Calvin's Commentary on Malachi
(... continued from file 10)
Lecture One Hundred and Seventy-ninth.
Malachi 3:9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have
robbed me, [even] this whole nation.
Malachi pursues the same subject; for he answers the
Jews in the name of God - that they unjustly complained
of his rigour as being immoderate, since they themselves
were the cause of all their evils. He says that they were
cursed, but he adds that this happened to them
deservedly, as though he had said - "Be that granted what
you say, (for lamentations were continually made,) why is
it that God afflicts us without end or limits?" God seems
to grant what they were wont reproachfully to declare;
but he says in answer to this - "But ye have defrauded
Me; what wonder then that my curse consumes you? As then
I have been robbed by you, as far as ye could, I will
render to you your just recompense; for it is not right
that I should be bountiful and kind to you, while ye thus
defraud me, and take from me what is my own."
The meaning then is this - that it was indeed true
that the Jews lamented that they were under a curse, but
that the cause ought to have been searched out. They
indeed wished their rapines and sacrileges to be
forgiven, by which they defrauded God; but God declares
that he punished them justly in consuming them with
poverty and want, since they so sparingly rendered to him
what they owed.
He mentions the whole nation, and thus aggravates
the wickedness of the Jews; for not a few were guilty of
the sacrilege mentioned, but all, from the least to the
greatest, they all plundered the tenths and the
oblations. It hence follows that God's vengeance did not
exceed due limits, since there was as it were a common
conspiracy; there were not ten or a hundred implicated in
this sin, but, as he says, the whole people. It follows -
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
that there may be meat in mine 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].
He at length declares that they profited nothing by
contending with God, but that a better way was open to
them, that is, to return into favour with him. After
having then repelled their unjust accusations, he again
points out the remedy which he had already referred to -
that if they dealt faithfully with God, he would be
bountiful to them, and that his blessing would be
promptly extended to them. This is the sum of the
passage. They had been sufficiently proved guilty of
rapacity in withholding the tenths and the oblations; as
then the sacrilege was well known, the Prophet now passes
judgement, as they say, according to what is usually done
when the criminal is condemned, and the cause is decided,
so that he who has been defrauded recovers his right.
So also now God deals with the Jews. Bring, he says,
to the repository (for this is the same as the house of
the treasury, or of provisions) all the tenths, or the
whole tenths. We hence learn that they had not withholden
the whole of the tenths from the priests, but that they
fraudulently brought the half, or retained as much as
they could; for it was not without reason that he said,
Bring all, or the whole. They then so paid the tenths as
to supply the priests with a part only, and thus they
trifled with God, according to what hypocrites do, who
ever claim to themselves high honour, and try to perform
their duty in such a way as not to discover their own
perfidy, and yet they are not ashamed of the liberty they
take to illude God; and of this we have here a remarkable
example. We then see that it is no new or unusual thing
for men to pretend to do the duties they owe to God, and
at the same time to take away from him what is his own,
and to transfer it to themselves, and that manifestly, so
that their impiety is evident, though it be covered by
the veil of dissimulation.
He then adds, Let there be meat in my house. We have
elsewhere explained this form of speaking, and in the
last lecture the Prophet spoke also of the meat of God,
not that God needs meat and drink, but that whatever he
has given us ought to be deemed his. We have already
stated, that it has been recorded for our sake, that the
Jews offered bread, and victims, and things of this kind,
and that they feasted at Jerusalem in the presence of
God: for what is more desirable than that God should
dwell in the midst of us? and this is often repeated in
the law. But this could not have been set forth to us in
a way so familiar, as when God is represented as in a
manner sitting at table with us, as though he were our
guest, eating of the same bread and of the other
provisions: and hence it is said in the law, "Thou shalt
feast and rejoice before thy God." (Deut. 2: 18.) Now as
God needs not meat and drink, as it has been said, and as
men in their grossness are ever prone to superstitions,
he substituted the priests and the poor in his own place,
to prevent the Jews from entertaining earthly notions
respecting him. And this kind of modification or
correction deserves to be noticed: for the Lord on the
one hand intended to draw men in a kind manner to
himself; but, on the other hand, he proposed to raise
their minds upward to heaven, lest they should ascribe to
him anything unworthy of himself, as is wont to be done,
and is very common.
