Malachi 3:17, commentary and pictures

Those who fear the Lord and faithfully serve Him, thinking upon His name and remembering Him, shall be His own treasured jewels in the day when He gathers them, and He will spare them with the tender care a man shows his own serving son. They belong to Him as His jewels because Christ gave all to buy them, finding and redeeming them at the cost of all heaven's riches and His own humiliation, shed blood and stripes, to set them in His own diadem and present them to the Father as His own. That day of making up His jewels is the day of judgment and of Christ's appearing in the clouds with power unto salvation to set up His kingdom, when every case is settled forever and the faithful are acquitted to receive the eternal inheritance. He claims them at first only as rough stones and then shapes and polishes them so they reflect His character, cutting away pride and self-sufficiency by a severe trying process until roughness is worn away. Those He owns and spares are known by sincere fellowship about the Lord without deceit or murmuring, by faithful tithes and offerings and deeds of compassion to the poor and suffering, and by obedient service consecrating all they possess to glorify His name.

Words and Near Context

Those who fear the Lord and honor and think upon His name, who remember Him and faithfully serve Him, shall be His own treasured possession in the day when He gathers His jewels, and He will spare them with the tender, merciful care a man shows his own son who serves him. Their reverent fellowship is joined with His remembrance and care for them, and the promise secures their future and will surely be fulfilled. The claimed people are those who fear Him and speak sincerely and often to one another about Him, without deceit, murmuring, or complaint against God. They speak of His love, glory, mercies, gift of Jesus, truth, and plan of salvation, bearing witness to Christ's character and mission, and their thankful, helpful words, patience, hope, and love encourage one another and glorify God. Their reverent fellowship, prayers, testimonies, and confession are heard by the Lord, and every deed of compassion and mercy to fellow men is taken careful notice of and written in His book of remembrance.

Immediately after the sparing comes a return and a plainly revealed discernment between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who serves Him not. That gathering and sparing stands opposite disaffected professed Christians who murmur and accuse God, and opposite those who say it is vain to serve God and complain that serving Him is useless. In the crisis when wicked men and the church unite in hatred of God's law and make it void, consecrated obedient believers whose love for the holy commandments grows in proportion to the contempt put upon them are claimed as His precious possession. To be spared as a serving son means fatherly mercy, tender protection, and special love and favor like a father toward an obedient serving son. Sonship with God is proved by service, requiring comprehensive consecration of all that is possessed and of all talents lent by God to glorify His name, with action up to the highest standard of obedience and submission as workers together with God and Christ and the heavenly intelligences after Christ's pattern as Son, and only those who bear that test of faithful obedience will be counted His and given work in the garden of God.

The image of sparing as a man spares a serving son also illustrates patient, pleading love that bears long and delays judgment to seek repentance. Christ so pleaded repeatedly with the nation, seeking it to come to Him for life, but when refused, Jerusalem faced destruction by the consequences of its own rejection.

Christ's Ownership Through Redemption

Christ measures His people by a different standard than the world uses, for the world values a man by money, house, furniture, land, rank, wealth, learning, or worldly honor, while He values oneness with Him and faithfulness to the light and opportunities given. Those who obey His commandments, fear Him, speak often with one another about Him, and think upon His name are His jewels and His treasured possession when He gathers them. The humble and lowly, even those the world calls ignorant or outcast, are precious to Him and will be honored in His kingdom, where the worldly great would count it an honor to be with them.

The redeemed belong to God as His jewels because Christ gave all to buy them, seeing in ruined humanity the possibility of redemption and giving all to buy the pearl. He found and redeemed them at the cost of all heaven's riches and His own humiliation, shed blood, and stripes that bring healing. He sets them in His own diadem as jewels in His crown of rejoicing at His appearing and triumph, and presents them to the Father as His own. Men and women are the Lord's heritage and purchased possession, very dear to His heart of love, redeemed to share the divine nature, so none has any right to oppress them or wound them with witty sarcasm. When they willingly surrender to Him He guides and transforms them by grace so their lives honor His name, keeps them in His care, and gathers to Himself those who love and believe in Him, value redemption, and have served Him faithfully on earth to live with Him through all eternity.

