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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. A promise of the coming of the Messiah, and of his forerunner; and the errand he comes upon is here particularly described, both the comfort which his coming brings to his church and people and the terror which it will bring to the wicked, Mal 3:1-6. II. A reproof of the Jews for their corrupting God's ordinances and sacrilegiously robbing him of his dues, with a charge to them to amend this matter, and a promise that, if they did, God would return in mercy to them, Mal 3:7-12. III. A description of the wickedness of the wicked that speak against God (Mal 3:13-15), and of the righteousness of the righteous that speak for him, with the precious promises made to them, Mal 3:16-18.
1-6
Evangelical Predictions; The Advent of Christ Predicted (400 BC)
福音的預言；基督降臨的預言（主前400年）
¹ 萬軍之耶和華說：看哪，我要差遣我的使者，在我前面預備道路。你們所尋求的主必忽然進入他的殿；立約的使者，就是你們所仰慕的，看哪，他快要來到。
² 他來的日子，誰能當得起呢？他顯現的時候，誰能立得住呢？因為他如煉金之人的火，如漂布之人的鹼。
³ 他必坐下如煉淨銀子的人，必潔淨利未人，熬煉他們像金銀一樣；他們就憑公義獻供物給耶和華。
⁴ 那時，猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的供物必蒙耶和華悅納，彷彿古時之日、上古之年。
⁵ 萬軍之耶和華說：我必臨近你們，施行審判。我必速速作見證，警戒那行邪術的、犯姦淫的、起假誓的、虧負人之工價的、欺壓寡婦孤兒的、屈枉寄居的，和不敬畏我的。
⁶ 因我耶和華是不改變的，所以你們雅各之子沒有滅亡。
本章首句似乎是直接回應前章結尾那些不敬虔之人褻瀆的挑戰：*公義的神在哪裏呢？*對此，可以隨時回答：「他在這裏；他就在門口；久候的彌賽亞即將顯現；他說：我為審判到這世上來，就是為了你們如此無恥地挑釁的那審判。」一位拉比說這話的意思是：神要興起一位公義的王，使萬事歸於正軌——就是彌賽亞王。而福音的起頭被明確地說是這應許的應驗——舊約以此應許結束（可 1:1-2）。如此，兩約如同被連結在一起，彼此呼應。現在我們在此看到，
I. 預言他先鋒施洗約翰的出現——先知以賽亞曾預言過（賽 40:3），稱之為預備主的道；此處似乎引用了它，因後期先知的話印證了前期先知的話：看哪，我要差遣我的使者——或作我差遣他，或作我正差遣他。「我定意要差遣他；他不久就要來，而且不是未經差遣而來——雖然對那漠不關心的世代，他是未經邀請而來。」請注意：1. 他是神的使者；那是他的職分；他是瑪拉基（希伯來文如此）——與這位先知同名；他是我的使者，我的大使。施洗約翰的委任從天上來，不是從人來的。眾人都承認施洗約翰是先知，因為他是神的使者——如同先知一樣，並帶著他們被差遣到世上的同一使命——呼召人悔改和歸正。2. 他是基督的先鋒：他要在我前面預備道路，藉著呼召人盡那些使他們有資格領受彌賽亞及其降臨之安慰的本分，使他們不再倚仗與亞伯拉罕為父的關係（他們以為有了這關係就不需要救主了），並通知他們彌賽亞如今已在門口，如此提高人們對他的期望，使他們樂意接受他為建立他國度所採取的措施。請注意，神在他的工作中遵循一套方法，在他來之前，先預備他的道路。這如同賜下一個兆頭。教會早被告知彌賽亞必來；此處又加上，在他顯現之前不久，必有兆頭賜下：必有一位大先知興起，宣告他的臨近，並呼召永遠的門戶抬起頭來接納他。這事的應驗證明耶穌是基督，就是那應當來的，我們不可再等候別人；因為在他之前確實差遣了這樣一位使者——他為主預備了合用的百姓（路 1:17）。猶太作家為逃避這證據的說服力而陷入荒謬的謬誤中：有人說這使者是死亡天使，要將惡人從今生取走送入地獄；又有人說他是約瑟的彌賽亞，要在大的子孫彌賽亞之前顯現；又有人說是這位先知自己；又有人說是從天上來的使者：如此，那些不願領受真理的人就陷入了何等的錯誤。
II. 預言彌賽亞自己的顯現：「你們所尋求的主必忽然進入他的殿，」就是審判的神——你們以為他已離棄了大地，你們不知道他遭遇了什麼。彌賽亞長久以來被稱為那將要來者，你們如今可以確信他不久必來。」1. 他是主——Adonai——世界建立和固定的根基，萬有的統治者和掌管者，那萬有的主（徒 10:36），一切的權柄都交給了他（太 28:18），並要永遠治理雅各家（路 1:33）。2. 他是立約的使者——或約的使者——那蒙福者，從天上被差遣來為神與人之間協商和平、建立關係。他是使者——天使長——眾天使之主——從父領受使命，要藉恩典之約將因違反無辜之約而背叛了神的人帶回神面前。基督是這約的使者，藉著他的中保，這約得以成就並確立，如同神與以色列的約是藉天使之手制定的（徒 7:53；加 3:19）。基督作為先知，是這約的使者和中保；不但如此，他被立為萬民的約（賽 49:8）。那作我們一切拯救的約是藉著主開始傳講的（來 2:3）。他雖是約的君王（有人如此讀），卻甘願降卑作約的使者，使我們可以根據他的話對神向人所懷的善意有充分的保證。3. 他就是你們所尋求的、你們所仰慕的，就是敬虔的猶太人所等候、所渴望的，他的來到是他們以極大喜樂所思念的。他們在仰望等候他時，在耶路撒冷仰望救贖並等候以色列的安慰者（路 2:25、38）。基督要成為萬國所羨慕的——為眾人所慕（該 2:7）；但他實際上是猶太民族的羨慕，因為他們得了他降臨的應許。請注意，那些尋求耶穌的人必在他裏面尋得喜樂。他若是我們心中的願望，就必是我們心中的喜樂；我們有理由在那位立約的使者裏歡喜，並歡迎那為如此仁慈的使命而來到我們這裏的他。4. 他必忽然來到；他的臨近是如此之速，我們已不像先祖那樣在遠處看見它。或者：他要在施洗約翰顯現之後立刻來到——甚至緊隨他的先鋒；當那晨星出現時，就當信公義的日頭已不遠了。或者：他必忽然來到，就是說，當許多人沒有料到時他要來——正如他的第二次降臨將如此，他的第一次降臨也是如此——在半夜，當有些人已停止等候他時，因為人子來的時候，遇得見世上有信心嗎？（路 18:8）。猶太人將彌賽亞列在那些突然來到的事物中；這是波科克博士所記。而人子在他日子裏的來到被說是如同閃電——極其驚人（路 17:24）。5. 他必進入他的殿——這耶路撒冷的殿，是剛建成的——他要成為其榮耀的後來的殿。這是他的殿，因為那是我父的家（約 2:16）。基督四十天大時被獻在殿中，西面就受聖靈感動照這預言的指引到那裏去看他（路 2:27）。十二歲時他在殿裏以我父的事為念（路 2:49）。當他凱旋進入耶路撒冷時，他似乎直接進了殿（太 21:12），而且（太 21:14）瞎子和瘸子到他那裏求醫；他在那裏常講道，常辯論，常行奇事。由此可見，彌賽亞要在那殿還存留時來到；因此那殿既早已被毀，我們就必須認定他已經來了，我們不可再等候別的。請注意，那些想要認識基督、得他恩惠的人，必須在他的殿中遇見他——因為他要在那裏*記念他的名，*在那裏賜福給他的百姓。在那裏我們當領受他的聖言，在那裏我們當獻上我們的敬意。6. 這降臨的應許被重複並堅立：*看哪，他必來到，這是萬軍之耶和華說的；你可以信靠他不能說謊的話——他必來到，他要來到，*他決不遲延。
III. 記述他降臨的偉大目的和意圖（瑪 3:2）。他既是人所尋求的，又是人所仰慕的；然而他來的日子，誰能當得起呢？這是當以極大的嚴肅、以聖潔的敬畏和戰兢來思想的事；因為他顯現的時候，誰能立得住呢——雖然他來不是要定世人的罪，而是要叫世人因他得救？這可指：
1. 他顯現的驚嚇。即使在他肉身的日子裏，也有他榮耀和能力的一些彰顯——無人能在其前站立——如他的變像和伴隨他死亡的神蹟；我們也讀到有些人在他面前戰兢（可 5:33）。
2. 隨後將要來到的動盪時代。猶太學者論到彌賽亞的生產之痛——他們所說（他們的意思）是在他來到時以色列要受的大苦難；他自己也論到那時將要臨近的大災難，從世界的起頭直到如今，沒有這樣的災難，後來也必沒有（太 24:21）。
3. 他的來到要對世人所作的試驗。他如煉金之人的火——藉著熔化礦石將金子和渣滓分開；或如漂布之人的鹼——藉著大量搓洗將布上的污點洗去。基督來要顯露人——叫許多人心裏的意念顯露出來（路 2:35）——要區分人——將寶貴的和下賤的分別出來——因為他手裏拿著簸箕（太 3:12），要把火丟在地上，不是賜平安，而是分裂（路 12:49、51），要震動天地，使惡人被震出（伯 38:13），並使不能震動的長存（來 12:27）。請看福音所要作的試驗的效果。
（1）福音要在那些傾向為善的人身上作善工，對他們要作生命之香叫他活（瑪 3:3）：他必坐下如煉淨銀子的。基督要藉他的福音潔淨並改革他的教會，並藉與之同工的聖靈重生和潔淨個別的靈魂；因為他為教會捨己，要藉著道的水洗淨、成為聖潔（弗 5:26），並潔淨自己，特作自己的子民（多 2:14）。基督是偉大的煉淨者。請注意：[1.] 他要潔淨誰——利未人，一切 devoted 歸他讚美、被僱在他服事中的人——如同利未支派一樣——他定意要使他們作屬靈的祭司歸給我們的神（啟 1:6），作聖潔的祭司（彼前 2:5）。請注意，一切真基督徒都是利未人，被分別歸神，作他聖所的服事，並打那美好的仗。[2.] 他如何潔淨他們；他必熬煉他們如金銀——就是說，他要在裏面使他們成聖；他不僅要洗去他們從外所沾染的污點，更要除去在他們裏面所發現的渣滓；他要將他們與內住的敗壞分開——那些敗壞使其機能無價值無用——如此使他們如同煉淨的金子，既有價值又有用處。他要用火熬煉他們，如金銀被熬煉一樣，因為他用聖靈與火施洗（太 3:11）——如同火一樣工作的聖靈。他要藉各樣的患難和試煉熬煉他們，使他們信心的試驗被尋見歸於讚美和榮耀（彼前 1:6-7）。他要將他們熬煉成為他自己的珍寶之民。[3.] 這要產生的效果：使他們憑公義獻供物給耶和華——就是說，使他們真心歸向神、獻身於他的讚美（因此我們讀到外邦人被聖靈成為聖潔後獻給神——或作祭物獻給神[羅 15:16]），並使他們照神的旨意在靈裏敬拜神——獻上公義的祭物（詩 4:5），獻上禱告、讚美和聖潔之愛的祭——使他們成為真正拜父的，用心靈和誠實拜他（約 4:23-24）。請注意，除非我們的人被稱義和成聖，否則我們不能向神獻上任何正確的宗教行為。直等我們自己被神的恩典煉淨和潔淨，我們才能做任何歸於神榮耀的事。神先看中亞伯和他的供物；所以神熬煉他的百姓，使他們可以憑公義向他獻供物（番 3:9）。他使樹好，使果子也好。然後接著說（瑪 3:4）：*猶大和耶路撒冷所獻的供物必蒙耶和華悅納。這供物不再像從前那樣可憎——無論是前人在從前的日子裏與以色列的神一同敬拜別神，還是如今他們將瞎眼的、瘸腿的、有病的拿來獻祭；而是必蒙悅納；*他必喜悅獻祭者和他們的祭物——彷彿古時之日、上古之年——如同教會的起初，如同神看中亞伯的祭物、聞到挪亞馨香的祭物，又如同他用天上的火點燃亞倫的祭物時。當彌賽亞來到時，*第一，*他要以在他們裏面的恩典使他們蒙悅納；當他潔淨和熬煉了他們之後，他們就必獻上神所要、所悅納的祭物。*第二，他要以為他們代求使他們蒙悅納；他必將他們和他們的行為推薦給神，如此他們的禱告——帶著他代求之香的馨香——必蒙耶和華悅納；因為他使我們在愛子裏蒙悅納，*他也喜悅那些在他裏面的人（太 3:17），並在他裏面結果子。
（2）這要對那些決心在邪惡中行進的人作見證（瑪 3:5）。這正是對他們挑戰的直接回答：「公義的神在哪裏呢？你們必知道他在哪裏——而且要以你們的恐怖和混亂知道——因為我必臨近你們施行審判；」就是對那些藐視神公義的人。對他們來說，基督的福音要作死的香氣叫他死；它要將他們綁在定罪之下，並在大日審判他們（約 12:48）。讓我們在此看見：[1.] 那些必須在基督福音前受審的罪人是誰。他們是行邪術的——死在屬靈的邪惡中，離棄真理之神的聖言去求問說謊之父的；是犯姦淫的——在肉體的情慾中打滾的——那些被指控行事詭詐的姦淫者（瑪 2:15）；是起假誓的——褻瀆神的名並冒犯他的公義，求神為謊言作見證的；是壓迫人的——野蠻地傷害和踐踏那些在他們手下無助、不能自衛的人：他們虧負雇工的工價，不按所約的付給他們；他們欺壓寡婦和孤兒——不還他們應得的債，因為他們不能證明，或沒有能力追討；那貧窮的寄居者——沒有朋友為他站出來，又不曉得當地律法的——他們也屈枉他。這一切的根源是：他們不敬畏我，這是萬軍之耶和華說的。**惡人的過犯清楚地宣告*他眼中沒有對神的敬畏。*哪裏沒有對神的敬畏，哪裏就不能期望有善。[2.] 誰要起來作證：*我必臨近，*神說，我必速速作見證。他們為自己辯護，又因罪已被巧妙地隱藏，他們希望因證據不足而逃脫懲罰；但神——那看見知道一切的神——要親自作見證控告他們，他的全知勝過千個見證人，因為罪人自己的良心也要為此署名，如此各人的口都要被塞住。他必速速作見證；雖然他們以為他遲延鬆懈，問公義的神在哪裏呢——他應許的降臨在哪裏呢？他們必發現他對他的威脅並不比對他的應許更鬆懈。對那些罪人的審判必不因缺乏證據而拖延，因為他必速速作見證。他的審判必追上他們，他們不可能逃脫。禍患追趕罪人。
IV. 這一切的堅立（瑪 3:6）：因我耶和華是不改變的，所以你們雅各之子沒有滅亡。此處我們看到：1. 神親自宣告並在其中得榮耀的不變性：「我耶和華是不改變的；所以我所說的話沒有一句會落空。」神是那些背叛他之人的公義報復者嗎？他是那些殷勤尋求他之人的豐厚賞賜者嗎？在這兩方面他都是不改變的。雖然對惡行的判決（瑪 3:5）沒有速速執行，卻必執行，因為他是耶和華；他不改變；他對罪的敵意一如既往，不悔改的罪人必如此發現。神不需要scire facias——傳票來更新他的判決，因為他的判決從不過時、從不作廢，而是對那些仍在過犯中行進的人，他律法的咒詛仍充分有效、有力。2. 以色列百姓從自己舒適的經歷中所得的一個特別證明。他們有理由說他是不改變的神，因為他對他們和他們列祖所立的約一直信實；他若沒有持守那約，他們早已被消滅、從萬民中被剪除了；他們在他面前行事虛假反覆，他本可公正地離棄他們，那樣他們很快就會被消滅和敗亡了；但因他記念他的約，不肯違背它——也不改變他口中所出的話——他們被保全免於毀滅，並從毀滅的邊緣被挽回。這完全是因為他願意信守自己的話（申 7:8；利 26:42）。如今正如神在他們身上保全他們免於毀滅——在特殊之約仍然有效期間——完全是因為他願意對那約信實，並要顯明他不是人，必不致說謊（民 23:19）；照樣，當那約被新約取代並廢止，他們又因棄絕新約的福分而使自己暴露在咒詛之下時，他必顯明在他怒氣的定旨上——如同在他憐憫的定旨上一樣——他不是人，必不致後悔；那時他必對他的威脅信實，如同他迄今對他的應許信實一樣；見撒上 15:29。我們都可以很貼切地將此應用於自己：正因為我們所對付的是一位不改變的神，所以我們不致消滅——甚至因他的憐憫不致斷絕；每早晨這都是新的；你的誠實廣大（哀 3:22-23）。
英文原文
Evangelical Predictions; The Advent of Christ Predicted (400 BC)
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.
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 fullers' soap:
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.
⁴ Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
⁵ And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
⁶ For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
