Clergyman's Magazine, 3rd Ser., vi. 296.
A Peculiar Treasure.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do make, even a peculiar treasure [A.V. in that day when I make up my jewels] ; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.— Mai. iii. 17.
Little or nothing is known historically of the prophet Malachi. It is not even certain that a prophet of that name ever lived, as the name means simply " my messenger." But if he lived, the time, the place, the circumstances of his birth are all unknown. We know nothing of his ancestors and nothing of his descendants if he had any. Like a meteor he starts up suddenly in the horizon of the Church, and, after running a brief career of exceeding brightness, he disappears as suddenly, leaving no trace behind except the few pages of thrilling prophecy with which the Old Testament closes.
If the Book of Malachi is the last prophetic book in the Old Testament, the Book of Nehemiah is the last historical book, and it would be an advantage to read these two books together, for they refer to the same period in the history of Israel. It was a period of fearful religious degeneracy. The long captivity of seventy years in a land full of idols, of a base degrading heathen- ism, far away from the Temple with its sacred ordinances, had exerted a most baneful influence on Israel and loosened the bonds which bound the nation to Jehovah. The abominations so sternly denounced by Nehemiah in his book are precisely the same as those denounced by Malachi in his book. Nehemiah as civil governor employs the rod of authority and punishes the evil- doers, while Malachi as a prophet warns, admonishes, and threatens in the name of Jehovah.
Wide and deep, however, as the degeneracy was, there were still some who feared the Lord, and thought upon His name, and trusted in His faithfulness in spite of the disorder and confusion
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of which they were the daily witnesses. What they saw around them made them draw closer together ; they would often meet in secret to commend themselves to God in prayer, as well as to cheer one another with words of hope and consolation ; and they were so blessed from above in the use of such means of mutual encouragement, as to be able to hold fast their integrity. The interest with which God looked on these " little ones " — this handful of faithful souls in a dark time — how strikingly ex- pressed ! So touched was He with the thoughts and feelings and prayers that were breathed by them, — sounds sweet in any circumstances, but still sweeter in this case in contrast with the strife and violence of the outside world, — that He is represented as causing their names to be written in a book, as if to make sure of their being kept in remembrance. And of the interest He felt in them we have still stronger evidence in the words of the text, where He says that He would claim them as His own in that day when He should bring together in its most perfect state all that was most valuable, all that was most worthy of being owned by Him, all that He would deign to store up among His most precious possessions.
Let us try to place ourselves beside Malachi, that we may understand this gracious promise of God; and may we be encouraged to examine ourselves and see whether we belong to the peculiar treasure which is His and which He has promised to spare in the great Day.
I.
The Judgment of God.
"The day."
The translation is a little difficult. Literally the words mean " In the day that I do " (or " act "). G. A. Smith translates, " In the day that I rise to action."
It is the Day of the Lord, the Day of the appearing and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Without entering upon disputed ground, it will suffice to say that we all look for some sort of termination to the present state of things, some period
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when the present strife between good and evil shall come to an end, and when the separation shall take place between those who serve the Lord and those who serve Him not. We may differ as to the manner how and the time when, but we are all agreed as to the fact. And it is an object of most pleasing contemplation to the Christian that, whether it come during his own stay upon the earth or not, still it will usher in a great and glorious time for him ; it will bring with it the perfection of his nature, the completed likeness to the Lord Jesus Christ, the redemption of his body ; and it will bring with it bright and glorious things for the world, indeed we may say (following the statement of St. Paul), for the universal creation of God ; for he tells us that the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
1. First, there will be a judgment of sins on that day; and at that judgment many will accuse Christians. Many, at least, may be supposed to do so. Satan, for example, will — the accuser of the brethren, who accuses them before God day and night (Rev. xii. 10). And conscience will, which even now compels us to exclaim, "Iniquities, I must confess, prevail against me" (Ps. lxv. 3). And may not fellow-sinners maintain that, as to this forbidden fruit, it was we that beguiled them, and made them eat ? But, worst of all, when the books of God are opened they will show what Satan cannot, no, nor self either, even the every sin of every sinner.