In their purity and perfection the redeemed are the reward of Christ's suffering, humiliation, and love, in whom He sees the result of His sacrifice and is satisfied. They are like stones in a crown and add to His glory, which radiates from Him as its great center. God claims ownership over every human being because He bought them with a price so they are not their own. Recognizing that ownership means honoring Him by partaking of the divine nature and glorifying Him in body and spirit, which are His, taking Him at His word in faith and prayer.

The church is precious in His sight as the case containing His jewels and the fold enclosing His flock. He places His people together in church capacity and makes them responsible for ministering to the sick and needy in medical missionary work. He gathers His precious people as His own and promises to spare them as a man spares a son who serves him. Work that helps others to be saved adds jewels to the Redeemer's crown.

Final Gathering and Deliverance

The day of gathering the treasured ones is the day of judgment, of Christ's appearing and triumph and coming in the clouds with power unto salvation to set up His kingdom. It is the final crisis and time of trouble when every case is settled forever and the faithful are acquitted to receive the eternal inheritance and share heaven's joy and glory. Then it will be seen who are vessels unto honor, the righteous who serve God and fear His name, refined and winnowed out from wicked men among them who do not love the truth. They have put on beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ, with transformed character, and they will receive the latter rain, and God will spare them in the day that burns the proud and wicked as stubble and leaves them neither root nor branch.

In that final crisis earthly powers are arrayed against God's people and threaten them with death by starvation or by violence. In that day He claims them as His own and must spare and deliver them, manifesting mighty power as when He divided the Red Sea before Israel and turning their captivity. He must deliver them then because their death would no longer be as the blood of the martyrs, as seed sown to yield a harvest for God, and their fidelity would no longer be a testimony to convince others. This is because the obdurate heart has beaten back the waves of mercy until they return no more, and to leave the righteous to fall a prey to their enemies would only be a triumph for the prince of darkness.

Those delivered are those whose names are written in the book of life and are delivered from Satan's power. Their sins are pardoned, their filthy garments are removed, and they are clothed with Christ's righteousness. They are gathered as wheat into the heavenly garner, united with the saints in light, brought through the gates into the city with right to the tree of life, and their names stand in the book of life. Although dead, the righteous still testify by their words and deeds, their names are immortalized among the angels in heaven, and a bright reward awaits them when the Life-giver calls them from their graves.

At the judgment the Lord gathers His own from among the wicked, though righteous and wicked have lived and worked together and onlookers see no difference. The Lord reads the character and discerns His obedient children who respect and love His commandments, places a mark upon the righteous, and claims them as His jewels in the day He makes them up. Character cannot be changed at that time, and the righteous who keep God's commandments are forever separated from the disobedient, while those with whom they were associated, even in the same family, receive the mark of eternal separation from God. When God comes to make up His jewels the work of every person will be seen clearly and separately, not merged into one indistinct mass, for God who gave each person talents examines how each was used, knows just what each has done, and rewards each accordingly with commendation and entrance into the joy of the Lord for those faithful in entrusted work.

The gathering is soon and almost complete though the jewels do not yet shine, and swift messengers are to do the work. Readiness for Christ's coming in the clouds to take His people to Himself requires transformed character and faithful service to God, cultivating character and bearing fruit to God's glory so they may be saved when the Master gathers His jewels. Those who on this earth have been faithful, true and pure, will then dwell forever in the beautiful home above as members fitted for the royal family, never again to be tempted or tried by the enemy.

Those who resist temptation and seek God's help are claimed as His own jewels. God hears children who pray for help in resisting temptation, aids them against Satan, and regards every effort to do right. When judgment brings destruction, Jesus spares them because He has washed away their sins by His blood. They are ultimately crowned in His kingdom and freed from temptation forever.