The first words of this chapter seem a direct answer to the profane atheistical demand of the scoffers of those days which closed the foregoing chapter: Where is the God of judgment? To which it is readily answered, "Here he is; he is just at the door; the long-expected Messiah is ready to appear; and he says, For judgment have I come into this world, for that judgment which you have so impudently bid defiance to." One of the rabbin says that the meaning of this is, That God will raise up a righteous King, to set things in order, even the king Messiah. And the beginning of the gospel of Christ is expressly said to be the accomplishment of this promise, with which the Old Testament concludes, Mk 1:1,2. So that by this the two Testaments are, as it were, tacked together, and made to answer one another. Now here we have,
I. A prophecy of the appearing of his forerunner John the Baptist, which the prophet Isaiah had foretold (Isa 40:3), as the preparing of the way of the Lord, to which this seems to have a reference, for the words of the latter prophets confirmed those of the former: Behold, I will send my messenger, or I do send him, or I am sending him. "I am determined to send him; he will now shortly come, and will not come unsent, though to a careless generation he comes unsent for." Observe, 1. He is God's messenger; that is his office; he is Malachi (so the word is), the same with the name of this prophet; he is my angel, my ambassador. John Baptist had his commission from heaven, and not of men. All held John Baptist for a prophet, for he was God's messenger, as the prophets were, and came on the same errand to the world that they were sent upon—to call men to repentance and reformation. 2. He is Christ's harbinger: He shall prepare the way before me, by calling men to those duties which qualify them to receive the comforts of the Messiah and his coming, and by taking them off from a confidence in their relation to Abraham as their father (which, they thought, would serve their turn without a saviour), and by giving notice that the Messiah was now at hand, and so raising men's expectations of him, and making them readily to go into the measures he would take for the setting up of his kingdom in the world. Note, God observes a method in his work, and, before he comes, takes care to have his way prepared. This is like the giving of a sign. The church was told, long before, that the Messiah would come; and here it is added that, a little before he appears, there shall be a signal given; a great prophet shall arise, that shall give notice of his approach, and call to the everlasting gates and doors to lift up their heads and give him admission. The accomplishment of this is a proof that Jesus is the Christ, is he that should come, and we are to look for no other; for there was such a messenger sent before him, who made ready a people prepared for the Lord, Lu 1:17. The Jewish writers run into gross absurdities to evade the conviction of this evidence; some of them say that this messenger is the angel of death, who shall take the wicked out of this life, to be sent into hell torments; others of them say that it is Messiah the son of Joseph, who shall appear before Messiah the son of David; others, this prophet himself; others, an angel from heaven: such mistakes do those run into that will not receive the truth.
II. A prophecy of the appearing of the Messiah himself: "The Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the God of judgment, who, you think, has forsaken the earth, and you wot not what has become of him. The Messiah has been long called he that should come, and you may assure yourselves that now shortly he will come." 1. He is the Lord—Adonai, the basis and foundation on which the world is founded and fastened, the ruler and governor of all, that one Lord over all (Ac 10:36) that has all power committed to him (Mt 28:18) and is to reign over the house of Jacob for ever, Lu 1:33. 2. He is the Messenger of the covenant, or the angel of the covenant, that blessed one that was sent from heaven to negotiate a peace, and settle a correspondence, between God and man. He is the angel, the archangel, the Lord of the angels, who received commission from the Father to bring man home to God by a covenant of grace, who had revolted from him by the violation of the covenant of innocency. Christ is the angel of this covenant, by whose mediation it is brought about and established as God's covenant with Israel was made by the disposition of angels, Ac 7:53, Ga 3:19. Christ, as a prophet, is the messenger and mediator of the covenant; nay, he is given for a covenant, Isa 49:8. That covenant which is all our salvation began to be spoken by the Lord, Heb 2:3. Though he is the prince of the covenant (as some read this) yet he condescended to be the messenger of it, that we might have full assurance of God's good-will towards man, upon his word. 3. He it is whom you seek, whom you delight in, whom the pious Jews expect and desire, and whose coming they think of with a great deal of pleasure. In looking and waiting for him, they looked for redemption in Jerusalem and waited for the consolation of Israel, Lu 2:25,38. Christ was to be the desire of all nations, desirable to all (Hag 2:7); but he was the desire of the Jewish nation actually, because they had the promise of his coming made to them. Note, Those that seek Jesus shall find pleasure in him. If he be our heart's desire he will be our heart's delight; and we have reason to delight in him who is the messenger of the covenant, and to bid him welcome who came to us on so kind an errand. 4. He shall suddenly come; his coming draws nigh, and we see it not at so great a distance as the patriarchs saw it at. Or, He shall come immediately after the appearing of John Baptist, shall even tread on the heels of his forerunner; when that morning-star appears, believe that the Sun of righteousness is not far off. Or, He shall come suddenly, that is, he shall come when by many he is not looked for; as his second coming will be, so his first coming was, at midnight, when some had done looking for him, for shall he find faith on the earth? Lu 18:8. The Jews reckon the Messiah among the things that come unawares; so Dr. Pocock. And the coming of the Son of man in his day is said to be as the lightning, which is very surprising, Lu 17:24. 5. He shall come to his temple, this temple at Jerusalem, which was lately built, that latter house which he was to be the glory of. It is his temple, for it is his Father's house, Joh 2:16. Christ, at forty days old, was presented in the temple, and thither Simeon went by the Spirit, according to the direction of this prophecy, to see him, Lu 2:27. At twelve years old he was in the temple about his Father's business, Lu 2:49. When he rode in triumph into Jerusalem, it should seem that he went directly to the temple (Mt 21:12), and (Mal 3:14) thither the blind and the lame came to him to be healed; there he often preached, and often disputed, and often wrought miracles. By this it appears that the Messiah was to come while that temple was standing; that, therefore, being long since destroyed, we must conclude that he has come, and we are to look for no other. Note, Those that would be acquainted with Christ and obtain his favour must meet him in his temple, for there he records his name and there he will bless his people. There we must receive his oracles and there we must pay our homage. 6. The promise of this coming is repeated and ratified: Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts; you may depend upon his word, who cannot lie, he shall come, he will come, he will not tarry.
