Malachi 3:1-4
“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. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.”
Through out the Bible God tells us what to look for to prepare for Christ’s second coming. This verse talks about the messenger of the Lord. Most people would say that John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy when he came before Jesus did the first time. They would not be 100% correct. The does talk about John the Baptist, but it does not refer the the time Christ first walked on this earth. If you read what the messenger will do, it says he will “purify the sons of Levi” when Christ will come ” suddenly come to his temple.” When John first appeared, he did not cleanse the sons of Levi. The sons of Levi are the ministry of God. Also Jesus did not suddenly come to his temple. Since neither one of those things happened, this could be referring to Christ first coming, but the Second. Today John the Baptist is being sent from God as a messenger. He brings commandments for God’s church to prepare the way before Christ’s second coming.
