There are many promises in Malachi 3 given for God’s people to anticipate. The chapter opens, “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come.”
This was partially fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. Unfortunately, when Jesus came to His own, they did not receive Him. A day is coming in the future when He will return.
When He came the first time, He entered the temple and did some house cleaning as described in John 2. He was like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap, but His own people, especially the religious leaders, resisted His initiative.
When He comes a second time the prophet warns, “Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?...He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver” (verses 2-4). I believe this purifying process for those in Judah and Jerusalem will take place during the tribulation period. For those in the church there will be what Paul describes in 1st Corinthians 3:13, “His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.”