III. An account given of the great ends and intentions of his coming, Mal 3:2. He is one whom they seek, and one whom they delight in; and yet who may abide the day of his coming? It is a thing to be thought of with great seriousness, and with a holy awe and reverence; for who shall stand when he appears, though he comes not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might have life? This may refer,
1. To the terrors of his appearance. Even in the days of his flesh there were some emanations of his glory and power, such as none could stand before, witness his transfiguration, and the prodigies that attended his death; and we read of some that trembled before him, as Mk 5:33.
2. To the troublous times that should follow soon after. The Jewish doctors speak of the pangs or griefs of the Messiah, meaning (they say) the great afflictions that should be to Israel at the time of his coming; he himself speaks of great tribulation then approaching, such as was not since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be, Mt 24:21.
3. To the trial which his coming would make of the children of men. He shall be like a refiner's fire, which separates between the gold and the dross by melting the ore, or like fuller's soap, which with much rubbing fetches the spots out of the cloth. Christ came to discover men, that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed (Lu 2:35), to distinguish men, to separate between the precious and the vile, for his fan in his hand (Mt 3:12), to send fire on the earth, not peace, but rather division (Lu 12:49,51), to shake heaven and earth, that the wicked might be shaken out (Job 38:13) and that the things which cannot be shaken might remain, Heb 12:27. See what the effect of the trial will be that shall be made by the gospel.
(1.) The gospel shall work good upon those that are disposed to be good, to them it shall be a savour of life unto life (Mal 3:3): He shall sit as a refiner. Christ by his gospel shall purify and reform his church, and by his Spirit working with it shall regenerate and cleanse particular souls; for to this end he gave himself for the church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word (Eph 5:26) and purify to himself a peculiar people, Tit 2:14. Christ is the great refiner. Observe, [1.] Who they are that he will purify—the sons of Levi, all those that are devoted to his praise and employed in his service, as the tribe of Levi was, and whom he designs to make unto our God spiritual priests (Re 1:6), a holy priesthood, 1Pe 2:5. Note, All true Christians are sons of Levi, set apart for God, to do the service of his sanctuary, and to war the good warfare. [2.] How he will purify them; he will purge them as gold and silver, that is, he will sanctify them inwardly; he will not only wash away the spots they have contracted from without, but will take away the dross that is found in them; he will separate from them their indwelling corruptions, which rendered their faculties worthless and useless, and so make them like gold refined, both valuable and serviceable. He will purge them with fire, as gold and silver are purged, for he baptizes with the Holy Ghost and with fire (Mt 3:11), with the Holy Ghost working like fire. He will purge them by afflictions and manifold temptations, that the trial of their faith may be found to praise and honour, 1Pe 1:6,7. He will purge them so as to make them a precious people to himself. [3.] What will be the effect of it: That they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness, that is, that they may be in sincerity converted to God and consecrated to his praise (hence we read of the offering up, or sacrificing, of the Gentiles to God, when they were sanctified by the holy Ghost, Ro 15:16), and that they may in a spiritual manner worship God according to his will, may offer the sacrifices of righteousness, (Ps 4:5), the offering of prayer, and praise, and holy love, that they may be the true worshippers, who worship the Father in spirit and in truth, Joh 4:23,24. Note, We cannot offer unto the Lord any right performances in religion unless our persons be justified and sanctified. Till we ourselves be refined and purified by the grace of God, we cannot do any thing that will redound to the glory of God. God had respect to Abel first, and then to his offering; and therefore God purges his people, that they may offer their offerings to him in righteousness, Zep 3:9. He makes the tree good that the fruit may be good. And then it follows (Mal 3:4), The offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant unto the Lord. It shall no longer be offensive, as it has been, when, in the former days, they worshipped other gods with the God of Israel, or when, in the present days, they brought the torn, and the lame, and the sick, for sacrifice; but it shall be acceptable; he will be pleased with the offerers, and their offerings, as in the days of old and as in former years, as in the primitive times of the church, as when God had respect to Abel's sacrifice and smelled a savour of rest from Noah's, and when he kindled Aaron's sacrifice with fire from heaven. When the Messiah comes, First, He will, by his grace in them, make them acceptable; when he has purified and refined them, then they shall offer such sacrifices as God requires and will accept. Secondly, He will, by his intercession for them, make them accepted; he will recommend them and their performances to God, so that their prayers, being perfumed with the incense of his intercession, shall be pleasant unto the Lord; for he has made us accepted in the Beloved, and in him is well pleased with those that are in him (Mt 3:17) and bring forth fruit in him.
(2.) It shall turn for a testimony against those that are resolved to go on in their wickedness, Mal 3:5. This is the direct answer to their challenge, "Where is the God of judgment? You shall know where he is, and shall know it to your terror and confusion, for I will come near to you to judgment; to you that set divine justice at defiance." To them the gospel of Christ will be a savour of death unto death; it will bind them over to condemnation and will judge them in the great day, Joh 12:48. Let us see here, [1.] Who the sinners are that must appear to be judged by the gospel of Christ. They are the sorcerers, who died in spiritual wickedness, that forsake the oracles of the God of truth to consult the father of lies; and the adulterers, who wallow in the lusts of the flesh, those adulterers who were charged with dealing treacherously (Mal 2:15); and the false swearers, who profane God's name and affront his justice, by calling him to witness to a lie; and the oppressors, who barbarously injure and trample upon those who lie at their mercy, and are not able to help themselves: they defraud the hireling in his wages and will not give him what he agreed for; they crush the widow and fatherless, and will not pay them their just debts, because they cannot prove them, or have not wherewithal to sue for them; the poor stranger too, who has no friend to stand by him and is ignorant of the laws of the country, they turn aside from his right, so that he cannot keep or cannot recover his own. That which is at the bottom of all this is, They fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. The transgression of the wicked plainly declares that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Where no fear of God is no good is to be expected. [2.] Who will appear against them: I will come near, says God, and will be a swift witness against them. They justify themselves, and, their sins having been artfully concealed, hope to escape punishment for want of proof; but God, who sees and knows all things, will himself be witness against them, and his omniscience is instead of a thousand witnesses, for to it the sinner's own conscience shall be made to subscribe, and so every mouth shall be stopped. He will be a swift witness; though they reflect upon him as slow and dilatory, and ask, Where is the God of judgment, and where the promise of his coming? they will find that he is not slack concerning his threatenings any more than he is concerning his promises. Judgment against those sinners shall not be put off for want of evidence, for he will be a swift witness. His judgment shall overtake them, and it shall be impossible for them to outrun it. Evil pursues sinners.
IV. The ratification of all this (Mal 3:6): For I am the Lord; I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Here we have, 1. God's immutability asserted by Himself, and glorified in: "I am the Lord; I change not; and therefore no word that I have spoken shall fall to the ground." Is God a just revenger of those that rebel against him? Is he the bountiful rewarder of those that diligently seek him? In both these he is unchangeable. Though the sentence passed against evil works (Mal 3:5) be not executed speedily, yet it will be executed, for he is the Lord; he changes not; he is as much an enemy to sin as ever he was, and impenitent sinners will find him so. There needs no scire facias—a writ calling one to show cause, to revive God's judgment, for it is never antiquated, or out of date, but against those that go on still in their trespasses the curse of his law still remains in full force, power, and virtue. 2. A particular proof of it, from the comfortable experience which the people of Israel had had of it. They had reason to say that he was an unchangeable God, for he had been faithful to his covenant with them and their fathers; if he had not adhered to that, they would have been consumed long ago and cut off from being a people; they had been false and fickle in their conduct to him, and he might justly have abandoned them, and then they would soon have been consumed and ruined; but because he remembered his covenant, and would not violate that, nor alter the thing that had gone forth out of his lips, they were preserved from ruin and recovered from the brink of it. It was purely because he would be as good as his word, De 7:8, Le 26:42. Now as God had kept them from ruin, while the covenant of peculiarity remained in force, purely because he would be faithful to that covenant, and would show that he is not a man that he should lie (Nu 23:19), so, when that covenant should be superseded and set aside by the New Testament, and they, by rejecting the blessings of it, lay themselves open to the curses, he will show that in the determinations of his wrath, as well as in those of his mercy, he is not a man, that he should repent, but will then be as true to his threatenings as hitherto he had been to his promises; see 1Sa 15:29. We may all apply this very sensibly to ourselves; because we have to do with a God that changes not, therefore it is that we are not consumed, even because his compassions fail not; they are new every morning; great is his faithfulness, La 3:22,23.
