procese took effect especially amoog the religious people of that day (ver. 3). Judg- meut began at the house of God. Some priests believed in him; few, if any, confessed him. Of most he had to say Matt. xxi. 31; ancl see vers. 44, 45. II. 'l'o THE MANIFESTA'l'ION OF C1mI8T TO THE SOUL OF A MAN. It was not the mere fact of Christ having come to the world and being seen that made him like a refiner's fire; it was when he came home to men's hearts and was manifested to their consciences that the real testiog began. In this sense Christ still comes to our homes and appears to our hearts. Of this manifestation we remark: 1. We naturally dread it. John i. 26 is too often true. Many shun that manifestation. They put up the shutters and close every chink, "lest the light," etc. (2 Cor. iv. 4). Thus they can tolerate secret sins of which they would be ashamed "in the light of his countenance." Imagine that we were living in the same house as Jesus Christ, that he noticed every act and word, and that we knew he was acquainted with our thoughts as well. How could we bear it? Should we not at times be constrained to cry out, in distress, if not in defiance, "Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord " ? But alas ! we often do not realize "the real presence" of the invisible Christ. ·when we dC>, our feelings will be those of guilty Adam or at least of righteous Job. 2. Yet we ought to desire it. For everything depends on our knowing ourselves as sinners, and Christ as our Saviour. This should make us very anxious that when Christ reveals himself it may he not simply as the light of God, but as the fire of God. Light merely reveals, Illust.: morning light dawning on the horrors of yesterday's battle-field. But fire may purify, and Christ is like a refiner's fire. The two figures of the text are suggestive. "Two sorts of material for cleansing are mentioned: the one severe, where the baser materials aro in worked with the rich ore; the other mild, where the defilement is easily separable." (1) He is like a refiner's fire. Illust.: Zacchreus "purged from his old sins" by Christ, who not only came to his home, but appeared, manifested himself in his"heart. Like the flame of the fiery furnace, the fire of the Lord's holy love consumed the bonds of sin, but the man himself stood upright and walked at liberty. This refining process may be a very severe one to us. But the refining fire is himself the Refiner. He knows the ore he has to deal with. We can calmly leave him to select every step in the process. We know that he is working towards an end which is, or ought to be, very dear to us-our own sanctification (Ps. lxxi.x.. 9). (2) He is like fuller's soap. This is a milder process. Yet even.this may imply some rough treatment like treading, beating, hammering with mallets. Linen after cleansing may show how much dirt there was in it before. So Christ's purifying power may show us how many secret sins there were ingrained in the very essence of our hearts. The discovery may prompt to confession and to prayer (Ps. li. l-,-10), which will be met by the promise, Isa. i. 18. Christ i!l no mere reformer or disciplinarian. He himself is the fire; his blood is the cleansing fountain ; his Spirit is the source of our sanctification. Our supreme desire should be that Christ should be manifested to our souls now as the purifying fire of that holy God who, because he changeth not, doth not consume us (ver. 6). For otherwise he will for the same:reason (vers. 5, 6, "For I change not") consume us at last. III. To THE SECOND 0OMING . OF CHRIST. In this prophecy, as Augustine says, "the first and second advents of Christ are brought together." Malachi sees the great white throne in the background (eh. iv. 1). 'fhe result of that coming to us will depend on his treatment of us and our treatment of him now (2 Tim. i. lS).
Ver. 6.-The twofold aspect of the unchangeableness of God. Thrae truths are taught here. I. 'l'HAT Goo IS UN0HANGEABLE. 1. His nature is a pledge of it. Being absolutely perfect, any change of nature must be for the worse. The ''light" (1 John i. 5) would be dimmed; any "variation " would cause " a shadow that is cast by turning " (Jas. i. 17, Revised Version). He is "Alpha and Omega," and not an intervening letter can be displaced; not a" jot or tittle" can pass away. 2. His Name declares it.. Whether we interpret the Divine Name, "I am tlmt I am," or" I will be that I will be," unchangeableness is implied. He "is, and was, and is to come, the Almighty." Ho has emotions, but those are not the capricious feelings of a chaugeable creature; e.q. contrast the wrnth of God and that of King Nebuchartnezzar in Dan. ii. and iii. lie revoke~ promises or reverses threats; but he "cannot lie" (Titus i. 2 ; cf. ~ umli. 4-4 THE BOOK OF MAi...oACHI. [on, nr. 1-18.