those who challenge 27 God
and they escape.’”
escape!’”
progression
negativepositive
Then those who feared the Lord m spoke with one another.
Then those who respected 28 the Lord spoke to one another,
The Lord paid attention and heard them,
and the Lord took notice. 29
and n a book of remembrance was written before him of those
A scroll 30 was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those
who feared the Lord
who respected the Lord
and esteemed his name.
and honored his name.
actionresult
“They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts,
“They will belong to me,” says the Lord who rules over all,
o in the day when I make up p my treasured possession,
“in the day when I prepare my own special property. 31
temporal
and I will spare them
I will spare them
as a man spares his son who serves him.
as a man spares his son who serves him.
comparison
Then once more you shall q see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked,
Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between 32 the righteous and the wicked,
between one who serves God
between the one who serves God
and one who does not serve him.
and the one who does not.
actionpurpose
Though you feign ignorance, the Lord indicts you of hard words. Your conclusion: serving God is worthless, it is the arrogant eviil-doers who prosper in spite of God.
The God-fearers fellowshipped, God noticed and caused a book of remembrance to be written in his presence. So he will claim them in the day of his return and spare them, so the difference between the righteous and sinner will be known.
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Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.