7-12
The Sins of the People; Encouragements to Repentance (400 BC)
百姓的罪；悔改的鼓勵（主前400年）
⁷ 從你們列祖的日子以來，你們常常偏離我的典章，不遵守。現在你們要轉向我，我就轉向你們。你們卻問說：我們如何才是轉向呢？
⁸ 人豈可奪取神之物呢？你們竟奪取我的供物。你們卻說：我們在何事上奪取你的供物呢？就是你們當納的十分之一和當獻的供物。
⁹ 因你們通國的人都奪取我的供物，咒詛就臨到你們身上。
¹⁰ 萬軍之耶和華說：你們要將當納的十分之一全然送入倉庫，使我家有糧，以此試試我，是否為你們敞開天上的窗戶，傾福與你們，甚至無處可容。
¹¹ 萬軍之耶和華說：我必為你們斥責蝗蟲，不容牠毀壞你們的土產。你們田間的葡萄樹在未熟之先也不掉果子。
¹² 萬軍之耶和華說：萬國必稱你們為有福的，因你們的地必成為喜樂之地。
此處我們看到神與那世代之人的爭論——因他們離棄他的事奉並奪取他的供物——實在是惡僕人，不但逃離主人，還帶著主人的財物逃跑。
I. 他們逃離了主人，放棄了他所交付他們做的工作（瑪 3:7）：你們偏離我的典章，不遵守。神敬拜的典章是他們作為僕人當專心的正業，是他們當經營的才能，是託付他們保管的责任；但他們偏離了它們——厭倦了它們，將頸項從那軛中縮回；他們偏離了神為他們所定的規則，辜負了所託。他們背棄了神——不但在敬拜上，也在品行上；他們沒有守他的典章。這悖逆的罪是他們有責任的，而且從你們列祖的日子以來就有了——或如列祖從前被擄的日子一樣，因他們的悖逆被擄；或者，「如今，過去幾代以來，你們從你們剛從被擄歸回時的光景墮落了。」以斯拉在一個具體的例子上承認了這事：從我們列祖的日子直到今日，我們的罪惡重大（拉 9:7）。請注意：1. 神賜給他們何等恩慈的邀請，要他們歸回和悔改：「轉向我，」歸向你的本分，歸回你的服事，歸回你的效忠，如同迷路的旅人歸回，如同逃兵歸回，如同背道的妻子從丈夫那裏出走後歸回；背道的以色列啊，歸回吧，轉向我；然後我必轉向你們，與你們和好，要挪去你們所受的審判，防止你們所懼怕的。這自古就是那首歌的主旨（亞 1:3），如今仍是。2. 他們對這恩慈的邀請有何任性悖逆的回答：「但你們卻輕蔑地問」——向那呼召你們的先知問，彼此問，也向你們自己的心問——為要壓制你們所受的知罪之感；你們問：「我們如何才是轉向呢？」請注意，神留意我們的心對他話語的呼召有何反應——我們聽了道之後說了什麼、想了什麼，對所傳的信息有何回答。當神呼召我們轉向時，我們當像耶 3:22那些人那樣回答：*「看哪，我們來了。」*而不是像此處這些人：我們如何才是轉向呢？（1）他們把被指出過失、被呼籲改正視為侮辱；他們動輒說：「這些先知為悔改歸正大驚小怪；為何如此羞辱和攪擾我們，挑動我們的良心和鄰舍反對我們？」那些如此將責備視為羞辱、用腳刺踢的人，景況糟糕。（2）他們對自己和神律法的嚴格、廣泛和屬靈性質如此無知，以至於看不見自己有什麼當悔改或當改正的；他們在自己眼中是潔淨的，以為不需要悔改。（3）他們在罪中如此堅決，以致要找一千個愚蠢空洞的藉口來推卸悔改，並轉離所給他們悔改的呼召。他們似乎只是無話可說而說話；這不過是遁詞、對先知的嘲弄，並挑戰他要降到細節。請注意，許多人因推卻所給他們悔改罪的呼召而毀了自己的靈魂。
II. 他們奪取了主人的財物，私吞了他的物。他們問：「我們如何才是轉向呢？我們做了什麼錯事？」他很快告訴他們。請注意：1. 先知奉神的名向百姓提出的高度指控。他們被起訴搶劫——褻瀆聖物的搶劫，最惡劣的搶劫：你們奪取了我的供物。他與他們就此理論：人豈敢如此膽大妄為地奪取神之物呢？人——軟弱的受造物，不能與神的能力抗爭——他會想vi et armis——強行奪取他的物嗎？人——在神的全知面前無處可藏——他會想clam et secreto——暗中奪取他的物嗎？人——仰賴神、從他領受一切——他會奪取那厚賜百物給他的主的物嗎？這實在是忘恩負義、不義、不仁；如此惹動那審判從他而出者的怒氣，實為不智。人豈可向神施暴？有人如此讀。人豈可對他吝嗇或苛刻？另有人如此讀。奪取神之物是可憎的罪。2. 百姓對那指控的傲慢挑戰：但你們說：我們在何事上奪取你的供物呢？他們辯稱無罪，並要神拿出證據。請注意，奪取神之物是如此可憎的罪，以至於那些犯此罪的人不願承認自己有罪。他們奪取神的物，卻不知道自己做了什麼。他們奪取他的榮耀，奪取歸獻給他、為他服事所用的物，奪取他們自己，奪取安息日的時間，奪取為維持信仰所賜的物——不從自己的財產中給他當納的分；然而他們問：我們在何事上奪取你的供物呢？3. 對這挑戰的明確證據；就是當納的十分之一和當獻的供物。祭司和利未人從這些得自己和家人的供養；但他們扣留了，欺詐了祭司——不肯納十分之一，或不全額，或不獻最好的；他們不獻神所要求的供物，或獻瞎眼的、瘸腿的、有病的——不能用的。他們都犯了這罪——通國的人——彷彿他們合謀對抗神，全部聯合起來奪取他當得的分，並在做了之後彼此撐腰。因此他們被咒詛所咒詛（瑪 3:9）。神以饑荒和匱乏懲罰他們——藉著反常的天氣或吞噬土產的昆蟲。神曾因他們疏於建造聖殿而如此懲罰他們（該 1:10-11），如今又因他們不維持聖殿的服事而如此行。請注意，那些不肯將自己財產中當歸神之分歸給神的人，正當地可以期望自己那份受咒詛：「你們因奪取我的物而被咒詛咒詛，卻仍照樣去行。」請注意，人雖在護理的責備之下卻仍堅持犯罪，這是極大的加重。不但如此，看來正因為神以糧食的匱乏懲罰了他們，他們就以此為藉口來奪取他的物——如今既已貧窮，就不能納十分之一和供物，必須留下來為家人預備餅。請注意，當人將那些為要使他們與罪分離而差來的患難當作犯罪的藉口時，這顯明他們在罪中極其頑梗。當他們所有的少時，更當以那少的多行善事——那才是使之增多的方法；但病人的景況實在糟糕——那本當醫治疾病的，卻只是掩蓋它、防止它被查究。4. 切切的勸勉要他們在這事上悔改，並應許他們若如此行，所受的審判必速速挪去。（1）當留心盡本分（瑪 3:10）：你們要將當納的十分之一全然送入倉庫。他們已納了一些；但如同亞拿尼亞和撒非喇，私自留下幾分價銀，藉口說不能全數如數獻上—— necessity has no law（必需沒有律法）；但即使必需也必須服從這律法，而且這律法會糾正他們必需的困境：「將十足的十分之一全然送入——照律法所要求的極限——使我家有糧供那些在壇前服事的人用，無論你們家中有糧無糧。」請注意，神必須被首先服事；我們當為所在之地信仰的維持貢獻當納之分，使神的名被尊為聖，他的國降臨，他的旨意行在地上——甚至在我們為自己預備日用的飲食之前；因為我們靈魂的益處當在我們身體的益處之先。（2）當信靠神為他們和他們的安慰預備：「先服事神，然後以此試試我，這是萬軍之耶和華說的，是否為你們敞開天上的窗戶。」他們說：「讓神先賜我們豐盛如同從前，試試我們是否就納十分之一和供物如同從前。」神說：「不，你們先將十足的十分之一和一切欠款納入，然後試試我是否就恢復你們的豐盛。」請注意，那些要與神打交道的人必須憑信而交；我們都可以冒險如此行，因為雖然許多人為他吃虧，卻從來沒有人在末了因他吃虧。我們當先冒險，因為他的賞賜在他那裏，但他的工作在他面前；我們必須先做我們分內的工作，然後才試驗他、信靠他得賞賜。以利亞將撒勒法的寡婦引入這方法，當他說（王上 17:13）：「先為我做一個小餅，然後試試我，看是否為你和你兒子留下足夠的。」人們之所以在慈善的開支上卻步，是因他們對慈善的收益和益處的信心薄弱；他們不能相信會從中得利。但神在此所提的要求是合理的：「以此試試我；慈善能得著什麼嗎？你們來看；」不入虎穴，焉得虎子。憑信譽而交託，「你們必發現，」[1.] 「天既已關閉、久不降雨，如今神必為你們敞開天上的窗戶，因為雲的鑰匙在他手中，你們必得及時的雨。」或者這表達是比喻的；一切美善的賞賜既從上頭來，他就必從那裏將他護理的豐盛傾倒給他們。極突然的豐盛以敞開天上的窗戶來表達（王下 7:2）。我們發現天上的窗戶敞開傾下忿怒的洪水——在挪亞的日子（創 7:11）；但此處敞開是為了傾下福氣——大到無處可容。他們的地必如此豐盛出產，以致他們受試探要拆掉倉房另蓋更大的——因為無處可容（路 12:18）。或者如波科克博士所解釋的：「我必傾倒給你們如此的福氣——不僅足夠，而且越來越多綽綽有餘；」就是說，極大的加添。那倍增的油必不停止——只要有器皿可盛（王下 4:6）。請注意，神不但要與悔改歸正的罪人和好，更要作他們的恩主——豐厚的恩主——對待他們。我們從不在他方面受限，卻常在自己心中受限。神已預備好要賜福給我們，但因我們信心的軟弱和願望的狹窄，我們沒有空間領受。[2.] 他們地的出產既被蝗蟲和毛蟲吞吃，如今神必挪去那審判（瑪 3:11）：*「我必為你們斥責蝗蟲，」*制止那些毀滅性昆蟲的蔓延，使它們不再毀壞地的出產和樹上的果子。*你們田間的葡萄樹在未熟之先也不掉果子；它不被毀壞或吹落。或如有人所讀的：蝗蟲也不使你們的葡萄樹不結果子，如同從前蝗蟲所做的（珥 1:7）。[3.] 他們的鄰舍既因他們的匱乏而責備他們，他們又伏在饑荒的羞辱之下——這更令人痛心，因為他們的國素來以豐盛聞名；如今萬國必稱你們為有福的，要尊敬地論到你們，承認你們是蒙福的百姓。[4.] 他們的罪既使他們的地不蒙神喜悅（連他們的殿、祭壇和供物也是如此[瑪 2:13]），他的審判又使他們的地對他們不舒適、十分憂鬱，「如今你們的地必成為喜樂之地，*你們的國必蒙神悅納，又使你們自己舒適。」請注意，一個國家信仰的復甦要使那地成為神和一切善良之人的喜樂之地；他要說：*這是我永遠安息之所；我要住在這裏；*他們也必如此說（賽 62:4；申 11:12）。看來這吩咐納十分之一的命令產生了好的效果，因為我們發現（尼 13:12）猶大眾人都將十分之一送入倉庫——他們無疑也得了這些應許的益處，在他們歸回本分之後豐盛立即歸回，使他們可以清楚地辨認那災禍臨到他們是因何原因（因為當原因被除去，災禍也被除去了），也使他們看見神在他們悔改之後何等完全地與他們和好，他們的過犯不再被記念——因為咒詛不但被挪去，更變成了豐盛的福氣。
英文原文
The Sins of the People; Encouragements to Repentance (400 BC)
⁷ 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?
⁸ Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
⁹ Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
¹⁰ Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
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.
¹² And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
We have here God's controversy with the men of that generation, for deserting his service and robbing him—wicked servants indeed, that not only run away from their Master, but run away with their Master's goods.
I. They had run away from their Master, and quitted the work he gave them to do (Mal 3:7): You have gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them. The ordinances of God's worship were the business which as servants they must mind, the talents which they must trade with, and the trust which was committed to them to keep; but they went away from them, grew weary of them, and withdrew their neck from that yoke; they deviated from the rule that God had prescribed to them, and betrayed the trust lodged with them. They had revolted from God, not only in worship, but in conversation; they had not kept his ordinances. This disobedience they were chargeable with, and had been guilty of, even from the days of their fathers; either as in the days of their fathers of old, who were sent into captivity for their disobedience, or, "Now, for some generations past, you have fallen off from what you were, when first you came back out of captivity." Ezra owns it in one particular instance: Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day, Ezr 9:7. Now observe, 1. What a gracious invitation God gives them to return and repent: "Return unto me, and to your duty, return to your service, return to your allegiance, return as a traveller that has missed his way, as a soldier that has run his colours, as a treacherous wife that has gone away from her husband; return, thou backsliding Israel, return to me; and then I will return unto you and be reconciled, will remove the judgments you are under and prevent those you fear." This had been of old the burden of the song (Zec 1:3), and is still. 2. What a peevish answer they return to this gracious invitation: "But you said with disdain, said it to the prophets that called you, said it to one another, said it to your own hearts, to stifle the convictions you were under; you said, Wherein shall we return?" Note, God takes notice what returns our hearts make to the calls of his word, what we say and what we think when we have heard a sermon, what answer we give to the message sent us. When God calls us to return, we should answer as those did Jer 3:22, Behold, we come. But not as these here, Wherein shall we return? (1.) They take it as an affront to be told of their faults, and called upon to amend them; they are ready to say, "What ado do these prophets make about returning and repenting; why are we disgraced and disturbed thus, our own consciences and our neighbours stirred up against us?" It is ill with those who thus count reproofs reproaches, and kick against the pricks. (2.) They are so ignorant of themselves, and of the strictness, extent, and spiritual nature, of the divine law, that they see nothing in themselves to be repented of, or reformed; they are pure in their own eyes, and think they need no repentance. (3.) They are so firmly resolved to go on in sin that they will find a thousand foolish frivolous excuses to shift off their repentance, and turn away the calls that are given them to repent. They seem to speak only as those that wanted something to say; it is a mere evasion, a banter upon the prophet, and a challenge to him to descend to particulars. Note, Many ruin their own souls by baffling the calls that are given them to repent of their sins.