But, at the same time, he again accuses them of
sacrilege, for he complains that he was deprived of meat;
Let there then be meat in my house; and prove me by this,
saith Jehovah, if I wily not open, &c. He confirms what
he said before, and yet proceeds with his promise, for by
subjecting himself to a proof, he boldly repels their
calumny in saying that they were without cause consumed
with want, and that God had changed his nature, because
he had not given a large supply of provisions. God then
briefly shows, that wrong had been done to him, for he
admits of a proof or a trial, as though he had said, "If
you choose to contest the point, I will soon settle it,
for if you bring to me the tenths and them entire, there
will immediately come to you a great abundance of all
provisions: it will hence be evident, that I am not the
cause of barrenness, but that it is your wickedness,
because ye have sacrilegiously defrauded me."
Then he adds, If I will not open to you the windows
of heaven. It is the first thing as to fertility that the
heavens should water the earth, according to what
Scripture declares: and hence God threatens in the law
that the heaven would be iron and the earth brass, (Deut.
28: 23,) for there is a mutual connection between the
heaven and the earth, and he says elsewhere by a Prophet,
"The heaven will hear the earth, and the earth will hear
the corn and wine, and the corn and wine will hear men."
(Hos 2: 99.) For when famine urges us, we cry for bread
and wine, as our life seems in a manner to be dependent
on these supplies. When there is no wine nor corn, we
meet with a denial; but the wine and the corn cry to the
earth, and why? because according to the order fixed by
God, they seek as it were to break forth; for when the
bowels of the earth are closed, neither the corn nor the
vine can come forth, and then they in vain call on the
earth. The sense is the case with the earth; for when it
is dry and as it were famished, it calls on the heavens,
but if rain be denied, the heavens seem to reject its
prayer. Then God in this place shows that the earth could
not produce a single ear of corn, except the heavens
supplied moisture or rain. God indeed could from the
beginning have watered the earth without rain, as Moses
relates he did at first, for a vapour then supplied the
want of rain. Though then rain descends naturally, we are
yet reminded here that God sends it. This is the first
thing.
But as rain itself would not suffice, he adds, I
will unsheath, &c.; for "raq" means properly to unsheath;
but as this metaphor seems unnatural, some have more
correctly rendered it, "I will draw out" Unnatural also
is this version, "I will empty out a blessing," and it
perverts the meaning. Let us then follow what I have
stated as the first - that a blessing is drawn out from
God when the earth discharges its office, and becomes
fertile or fruitful. We hence see that God is not only in
one way bountiful to us, but he also intends by various
processes to render us sensible of his kindness: he rains
from heaven to soften the earth, that it may in its bosom
nourish the corn, and then send it forth from its bowels,
as though it extended its breast to us; and further, God
adds his blessing, so as to render the rain useful.
He subjoins the words "'ad-beliy-day", which some
render, "that there may not be a sufficiency," that is,
that granaries and cellars might not be capable of
containing such abundance. They then elicit this meaning
- that so great would be the fruitfulness of the earth,
and so large would be its produce, that their
repositories would not be sufficiently capacious. But
others give this version, "Beyond the measure of
sufficiency." The word "day" means properly sufficiency,
or what is needful, as by inverting the letters it "yad".
With regard to the general meaning there is but little
difference. Suitable also is this version, "Beyond
sufficiency;" that is, I will not regard what is needful
for you, as though it were measured, but the abundance
shall be overflowing. It follows -
Malachi 3:11 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 field, saith the LORD of hosts.
God now again confirms the truth, that he would not
in one way only be bountiful to them. He might indeed
distribute to us daily our food, as we know that he thus
fed his people in the wilderness; but his will is that
the seed should rot in the earth, that it should then
germinate, and in course of time grow, until it shoots
into ears of corn; but it is still in no small danger,
nay the corn is subject to many evils before it be
gathered into the garner; for the locusts, the worms, the
mildew, and other things may destroy it. God therefore,
in order to set forth his kindness to men, enumerates
here the ways and the means by which food is preserved;
for it would not be enough that the seed should
germinate, and that there should appear evidences of a
great produce, the ears being fine and abundant, but it
is necessary that the ears of corn themselves, before
they become ripe, should be preserved from above; for on
the one hand the chafers, the locusts, the worms, and
other grubs, may suddenly creep in and devour the corn
while in the field, and on the other hand, storms, and
hail, and mildew, and oilier pestilential things, as I
have said, may prove ruinous to the corn.
