Malaquias 3
G. Campbell Morgan · Citado em PreceptAustin
Malaquias 3
Morgan - Several years ago, a company asked me to prepare a series of studies on the major stewardship campaigns in the Bible, and I discovered something that I did not previously know. There are two ways of giving to the Lord in the Bible. The first is by our weekly tithes and offerings, and that is one of the most important disciplines in the Christian life. I had a young couple that go to another church in our area tell me something very interesting recently. They had not been tithing because their finances had been so tight. In fact, never in their marriage had they felt they could consistently tithe because of their distressed finances. Some weeks they weren’t sure where the groceries were coming from. Other weeks, they couldn’t put gasoline in the car. Their family members had told them, “Don’t dare tithe. You can’t afford to tithe. It takes every penny just to pay the bills.” But things grew worse and worse, and this couple found themselves under incredible stress. Then one Sunday, the pastor of their church was away, and the associate pastor spoke on the subject of tithing. He said something to this effect: “If you are having financial difficulties, you can not afford not to tithe. God cannot bless you if you aren’t honoring Him by returning to Him a small portion, a tithe, a ten percent, of what He is giving to you. It is an act of faith on your part. It’s an act of love. It’s an act of obedience.” The associate pastor quoted Malachi 3: Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (NKJV). This couple came under great conviction about this matter. They decided that very week to begin tithing, but they said, “It was the hardest step of faith we’ve ever taken.” As soon as they began tithing, they both told me, their financial situation began reversing itself. Work prospects improved dramatically. And two weeks later they wrote another tithing check, and their second tithing check was 243 percent more than their first check due to the increase in their income. I’ve always believed this is the basic way in which the Lord sustains His work on this earth—through the regular week-in, week-out tithes and offerings of His people. That’s the first way in which we’re to give to the Lord. But there is a second way. And we have it here in this passage. Sometimes God puts an opportunity in our pathway. (A Tent, a Tithe and a Jar Full of Pennies) Malachi 3:10 Robert Morgan - A $100 bill, a $20 bill, and a $1 bill met up with each other at the shredder at the end of their natural lives. The $100 said, “Well, I’ve had a good life. I’ve seen the whole world. I’ve been on cruises in Caribbean, safaris in Africa, and vacations in Europe.” The $20 said, “Well, I’ve not done quite as well, but I have been to Atlantic City, Disneyland, and Starbucks.” They both turned to $1 bill and asked, “How about you?” He said, “Oh, I’ve seen the whole nation from coast to coast. I’ve been from church to church to church… ” The $100 bill asked, “What’s a church?” (See Full Sermon) Alan Carr in sermon on Joel 2 - There Is the Promise of Revival (Joel 2:23-25) God promises to send both the “former” and “latter” rains. The “former” rains fell in October and November. They helped replenish the soil in preparation for the next planting season. The “latter” rains fell in March and April. They came just in time to ensure that the harvest would be bountiful. God also promised to replace everything that had been lost during the days of drought and devastation. He is promising a revival of His blessings on the land! This is what we need in our day! We need the Lord to open the windows of Heaven and erase this spiritual drought we have been living under. We need Him to send the heavenly rains upon us one more time. We need Him to give us back everything the enemy has tried to take away from us. We need a revival of His manifest presence among His people. We need a revival of His power in our services. We need a revival of the conviction of God on the hearts of the lost. We need a revival of holiness in the church. We need a revival! Oh that God's people would seek His face and ask Him for the move of God we so desperately need in these days. Oh that we would see how far we have fallen and that we would desire to get back to where He would have us to be. We need a revival! It's our only hope! It's the only hope for our families, our communities, our churches and our nation. (Sermon - It's Not Too Late - Joel 2:12-27) Spurgeon's Prayer - Oh that at this moment He would open the windows of heaven, and send us a flood of grace, like the deluge of vengeance in Noah's day, until the tops of our loftiest expectations should be covered. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask, or even think. (Eph 3:20) He gives liberally, and upbraids not. Our abounding sin and death need abounding life and power. In such a city as this the largest blessing will be none too great. Let us open our mouths wide, that He may fill them. The Lord is illimitable in His wealth of grace, and boundless in His goodness and power. Let us take the promise as it stands and plead it at the throne, “Hast thou not said, ‘I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground'?” Lord, do it, to the praise of the glory of Your grace. Chris Benfield sermon excerpt - An Eventual Intervention (Lk 11:8)—Jesus said that he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. The persistence and commitment of the man eventually paid off. The friend rose and gave him all he needed. He didn't supply a portion of his need; he gave him all he needed to provide for the friend. Jam.5:16b—The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. You may feel as if you have prayed and prayed and yet there has been no answer. Now is no time to abandon your prayers. God may be about ready to open the windows of heaven and pour a blessing that will more than meet your need! (Prayer is Profitable) What Is Tithing? (Genesis 28:11) Mathematically it is a tenth. “ … and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee” (Gen. 28:11). Scripturally it is a law. “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase” (Deut. 14:22). Morally it is a debt. “ … Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Mal. 3:8). Economically it is an investment. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). “Give, and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:38). Spiritually it is a blessing. “I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10). Octavius Winslow - Take His promise, “Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out,” and plead it in wrestlings at the mercy-seat, and see if He will not “open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Go to Him just as you are; if you cannot take to Him a pure heart, take an impure one; if you cannot take to Him a broken heart, take a whole one; if you cannot take to Him a soft heart, take a hard one—only go to Him. The very act of going will be blessed to you. And oh, such is the strength of His love, such His yearning compassion and melting tenderness of heart for poor sinners, such His ability and willingness to save, that He will no more cast you out than deny His own existence. Precious Jesus! Set us as a seal upon Your heart, and by Your Spirit seal Yourself upon our hearts; and give us, unworthy though we are, a place among “those who are sealed.” From Diary of Andrew Bonar - Tuesday, Aug. 29th.—Have returned home. Glad to begin my own work here. Lord, open the windows of heaven. My soul has been going out to the Lord Himself of late more than before, and I have been led to pray from time to time for the Holy Spirit in a way that I have not often done. Is He coming among us in power? Malachi 3:11 "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the LORD of hosts.: rebuke: Joel 2:20 Am 4:9 7:1-3 Hag 2:17 nor will: Dt 11:14 Jer 8:13 Joel 1:7,12 2:22 Hab 3:17 Zec 8:12 Malachi 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Then - Then means soon after that or next in order of time. This expression of time is always a cause to pause and ponder "What time is it?" Or stated another way "When is "then"?" Or what happened before "then"?" This promise to rebuke the devourer is connected with their bringing of the whole tithe into the storehouse and "testing" God's goodness and ability to provide bountifully. As an aside given the devastation of their crops, one could see how they might be tempted to withhold a portion of their tithes. We would never become stingy in our giving if the "crops" failed would we? Tithes and offers ultimately are a test of one's faith. Will God respond in times of crisis as His people continue to give God His share? Yes, God will open the storehouses but God's people must first open their storehouses in faith, trusting God for the provision. The devourer - While the identity is not stated, the effect on