II. They had robbed their Master, and embezzled his goods. They had asked, "Wherein shall we return? What have we done amiss?" And he soon tells them. Observe, 1. The prophet's high charge exhibited, in God's name, against the people. They stand indicted for robbery, for sacrilege, the worst of robberies: You have robbed me. He expostulates with them upon it: Will a man be so daringly impudent as to rob God? Man, who is a weak creature, and cannot contend with God's power, will he think to rob him vi et armis—forcibly? Man, who lies open to God's knowledge, and cannot conceal himself from that, will he think to rob him clam et secreto—privily? Man, who depends upon God, and derives his all from him, will he rob him that is his benefactor? This is ungrateful, unjust, and unkind, indeed; and it is very unwise thus to provoke him from whom our judgment proceeds. Will a man do violence to God? so some read it. Will a man do violence to God? so some read it. Will a man stint or straiten him? so others read it. Robbing God is a heinous crime. 2. The people's high challenge in answer to that charge: But you say, Wherein have we robbed thee? They plead Not guilty, and put God upon the proof of it. Note, Robbing God is such a heinous crime that those who are guilty of it are not willing to own themselves guilty. They rob God, and know not what they do. They rob him of his honour, rob him of that which is devoted to him, to be employed in his service, rob him of themselves, rob him of sabbath-time, rob him of that which is given for the support of religion, and give him not his dues out of their estates; and yet they ask, Wherein have we robbed thee? 3. The plain proof of the charge, in answer to this challenge; it is in tithes and offerings. Out of these the priests and Levites had maintenance for themselves and their families; but they detained them, defrauded the priests of them, would not pay their tithes, or not in full, or not of the best; they brought not the offerings which God required, or brought the torn, and lame, and sick, which were not fit for use. They were all guilty of this sin, even the whole nation, as if they were in confederacy against God, and all combined to rob him of his dues and to stand by one another in it when they had done. For this they were cursed with a curse, Mal 3:9. God punished them with famine and scarcity, through unseasonable weather, or insects that ate up the fruits of the earth. God had thus punished them for neglecting to build the temple (Hag 1:10,11), and now for not maintaining the temple-service. Note, Those that deny God his part of their estates may justly expect a curse upon their own part of them: "You are cursed with a curse for robbing me, and yet you go on to do it." Note, It is a great aggravation of sin when men persist in it notwithstanding the rebukes of Providence which they are under for it. Nay, it should seem, because God had punished them with scarcity of bread, they made that a pretence for robbing him-that now, being impoverished, they could not afford to bring their tithes and offerings, but must save them, that they might have bread for their families. Note, It argues great perverseness in sin when men make those afflictions excuses for sin which are sent to part between them and their sins. When they had but little they should have done the more good with that little, and that would have been the way to make it more; but it is ill with the patient when that which should cure the disease serves only to palliate it, and prevent its being searched into. 4. An earnest exhortation to reform in this matter, with a promise that if they did the judgments they were under should be quickly removed. (1.) Let them take care to do their duty (Mal 3:10): Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse. They had brought some; but, like Ananias and Sapphira, had kept back part of the price, pretending they could not spare so much as was required, and necessity has no law; but even necessity must have this law, and it would redress the grievance of their necessity: "Bring in the full tithes to the utmost that the law requires, that there may be meat in God's house for those that serve at the altar, whether there be meat in your houses or no." Note, God must be served in the first place, and our quota must be contributed for the support of religion in the place where we live, that God's name may be sanctified, and his kingdom may come, and his will be done, even before we provide our daily bread; for the interests of our souls ought to be preferred before those of our bodies. (2.) Let them then trust God to provide for them and their comfort "Let God be first served, and then prove me herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, whether I will not open the windows of heaven." They said, "Let God give us our plenty again, as formerly, and try us whether we will not then bring him his tithes and offerings, as we did formerly." "No," says God, "do you first bring in all your tithes as they become due, and all the arrears of what is past, and try me, whether I will not then restore you your plenty." Note, Those that will deal with God must deal upon trust; and we may all venture to do so, for, though many have been losers for him, never any were losers by him in the end. It is fit that we should venture first, for his reward is with him, but his work is before him; we must first do the work which is our part, and then try him and trust him for the reward. Elijah put the widow of Zarephath into this method when he said (1Ki 17:13), "Make me a little cake first, and then prove me whether there shall not be enough afterwards for thee and thy son." That which discourages people from the expenses of charity is the weakness of their faith concerning the gains and advantages of charity; they cannot think that they shall get by it. But it is a reasonable demand that God here makes: "Prove me now; is any thing to be got by charity? Come and see;" Nothing venture, nothing win. Trust upon honour, "And you shall find," [1.] "That, whereas the heavens have been shut up, and there has been no rain, now God will open to you the windows of heaven, for in his hand the key of the clouds is, and you shall have seasonable rain." Or the expression is figurative; every good gift coming from above, thence God will plentifully pour out upon them the bounties of his providence. Very sudden plenty is expressed by opening the windows of heaven, 2Ki 7:2. We find the windows of heaven opened, to pour down a deluge of wrath, in Noah's flood, Ge 7:11. But here they are opened to pour down blessings, to such a degree that there should not be room enough to receive them. So plentifully shall their ground bring forth that they shall be tempted to pull down their barns and build greater, for want of room, Lu 12:18. Or, as Dr. Pocock explains it, "I will pour out on you such a blessing as shall be not enough only, and such as shall be sufficient, but more and more than enough;" that is, a great addition. The oil that is multiplied shall not be stayed as long as there are vessels to receive it, 2Ki 4:6. Note, God will not only be reconciled to sinners that repent and reform, but he will be a benefactor, a bountiful benefactor, to them. We are never straitened in him, but often straitened in our own bosoms. God has blessings ready to bestow upon us, but, through the weakness of our faith and narrowness of our desires, we have not room to receive them. [2.] That, whereas the fruits of their ground had been eaten up by locusts and caterpillars God would now remove that judgment (Mal 3:11): "I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and will check the progress of those destroying animals, that they shall no more destroy the products of the earth and the fruits of the trees." God has all creatures at his beck, can command them and remand them at his pleasure. Neither shall the vine cast her fruit before the time; it shall not be blasted or blown off. Or, as some read it, Neither shall the devourer make your vine barren, as the locusts did, Joe 1:7. [3.] That, whereas their neighbours had upbraided them with their scarcity, and they had lain under the reproach of famine, which was the more grievous because their country used to be boasted of for its plenty, now all nations shall call them blessed, shall speak honourably of them, and own them to be a happy people. [4.] That whereas their sin had made their land unpleasing to God (even their temple, and altars, and offerings were so, Mal 2:13), and whereas his judgments had made their land unpleasant to them, and very melancholy, "Now you shall be a delightsome land, your country shall be acceptable to God and comfortable to yourselves." Note, The reviving of religion in a land will make it indeed a delightsome land both to God and to all good people; he will say, It is my rest for ever; here will I dwell; and they will say the same, Isa 62:4, De 11:12. It should seem that this charge to bring in the tithes had its good effect, for we find (Ne 13:12) that all Judah did bring in their tithe into the treasuries, and, no doubt, they had the benefit of these promises, in the return of their plenty, immediately upon their return to their duty, that they might plainly discern for what cause the evil had been upon them (for when the cause was removed the evil was removed), and that they might see how perfectly reconciled God was to them upon their repentance, and how their transgression was remembered no more, for the curse was not only taken away, but turned into an abundant blessing.
