Matthew Poole and continuators on Malachi 3:1

1 BEhold I will send my messenger , and he shall prepare the way before me : and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple , even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in: behold , he shall come , saith the LORD of hosts .

This note in this place, and on this occasion, requires our best attention, consider it well therefore all ye that enquire with doubt, and all ye that enquire with belief, that he will come, who is God of Judgment.

Or I am sending, I will shortly send; it is Christ who here speaketh, and who sendeth.

Iohn Baptist, the forerunner of Christ▪ as evidently appears from, Mat. 11.10. Mark 1.2. and Luk. 7.27, 28. He is this messenger, whom some by mistake, have taken to be an Angel, but though the word so signifieth, it doth also signifie a Messenger, and so 'tis very fitly rendered in this place, Vid. chap. 1. ver. 1. let. c.

By Preaching Repentance, because the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, by Baptizing, by calling them to believe on the Messiah, who should now ere long be revealed, &c. so Iohn Baptist made ready the people to entertain Christ, and to believe in him; this was he who came in the spirit and power of Elias, and such a one the Iews expected.

Messiah, who is Lord and Christ, Act. 2.36. Lord of Lords, Revel. 17.14. and 19.16.

You ungodly disputers, seek, but not aright, for you seek, i. e. enquire whether there be such a God of Judgment? beside these, there are others also, who did seek, i. e. humbly, longing and praying that he would come, and waiting, assured that he will come; 'tis these chiefly intended.

After the coming of his forerunner; this suddenly in the Text, is not very fitly interpreted of a time, so long as between this Prophesie, and the coming of Christ, but it very well suiteth to the time between Iohn Baptists appearing to prepare the way, and Christs appearing now the way was prepared.

That Temple, which was the second Temple at Ierusalem, lately built by Zerubbabel and Ioshua, into which the Messiah was to come, and so he did; There old Simeon met him, there he disputed with the Doctors, thither he went to drive out buyers and sellers, and this according to what was foretold of him; Hag. 2.7. and all the Religious Iewes, who lived and dyed before the desolation of this second Temple, did believe, and did confess that the Messiah would come, whilest that house did stand. He is then come, for that Temple hath been ruin'd long since by the Romans.

The Angel of the Covenant, not Elias, but Christ, the Messiah, in whose blood the Covenant of Grace was confirmed, for whose sake 'tis performed to us.

You Iewes, among whom, few there are, who do not please themselves to think of his coming, for the expectation of the best among the Iews, was fixt on Salvation, as that they hoped for by Christ. Others expected great, but worldly advantage by his coming, and setting up his Kingdom among them.

Behold again, saith the Prophet, consider throughly what is foretold.

At the time, to the place, in the manner foreshewed.

All confirmed by the word of the great God.

The former Chapter, as we have it cast; ended with an enquiry made by vitious and ungodly Priests and People, who either doubted, or denyed the present Government, or future Judgment of God over the World. This being reproved in the last verse of the second Chapter; Now God condescends to give a very full and particular answer to this question, for the instruction and consolation of the good; whatever use the evil will make of it.

Marginal references: Luke 1.76.