p. 705 | In the Question Chair

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 29, 1901

In the Question Chair.

[Designed for the consideration of such questions as will be of interest and profit to the general reader. All correspondents should give their names and correct post-office address, that queries not replied to here may be answered by mail.]

836.—MALACHI 3: 1-5.

Will you please explain Mal. 3: 1-5? You will notice in the 5th verse the word “sorcerers.” Is that word equivalent to pharmacist in the Hebrew and Greek languages? Also, please explain Mal. 4: 5, 6. I understand this was partly fulfilled by John the Baptist, but that it is being more completely fulfilled in the threefold message of Revelation 14. But who gave us light on this message, but Sister White? Did she not come in the spirit and power of Elias before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord?

J. F. B., Chicago, Ill.

ANS.—“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me.” This “messenger” was John the Baptist, and is so applied in Matt. 11: 10. He prepared the way before the Lord by proclaiming the truth. He disclaimed the idea that he was the Christ, but said he was the “voice” of one crying in the wilderness, and he testified of Christ as One whose shoes he was not worthy to unloose, who should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire. John 1: 20-27; Matt. 3: 11, 12. He (Christ) baptizes with the Holy Ghost those who acknowledge Him, and receive of His Spirit. He will baptize with fire those who prove at last but “chaff,” which is to be burned up “with unquenchable fire.” But before this point is reached, we must pass the test of the judgment at the conclusion of His mediatorial work, when all cases are decided, and eternal decisions rendered. The prophet jumps to this scene, when in the next sentence he exclaims, “And the Lord, whom ye seek [whose work of grace they desired], shall suddenly come to His temple [to the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where His priestly work is to be finished]. . . . But who may abide the day

of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth?” Who shall be able to endure the searching test of that day? “For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.” Every particle of dross must be purged away, and every stain thoroughly cleansed. “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” The refiner subjects the metal to the closest scrutiny. So the Lord will at this time search His people. This is the time when the King comes in to examine the guests. Matt. 22: 11. This is the time when the Laodiceans, instead of being wretched, miserable, poor, and blind, and naked, and being unconscious of their condition, must apply the eyesalve that they may see, and procure the gold and white raiment that they may be rich and clothed. Rev. 3: 18. This is the time when the householder comes to reckon with his servants. Matt. 25: 19. It is the close personal relation of the householder to his servants that causes the expression to be used, “when He appeareth,” which is usually applied to His personal presence. Short of this, here the closest relation of any time is entered into. The ones who put their talents to use are approved, commended, and rewarded. But those who are careless, unbelieving, and slothful are pronounced unprofitable, and cast into outer darkness.

“Who shall stand when He appeareth?” By implication, the psalmist states who shall stand: “Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” The converse of this follows: that the godly shall stand in the judgment, when Daniel stands in his lot (Dan. 12: 13), and those who are not sinners shall stand in the congregation of the righteous, when the Lord shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied. Isa. 53: 11.

The word “sorcerers” according to its use in the Scriptures seems to be inseparably connected with evil arts, enchantments or jugglery; and they used to use enchantment with drugs; hence the name pharmacy was associated with it. But the word by present usage is divorced from that meaning.

In regard to the application of the last two verses of Malachi: the objection to applying it to a person is that it has once had such an application to John the Baptist. To apply it again to a person would be confusing, besides giving countenance to the numerous pretenders that assume to perform that office. The statement of Luke 1: 17 shows that any work manifesting the spirit and power of Elijah would be sufficient to fulfill the prophecy. Great movements and events, rather than personal agents, are now called for. The great and dreadful day of the Lord includes the last days of time and the opening scenes of eternity. To prepare the world for this event, prophecy outlines a movement symbolized by the active participation of angelic agencies. But no individual engaged in this movement can claim to be an angel. So no one can claim to be the antitype of Elijah the prophet; but the whole movement does just that in reference to the second coming of Christ which the ministry of John the Baptist did in reference to His first coming. As society was then constituted, and the condition the world was then in, the voice of a solitary individual crying in the wilderness would be enough to arouse the attention of the world to the subject. But now all enrolled under the three messages will not be sufficient for the work unless they awake and take a new and more determined hold of the work.