13-18
Wicked Conversation Reproved; Evil Maxims of Sinners; Pious Converse Commended; Promises to the Godly (400 BC)
惡人的言語受責備；罪人的邪惡格言；敬虔的相交受稱讚；對敬虔者的應許（主前400年）
¹³ 耶和華說：你們用言語頂撞我。你們還說：我們用什麼話頂撞了你呢？
¹⁴ 你們說：事奉神是徒然的。我們遵守他所吩咐的，在他面前苦苦齋戒，有什麼益處呢？
¹⁵ 如今我們稱狂傲的人為有福。行惡的人被建立；他們試探神，卻得免刑罰。
¹⁶ 那時，敬畏耶和華的彼此談論，耶和華側耳而聽，且有紀念冊在他面前記錄那敬畏耶和華、思念他名的人。
¹⁷ 萬軍之耶和華說：在我所定的日子，他們必屬我，作我特有的產業。我必憐恤他們，如同人憐恤服事自己的兒子。
¹⁸ 那時你們必歸回，將善人和惡人，事奉神和不事奉神的人，分別出來。
在當時的猶太百姓中間，雖然他們都享受同樣的特權和益處，卻有品格極不相同的人（正如世上和教會中一直有，也將一直有的）——如同耶利米的無花果，有的極好，有的極壞；有的明顯是神的兒女，有的明顯暴露自己是那惡者的兒女。同一塊田裏有稗子和麥子，同一個場上有糠秕和穀粒；此處我們對兩者都有記述。
I. 此處神留意了錫安罪人無恥褻瀆的言論，並公正地為之憤慨。他們中間可能有一個反對信仰的俱樂部，他們以機智自詡，又動用機智來貶低和嘲弄信仰，並在此事上彼此壯膽。此處有，
1. 對他們的起訴——因對萬王之王說了叛逆的話：耶和華說：你們用言語頂撞我。他們說話反對神——論斷他、與他矛盾——如同他們的祖宗在曠野（詩 78:19）；他們實在說話反對神。他所說的和他所定的，他們都反對，彷彿他們被僱為反對他和他事業的辯護人。他們反對神的言語是強硬的；出於他們的驕傲、傲慢和對神的藐視。他們反對神所說的話是大聲說的，彷彿不在乎誰聽見；他們自己不以說它為恥，又想要傳播他們的無神論觀念，以此感染別人的心。他們放膽說——如同那些決心堅持到底、不怕被追究的人。他們驕傲地說，帶著傲慢和輕蔑，恥於受神的約束和治理。他們壯膽；他們要向全能者逞強（伯 15:25）。
2. 他們對這起訴的辯護。他們說：我們用什麼話頂撞了你呢？他們否認那些話，要先知加以證明；或者，若他們說了那些話，卻不是針對神的，所以不承認其中有什麼不對；至少他們輕描淡寫：我們用什麼話頂撞了你呢？——需要如此大驚小怪嗎？他們不能否認自己曾說話反對神，卻將之視為小事，奇怪竟被留意：「言語」（他們說）*「不過是風；別人說得更多、做得更壞；我們若不如應當的好，卻盼望我們不像所描繪的那樣壞。」*請注意，未知罪、未自卑的罪人否認或輕描淡寫他們正當被指控的過失，並堅持為自己辯護，反駁話語和良心的責備，這是常見的。但這是徒然的。
3. 他們被指控的言論本身。神記錄人所說的話，如同他所行的一樣，並要讓他們知道他如此行。我們很快忘記自己所說的，又隨時否認自己所說錯的；但神可以說：*你們曾如此如此說。*他們以此為自己深思熟慮的判斷而說。
（1）他們說在事奉神中什麼也得不到，雖然那是使人服於勞苦和憂愁的服事。他們說：事奉神是徒然的，或作「事奉神的人是徒然的」——就是說，他勞苦是徒然的、毫無目的的；他為自己的勞苦所得的只是勞苦，所以為這勞苦是愚昧人。「我們遵守他所吩咐的，有什麼益處呢？」——或他的守則——我們遵守了他所規定我們遵守的，有什麼瑪門或財富可得呢？迦勒底意譯本如此說，暗示（波科克博士說）他們只是為瑪門而事奉神，因此其實根本不是事奉神，而是事奉瑪門。「我們苦苦——或穿黑衣——在萬軍之耶和華面前行走，帶著極大的端莊和憂愁，在指定的時刻刻苦己心，卻毫無改善。」也許這是作為他們不願信靠神來因他們納十分之一（瑪 3:10）而賜福他們的理由；他們說：「我們在別的事上試過他，卻在他身上吃虧了。」這是對神服事的極不公正、極不合理的抱怨，我們可以傳喚足夠的見證人來反駁這誹謗。[1.] 他們要人以為他們事奉了神、遵守了他的典章，而其實他們只是保持了外在的遵守，對本分的內在部分卻完全陌生，所以才會說徒然。神如此說（太 15:9）：他們口中親近我，心卻遠離我，所以拜我也是枉然；但那是誰的錯呢？不是神的——神是那些殷勤尋求他之人的賞賜者——而是那些漫不經心尋求他的人的。[2.] 他們堅稱自己在神面前苦苦行走，然而神所要求的是他們以歡喜事奉他、在他面前愉快行走。他們因自己的迷信使事奉神成了自己的苦差和苦役，然後又抱怨它是辛苦的服事。基督的軛是容易的；反基督者的軛才是重的。[3.] 他們抱怨自己因信仰一無所獲；他們仍在貧窮和患難中，在世上落後。這是一個古老的褻瀆。伯 21:14-15：我們若向他禱告，有什麼益處呢？以利戶指控約伯說過類似的話。伯 34:9：人以神為樂，總是無益。信仰的仇敵不過是拿那些早已被回答和駁斥的老舊詭辯來反對它。也許這是指向撒都該人派的錯謬——那是猶太教會末期的恥辱；他們否認來世，然後說事奉神是徒然的——這話確有一些道理，因為我們若只在今生有指望，就算比眾人更可憐（林前 15:19）。請注意，那些說信仰是無益或不愉快之事的人大大虧損了神的榮耀；因為事實並非如此：智慧的道是安樂，智慧的收益勝過精金。
（2）他們斷言邪惡是通往興盛的道路，因為他們觀察到行惡的人在世上被高舉，試探神的人卻得釋放（瑪 3:15）。罪人在其罪中的外在興盛，既曾使敬虔者在敬虔上手發軟（詩 73:13），也使惡人在邪惡上膽壯手壯。請注意：[1.] 那些行惡的人以放肆的罪試探神；他們彷彿在試驗神，看他能否並肯否照他話語中所說的懲罰他們，實際上是挑釁他盡其所能。[2.] 那些以惡行試探神的人，有時既從他們公正陷入的逆境中被救出，又被提升到他們完全不配的興盛中。他們不但一次被高舉，而且當我們以為他們傾覆的日子到了、他們陷入患難時，他們又被救出、再次被高舉；護理如此奇異地向他們微笑。[3.] 雖然如此，這卻不能使我們有理由稱狂傲的人為有福。因為他們也許暫時被救出和高舉，卻必顯明神抵擋他們，他們的驕傲是他們傾覆的前奏；若如此，他們實在是悲慘的，稱他們為有福是愚昧的，祝福耶和華所憎惡的人。等一等，你們必看見那些行惡的人被高舉作神報復之箭的靶子，那些試探神的人被交給刑罰者。當這些驕傲罪人的判決（在此隨後[瑪 4:1]）被徹底執行時，當照不久之後事情將顯露的樣子來判斷。
II. 此處神留意了錫安聖徒敬虔的談論，並恩惠地予以回報。即使在這敗壞墮落的時代——當嚴肅的敬虔如此衰微，不，如此被藐視——卻仍有一些人保持了他們的正直和對神的熱心；讓我們來看，
1. 他們如何分別自己，他們的品格是什麼；與那些說了那麼多反對神的話的人正好相反；因為（1）他們敬畏耶和華——那是智慧的開端和一切信仰的根基；他們尊敬神的威嚴，順服他的權柄，在他們所思所說的一切中都畏懼他的怒氣；他們謙卑地順應神，從不說任何強硬的話反對他。每個時代都有敬畏耶和華的餘民，雖然有時只是少數。（2）他們思念他的名；他們認真思考並經常默想神在他的話語和護理中所啟示的自己，他們對他的默想對他們是甘甜的，並影響他們。他們思念他的名；他們顧念神的榮耀，並以此為他們一切所行的最終目的。請注意，那些認識神名的人當經常思念它，在思想中停留其上；這是一個豐富而精緻的主題，經常思念它將大大有助於我們與神的相交，並激發我們對他的敬虔情感。（3）他們彼此談論他們所敬畏的神，以及他們如此深思的那個名；因為心裏所充滿的，口裏就說出來；好人從那裏的好寶藏裏拿出好東西來。**那些敬畏耶和華的人在一起——如同彼此為伴的人；他們親切而溫暖地彼此交談，為了保持和促進彼此的愛，免得當罪惡如此增多時，愛就冷淡了。他們有智慧而造就人地彼此交談，為了增加和改善信心和聖潔；他們彼此交談，用那些敬畏耶和華、思念他名之人的語言——迦南的語言。當褻瀆已達到如此高度——踐踏一切神聖之物時，那時敬畏耶和華的人就彼此談論。[1.] 那時，當罪惡大膽而公開時，神的百姓就勇敢起來，激動自己——無辜的人攻擊假冒為善的人（伯 17:8）。別人越壞，我們當越好；當罪惡肆無忌憚時，美德不可畏縮。[2.] 那時，當信仰被毀謗和歪曲時，它的朋友們竭力支持它的聲譽，維持它的體面。有人暗示神的道是憂鬱不快的路——孤單而悲傷；因此那時敬畏神的人致力於以他們在彼此相愛和相交中的喜樂來證明相反的事實，好堵住無知愚妄人的口。[3.] 那時，當誘惑者忙於欺騙、以反對信仰的偏見侵佔不小心的靈魂時，敬畏神的人勤勉地以彼此的教導、激勵和鼓勵來武裝自己和彼此，對抗這傳染病，並堅固彼此的手。邪惡的交往敗壞善良的心思和品行，照樣善良的交往堅固它們。
2. 神如何尊榮他們，並為他們預備了何等進一步的尊榮和恩惠。那些強硬說話反對神的人，無疑帶著輕蔑和不高興看那些敬畏他的人，威嚇和嘲弄他們；但他們不必在意，也不必為此煩惱——因為神抬舉了他們。
（1）他留意了他們敬虔的談論，恩惠地臨在他們的會談中：耶和華側耳而聽，且十分喜悅。神說（耶 8:6）他側耳聽壞人會說什麼，他們*說得不正；此處他側耳聽好人所說的，因為他們說得正。請注意，恩惠的神留意他百姓口中一切恩惠的言語；他們不必求人聽見他們、稱讚他們；他們不必以這些話求人的稱讚，也不必在乎人的注意；讓他們滿足於此——無論會談多麼私下，神在暗中看見聽見，並要公開報答。*當兩個門徒往以馬忤斯去的路上談論基督時，他側耳而聽，加入他們中間，成為第三者（路 24:15）。
（2）他記錄了它們：*有紀念冊在他面前記錄。*不是說永恆的心需要書籍和文字來提醒事物，這是照人的方式說的話，暗示他們敬虔的情感和行為被如此確切而具體地記念，如同被記在書上一樣，如同為他們一切的會談存留日記一樣。偉大的君王有紀念冊寫成，在他們面前宣讀，其中記載了一切為他們所做的服事——何時、由誰所做，如斯 2:23。神照樣記念他百姓的服事，以便在回顧時可以說：*好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人，可以進來享受你主人的快樂。*神為他哀傷者的歎息和眼淚有冊子（詩 56:8），更何況為他辯護者的辯白。從未有一句為神說的、或為神而發的好話，出於誠實的心，不被記錄的——好在義人復活時得報答，決不失去它的賞賜。
（3）他應許他們將來分享他的榮耀（瑪 3:17）：萬軍之耶和華說：在我所定的日子，他們必屬我，作我特有的產業。當神因猶太教會和民族的不信而徹底剪除他們時，他們中間的餘民——那些信他話語的，並等候以色列的安慰者、在他來到時歡迎他的——必被接納進入基督教會，成為神特有的子民；神必看顧他們，使他們不與那些不信的人一同滅亡；而是在耶和華向那民族發怒的日子被隱藏。他們必作我的 segullah——我特有的產業（這是出 19:5所用的詞），在我成就或行我所說所定意之事的日子；有人如此讀。這些敬虔的人必享有神以色列人一切榮耀的特權，並集中在他們身上；當其餘的人被棄絕時，他們如今要成為他特有的產業；當其餘的被造成忿怒和羞恥的器皿——無用的器皿時，他們如今要成為憐憫和尊榮的器皿。這可以應用於神一切忠心的子民，以及他在大日要在他們與別人之間所作的區分。請注意：[1.] 聖徒是神的珠寶；他們被他所高度看重，是親愛他的；他們以他所賜的華美為美，他樂於以他們為榮；他們是他手中的冕旒（賽 62:3）。他看他們如同自己正當的產業、精選的產業、他的寶藏——藏在他櫃中的、他內室的陳設（詩 135:4）。世界其餘的一切與他們相比不過是廢物。[2.] 將有一日來到，神要收拾他的珠寶。他們要從如今被拋棄其中的塵土中被撿起，又從如今分散到的一切地方被聚集；他要差遣使者將他的選民——就是他的珠寶——從天這邊到天那邊招聚了來（太 24:31），將他的珠寶收進他的珠寶庫，如同從各塊田地將麥子收進倉裏。那時一切聖徒要被招聚到基督那裏——而且只有聖徒——並要成為完全的聖徒；那時神的珠寶要被收拾成冠冕上的寶石，如同星辰組成星座。[3.] 那些如今認神為自己的神的，他那時必認他們為自己的——在天使和人面前公開承認：*「他們必屬我。」*他們的成聖要得以完全，如此他們要完全而全然屬他——不再有世界和肉體任何殘留的利益在其中。他們與神的關係要被承認，以及他在他們中的所有權。他要將他們從那些不屬他的人中間分別出來，並將他們與那些屬他的人同得分業；因為對他們要說：*你們這蒙我父賜福的，可來承受那創世以來為你們所預備的國。*他們有時懷疑自己是否屬神；但那時這事必不再有疑問。神自己要對他們說：你們是我的。**如今他們與神的關係是他們被羞辱的緣由，但那時要被誇耀；神自己要以之為榮。
（4）他應許他們如今分享他的恩典：我必憐恤他們，如同人憐恤服事自己的兒子。神已應許認他們為自己的，並帶他們與他同在；但他們想到自己曾得罪神，他可能公正地不認他們、棄絕他們，這可能使他們灰心；但關於這點他說：「我必憐恤他們；我必不照他們所當得的待他們。我必因他們歡樂」（有人如此解釋）「如同新郎因新婦歡樂」（賽 62:5；番 3:17）。但這詞通常指帶著同情和憐憫的寬恕——如同父親憐恤兒女（詩 103:13）。請注意：[1.] 我們當以兒子的心志事奉神。我們當作他的兒女——必須藉重生得與神的性情有分，必須同意收養之約並有兒子的心靈。我們也當作他的僕人；神不願他的兒女在閒懶中被養育；他們必須服事他，而且必須從愛的原則出發，帶著歡喜和愉快，並作為在其中服事自己真正利益的人——這就是兒子與父親那樣服事（腓 2:22）。[2.] 我們若以兒子的心志事奉神，他必以父親的溫柔和憐憫寬恕我們。連事奉他的神的兒女也需要寬恕的憐憫——那使我們不致消滅的憐憫，那保守我們不出地獄的憐憫。尼希米在行了許多善事之後，既知道*世上沒有不犯罪的義人，*又知道每一罪都當得神的怒氣，就禱告說：*主啊，照你極大的恩典寬恕我；*見尼 13:22。神如同父親，要向他們施這憐憫。他不苛求記錄我們所做錯的，卻要看我們和我們可憐的表現的最好一面；他要減輕他的兒女所受的患難，救他們脫離他們所當得的毀滅。父親繼續寬恕兒子，並帶著喜悅如此行，因為他是自己的；如此神要寬恕謙卑悔改和懇求的人——*如同人憐恤服事自己的兒子，*雖然我們如此少服事他——不，雖然我們如此多地虧負他。
3. 他們將如何與這世界之子分別出來（瑪 3:18）：「那時你們必歸回，將善人和惡人，事奉神和不事奉神的人，分別出來。」你們如今說話反對神——說他不分好壞，所以說事奉他是徒然的（瑪 3:14）——你們必被使看見自己的錯誤；你們想要為神說話，卻不知道該說什麼——關於義人和惡人似乎遭遇都一樣、凡事臨到眾人的事——那時必將事情放在真光中，你們也必永遠滿足地看見善人和惡人之間的分別。那時你們必歸回——就是說，你們要改變心意，對這事有正確的理解。這首先是指信猶太人與那些堅持不信的人在耶路撒冷以及猶太教會和民族被羅馬人毀滅時，神的護理所顯明的明顯區別。但它的完全應驗要在耶穌基督第二次降臨時，在那大分別的日子，那時要很容易將義人和惡人分別出來。請注意：（1）人類的一切兒女不是義人就是惡人——不是事奉神的，就是不事奉神的。這是對人類兒女的劃分——這劃分要持續到永遠，並藉此決定他們永遠的歸宿；一切人不是往天堂就是往地獄。（2）在這世上，將義人和惡人分別出來往往是困難的。他們混雜在一起——好魚和壞魚在同一個網裏。義人如此失調，惡人如此偽裝，以致我們對兩者的判斷常常受騙。有許多人我們以為事奉神，他們的心卻不正直，將被發現不是他的僕人；另一方面，也有許多人將被發現是他忠心的僕人，他們因為不與我們同跟從，我們就以為他們不事奉他。但此處特別使這事困難的是，神的護理似乎在義人和惡人之間不作區分；你不能因神向惡人皺眉就認出他們，因為他們在世上通常興盛，也不能因神向義人微笑就認出他們，因為他們與別人一同陷入同樣的共同災難中。無人如今能藉眼前一切知道神的愛或恨（傳 9:1）。（3）在基督的審判台前，在末日的審判中，將義人和惡人分別出來將是容易的；因為那時每人的品格都要得以完全並被完全揭露，每人都要露出真面目，他的偽裝要被揭去。有些人的罪確實走在前面，如今你就能判斷誰是惡人，但另一些人隨後才到；然而在大日我們必看見誰是義人誰是惡人。每人的境況也同樣要得以完全並永遠定局；義人那時要完全幸福，惡人要完全悲慘——毫無摻雜或減輕。當義人全被安置在基督的右邊、被請來承受祝福，而惡人全在他的左邊、被告知帶著咒詛離開時，那時就容易將他們分別了。因此，關於我們自己，我們當思想我們將與哪一群同分；關於別人，我們當甚麼都不要論斷，只等主來。
英文原文
Wicked Conversation Reproved; Evil Maxims of Sinners; Pious Converse Commended; Promises to the Godly (400 BC)
¹³ Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
¹⁴ Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
¹⁵ And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
¹⁶ Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
¹⁷ And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
¹⁸ Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Among the people of the Jews at this time, though they all enjoyed the same privileges and advantages, there were men of very different characters (as ever were, and ever will be, in the world and in the church), like Jeremiah's figs, some very good and others very bad, some that plainly appeared to be the children of God and others that as plainly discovered themselves to be the children of the wicked one. There are tares and wheat in the same field, chaff and corn in the same floor; and here we have an account of both.
