3 Nephi Chapter 24

Scripture Mastery

3 Nephi 24 and 25 The prophet Malachi on tithing (Malachi 3) and the return of Elijah (Malachi 4)

Certainly the three-day instructional session in which these fortunate Nephites are participating is certainly among the greatest teaching "seminars" in the history of the world. He was teaching people who were sufficiently righteous to have escaped the destructive purging of the Book of Mormon people. He was thus able to teach them freely without any constraint from unrighteous people in the congregation. It is interesting and instructive to note the techniques he used in teaching them. For one thing, he drew freely from the teachings he previously had inspired his prophets to write. He sometimes quoted entire chapters. For example, 3 Nephi 22 is the Lord's quoting of Isaiah chapter 54. 3 Nephi chapters 24 and 25 are the Lord's quoting of Malachi chapters 3 and 4. Malachi was the last of the great Hebrew prophets of whom we have any record who ministered unto the Jews. The brass plates obviously could not have included the teachings of the prophet Malachi who prophesied about 430 BC, about 150 years after Lehi left Jerusalem. The Nephites, therefore, had no knowledge of his prophecies, but received them with joy from the mouth of the Savior, Himself.

Some of Malachi's prophecies were so significant that the Father commanded that they be included in the Nephite record, the Book of Mormon.

Both of these chapters from Malachi (3 Nephi 24-25) are somewhat fragmented in that both contain a diversity of materials. Thus this segment of 3 Nephi has the character of disconnected utterances, indeed a quote book, instead of one continuous prophecy. Appreciation is expressed to Kent P. Jackson and his essay, "Teaching from the Words of the Prophets," in Studies in Scripture, Volume 8 (198-207) from which some of the following commentary is taken.

Perhaps the central theme of 3 Nephi 24 is the law of tithing.

1 And 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.

2 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 fuller's soap.

verses 1-2 In these verses the prophet Malachi prophesies of a messenger who would be sent to prepare the way before his coming in glory. The setting and the terminology of this passage suggest that the Lord's "coming in glory" refers to the Lord's second coming, yet the same words are used in the New Testament to describe John the Baptist, who was the messenger sent to prepare the way before the Lord's coming in mortality (see Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2). Verse 1 tells of the appearance of the Lord "suddenly" in his temple, asking rhetorically who will be able to endure his coming and the cleansing that will accompany it.

These verses do not identify the messenger to whom Malachi referred. Some reasonable candidates for messengers of the restoration include: John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John, who restored the keys of the priesthood to Joseph Smith; Elijah, the bearer of priesthood keys, whose coming is the subject of discussion in Malachi's writings in the next chapter; and Moroni, the messenger who set the latter-day work into motion. The prophet Joseph Smith is also a good candidate. Perhaps Malachi had in mind a collective ministry of all the messengers who restored doctrine and keys in the last days, each in turn preparing the way for Christ. Brother Kent Jackson even suggests that perhaps a broader interpretation may be valid. Perhaps the gospel itself-restored in the latter days to make the world ready for the Lord-is the messenger sent before him: "I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me" (D&C 45:9).

3 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.

verse 3 "that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness" After the return of Israel from Babylonian captivity, the priestly Levites became lax in their religious obligations, and because of their bad example, the rest of the nation became remiss in their duties. Malachi pointed out that the sacrifices they offered to the Lord were the worst of the flocks or even stolen animals, rather than the best. Thus, because the priests were unrighteous, their sacrifices were unacceptable, and the Lord promised that when he comes again, he will purge the Levites that they may yet offer an offering in righteousness (Malachi 3:1-3).

But just who are the Levites, and what kind of offering will they make? One view holds that the Levites are present-day priesthood holders in the Church. In May of 1829 John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the priesthood of Aaron. On that occasion the Baptist quoted the prophet Malachi. The canonized version of that quote in D&C 13 has led to some confusion. However, Oliver Cowdery recorded an account of that same experience. His account was written in 1834 and is now found in the extended footnote at the end of the Joseph Smith-History in the Pearl of Great Price. Oliver's account, which contains a variation in wording from Joseph's version in section 13, reads: "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of the Messiah, I confer this Priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon the earth, that the sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!" (Italics mine). This version may give a clearer sense of what was intended. The term "sons of Levi" should be interpreted as meaning the Latter-day bearers of the priesthood. The offering which the Lord will require of latter-day priesthood holders may not be an actual animal sacrifice, but more likely simply works of righteousness.