Those hunted, slandered, imprisoned, and martyred for faith are counted as the Lord's treasured people and honored in the heavenly records, even when the world casts their names out as evil. Though they may be despised and appear weak or scattered in this life, facing reproach, contempt, and opposition for standing for truth and right, the Lord sees them, remembers them, and does not abandon them. God gives them special care and tender protection as a father shows a serving son, and their faithfulness will be made clear in victory when they stand among the redeemed in the day of judgment and will not lose their reward.

The promise assures God's people that their future is secure and that the promises in Malachi 3 will be fulfilled. Those who fear the Lord and honor His name belong to Him as His treasured possession, and in the day He gathers them He will spare them with tender care as a father spares a faithful serving son. The promise encourages believers who testify to the power of truth and serve God together to live faithfully and look toward that day with hope. It is encouragement to turn back to the Lord and serve Him, with the gathering marked by softened hearts, confession, renewed commitment, and willingness to help others.

Polishing Character for Glory

Christ claims His people as only rough stones at first, then shapes and polishes them so they reflect His character and bring honor to His name. The polishing is done after the pattern of a palace by cutting away all rough edges, removing pride, self-sufficiency, self-uplifting, selfishness and surplus surface. It is a severe and trying process that hurts human pride, cutting deep into what self-sufficiency calls complete and pressing the stone close to the polishing wheel until all roughness is worn away. Through severe trials allowed for this purpose they gain living brightness, are refined until they reflect Christ, and are made worthy of a place in His temple and among His treasured people to shine in glory at His appearing and triumph.

The brightness of the jewels depends on the polishing they receive, and each person is left free to choose to be polished or to remain unpolished. No one pronounced worthy of a place in the Lord's temple, casket, and crown of rejoicing on coronation day can reflect more light than a common pebble without submitting to the polishing and consenting to have the sharp edges of character cut away to become shapely and beautiful and fit to represent the perfection of Christ's character. The divine Worker spends little time on worthless material and only polishes the precious jewels to fit them for His casket, His building, and His coronation day, where no one can pluck them from His hand. Trials impart that brightness, and His careful work is done on those who are His own. When the Master then holds the jewel to the light and sees in it a reflection of Himself, He pronounces it worthy of a place in His casket as His peculiar treasure.

The humble, lowly, poor, obscure, ignorant, and outcast, whom the world regards as of little value, despised, or unrecognized, are precious to God. He does not value by rank, wealth, learning, or worldly honor, but by oneness with Christ and faithfulness to light and opportunity, and He knows His own, including hidden believers whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. The smallest gem in His keeping brings Him glory. Through Christ's grace the humble can be made precious, become jewels chosen and prepared for His service, shine brightly for Him, and be honored in His kingdom, where worldly great people would then count it an honor to be with them.

His jewels are all who look wholly to Jesus and trust in Him, give themselves wholly to Christ, bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and represent Him. They reflect not their own glory but the glory of the Sun of Righteousness, shining only because they are shone upon, with countenances purified, sanctified, and ennobled by His grace. They are Christians doing their work in the present life as children of God with untainted morals in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, Christ's representatives in this dark world whom He points to as His sons and daughters, a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. They are those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, who shall reign with Him in white, and who will cast their crowns at their Redeemer's feet, ascribing to Him glory, honor, majesty, and power.

Being numbered among the jewels requires transformed character as vessels unto honor, having put on beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ, refined and winnowed out from wicked men among them who do not love the truth. Those so transformed listen to the words God sends by His servants, prize the truth, and reveal the divine, sanctifying influence of God's Word in disposition and actions. Those who misapply and misinterpret the truth, make light of it, talk unbelief, live in continuous selfishness, indulge in dress and cheap, common talk, and work against the truth dishonor God and will not be numbered among them. The righteous who serve God and fear His name will receive the latter rain and God will spare them in the day that burns the proud and wicked as stubble and leaves them neither root nor branch.