I. Here is the angry notice God takes of the impudent blasphemous talk of the sinners in Zion and his just resentments of it. Probably there was a club of them that were in league against religion, that set up for wits, and set their wits on work to run it down and ridicule it, and herein strengthened one another's hands. Here is,
1. An indictment found against them, for treasonable words spoken against the King of kings: Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. They spoke against God, in reflection upon him, in contradiction to him, as their fathers in the wilderness (Ps 70:19); yea, they spoke against God. What he said, and what he designed, they opposed, as if they had been retained of counsel against him and his cause. Their words against God were stout; they came from their pride, and haughtiness, and contempt of God. What they said against God they spoke loudly, as if they cared not who heard them; they were not themselves ashamed to say it, and they desired to propagate their atheistical notions and to infect the minds of others with them. They spoke it boldly, as those that were resolved to stand to it, and were in no fear of being called to an account. They spoke it proudly, and with insolence and disdain, scorning to be under the divine check and government. They strengthened themselves; they would be valiant against the Almighty, Job 15:25.
2. Their plea to this indictment. They said, What have we spoken so much against thee? They deny the words, and put the prophet to prove them; or, if they spoke the words, they did not design them against God, and therefore will not own there was any harm in them; at least they extenuate the matter: What have we spoken so much against thee, so much that there needs all this ado about it? They cannot deny that they have spoken against God, but they make a light matter of it, and wonder it should be taken notice of: "Words" (say they) "are but wind; others have said more and done worse; if we are not so good as we should be, yet we hope we are not so bad as we are represented to be." Note, It is common for sinners that are unconvinced and unhumbled to deny or extenuate the faults they are justly charged with, and to insist upon their own justification, against the reproofs of the word and of their own consciences. But it will be to no purpose.
3. The words themselves which they are charged with. God keeps an account of what men say, as well as of what they do, and will let them know that he does so. We quickly forget what we have said, and are ready to deny what we have said amiss; but God can say, You have said so and so. They had said it as their deliberate judgment.
(1.) That there is nothing to be got in the service of God, thought it is a service that subjects men to labour and sorrow. They said, It is vain to serve God, or, "He is vain that serves God, that is, he labours in vain and to no purpose; he has his labour for his pains, and therefore is a fool for his labour. What profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, or his observation, that we have observed what he has appointed us to observe?" What mammon, or wealth, have we gained, says the Chaldee, intimating (says Dr. Pocock) that it was for mammon's sake only that they served God, and so indeed not God at all, but mammon. "We have walked mournfully, or in black, with great gravity and great grief, before the Lord of hosts, have afflicted our souls at the times appointed for that purpose, and yet we are never the better." Perhaps this comes in as a reason why they would not trust God to prosper them upon their bringing in the tithes (Mal 3:10); "For," say they, "we have tried him in other things, and have lost by him." This is a very unjust and unreasonable reflection upon the service of God, and we can call witnesses enough to confront the slander. [1.] They would have it thought that they had served God and had kept his ordinances, whereas it was only the external observance of them that they had kept up, while they were perfect strangers to the inward part of the duty, and therefore might say, It is in vain. God says so (Mt 15:9), In vain do those worship me whose hearts are far from me while they draw near with their mouth; but whose fault is that? Not God's, who is the rewarder of those that seek him diligently, but theirs who seek him carelessly. [2.] They insisted much upon it that they had walked mournfully before God, whereas God had required them to serve him with gladness, and to walk cheerfully before him. They by their own superstitions made the service of God a task and drudgery to themselves, and then complained of it as a hard service. The yoke of Christ is easy; it is the yoke of antichrist that is heavy. [3.] They complained that they had got nothing by their religion; they were still in poverty and affliction, and behindhand in the world. This is an old piece of impiety. Job 21:14,15, What profit shall we have if we pray unto him? Elihu charges Job with saying something like this. Job 34:9, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. The enemies of religion do but set up against it the old cavils that have been long since answered and exploded. Perhaps this refers to the errors of the sect of the Sadducees, which was the scandal of the Jewish church in its latter days; they denied a future state, and then said, It is vain to serve God, which has indeed some colour in it, for, if in this life only we had hope in Christ, we were of all men most miserable, 1Co 15:19. Note, Those do a great deal of wrong to God's honour who say that religion is either an unprofitable or an unpleasant thing; for the matter is not so: wisdom's ways are pleasantness, and wisdom's gains better than that of fine gold.
(2.) They maintained that wickedness was the way to prosperity, for they had observed that the workers of wickedness were set up in the world, and those that tempted God were delivered, Mal 3:15. The outward prosperity of sinners in their sins, as it has weakened the hands of the godly in their godliness (Ps 73:13), so it has strengthened the hands of the wicked in their wickedness. Note, [1.] Those that work wickedness tempt God by presumptuous sins; they do, as it were, try God, whether he can and will punish them as he has said in his word, and, in effect, challenge him to do his worst, by provoking him in the highest degree. [2.] Those that tempt God by their wicked works are many times both delivered out of the adversity into which they were justly brought and advanced to the prosperity which they were utterly unworthy of. They are not only set up once, but when we thought their day had come to fall, and they were in trouble, they were delivered and set up again; so strangely did Providence seem to smile upon them. [3.] Though it be thus, yet it will not warrant us to call the proud happy. For they may be delivered and set up for a while, but it will appear that God resists them, and that their pride is a preface to their fall; and, if so, they are truly miserable, and it is folly to call them happy, and to bless those whom the Lord abhors. Wait awhile, and you shall see those that work wickedness set up as a mark to the arrows of God's vengeance, and those that tempt God delivered to the tormentors. Judge of things as they will appear shortly, when the doom of these proud sinners (which follows here, Mal 4:1) comes to be executed to the utmost.
