“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts." (v.1)
This prophesied messenger is none other than John the Baptist. Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, and Luke 7:27 each show this promise was fulfilled in John the Baptist. At the end of Malachi 2, Israel complained that God seemed to reward the wicked and did not exercise His justice in the world. God responds to their complaint by saying, “I will set things right with My Messiah, and before Him will come My messenger.”
In an ancient royal procession the messenger went before the King to announce his arrival, to indicate the route, and to remove any obstacles in the road. John the Baptist fulfilled this exact ministry for Jesus. The same idea is indicated in Isaiah 40:3-5. God’s purpose for bringing this specific prophecy through Malachi in his day was probably because Israel complained that the Messianic promises of Haggai and Zechariah were not fulfilled. Here Malachi showed that the way for the Messiah must be prepared, and they were not ready yet.
Then, in the last portion of this verse we read, "Even the Messenger of the covenant in whom you delight:" This second messenger is none other than the LORD Himself – Jesus coming to His temple as the fulfillment of the old covenant and to institute a new covenant.
Malachi 3:1 speaks of two messengers to come – one to prepare the way of the LORD, and one to be the Messenger of the covenant. The coming that man must endure is not the coming of the Messenger of the covenant, but it is His second coming. For, "Who can endure The Day of His coming?"
The message is the same today, repent, change and be saved for "the Day of the LORD is at hand."
The Truth: This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” (Luke 7:27)