Hence God shows here, that he takes constant care of
us, and every day and every night performs the office of
a good and careful head of a family, who always watches
for its benefit.
In the word devourer, I include all the evils to
which we see that corn is subject; he therefore says, he
shall not destroy the fruit of the earth; nor bereaved
shall be the vine for you in the fields. The verb
"shachal" properly means to bereave or to deprive; but as
this version, "bereaved shall not be vine," would be
harsh, some have rendered the words thus, "Miscarry shall
not vine," which I do not disapprove: Miscarry then shall
not the vine for you in the fields, saith Jehovah of
hosts. It follows -
Malachi 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for
ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
This verse is taken from the law, in which among
other things God promises so happy a state to his chosen
people, that the nations themselves would acknowledge in
them the blessing of God. There is yet a contrast to be
understood, - that having fallen into such misery, they
were become as it were detestable to all nations,
according to what the law also declares concerning them,
"If thou shalt keep my precepts, all nations shall call
thee blessed; but if thou wilt despise me, thou shalt be
a sport to all nations, all shall shake the head and move
the lips; yea, they shall be astonished at the sight of
thy misery, and whosoever shall hear his ears will
tingle." (Deut. 28: 1,15.) As then the Jews were consumed
as it were in their miseries, the Prophet says, "If you
turn to God, that happiness which he has promised you
shall not be withheld; he has it as it were ready in his
hand, like a treasure that is hidden, according to what
is said in Ps. 31: 19, 'How great is the abundance of thy
goodness! but it is laid up for them who fear thee.'" God
then means, that he will not prostitute his blessing to
dogs and swine, but that it is always in reserve for his
children, who are teachable and obedient. The nations
then shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a land of
desire.
This promise also is taken from the law, in which
God says, that he had not in vain separated that land
from the rest, because it was to be an example or a
representation of his kindness through the whole world.
We indeed know that God has ever been bountiful even to
all nations, so as to satisfy them abundantly with
provisions; but the land of Israel is called the land of
desire, or a desirable land, because it was the special
scene of God's bounty, not only as to meat and drink, but
also as to other more excellent blessings. He now adds -
Malachi 3:13-15
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD.
Yet ye say, What have we spoken [so much] against thee?
14 Ye have said, It [is] vain to serve God: and what
profit [is it] that we have kept his ordinance, 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.
Here again God expostulates with the Jews on account
of their impious and wicked blasphemy in saying, that he
disappointed his servants, and that he made no difference
between good and evil, because he was kind to the
unfaithful and the faithful indiscriminately, and also
that he overlooked the obedience rendered to him.
He says now that their words grew strong; by which
he denotes their insolence, as though he had said, Vous
avez gagn le plus haut; for "chazaq" is to be strong. He
means that such was the waywardness of the Jews that it
could not by any means be checked; they were like men
whom we see, who when once seized by rage and madness,
become so vociferous that they will not listen to any
admonitions or sane counsels. At first they murmur and
are only heard to whisper; but when they have attained
full liberty, they then send forth, as I have said, their
furious clamours against heaven. This is the sin which
the Prophet now condemns by saying, that the Jews grew
strong in crying against God. They again answer and say,
In what have we spoken against thee? It appears from
these so many repetitions that the hypocrisy, which was
united with great effrontery, could not be easily
corrected in a people so refractory: it ought indeed to
have come to their minds that they had wickedly accused
God. But they acknowledge here no fault, "What meanest
thou?" as though they wished to arraign the Prophet for
having falsely charged them, inasmuch as they were
conscious of no wrong.
He then gives the reason why he said, that their
words grew strong against God, that is, that they
daringly and furiously spoke evil of God; and the reason
was, because they said, that God was worshipped in vain.