Some, however, have seemed to teach that the practice of blood sacrifice will be restored to the earth in this latter-day dispensation. President Joseph Fielding Smith explained:

We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times into which all things are to be gathered, and all things are to be restored since the beginning. Even this earth is to be restored to the condition which prevailed before Adam's transgression. Now in the nature of things, the law of sacrifice will have to be restored, or all things which were decreed by the Lord would not be restored. It will be necessary, therefore, for the sons of Levi, who offered the blood sacrifices anciently in Israel, to offer such a sacrifice again to round out and complete this ordinance in this dispensation. Sacrifice by the shedding of blood was instituted in the days of Adam, and of necessity will have to be restored.

The sacrifice of animals will be done to complete the restoration when the temple spoken of is built; at the beginning of the millennium, or in the restoration, blood sacrifices will be performed long enough to complete the fulness of the restoration in this dispensation. Afterwards, sacrifice will be of some other character (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:94).

An alternate view as to the proper identity of the sons of Levi is that the descendants of Levi, who still exist among the Jews throughout the world, are still rightful heirs to the priesthood of Aaron. They are now outside of the covenants of the gospel, which are found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thus, these Levites are unable to fill the role to which their family had been chosen by revelation and set apart in ancient times. As part of the restoration of all things, the tribe of Levi once again will fill a priesthood function in the Lord's kingdom-after they become converted, are purified at the Lord's coming, join the Church, and are born again of the Spirit.

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

verse 4 This rather enigmatic verse suggests that after the priesthood holders in the Lord's earthly kingdom begin to make offerings in righteousness, then the "offering of Judah and Jerusalem" will be pleasant or pleasing unto the Lord. Joseph Smith attempts to explain this sequence: "The Lord will purify the sons of Levi, good or bad, for it is through them that blessings flow to Israel. . . . And then, and not till then, 'shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years'" (Joseph Smith, March 21, 1841, recorded by Martha Jane Coray, Ehat and Cook, The Words of Joseph Smith, 66).

5 And 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.

verse 5 The time reference seems to be the time of the Lord's second coming in glory. The Lord will be swift to judge those individuals and societies who are guilty of sins against God and fellow beings. He will return in glory, pronounce a righteous judgment upon the ungodly, and cleanse the earth of its telestial elements by fire.

6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

verse 6 The Lord is long-suffering and patient with scattered Israel. Though they have strayed, he does not destroy them and will offer them another chance to repent in the next verse.

7 Even 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?

verse 7 Again the time frame is the final dispensation. Scattered Israel has strayed from the Lord's commandments and ordinances. But the Lord makes a merciful offer: "If you return to me, I'll return to you."

"Wherein shall we return?" Some of scattered Israel may not know how to return to the Lord. In the next verse, the Lord will make a most practical suggestion-start by paying your tithing.

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring 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.

11 And 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.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts.

verses 8-12 It is notable that the Lord's teaching on the law of tithing was included in the Lord's recitation to the Nephites. We do not know whether the Nephites lived the law of tithing prior to the Lord's appearance in addition to the sacrifices necessary under the law of Moses. Though it is not stated, it seems reasonable to assume that they did live the law of tithing following his visit with them.

13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say: What have we spoken against thee?

verse 13 "Your words have been stout against me" While the word stout can mean strong or firm, here it seems to mean "proud; resolute; obstinate" (Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language).

"What have we spoken against thee?" Again, the scattered rebellious Israelites persist in denying their sins.

