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STUDIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

—INTERNATIONAL S.S. LESSONS—

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE OF OUR READERS WHO ATTEND BIBLE CLASSES WHERE THESE LESSONS ARE USED; THAT THEY MAY BE ENABLED TO LEAD OTHERS INTO THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL. PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE, AT THE REQUEST OF FOREIGN READERS.

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MESSIAH’S KINGDOM

II. QUAR., LESSON XII., JUNE 18, MAL. 3:1-12

Golden Text—”They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels”—Mal. 3:17

This prophecy is addressed to Israel. It is a reproof for their wayward and evil course and a warning of the just retribution that must surely follow, if they do not repent and turn to God. Malachi was the last of the Hebrew prophets: his name signifies, The Messenger of Jehovah. He was the last messenger to Israel previous to John the baptist the immediate forerunner of Christ, the great Messenger of Jehovah’s covenant (verse 1); and well would it have been for Israel had they heeded the warning and prepared their hearts to receive the Lord’s Anointed. But this they, with the exception of a small remnant, failed to do. The promised messenger, John the baptist, came to prepare the way of the Lord, preaching repentance and remission of sins, and announcing the advent of the great “Messenger of the Covenant” made with Abraham, that in his seed should all the families of the earth be blessed.—Gen. 22:18.

But when the Lord suddenly came to his temple (the Jewish temple), they were unprepared to receive him. They were unprepared to recognize the king in his beauty, or to stand the tests of character there applied to prove their worthiness of the blessings promised in the Abrahamic covenant. But a few, a small remnant, were found ready. In meekness and humility they inclined their hearts to the testimony of the prophets, of John the baptist, of the teachings and work of Jesus of Nazareth, and of the voice from heaven which declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Such became inheritors of the Abrahamic covenant; but the nation as a whole, to whom, as the seed of Abraham, pertained the promises, lost the blessing, and received instead the fiery baptism of trouble (Mal. 4:1), which in A.D. 70 utterly destroyed their national existence, overthrew their holy city, destroyed their temple, and scattered them as fugitives among the nations, where they have been hated and persecuted, even to this day.

While it is clear that the prophecy thus addressed to Israel applied to them primarily, it is also manifest, as shown by the Lord and the apostles, that it had a much wider application; and that in a yet fuller sense it was addressed to spiritual Israel,

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of which fleshly Israel was a type; and that it applies to the second advent of the great “Messenger of the covenant,” whose work will fully accomplish all these predictions.

In the largest and fullest sense, therefore, we recognize this prophecy by Malachi as addressed to “both the houses of Israel;”—to all Israel after the flesh, toward the close of the Jewish dispensation, and subsequently to all of nominal spiritual Israel, toward the close of the Gospel dispensation. To the latter, as well as to the former, therefore, belong all the expostulations and warnings of this prophecy; and well would it be for them if they would heed the warnings. But, like their prototype, they will not do so. Only a remnant of nominal spiritual Israel heed the Word of the Lord, and to them, therefore, belong the blessings of his special favor.—Mal. 3:16,17; 4:2,3.

CHAPTER 3:1. The messenger who was to prepare the way of the Lord at his second advent, the antitype of Elias and of John the baptist, was the Church militant, the Church on earth, whose mission has been to preach among all nations the gospel of the kingdom and the second coming of Christ, the King, in power and great glory. But this testimony of the Church, like that of John the baptist, has failed to bring peace and good will among men, and consequently the predicted curse (chap. 4:5,6)—the great “time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation” (Dan. 12:1)—is about to follow.

This true Church in the flesh, in the spirit and power of Elias, has been the forerunner of Christ at his second advent. And even now we have the privilege of realizing that this glorious Messenger of the covenant, in whom we delight, has come to his temple—the elect Church. By the sure word of prophecy we recognize his presence. See MILLENNIAL DAWN, Vol. II., Chaps. v., vi.

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VERSES 2-5. “But who may abide the day of his coming?” etc. His coming is to judgment; for he is now the Judge of all the earth; all judgment is committed unto him. Blessed, indeed, are all those whose hearts are fully consecrated to God and faithful, and who are therefore approved of him. Yet even these shall be tried as gold in the fire until all their dross is eliminated and the refiner can see reflected in them his own glorious image. Then, indeed, are the sacrifices of such “pleasant unto the Lord.”

VERSE 5 declares, “I will come near to you [to the great systems which compose nominal spiritual Israel—all Christendom, so-called] to judgment. [And who cannot see in the doctrinal conflicts and in the severe handling and criticism of the creeds of Christendom to-day that the judgment has already begun?] And I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers [against those who obey and teach doctrines of devils in the name of Christianity, and thereby plunge men deeper and deeper into sin and degradation]; and against the adulterers [those who, while claiming to be the virgin of Christ, are living in unholy alliance with the world, whether it be as individuals or as religious systems professedly Christians, yet joined to and dependent upon the civil powers]; and against false swearers [those who have made a covenant with the Lord of entire consecration to him, and yet have been unfaithful]; and against those that oppose the hireling in his wages,” etc. The judgment will indeed be a close one; for every work is to be brought into judgment, with every secret thing. (Eccl. 12:14.) And it is even now begun: this is the significance of the present overturning and re-examination of every hoary dogma—civil and religious, and no power on earth can end the investigation until it has probed and exposed in all their details every evil thing.

VERSE 6. Were it not for the enduring mercy of the Lord the workers of iniquity would surely be consumed.

VERSE 7. Prompt repentance even at this critical juncture would save the “Christian world” (?), “Christendom,” from the great impending scourge. But they do not realize their condition, and are not willing to admit that they have robbed God of that which is rightly his. They have robbed him of his honor by affirming the doctrine of eternal torment, thus ascribing to God a character blacker even than Satan’s. And, while they claim to be the Lord’s children and his representatives in the world, their vows are not paid unto the Lord. Their words are stout against him, and they count it a vain thing to serve him in truth and sincerity.

But the few (among the masses of the unfaithful), who do reverence the Lord and walk in his ways, are his jewels, and shall be spared in the evil day that is coming upon the whole world. And not only will they be spared, but they will be the Lord’s peculiar treasure—”They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” (Verse 17.) To this faithful class, now gathered out of the great masses of nominal spiritual Israel, as well as to a similar class gathered out of nominal fleshly Israel in the harvest of the Jewish age, belong the precious promises of this prophecy. The elect remnant of fleshly Israel, including the apostles and all the faithful of the early Church, and the elect remnant of nominal spiritual Israel, the consecrated and faithful, will together constitute the body of Christ, and, with their Head, will soon be kings and priests unto God—the seed of Abraham in whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed during the Millennial reign. “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”—Gal. 3:29; Gen. 12:1-4.

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— June 1, 1893 —