the fruit and grapes supports that it was an insect plague (probably locusts), hail or drought, although Jim Wilson suggests other types of "devourers." (see illustration below). Devourer Illustration - That's an interesting word. A word that makes me think immediately of the Tasmanian devil. Not Bugs Bunny's nemesis, but the animal that haunts the dark nights of the island. The devil is about the size of a cocker spaniel, but don't let its size fool you, its bite packs the same power of an animal four times its size. It has a unusually large head and a mouth that when it is unhinged shows a set of teeth designed to mutilate its prey and frighten its predators. It is an eating machine. In 30 minutes, it can eat up to 40% of its body weight, and when it eats, it devours the entire carcass, bones and all. It is a devourer. When God promised to rebuke the devourer for tithers, I don't think He had the Tasmanian Devil in mind. He had things in mind like greed, selfishness, impulse consumerism and waste—things that can destroy people's resources and squander their opportunities. The very act of giving a tithe is an act of faith. It affirms the belief that living on 90% with God's blessing is better than living on 100% without it. But it also acknowledges our dependence on God and welcomes His protection. (Illustration by Jim L. Wilson) Walter Kaiser makes an interesting observation - We see in this verse, as we saw in Amos 4:6–12 and Haggai 1:6, the impact human spiritual progress (or the lack of spiritual renewal) has on nature. As we have discussed, the impact was first seen after the fall, and will continue to be seen until the second coming of our Lord, when all of nature will be healed (Rom. 8:18–20). Nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes - Cast is the Hebrew verb shakal (07921) which refers to bereavement of children (Ge 27:45; 43:14; Lev. 26:22; 1Sa 15:33) as well as miscarriage (Ex 23:26, Job 21:10), so that in reference to the grape vines it means they will not lose their fruit by dropping off their grapes before they ripen. Malachi 3:12 "All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.: all: Dt 4:6,7 2Ch 32:23 Ps 72:17 Isa 61:9 Jer 33:9 Zep 3:19,20 Zec 8:23 Lk 1:48 delightful: Dt 8:7-10 11:12 Da 8:9 11:41) All the nations will call you blessed - If Israel will give, Israel will be blessed and the nations will recognize their blessing. Steven
Malaquias 3
Morgan comments that in this passage "are revealed the secrets of strength in an age of failure; they “thought upon His name.” The Hebrew word translated thought is elsewhere translated regard… they “thought upon His name,” that is, they took an inventory of the wealth they had in His name, Jehovah Jireh. Jehovah Nissi. Jehovah Shalom. Jehovah Tsidkenu. Jehovah Shammah. These people had nothing left to think of, other than the Name. The grandeur of their nation was perished. The prophetic voices were silent. The priests had corrupted the covenant. The kings had passed away. All about them was formality devoid of power. But there was left them the real value of life. It was the name. They thought upon His name. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is set on high.” (Pr 18:10) When the king has failed, the priest is corrupted, and the prophet is silent; when the national power has declined and we are bewailing the failure of our age, then let us think on the Name, take an inventory in the Name, count it as our wealth, take time to go over our wealth in order to discover how rich we are. The LORD gave attention (KJV = "hearkened") and heard - Gave attention is the Hebrew verb qashab meaning "to incline (ears)" giving us a beautiful anthropomorphic picture of God giving heed and listening carefully to His people. This believing remnant in Israel realized the promise God had given in Mal 3:7 (Return to Me, and I will return to you). As the psalmist says "The righteous cry and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles." (Ps 34:17). We see God's ready response to the righteous, Isaiah recording… It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. (Isa 65:24) G Campbell Morgan comments on “hearkened and heard” (KJV) noting that "Both these words are pictorial. “Hearkened” is a word suggesting the action of a horse at the sound of its master’s voice, the pricking of the ears. It is only a figure of speech. The horse is arrested by the voice it knows… Heard means bending over patiently listening that no