14 Ye 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?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

verses 14-15 The sinful Israelites protest that it does them no immediate good to serve God and keep his ordinances and wear a sad face in acknowledgment of their sins. "Just look around you," they say, "everyone is happy and living in favorable circumstances-including the proud, the wicked, and they that tempt God. Why bother to obey God?"

The answer lies in the parable of the wheat and tares: "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his field; But while he slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the wheat into my barn; and the tares are bound in bundles to be burned" (JST, Matthew 13:22-29).

So which will we choose, the barn or the burning?

A parenthetical note: The Lord always first gathers the righteous out from among the wicked as is stated in this corrected JST version of the parable. The King James Bible version renders Matthew 13:30: "Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them." The Doctrine and Covenants clarifies and confirms this order: "Ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and low, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned" (D&C 86:7).

Another parenthetical note of interest is to summarize the "gatherings" in the Book of Mormon text subsequent to the "gathering" of Lehi's family out from among the wicked in Jerusalem. These include:

1. The Lord directed Nephi and the righteous in his group to depart from his wicked brothers and from the land of their first inheritance in the New World (2 Nephi 5).

2. Warned of the Lord, Mosiah led his people out of the land of Nephi (Omni 1:12).

3. Converted by Abinadi's teaching, Alma prompted the believers to withdraw from Noah's kingdom and to gather at the waters of Mormon. Then, divinely "apprised of the coming of the king's army," the colony left their homes behind and began their own city (Mosiah 18:4-7; Mosiah 18:34).

4. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies, who were converted by the sons of Mosiah, hearkened to the Lord's commandment to leave the Lamanites and establish a righteous society in Jershon (Alma 27:12- 14).

In each of these cases, a righteous people were warned by God, under the direction of a prophet, to separate themselves from the wicked. Also in each case the chosen group was led into a "wilderness" where they were prepared and proven. As D&C 86:3 suggests, it is the tares that "choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness." Finally, in each case the chosen people eventually receive their rest in a promised land where they begin to build a Zion society.

The early history of restoration the Lord's Church in this dispensation also followed this pattern. It was marked by a series of siftings, gatherings, and journeyings in the wilderness led from New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois. As a result, a colony of pioneers departed into the wilderness to endure a "little season" of chastening, growth, and refinement in order that Zion may be redeemed (D&C 100:13; 101:3-4). Finally they were gathered to the Great Basin.

So what is our situation today? We live in the Great Gentile nation, a nation allowed by the Lord to exist by compromise. While his inspiration was evident in its founding, neither he nor his prophets stand at the head of it. There is, by constitutional mandate, a separation of church and state. While the Lord's Church has been restored to this nation, and from this nation is being promulgated the gospel, the Lord has clearly prophesied this nation's eventual destruction. The Lord is now tolerating the rampant apostasy that exists here. He is allowing the tares to grow among the wheat. As one surveys the prophecies of the last days, it is apparent that the Lord is almost grudgingly awaiting the proper time to dispatch the destroying angels. He is allowing the gathering to continue, and tolerating the ripening iniquity of this Gentile nation. He is doing it because he must. However, this nation is sealed up to eventual destruction. It is vital that the "wheat" or righteous element in this nation stand in holy places and separate themselves from the world. To be gathered one day to the Master's celestial "barn," we must each depart from Babylon though we literally abide in the midst of it. We must make certain that the distinction between us and the tares is clear. It would seem like the hybrids will also not survive the coming destruction.

16 Then 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.

verse 16 Again, the time is prior to the Lord's second coming in glory. The names of the righteous-"they that feared the Lord"-are recorded in the Lord's "book of remembrance" which is the same as the "Lamb's Book of Life" (see Alma 5:57- 58; D&C 76:68; D&C 88:2; D&C 88:132:19).

17 And 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.

verse 17 The Lord's judgment at his second coming will separate the wheat from the tares. In the fervent heat of the second coming, the counterfeit jewels will melt away, while the genuine jewels will shine forth with glory.

18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

verse 18 The Lord hypothesizes, "If you were able to see the righteous and wicked together prior to my second coming, you would be able to easily identify the those in each group. Those serving me are the righteous. The wicked are serving me not."