God Comes Near in Judgment

11. What conditions in Israel called forth Malachi’s prophecy?

¹¹ As to the immediate future of mankind, the prophecy of Malachi throws light on what is about to happen. Malachi is listed last in the long line of ancient Hebrew prophets. Israel had experienced the desolating of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. But 70 years later Jehovah had displayed merciful loving-kindness in restoring that nation to its land. Within a hundred years, however, Israel was again drifting into apostasy and wickedness. The people were dishonoring Jehovah’s name, ignoring his righteous laws, and polluting his temple by bringing blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifice. They were divorcing the wives of their youth so that they could marry foreign women.​—Malachi 1:6-8; 2:13-16.

12, 13. (a) What purifying has been necessary for the anointed priestly class? (b) How do the great crowd also benefit by cleansing?

¹² A purifying work was needed. It is described at Malachi 3:1-4. Like ancient Israel, Jehovah’s modern-day Witnesses needed to be cleansed, so the purifying work described by Malachi can be applied to them. As the first world war drew toward its close, some of the Bible Students, as the Witnesses were then known, did not maintain clear-cut neutrality in worldly affairs. In 1918, Jehovah sent His “messenger of the covenant,” Christ Jesus, to His spiritual temple arrangement to cleanse the small group of His worshipers from worldly blemishes. Prophetically, Jehovah had asked: “Who will be putting up with the day of [the messenger’s] coming, and who will be the one standing when he appears? For he will be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen. And he must sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and must cleanse the sons of Levi [anointed priestly group]; and he must clarify them like gold and like silver, and they will certainly become to Jehovah people presenting a gift offering in righteousness.” As a purified people, they have done just that!

¹³ That anointed priestly group numbers only 144,000. (Revelation 7:4-8; 14:1, 3) What, though, of other dedicated Christians today? Now increasing into the millions, these form “a great crowd” that also has to be cleansed of worldly ways, ‘washing their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ (Revelation 7:9, 14) Thus, by exercising faith in the ransom sacrifice of the Lamb, Christ Jesus, they are able to maintain a clean standing before Jehovah. They are promised survival through the entire great tribulation, the fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.​—Zephaniah 2:2, 3.

14. What words should God’s people heed today as they continue to cultivate the new personality?

¹⁴ Together with the priestly remnant, this great crowd must heed God’s further words: “I will come near to you people for the judgment, and I will become a speedy witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against those swearing falsely, and against those acting fraudulently with the wages of a wage worker, with the widow and with the fatherless boy, and those turning away the alien resident, while they have not feared me . . . For I am Jehovah; I have not changed.” (Malachi 3:5, 6) No, Jehovah’s standards do not change, so in fear of Jehovah, his people today must shun idolatry of all kinds and be truthful, honest, and generous as they continue to cultivate the Christian personality.​—Colossians 3:9-14.

15. (a) What merciful invitation does Jehovah extend? (b) How may we avoid “robbing” Jehovah?

¹⁵ Jehovah extends an invitation to any who may have turned aside from his righteous ways, saying: “Return to me, and I will return to you.” If these ask: “In what way shall we return?” he replies: “You are robbing me.” And in answer to the further question: “In what way have we robbed you?” Jehovah states that they have robbed him by failing to bring their very best as offerings for his temple service. (Malachi 3:7, 8) Having become part of Jehovah’s people, we should indeed want to devote the best part of our energies, abilities, and material assets to the service of Jehovah. Thus, rather than rob God, we ‘keep on seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness.’​—Matthew 6:33.

16. What encouragement do we find at Malachi 3:10-12?

¹⁶ There is a grand reward for all who put the self-serving, materialistic ways of the world behind them, as Malachi 3:10-12 indicates: “‘Test me out, please, in this respect,’ Jehovah of armies has said, ‘whether I shall not open to you people the floodgates of the heavens and actually empty out upon you a blessing until there is no more want.’” To all appreciative ones, Jehovah promises spiritual prosperity and fruitfulness. He adds: “All the nations will have to pronounce you happy, for you yourselves will become a land of delight.” Has that not proved to be so among the millions of God’s thankful people throughout the earth today?

20, 21. (a) Whose names are not written in Jehovah’s book of remembrance? (b) Whose names appear in the book, and why?

²⁰ Jehovah keeps record of all who serve him in integrity. Malachi’s prophecy continues: “At that time those in fear of Jehovah spoke with one another, each one with his companion, and Jehovah kept paying attention and listening. And a book of remembrance began to be written up before him for those in fear of Jehovah and for those thinking upon his name.”​—Malachi 3:16.

²¹ How important it is today that we show godly fear in honoring Jehovah’s name! Doing so, we will not suffer adverse judgment, as will those who admiringly support this world’s systems. Revelation 17:8 relates that “their names have not been written upon the scroll of life.” Logically, the preeminent name written in Jehovah’s book of life is that of the Chief Agent of life, God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. Matthew 12:21 declares: “Indeed, in his name nations will hope.” Jesus’ ransom sacrifice guarantees everlasting life for all who exercise faith therein. What a privilege it is to have our individual names added to Jesus’ name in that scroll!

22. What distinction will be apparent when Jehovah executes judgment?

²² How will God’s servants fare in the judgment? Jehovah answers at Malachi 3:17, 18: “I will show compassion upon them, just as a man shows compassion upon his son who is serving him. And you people will again certainly see the distinction between a righteous one and a wicked one, between one serving God and one who has not served him.” The division will be plain to all: the wicked, separated for everlasting cutting-off, and the righteous, approved for everlasting life in the realm of the Kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-46) Thus a great crowd of sheeplike persons will survive the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.