The+Messengers+of+Malachi

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=//Introduction//=

There are two views on **My messenger** and **the messenger of the covenant**: 1. **My messenger** and **the messenger of the covenant** is the same individual. [4] 1) This is the only two places where this title is mentioned, thus they have to be the same individual. [5]  2) “YHWH (or Adon) is never described elsewhere as a messenger, though the phrase “Angel of YHWH” does serve as a synonym for YHWH and frequently so. Here, however, “Angel of YHWH” does not occur but “messenger (or angel) of the covenant.” The missing “of YHWH” certainly militates against this being YHWH.” [6] 3) “The messenger of the covenant” is a phrase occurring only here, the covenant does not speak of this messenger; rather, the messenger bears the covenant. He is not Adon, but he bears the covenant messenger of the Adon. [7]  4) The fulfillment of the messenger is a human not divine. [8] 2. **My messenger** and **the messenger of the covenant** are two different persons. [9] 1) **My messenger** is in first person (My) while **the messenger of the covenant** is in third person (He). [10]  2) For **My messenger** and **Elijah the prophet** God says, “I am going to send.” But for **the messenger of the covenant**, God says, “He is coming.” [11] 3) The ministry of **My messenger** is that of reconciliation while **the messenger of the covenant** is judgment, “And who can stand when he appears?” [12]  4) **He** is **the LORD** because **whom you seek** and **in whom you delight** is referring back to the question the people asked in Mal. 2:17, “Where is the God of justice?” Speaker of v. 1 and 5 is the same—**the LORD of hosts**. [13] =//The role of the messenger//=
 * My messenger** is a play on word to the name of the author Malachi in Hebrew. [1] The Hebrew word for “messenger” could also mean “angel”, but Malachi had a “human being” in mind not an “angel.” [2] Wolf writes, “A messenger is normally a prophet,” [3] a human, not a deity.

Malachi recognized that he is not the one spoken of here; [14] rather he is alluding “My messenger” to, “A voice is calling, ‘clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” [15] The word used for “clear the way” in Isaiah 40:3 is the same word used here in Malachi 3:1—“‘make clear’ is to ‘make smooth’ or ‘level’. ” [16] Merrill further writes, “The messenger who prepares the way does so as a covenant spokesman, one who reminds his hearers that the long-awaited (“who you are seeking”) one has come to establish the kingdom of God as the ultimate expression of the ancient covenant promises.” [17] This metaphorically speaks of the removal of obstacles to the coming of “the messenger of the covenant.” [18] Merrill also writes that Isaiah refers to the LORD as YHWH while Malachi speaks of the LORD as Adon. Isaiah is focusing on the covenant name, while Malachi is addressing to a people who despised the covenant and have no real right to the blessings; their cry in 2:17, “Where is the God of justice?” demands Adon—the LORD and Master. [19] Baker writes that the messenger is to restore the fallen fortunes by clearing out the hindering obstacles. [20] Wolf specifically writes, “‘to clear the way’ means to remove the stones from the road.’” [21] Smith agreeing with Wolf also states that to “clear the way” is “to get rid of every obstacle or stumbling block that might be in the way (Isa. 57:14). In Malachi 2:8, the Lord condemned the priests who were causing the people to stumble by their teaching. This made necessary the work of the messenger in removing those obstacles as he led the people to repent of their injustice and unbelief.” [22] Taylor specifically equates the obstacle to that of unbelief. [23] Baker on the other hand identifies the obstacle as the Israelites and their leaders. [24] The role of the messenger is to remove it. =//Interpretation of Fulfillment of the **My messenger** and **the messenger of the covenant**//=

1. **My messenger** was “Malachi the prophet himself. The prophet saw himself as the one who is to prepare his people for the coming of YHWH.” [25] 2. “According to the various points of view, he is a heavenly messenger—e.g. the angel of death, the Messiah ben Joseph, who would precede the Messiah ben David, a human being, the prophets in general, an ideal figure.” [26] 3. **Elijah the prophet** is the **My messenger**. [27] Malachi identifies this in 4:5 because of the parallel statement **I am going to send**. 4. John the Baptist is both the **My messenger/ Elijah the prophet** and **the messenger of the covenant**. [28] 5. John the Baptist is **My messenger** who comes in the spirit of **Elijah the prophet**. And Jesus is **the messenger of the covenant**. John the Baptist is the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1 and 4:5—My messenger/ Elijah the prophet. [29] When John the Baptist’s birth was foretold, the angel says, “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREND, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” **Him** is **the messenger of the covenant**—Jesus. And **a forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah** is **My messenger**—John the Baptist. John the Baptist is not the literal, “reincarnation of the ancient prophet…but would minster in much the same style and power as had Elijah—hint, [John] is Elijah, who was to come.” [30] This is why John the Baptist did not tell the priests and the Levites, sent by the Jews, that he was Elijah because they were looking for a literal, reincarnated Elijah. Apostle Matthew (3:3) connects John the Baptist to “the voice” spoken of in Isaiah 40:3, which was the passage that Malachi alludes to in 3:1.When Jesus was asked if He was the Messiah by John the Baptist’s disciples, Jesus answers, “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send **My messenger** ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You…John himself is **Elijah** who was to come.” [31] John the Baptist did not perform signs like Elijah, instead he introduced Jesus himself and traditionally the Jews viewed Elijah as preparing the way for God not the Messiah. [32] Here, Jesus is implying that He is divine or **the messenger of the covenant**. [33] Since there was doubt about Jesus being the Messiah, it is natural for people to doubt John the Baptist’s role as well; Jesus’ quotation of Mal. 3:1 reassures His audience of the legitimacy of John’s prophet ministry. [34] Blomberg further writes, “Moreover, John was not just any prophet but the last in a series of prophets who prepared the way for Messiah and brought the old covenant era to its culmination. John fulfilled Mal. 3:1 (here interpreted with the language of Exod. 23:20). The forerunner of the Lord was naturally associated with the forerunner of the “day of the Lord,” namely, Elijah (Mal. 4:5).” [35] Answering Peter’s, James and John’s question, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”, Jesus says, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished…Then the disciples understood that He has spoken to them about John the Baptist. The Jewish leaders’ rejection of John the Baptist being Elijah is clearly seen in that they imprisoned and beheaded him—they did not recognize him. [36] In other words, “Those who received Jesus’ prophets receive Him; most of Israel had accepted neither John the prophet nor Jesus.” [37] With John’s response, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit,” [38] it is clear that John the Baptist is the **My messenger/ Elijah the prophet** and Jesus is **the messenger of the covenant**.