syllable may be missed. When His people spoke with one another—not when they spoke to Him—Jehovah hearkened, and heard. They thought on His name and talked to each other of it, and He hearkened and heard. God always attends to the conversation of those who are bound together by their loyalty to His name, and their consciousness of the wealth of their possessions in Him. Two or three of His people never meet together to speak of the deep things of His Name and all the Name means to them, but that He hearkens and hears." THE VALUE OF HIGH REGARD FOR THE NAME OF GOD Those… who esteem His Name ("honored His Name" = NET, "had high regard for His Name" = HCSB; "Reverenced His Name" = Septuagint). These people did not make a "decision" for Yeshua! Modern evangelicalism has so watered down the glorious Gospel that all one has to do is say "I believe in Yeshua" and they are considered as being truly saved! There are even some in evangelicalism who say one can make such a "decision" and live the rest of one's life in sin and still be confident they will die and go to heaven! That is a deceptive, deluded, devilish theology and these deceived souls will be among the "Many" referred to by Jesus in the pithy passage Mt 7:21-23+! If you say you believe in Yeshua and do not have a love for Him, a love that is not just vocalized but is truly lived out (cf Jn 14:15 - love equates with obedience!), then you are not born again. Do not be deceived! In contrast these Jews believed and were circumcised by the Spirit giving them a new heart (see circumcision of the heart), one that esteemed His Name. Related Resource: What is decisional regeneration / decision theology? | GotQuestions.org Esteem (02803) (chasab/hasab) means to consider, to think, to calculate, to reckon oneself, to impute. Chasab conveys several meanings - devise, plan (Divine = Zech 7:10, Human = Ge 50:20); making a judgment (Divine = Isa 53:4, human = Job 33:10); "meditating" or running thoughts through one's mind (Mal 3:16); impute (2Sa 19:20, Ge 15:6 quoted in Ro 4:3-note, Ps 32:2-note quoted in Ro 4:8-note) (See Imputation). Leon Wood - The basic idea of the word is the employment of the mind in thinking activity. Reference is not so much to “understanding” (cf. bın), but to the creating of new ideas. Chasab/hasab is used in Genesis 15:6 where Abram's faith was "reckoned (chasab/hasab)… to him as righteousness." In that crucial OT passage, the Lxx translates the Hebrew chasab/hasab with the Greek verb logizomai which means to take an accounting of something. While this is not the Greek verb used in Malachi 3:16, it does suggest a picture of what it means to esteem His Name (see Morgan's comment in the next paragraph). The Lxx actually translates chasab/hasab with the verb eulabeomai which means to show a reverent regard and respect for God's Name. Swanson summarizes the meanings of chasab as (1) credit, account reckon, imputer (Ge 15:6); determine value (Lev 25:27); (nif) accounted (2Ki 22:7); (2). (qal) consider, i.e., pertaining to thought and thinking in a detailed, logical manner, considering various factors, which has some focus on the formulation of an opinion (Ge 38:15); (piel) consider (Ps 73:16; 77:6, 119:59); (nif) considered, accounted, reckoned (Dt 2:11); (hitp) consider oneself (Nu 23:9+); (3). (qal) plan, plot, purpose, devise, i.e., think about a course of action in some detail (1Sa 18:25); (piel) plan, plot (Pr 16:9; 24:8); (4) (piel) be on the verge, begin, i.e., be on the beginning of a course of action, as a figurative extension of reckoning in a logical way (Jonah 1:4) (A Dictionary of Biblical Languages w- Semantic Domains- Hebrew) Chasab - 122 verses - Usage in NAS: accounting(1), calculate(5), composed(1), consider(3), considered(13), counted(1), counts(1), designer(1), determined(1), devise(13), devised(8), devises(1), devising(1), esteem(2), esteemed(2), execute(1), have(1), impute(1), intend(2), make(2), makers(1), meant(2), mindful(1), plan(2), planned(3), planning(5), plans(4), plotted(1), pondered(1), purposed(3), reckoned(10), regard(1), regarded(8), regards(1), require an accounting(1), scheme(1), schemed(1), seem(1), skillful(1), skillful workman(9), think(3), thought(2), value(1). Ge 15:6; 31:15; 38:15; 50:20; Ex 26:1, 31; 28:6, 15; 31:4; 35:32, 35; 36:8, 35; 38:23; 39:3, 8; Lev 7:18; 17:4; 25:27, 31, 50, 52; 27:18, 23; Num 18:27, 30; 23:9; Deut 2:11, 20; Josh 13:3; 1 Sam 1:13; 18:25; 2Sam 4:2; 14:13f; 19:19; 1Kgs 10:21; 2Kgs 12:15; 