Malachi , Sarah Barry
WHERE IS THE GOD OF JUSTICE?
Passage: Malachi 2:17~3:5  
Key verse: 3:1
Breaking Covenant Through Injustice
17 You have wearied(A) the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.(B)
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased(C) with them” or “Where is the God of justice?(D)”
3 “I will send my messenger,(E) who will prepare the way before me.(F) Then suddenly the Lord(G) you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant,(H) whom you desire,(I) will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure(J) the day of his coming?(K) Who can stand(L) when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire(M) or a launderer’s soap.(N) 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;(O) he will purify(P) the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.(Q) Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,(R) 4 and the offerings(S) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.(T)
5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(U) adulterers(V) and perjurers,(W) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(X) who oppress the widows(Y) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(Z) among you of justice, but do not fear(AA) me,” says the Lord Almighty.
Cross references
- Malachi 2:17 : S Isa 1:14
- Malachi 2:17 : S Mal 1:2
- Malachi 2:17 : Ps 5:4
- Malachi 2:17 : S Ge 18:25; S Job 8:3; S Eze 18:25
- Malachi 3:1 : S Nu 27:21; S 2Ch 36:15
- Malachi 3:1 : S Isa 40:3; S Mt 3:3; 11:10*; Mk 1:2*; Lk 7:27*
- Malachi 3:1 : Mic 5:2
- Malachi 3:1 : S Isa 42:6
- Malachi 3:1 : S 1Sa 9:20
- Malachi 3:2 : S Eze 22:14; Rev 6:17
- Malachi 3:2 : S Eze 7:7; S Da 7:13; S Joel 2:31; S Mt 16:27; Jas 5:8; 2Pe 3:4; S Rev 1:7
- Malachi 3:2 : S 1Sa 6:20
- Malachi 3:2 : S Isa 1:31; S 30:30; S Zec 13:9; Mt 3:10-12
- Malachi 3:2 : S Job 9:30
- Malachi 3:3 : S Da 12:10; S 1Co 3:13
- Malachi 3:3 : S 1Ch 23:28; S Isa 1:25
- Malachi 3:3 : S Job 28:1; S Ps 12:6; 1Pe 1:7; Rev 3:18
- Malachi 3:3 : S Ps 132:9
- Malachi 3:4 : 2Ch 7:12; Ps 51:19; Mal 1:11
- Malachi 3:4 : S 2Ch 7:3; S Eze 20:40
- Malachi 3:5 : S Ex 7:11; S Isa 47:9
- Malachi 3:5 : Ex 20:14; Jas 2:11; 2Pe 2:12-14
- Malachi 3:5 : Lev 19:11-12; S Jer 7:9
- Malachi 3:5 : S Lev 19:13; Jas 5:4
- Malachi 3:5 : S Ex 22:22
- Malachi 3:5 : S Ex 22:21; S Dt 24:19; S Eze 22:7
- Malachi 3:5 : S Dt 31:12; S Isa 1:2
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Where is the Lord? (2:17-3:1)
Corruption and injustice were rampant; people called evil good and good, evil. They said, 'Where is the God of justice?' They thought that there would be no day of judgment. But the prophet promised that the Lord would surely come. God would send his messenger first, to prepare the way. (John the Baptist) Suddenly God whom they had wearied with their words would appear.
2. Who can endure the day of his coming? (2-5)
When God comes among sinful men, he is like a refiner's fire. We can prepare for his coming only by repenting. He purges sin and unrighteousness from his servant people, and restores them to worship and serve him. When Jesus comes again, he will come as Judge. Sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, those who defraud and oppress the weak, and those who have no fear of God will be burned up in the refiner's fire. Those who repent and accept God's way of forgiveness are refined and purified by the fire.
Prayer: Lord, purify me so that I may welcome Jesus when he comes again.
One Word: He is like a refiner's fire