Endnotes

[1] David W Baker, //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--> (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 268.// [2] Eugene H Merrill, //Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary// (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 286 and Pieter A Verhoef, //The Books of Haggai and Malachi// (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 1987), 430; 432. [3] Herbert Wolf, //Haggai and Malachi// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1976), 98. [4] Eugene H Merrill, //Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary// (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 431; 432. [5] Ibid, 432; Cf. France, //Jesus and the Old Testament//, 91. [6] Ibid, 432. [7] Ibid, 432. [8] Ibid, 432. [9] Richard A Taylor, //Haggai, Malachi// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 2004), 384. [10] Richard A Taylor, //Haggai, Malachi// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 2004), 384 and Ralph L. Smith, //Micah-Malachi//. (Waco: Word Books, 1984), 328. [11] Malachi 3:1; 4:5. [12] Malachi 3:1. [13] Pieter A Verhoef, //The Books of Haggai and Malachi// (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 1987), 289. [14] Herbert Wolf, //Haggai and Malachi// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1976), 237 and Ralph L. Smith, //Micah-Malachi//. (Waco: Word Books, 1984), 98. [15] David W Baker, //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life// (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 268; Cf. Isa. 40:3-5; 57:14; 62:10, which also alluded back to Exo. 23:20; 33:2. [16] Eugene H Merrill, //Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary// (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 430. [17] Ibid, 431. [18] Ibid, 430. [19] Ibid, 430. [20] David W Baker, //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life// (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 268. [21] Herbert Wolf, //Haggai and Malachi// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1976), 98. Cf. Isa. 62:10. [22] Herbert Wolf, //Haggai and Malachi// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1976), 98. [23] Richard A Taylor, //Haggai, Malachi// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman & Holman, 2004), 385. [24] David W Baker, //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text--to Contemporary Life// (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 268. [25] Ralph L. Smith, //Micah-Malachi//. (Waco: Word Books, 1984), 327; 328. [26] Pieter A Verhoef, //The Books of Haggai and Malachi// (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 1987), 287. [27] Ibid, 430. [28] Eugene H Merrill, //Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary// (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 431; 432. [29] James Montgomery Boice, //The Minor Prophets: An Expositional Commentary// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2002), 595 and Ralph L. Smith, //Micah-Malachi//. (Waco: Word Books, 1984), 330. [30] John MacArthur, //Matthew 16-23// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988), 71. [31] Mat. 11:9-15; 17:10-13; Mark 1:2-8; 9:11-13; Luke 1:17, 76; 7:27; Cf. Andrew E. Hill, //Malachi//. (New York: The Anchor Bible, 1998), 88. (emphasis added) [32] Craig S Keener, //A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew// (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub, 1999), 215;216. [33] Eugene H Merrill, //Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary// (Chicago: Moody, 1994), 431. [34] Craig Blomberg, //Matthew// (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman Press, 1992), 186. [35] Ibid, 186. [36] John MacArthur, //Matthew 16-23// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988), 72. [37] Keener, Craig S. //A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew//. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub, 1999, 214. [38] Mark 1:7-8; Cf. Mat. 3:11; John 3:28.

Bibliography Baker, David W. //Joel, Obadiah, Malachi.// NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 2006. Blomberg, Craig. //Matthew//. Nashville, Tenn: Broadman Press, 1992.

Boice, James M. //The Minor Prophets: vol. 2 Micah-Malachi//. An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. Keener, Craig S. //A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew//. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub, 1999. Hill, Andrew E. //Malachi//. A New Translation with Introductory and Commentary. New York: The Anchor Bible, 1998. MacArthur, John. //Matthew 16-23//. Chicago: Moody Press, 1988.

Merrill, Eugene H. //Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary.// Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 1994. Smith, Ralph L. //Micah-Malachi//. Word Biblical Commentary vol. 32. Waco: Word Books, 1984. Taylor, Richard A and E Ray Clendenen. //Haggai, Malachi//. New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman& Holman, 2004. Verhoef, Pieter A. //The Books of Haggai and Malachi.// New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1987. Wolf, Herbert. //Haggai and Malachi//. Rededication and Renewal. Chicago: Moody Press, 1976.

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