22:7; 2Chr 2:14; 9:20; 26:15; Neh 6:2, 6; 13:13; Esther 8:3; 9:24f; Job 6:26; 13:24; 18:3; 19:11, 15; 33:10; 35:2; 41:27, 29, 32; Ps 10:2; 21:11; 32:2; 35:4, 20; 36:4; 40:17; 41:7; 44:22; 52:2; 73:16; 77:5; 88:4; 106:31; 119:59; 140:2, 4; 144:3; Pr 16:9, 30; 17:28; 24:8; 27:14; Eccl 9:10; Isa 2:22; 5:28; 10:7; 13:17; 29:16f; 32:15; 33:8; 40:15, 17; 53:3f; Jer 11:19; 18:8, 11, 18; 23:27; 26:3; 29:11; 36:3; 48:2; 49:20, 30; 50:45; Lam 2:8; 4:2; Ezek 11:2; 38:10; Dan 11:24f; Hos 7:15; 8:12; Amos 6:5; Mic 2:1, 3; Nah 1:9, 11; Zech 7:10; 8:17; Mal 3:16 G Campbell Morgan emphasizes that in Malachi 3:16 we discover one of the "secrets of (spiritual) strength in an age of failure (descriptive of the apathy and indifference in most of Israel in Malachi's day)". Morgan observes that the source of spiritual strength in the believing Jewish remnant is that… they thought upon His name. The Hebrew word translated thought is elsewhere translated regard… they took an inventory of the wealth they had in His name, Jehovah Jireh. Jehovah Nissi. Jehovah Shalom. Jehovah Tsidkenu. Jehovah Shammah. These people had nothing left to think of, other than the Name. The grandeur of their nation was perished. The prophetic voices were silent. The priests had corrupted the covenant. The kings had passed away. All about them was formality devoid of power. But there was left them the real value of life. It was the name. They thought upon His name. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is set on high.” (Pr 18:10) When the king has failed, the priest is corrupted, and the prophet is silent; when the national power has declined and we are bewailing the failure of our age, then let us think on the Name, take an inventory in the Name, count it as our wealth, take time to go over our wealth in order to discover how rich we are. They “spake one with another”… described constant, continuous, unbroken fellowship with each other, based on thought centered upon the Name of Jehovah. T V Moore - When the wicked are talking against God, the righteous should talk for him. Religious conversation is necessary, all the more, for the very reasons that often chill and repress it. When a fire burns low, the coals that are alive should be brought near together, that they may be blown into a flame. So when all is cold and dead, living Christians should draw near and seek the breathings of the Spirit, and kindle each other by mutual utterance. Days of Proscription and Persecution "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard it."—Mal. 3:16 In the memoirs of Hannah More, there is mention made of her grandfather, who married into a family zealous for Nonconformity. They boarded a minister in their house, and at midnight pious worshippers went with stealthy steps to hear the words of inspiration from the minister's lips, while Mr. More, with a drawn sword, guarded the entrance from violent or profane intrusion. Mrs. More was also a pious woman, and used to tell her younger relatives, when they complained of the long distance to church, that they would have known how to value Gospel privileges had they lived, like her, in the days of proscription and persecution. Malachi 3:16-18 Returning God’s Love The book of Malachi begins with this wholehearted word from the Lord to His halfhearted worshipers: “I have loved you” (Mal 1:2). Though Israel had long been the object of God’s love, they no longer returned His love. God listed the ways His people had offended His love through their disobedience. Israel’s response was to question God. When He implored them, “Return to Me, and I will return to you,” they questioned Him in their blindness, “In what way shall we return?” (Mal 3:7). With divine “tough love,” the Lord exposed their many blind spots. He did this so that they might repent and accept His love, and return it with wholehearted obedience. We too are often halfhearted in our faith, appearing to love and serve God but really loving and serving ourselves. Today, as in Malachi’s time, God looks for people who reverence Him by maintaining two spiritual practices: speaking to each other about Him, and meditating on His wonderful attributes (v.16). The first is fellowship with God’s people; the second is fellowship with God Himself. Not only are we to receive and share God’s love, we are also to return it through glad obedience. "We love You, Lord Jesus," we often will say, But are we as ready His will to obey? Let's heed what God's Spirit would have