3 Nephi 24
People in this chapter
The Nephites had Isaiah, Moses, and the prophets of the brass plates. They did not have Malachi, who prophesied long after Lehi left Jerusalem. So the risen Lord gives it to them. He commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. And... after they were written he expounded them (v. 1).
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3 Nephi 24:1-6The Lord Shall Suddenly Come to His Temple
1And it came to pass that he commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. And it came to pass that after they were written he expounded them. And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto Malachi—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.
Jesus has the disciples write down Malachi's words, which they did not have, and then explains them. The words came from the Father to Malachi.
2But 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 fuller's soap. 3And 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. 4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
The Lord's coming will be like a refiner's fire that burns away impurity, and like strong soap that cleans cloth. He sits patiently over His people as a refiner sits over silver.
5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of Hosts. 6For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
The Lord will be a quick witness against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, and those who cheat workers or neglect widows, orphans, and strangers. He does not change, and that is why His people still exist.
3 Nephi 24:7-12Will a Man Rob God?
7Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts. But ye say: Wherein shall we return?
The Lord says His people have left His ordinances. He promises that if they come back to Him, He will come back to them. They ask, "How?"
8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
The Lord says His people have robbed Him by withholding tithes and offerings. He asks them to bring all their tithes to the storehouse.
11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of Hosts. 12And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts.
The Lord invites His people to test Him: pay tithing and see if He will not open the windows of heaven. He also promises to protect what they have.
3 Nephi 24:13-18A Book of Remembrance
13Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee? 14Ye have said: It is vain to serve God, and what doth it profit that we have kept his ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? 15And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Some of the people complain that serving God is useless, because the proud and wicked seem to prosper.
16Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. 17And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Those who feared the Lord kept talking with each other about Him. The Lord listened, and a book of remembrance was written for them.
In the end, the difference between those who serve God and those who do not will be plain to see.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- MalachiBackground on the prophet and the book the Savior quotes in chapters 24 and 25.
- TithingThe Church's explanation of the law of tithing taught in verses 8-10, and how tithes are used.
- Book of RemembranceScriptures on the record mentioned in verse 16, from Adam's day to ours.
- Second Coming of Jesus ChristScriptures on the day Malachi asks about: who may abide the day of his coming? (v. 2).
Where this echoes in Scripture
The Lord Shall Suddenly Come to His Temple
- Matthew 11:10This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face.Jesus identifies the messenger as John the Baptist.
- 3 Nephi 11:1, 8Round about the temple... he came down and stood in the midst of them.The Lord came to His temple among this people.
- D&C 13:1Until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
- D&C 128:24Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
- Moroni 8:18He is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.
Will a Man Rob God?
- D&C 119:4Those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually.
- D&C 64:23It is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people.
- Alma 13:15Even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.
- Leviticus 27:30All the tithe of the land... is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
- James 4:8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.The same promise as verse 7.
A Book of Remembrance
- Psalm 73:3I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Moses 6:5A book of remembrance was kept, in the which was recorded, in the language of Adam.
- Exodus 19:5Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.
- Titus 2:14Purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
- 3 Nephi 25:5-6Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.Where Malachi's prophecy continues.