II. Here is the gracious notice God takes of the pious talk of the saints in Zion, and the gracious recompence of it. Even in this corrupt and degenerate age, when there was so great a decay, nay, so great a contempt, of serious godliness, there were yet some that retained their integrity and zeal for God; and let us see,
1. How they distinguished themselves, and what their character was; it was the reverse of theirs that spoke so much against God; for, (1.) They feared the Lord—that is the beginning of wisdom and the root of all religion; they reverenced the majesty of God, submitted to his authority, and had a dread of his wrath in all they thought and said; they humbly complied with God, and never spoke any stout words against him. In every age there has been a remnant that feared the Lord, though sometimes but a little remnant. (2.) They thought upon his name; they seriously considered and frequently mediated upon the discoveries God has made of himself in his word and by his providences, and their mediation of him was sweet to them and influenced them. They thought on his name; they consulted the honour of God and aimed at that as their ultimate end in all they did. Note, Those that know the name of God should often think of it and dwell upon it in their thoughts; it is a copious curious subject, and frequent thoughts of it will contribute very much to our communion with God and the stirring up of our devout affections to him. (3.) They spoke often one to another concerning the God they feared, and that name of his which they thought so much of; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak, and a good man, out of a good treasure there, will bring forth good things. Those that feared the Lord kept together as those that were company for each other; they spoke kindly and endearingly one to another, for the preserving and promoting of mutual love, that that might not wax cold when iniquity did thus abound. They spoke intelligently and edifyingly to one another, for the increasing and improving of faith and holiness; they spoke one to another in the language of those that fear the Lord and think on his name—the language of Canaan. When profaneness had come to so great a height as to trample upon all that is sacred, then those that feared the Lord spoke often one to another. [1.] Then, when iniquity was bold and barefaced, the people of God took courage, and stirred up themselves, the innocent against the hypocrite, Job 17:8. The worse others are the better we should be; when vice is daring, let not virtue be sneaking. [2.] Then, when religion was reproached and misrepresented, its friends did all they could to support the credit of it and to keep it in countenance. It had been suggested that the ways of God are melancholy unpleasant ways, solitary and sorrowful; and therefore then those that feared God studied to evince the contrary by their cheerfulness in mutual love and converse, that they might put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. [3.] Then, when seducers were busy to deceive and to possess unwary souls with prejudices against religion, those that feared God were industrious to arm themselves and one another against the contagion by mutual instructions, excitements, and encouragements, and to strengthen one another's hands. As evil communication corrupts good minds and manners, so good communication confirms them.
2. How God dignified them, and what further honour and favour he intended for them. Those who spoke stoutly against God, no doubt looked with disdain and displeasure upon those that feared him, hectored and bantered them; but they had little reason to regard that, or be disturbed at it, when God countenanced them.
(1.) He took notice of their pious discourses, and was graciously present at their conferences: The Lord hearkened and heard it, and was well pleased with it. God says (Jer 8:6) that he hearkened and heard what bad men would say, and they spoke not aright; here he hearkened and heard what good men did say, for they spoke aright. Note, The gracious God observes all the gracious words that proceed out of the mouths of his people; they need not desire that men may hear them, and commend them; let them not seek praise from men by them, nor affect to be taken notice of by them; but let it satisfy them that, be the conference ever so private, God sees and hears in secret and will reward openly. When the two disciples, going to Emmaus, were discoursing concerning Christ, he hearkened and heard, and joined himself to them, and made a third, Lu 24:15.
(2.) He kept an account of them: A book of remembrance was written before him. Not that the Eternal Mind needs to be reminded of things by books and writings, but it is an expression after the manner of men, intimating that their pious affections and performances are kept in remembrance as punctually and particularly as if they were written in a book, as if journals were kept of all their conferences. Great kings had books of remembrance written, and read before them, in which were entered all the services done them, when, and by whom, as Es 2:23. God, in like manner, remembers the services of his people, that, in the review of them, he may say, Well done; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. God has a book for the sighs and tears of his mourners (Ps 56:8), much more for the pleadings of his advocates. Never was any good word spoken of God, or for God, from an honest heart, but it was registered, that it might be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, and in no wise lose its reward.
(3.) He promises them a share in his glory hereafter (Mal 3:17): They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels. When God utterly cuts off the Jewish church and nation for their infidelity, the remnant among them, that believed his word, and, having waited for the consolation of Israel, welcome him when he comes, shall be admitted into the Christian church, and shall become a peculiar people to God; God will take care of them, that they perish not with those that believe not; but that they be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger against that nation. They shall be my segullah—my peculiar treasure (it is the word used, Ex 19:5), in the day when I make or do what I have said and designed to do; so some read it. These pious ones shall have all the glorious privileges of God's Israel appropriated to them and centering in them; they shall now be his peculiar treasure, when the rest are rejected; they shall now be the vessels of mercy and honour, when the rest are made vessels of wrath and dishonour, vessels in which is no pleasure. This may be applied to all the faithful people of God, and the distinction he will put between them and others in the great day. Note, [1.] The saints are God's jewels; they are highly esteemed by him and are dear to him; they are comely with the comeliness that he puts upon them, and he is pleased to glory in them; they are a royal diadem in his hand, Isa 62:3. He looks upon them as his own proper goods, his choice goods, his treasure, laid up in his cabinet, and the furniture of his closet, Ps 135:4. The rest of the world is but lumber, in comparison with them. [2.] There is a day coming when God will make up his jewels. They shall be gathered up out of the dirt into which they are now thrown, and gathered together from all places to which they are now scattered; he shall send forth his angels to gather his elect, who are his jewels, from the four winds of heaven (Mt 24:31), to gather his jewels into his jewel-house, as the wheat from several fields into the barn. All the saints will then be gathered to Christ, and none but saints, and saints made perfect; then God's jewels will be made up, as stones into a crown, as stars into a constellation. [3.] Those who now own God for theirs, he will then own for his, will publicly confess them before angels and men: "They shall be mine; their sanctification shall be completed, and so they shall be perfectly and entirely mine, without any remaining interests of the world and the flesh." Their relation to God shall be acknowledged, and his property in them. He will separate them from those that are not his, and give them their portion with those that are his; for to them it shall be said, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. They were in doubt, sometimes, whether they were belonging to God or no; but the matter shall then be put out of doubt. God himself will say unto them, You are mine. Now their relation to God is what they are reproached with, but it will then be gloried in; God himself will glory in it.
(4.) He promises them a share in his grace now: I will spare them as a man spares his own son that serves him. God had promised to own them as his and take them to be with him; but it might be a discouragement to them to think that they had offended God, and that he might justly disown them, and cast them off; but, as to that, he says, "I will spare them; I will not deal with them as they deserve. I will rejoice over them" (so some expound it) "as the bridegroom over his bride," Isa 62:5, Zep 3:17. But the word usually signifies to spare with commiseration and compassion, as a father pities his children, Ps 103:13. Note, [1.] It is our duty to serve God with the disposition of children. We must be his sons, must by a new birth partake of a divine nature, must consent to the covenant of adoption and partake of the spirit of adoption. And we must be his servants; God will not have his children trained up in idleness; they must do him service, and they must do it from a principle of love, with cheerfulness and delight, and as those that are therein serving their own true interest, and this is serving as a son with the father, Php 2:22. [2.] If we serve God with the disposition of children, he will spare us with the tenderness and compassion of a Father. Even God's children that serve him stand in need of sparing mercy, that mercy to which we owe it that we are not consumed, that mercy which keeps us out of hell. Nehemiah, when he had done much good, yet, knowing there is not a just man on earth, that does good and sins not, and that every sin deserves God's wrath, prays, Lord, spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy; see Ne 13:22. And God, as a Father, will show them this mercy. He will not be extreme to mark what we do amiss, but will make the best of us and our poor performances; he will mitigate the afflictions his children are exercised with, and save them from the ruin they deserve. The father continues to spare the son, and does it with complacency, because he is his own; thus God will spare humble penitents and petitioners, as a man spares his son that serves him, though we do him so little service, nay, though we do him so much disservice.
3. How they will thus be distinguished from the children of this world (Mal 3:18): "Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between sinners and saints, between those that serve God and make conscience of their duty to him and those that serve him not, but put contempt upon his service. You that now speak against God as making no difference between good and bad, and therefore say, It is in vain to serve him (Mal 3:14), you shall be made to see your error; you that would speak for God, but know not what to say as to this, that there seems to be one event to the righteous and to the wicked, and all things come alike to all, will then have the matter set in a true light, and will see, to your everlasting satisfaction, the difference between the righteous and the wicked. Then you shall return, that is, you shall change you mind, and come to a right understanding of the thing." This primarily respects the manifest difference that was made by the divine Providence between the believing Jews and those that persisted in their infidelity, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Jewish church and nation, by the Romans. But it is to have its full accomplishment at the second coming of Jesus Christ, and on that great discriminating day when it shall be easy enough to discern between the righteous and the wicked. Note, (1.) All the children of men are either righteous or wicked, either such as serve God or such as serve him not. This is that division of the children of men which will last for ever, and by which their eternal state will be determined; all are going either to heaven or to hell. (2.) In this world it is often hard to discern between the righteous and the wicked. They are mingled together, good fish and bad in the same net. The righteous are so distempered, and the wicked so disguised, that we are often deceived in our opinions concerning both the one and the other. There are many who, we think, serve God, who, having not their hearts right with him, will be found none of his servants; and, on the other hand, many will be found his faithful servants, who, because they followed not with us, did not, as we thought, serve him. But that which especially raised the difficulty here was that the divine Providence seemed to make no difference between the righteous and the wicked; you could not know wicked men by God's frowning upon them, for they commonly prospered in the world, nor righteous men by his smiling upon them, for they were involved with others in the same common calamity. None now knows God's love or hatred by all that is before him, Ec 9:1. (3.) At the bar of Christ, in the last judgment, it will be easy to discern between the righteous and the wicked; for then every man's character will be both perfected and perfectly discovered, every man will then appear in his true colours, and his disguises will be taken off. Some men's sins indeed go beforehand, and you may now tell who is wicked, but others follow after; however, in the great day, we shall see who was righteous and who wicked. Every man's condition likewise will be both perfected and everlastingly determined; the righteous will then be perfectly happy and the wicked perfectly miserable, without mixture or allay. When the righteous are all set on the right hand of Christ, and invited to come for a blessing, and all the wicked on his left hand, and are told to depart with a curse, then it will be easy to discern between them. As to ourselves, therefore, we are concerned to think among which we shall have our lot, and, as to others, we must judge nothing before the time.
在本章中我們看到：I. 彌賽亞及其先鋒降臨的應許；他來所要成就的使命在此特別描述，包括他的降臨為他的教會和百姓帶來的安慰，以及為惡人帶來的驚嚇（瑪 3:1-6）。II. 責備猶太人敗壞神的典章並褻瀆地奪取他當得的供物，同時吩咐他們改正此事，並應許他們若如此行，神必以憐憫轉向他們（瑪 3:7-12）。III. 描述那頂撞神的惡人的邪惡（瑪 3:13-15），以及那為神說話的義人的公義，並賜給他們的寶貴應許（瑪 3:16-18）。