us to do— That's how we show Him a love that is true. —D. De Haan To love God is to obey God. Malachi 3:17 "They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.": they will: Jer 31:31-34 Eze 16:8, Ezek 36:27,28 Zec 13:9 Jn 10:27-30 17:9,10,24 1Co 3:22,23 6:20 15:23 Ga 5:24 2Th 1:7-10 Rev 20:12-15 My own possession: or, special treasure, Ex 19:5 Dt 7:6 14:2 26:17,18 Ps 135:4 Isa 62:3,4 Tit 2:14 1Pe 2:9 and I: Ne 13:22 Ps 103:8-13 Isa 26:20,21 Jer 31:20 Zep 2:2 Mt 25:34 Ro 8:32 2Co 6:18 1Jn 3:1-3 son: Mal 1:6 1Pe 1:13-16 Malachi 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ISRAEL'S REMNANT IS GOD'S TREASURED POSSESSION They will be Mine - This is the language of covenant, specifically the New Covenant promised to Israel and to Judah by Jehovah… “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the (Mosaic) covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 “And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jer 31:31-34+) Related Resource: Remnant of Israel This covenant promise alluding to the righteous as God's possession is reiterated in Ezekiel… And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 “And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. (Ezek 36:27-28+) On the day - Notice that this is an expression of time, which should always cause us to pause and ponder, asking "What time is it?" "When (what) will take place "on that day"?" This day is yet future to us. In Exodus 19:5+ Moses was to speak Jehovah's conditional promise to Israel camped at the foot of Mt Sinai - "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession (segullah) among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine." Did they obey? No. And for over 2000 years the Jews have been persecuted and killed. But there is a day coming which Malachi refers to as on the day. First the day will be preceded by the last 3.5 years of this present evil age, a horrible time referred to as the Time of Jacob's Trouble when 2/3's of Israel will be killed, a more horrible genocide that the Nazi Holocaust! But 1/3 of Israel will be brought through the fire (read Zechariah 13:8-9+) and will repent and put their faith in their Messiah. This righteous remnant will constitute what Jehovah had always desired way back at the foot of Mount Sinai, His possession, sons and daughters of Israel who would finally fulfill His condition in Exodus 19:5+ for they will "indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant."; (for more on how this "second deliverance on eagles' wings" [first described in Ex 19:4+] will transpire read Zechariah 12:10-14+, Zechariah 13:1+, and Romans 11:25-29+, see also Zechariah 14:1-21+). Baldwin - The high privilege God will bestow is to make these believers his own possession; Mine is emphatic in the Hebrew, and My special possession further endorses the point. These words, quoted from the covenant inauguration (Ex. 19:5) and later referred to in that connection (Dt. 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4), draw attention to the original election of Israel. The purpose which God had in first choosing a people is shown in the last of the prophets to be about to be fulfilled. Possession (05459)(segullah) is related to an Akkadian cognate, sikiltu, means "private possessions." Segullah refers to a treasured possession, that which is valued personal property, that which is owned by someone and in which the owner has special affection or holds special value (Ex 19:5; Dt 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Ps 135:4; Mal 3:17). Segullah most frequently occurs in reference to something God chooses, here referring to Israel, who God choose from all the nations of the world (Ex 19:5, Dt 7:6, 14:2). Segullah speaks of personal wealth in 1Chr 29:3, Eccl 2:8. NET Note - Segullah is a technical term referring to all the recipients of God's redemptive grace, especially Israel. The LORD says here that he will not forget even one individual in the day of judgment and reward. Segullah - 8 verses translated possession(5), treasure(2), treasured possession(1). Exodus 19:5+ 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession (Lxx = periousios) among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; Deuteronomy 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession (Lxx = periousios) out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 14:2 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession (Lxx = periousios) out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 