They thought that they worshipped God perfectly; and this
was their false principle; for hypocrites ever lay claim
to complete holiness, and cannot bear to confess their
own evils; even when their conscience goads them, they
deceive themselves with vain flatteries, and always
endeavour to draw over them some veil that their disgrace
may not appear before men. Hence hypocrites seek to
deceive themselves, God, angels, and men; and when they
are inflated with the confidence that they worship God
purely, rightly, and without any defect, and that they
are without any blame, they will betray the virulence
which lies within, whenever God does not help them as
they wish, whenever he submits not to their will: for
when they are prosperous, God is hauntingly blessed by
them; but as soon as he withdraws his hand and begins to
prove their patience, they will then show, as I have
said, what sort of worshippers of God they are. But in
the service of God the chief thing is this - that men
deny themselves and give themselves up to be ruled by
God, and never raise a clamour when he humbles them.
We hence see how it was that the Jews found fault
with God; for they were persuaded that they fully
performed their duty, which was yet most false; and then,
they were not willing to submit to God, and to undertake
his yoke, because they did not consider in how many ways
they had provoked God's wrath, and what just and
multiplied reasons he has for chastising his people, even
when they do nothing wrong. As then they did not
seriously consider any of these things, they thought that
he was unjust to them, In vain then do we serve God.
These thoughts, as we have said, sometimes come across
the minds of the faithful; but they, as it becomes them,
resist such thoughts: the Jews, on the contrary, as
though they were victorious, vomited forth these
blasphemies against God.
In vain we serve God; what benefit? they said: for
we have kept has charge, we have walked obscurely, or
humbly, before Jehovah of hosts; and yet we are
constrained to call the proud, or the impious, happy.
Here they bring a twofold accusation against God, that
they received no reward for their piety when they
faithfully discharged their duty towards God, - and also
that it was better with the ungodly and the despisers of
God than with them. We hence see how reproachfully they
exaggerated what they deemed the injustice of God, at
least how they themselves imagined that he disappointed
the just of their deserved reward, and that he favoured
the ungodly and the wicked as though he was pleased with
them, as though he intended the more to exasperate the
sorrow of his own servants, who, though they faithfully
worshipped, yet saw that they did so in vain, as God
concealed himself and did not regard their services.
That the good also are tempted, as we have said, by
thoughts of this kind, is no wonder, when the state of
things in the world is in greater confusion. Even Solomon
says, "All things happen alike to the just and to the
unjust, to him who offers sacrifices, and to him who does
not sacrifice," (Eccles. 9: 2,) hence the earth is full
of impiety and contempt. There is then an occasion for
indignation and envy offered to us; but as God designedly
tries our faith by such confusions, we must remember that
we must exercise patience. It is not at the same time
enough for us to submit to God's judgement, except we
also consider that we are justly distressed; and that
though we may be attentive to what is just and upright,
many vices still cleave to us, and that we are sprinkled
with many spots, which provoke God's wrath against us.
Let us then learn to form a right judgement as to what
our life is, and then let us bear in mind how many are
the reasons why God should sometimes deal roughly with
us. Thus all our envying will cease, and our minds will
be prepared calmly to obey. In short, these
considerations will check whatever perverseness there may
be in us, so that neither our wicked thoughts nor our
words will be so strong as to rise in rebellion against
God. Prayer. Grant, Almighty God, that since we
continue to afford many and various reasons to induce
thee to withdraw thy blessing, and to show thyself
displeased with us, - O grant, that we may patiently bear
thy scourges, by which thou chastises us, and also profit
under them, and so contend with all our depraved
affections and the corruptions of the flesh, that we may
become partakers of thy paternal kindness, which thou
offerest to us, and also so taste of thy goodness, which
in innumerable ways is manifested towards us, that it may
keep us in the pursuit of true religion; finally, may our
tongues be consecrated to magnify thy judgement and to
celebrate thy justice, that whatever happens to us, we
may always serve thee through our whole life as our
Father, and declare also thy goodness towards us, and
confess that we are justly punished whenever thou
visitest us with severity, until we shall at length reach
that blessed rest, which is to be the end of all our
evils, and an entrance, not only into life, but also into
that full glory and happiness, which has been procured
for us by the blood of thine only-begotten Son. - Amen.
Calvin's Commentary on Malachi
(continued in file 12...)
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