The true, frank, and honest are regarded with pleasure when He gathers them, valued as His own, and pictured as jewels belonging to Him and as people spared and honored by Him. They are fitted to shine forever as immortal and divine gems. They will receive crowns adorned with stars, reflecting the light from God's throne.

Children are souls committed to parents' trust as precious jewels entrusted to their care, whom God wants to receive, protect from Satan, and make to shine in heaven. Through faithful teaching, guidance, and discipline parents are to remove the roughness of their natures so their goodness and beauty can appear and they may be fitted through faithful effort for salvation and to shine as jewels in God's kingdom. That work must begin while minds are very young, making salvation the aim of all effort, not encouraging pride, extravagance, or love of show, because habits formed very young are not easily forgotten. Parents must never lull them to sleep over the pit of destruction with the mistaken thought that they are not old enough to be accountable, to repent of sins, and to profess Christ. Children are to be formed to do good, bless others, and bring light to the world, becoming fit to shine in God's presence in this life, in the higher life, and forever.

Faithful Living and Mission

Malachi 3 is to be studied with special care, obeyed, practiced, and taught because it holds warning and instruction in righteousness for every soul and brings a present testing of loyalty. The chapter lifts a danger signal against every species of self-indulgence and selfishness in tithes and offerings, calling all into harmonious action as educators who receive God's blessing financially and spiritually when they deal faithfully with Him. Those who disregard its requirements, including the tithe, will face its described consequences, for neglect brings sure visitation upon all found committing robbery toward God, which no one can afford.

The tithe belongs to the Lord to support the ministry, and faithful payment of a tenth with systematic gifts and offerings according to means acknowledges His mercy and provision. Such giving puts abundant supply in His treasury, abundantly blesses the funds given, encourages laborers to take up and continue ministerial work, and advances the work. Using the tithe for other lines diverts it from its appointed purpose, depletes the treasury, keeps men out of the ministry, and brings loss of heavenly treasure unless repented, while withholding what is due brings a curse and makes a record none will care to meet.

Those God owns and spares in the day He makes up His jewels are those who serve Him in sincerity with faithful tithes and offerings, who fear Him and speak often to one another and are written in remembrance. They practice self-denial, lay out no money unnecessarily, take up the cross and follow Christ, give to plant His standard where truth was never heard and to carry foreign work forward, teach children accountability to God, denial of self and worldly pleasure, payment of tithe, bringing of offerings however small, and working the works of God with Him. By such deeds they become fruitful in good works to God's glory, sowing seed that springs up and bears fruit unto eternal life, while those who rob Him in tithes and offerings cannot expect His blessing and exaltation but murmur and complain.

Affectionate, personal, private Sabbath conversation about religious experience, salvation of souls, and God's word is holy to the Lord and blessed by Him. When those who fear Him meet to seek Him, exchange thoughts about His word, consider methods for advancing His work, do good to fellow men, and regard the Holy Spirit as a welcome guest without grieving Him, God hearkens and hears, writes a book of remembrance for those who think upon His name, and refreshes and strengthens them. Those who honor Him by keeping the Sabbath holy and encouraging one another in faith are His treasured people, whom He will spare and care for as a man cares for an obedient serving son.

When every church member takes responsibility to speak for Jesus Christ, relating experience and testifying to His goodness and love in Sabbath meetings rather than remaining idle or waiting for a minister to preach, the Lord hears and records it and makes such faithful co-laborers His living church whose light shines. Those who know the truth are to carry on church work themselves and keep up meetings, leaving ministers to labor in new fields so no district is left in darkness, and those who strengthen the church through faithful work and mutual encouragement are remembered in heaven and rewarded just as the minister is. Then the righteous and the wicked, he that serves God and he that serves Him not, will be discerned.