26:18 "The LORD has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession (Lxx = periousios), as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments; 1 Chronicles 29:3 "Moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple, Psalm 135:4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession. (periousiasmos = wealth, treasure) Ecclesiastes 2:8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men-- many concubines. Malachi 3:17 "They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." My own possession (see Exodus 19:5+) - Remember that in context God is speaking to Israel not the church, so it is Israel who will be His "own possession" or His own jewels (or "peculiar treasure" in the KJV), on that day when He spares them. Israel deserved annihilation, but because of His mercy (not giving them what they deserved) and grace (giving them what they did not observe), he will spare a righteous remnant of Israel (see note above on the day) Believers today are of course God's possession (valued property, peculiar treasure) (Jesus) Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession (KJV = peculiar people = periousios), zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:14-note, cf Ro 14:7-9-note, 1Co 6:19,20-note , 2Co 5:15-note) I will spare them - "I will have pity on them." "I will have compassion on them." From the Lxx (see below) we get the sense of God saying "I will choose them." His choosing has a purpose, and in Mal 3:18 this purpose is to serve Him. Spare (HCSB = have compassion) (02550)(chamal) means to spare (to forbear to destroy, punish, or harm, refrain from attacking with necessary severity) or to have compassion ("had pity" Ex 2:6). Nathan told David, how the rich man spared ("unwilling") his own lamb (2Sa 12:4). The Babylonians would not "spare" arrows in their attack on Jerusalem (Jer 50:14). In Ezek 36:21, God said He had "concern (chamal)" for His holy Name. When preceded by the Hebrew negative particle (lo') chamal means to do something ruthlessly (Isa 30:14; Lam 2:2) or without any restraint (Jer. 50:14) Chamal " can take on the nuance of holding on to something, desiring it, such as holding evil in one’s mouth (Job 20:13) or being unwilling to do something right or that is costly to oneself (2Sa 12:4)." (Baker) In Ezekiel (Ezek 5:11; 7:4, 9; 8:18; 9:5, 10; 16:5; 36:21) we see the repeated phrase that God will "have no pity" (Hebrew = chus) nor will He "spare" (chamal) Judah. From this it seems that chamal while expressing the attitude of compassion or pity, also describes "compassion in action" so to speak (albeit in all the Ezekiel passages it is used in a negative sense - God would NOT spare them!). The Septuagint (Lxx) uses an interesting verb in Mal 3:17 to translate "spare" -- the verb hairetizo (29x - most in the Lxx = Ge 30:20; Nu 14:8; 1Sa 25:35; 1Chr 28:4, 6, 10; 29:1; 2Chr 29:11; Ps 25:12; 119:30, 173; 132:13f; Ezek 20:5; Hos 4:18; Hag 2:23; Zech 1:17; 2:12; Mal 3:17; Mt 12:18) which means to choose (from haireo = to take > English "heresy" - from hairesis = action of taking, choice). The idea of hairetizo involves choice or selection (sole use in NT = Mt 12:18 referring to Jesus, "chosen" to accomplish the purposes of God, even as the ones chosen here in Mal 3:17 are to serve God). Chamal - 40 verses - Ex 2:6; Deut 13:8; 1Sa 15:3, 9, 15; 23:21; 2Sa 12:4, 6; 21:7; 2Chr 36:15, 17; Job 6:10; 16:13; 20:13; 27:22; Pr 6:34; Isa 9:19; 30:14; Jer 13:14; 15:5; 21:7; 50:14; 51:3; Lam 2:2, 17, 21; 3:43; Ezek 5:11; 7:4, 9; 8:18; 9:5, 10; 16:5; 36:21; Joel 2:18; Hab 1:17; Zech 11:5f; Mal 3:17 Usage in NASB: concern(1), desires(1), had compassion(2), had pity(1), had… compassion(2), have compassion(1), have pity(4), have… pity(1), mercy(1), ruthlessly*(1), show pity(1), spare(11), spared(5), spares(2), sparing(5), unsparing*(1), unwilling(1). The KJV translates as pity 18, spare 18, have compassion 5 Pr 6:34 For (This term of explanation forces us to observe the preceding context = Pr 6:32-33) jealousy enrages a man, and he will not spare (chamal) in the day of vengeance. As a man spares (has pity) his own son who serves him - This comparison (see term of comparison// simile) helps us understand God's heart in sparing a remnant. The remnant were sinners also, but had made the choice to fear God, to esteem His Name, to serve Him (Mal 3:18). Who serves (Lxx = douleuo) Him - Contrast those in Mal 3:14 who said "It is vain to serve God." John