True godliness bears its sign in loving God supremely and neighbor as self by personally caring for the poor and suffering as Christ cared, dealing bread to the hungry, bringing the cast-out poor to the house, covering the naked, and taking fatherless children left unprovided for into Christian homes rather than depending largely on institutions or doing the work by proxy. Every deed of compassion and mercy is carefully noticed and written in His book of remembrance, and those who perform them shall be His in the day He makes up His jewels and He will spare them as a man spares his own serving son. Such self-denial and self-sacrifice causes light to shine from every Christian home to lead the ignorant to knowledge, brings closer relationship with Jesus, and counts the merciful among His precious treasures for sparing.

God has jewels in all the churches, faithful souls belonging to Him scattered through the professed religious world high and low, rich and poor, in the Southern field including formerly enslaved Black people held in ignorance and sin, among the colored people rich in faith, among the conscientious self-sacrificing poor, the neglected friendless untaught, the overlooked suffering unpolished, a poor refined laborer sharing truth, people scattered in the bush, and those deceived among Adventists to be gathered. His eye watches over them with care, He can awaken and soften them to the beauty and power of truth, He guides and directs His called and chosen messengers to them, and the light of truth discovers their true position so they receive it understandingly, become strong, shed holy influence, leave error and associates, and take a clear stand for Christ prizing His wisdom above earthly advantage. Even when brought into trial and doubt by self-sent men they remain His, the honest are searched out by the Third Angel's Message and fitted for the second casket, and in gathering time He divides and scatters rejecters of present truth so the deceived may recognize their condition and join those standing clearly.

Because those scattered ones belong to Him, no sweeping denunciation of that world or other churches is to be made, but truth as in Jesus is to be presented to all in humility and love with piety, devotion, Christlikeness, supreme love to God and love to neighbor, lifting Jesus and holding forth the word of life to draw them. In probationary time when there are only two sides and two parties, God sees those He can trust as loyal and obedient, makes covenant with them, and after testing pronounces them trustworthy members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. Their love for holy commandments grows in proportion to contempt put upon them when wicked men and church unite in hatred to make God's law void, standing opposite disaffected professed Christians who murmur and accuse God, with plain separation between one who serves God and one who does not.

In crisis when enemies surround God's people and rulers join religious leaders to come between them and God, those who fear Him are revealed, their Godlike character and abiding trust shine brightest in deepest darkness when every other support fails, while those without genuine grace are found wanting. Christians as sons and daughters are to be Christ's representatives as His jewels and peculiar treasures, held out as strongest incentive to faithfulness with highest motives and most glorious rewards, including remaining faithful in marriage rather than uniting with unbelievers. Faithful self-sacrificing workers whom Christ chooses and prepares, though they spend their lives and lose their lives serving others, are gathered as His treasured jewels when He comes and will find life again.

Particular faithful ones are named among the jewels to be claimed, spared, and crowned: Byron Belden who sleeps in Jesus for faithful service and giving his life to the work, Edwin promised an unfading, enduring crown of righteousness for earnest devoted service, William fitted in mercy for the heavenly casket, the faithful men and women in Battle Creek for whom care is pled, a sister hoping to be gathered, and in the 1850 setting those to be saved through republication of Adventist leaders' 1844 testimonies whom Satan opposes. Malachi 3 teaches weighty lessons that the Lord weighs character and every action is recorded in heaven's books, with duties stated plainly though clouded perception may hide them. Yet God is behind His promises pledging Himself to answer prayer with assurance so positive as Yea and Amen in Christ with inexhaustible resources, challenging all to prove Him by doing their part, giving light and reviving healing beams for the soon-coming morning when the fashion of this world passes, with mansions prepared, infinite bliss, clear title to immortal inheritance, and an everlasting life-insurance policy for those who take Him at His word, love Him, keep His commandments, and hold fast faith forever.