Malachi 3:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

NIV: Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty. 'But you ask, 'How are we to return?'

NASB: From the days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,' says the Lord of armies. 'But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

CSB: "Since the days of your ancestors, you have turned from my statutes; you have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of Armies.Yet you ask, "How can we return? "

NLT: Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,' says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 'But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’

KJV: 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 said, Wherein shall we return?

NKJV: Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’

This verse begins the last of Malachi's three major messages. Unfortunately, Israel has a long track record of disobeying God, despite all of His blessings (Deuteronomy 31:27–29). At the time Malachi delivered this prophecy, Israel was at the end of a particularly long decline. Hosea depicts Israel as prone to error, but repentant. Ezekiel shows Israel to be blatantly disobedient and unrepentant. Malachi now sees Israel as so numb and distant from God that they hardly even recognize their own mistakes.

Verse 6 was an explicit statement of God's faithfulness, despite Israel's sin (Deuteronomy 4:30–31). Here, God is calling on Israel to be faithful, so that they can experience the blessings of His covenant with them. As with the other accusations in Malachi's prophecy, Israel replies with doubt and disbelief. Their response does not mean, "what should we do," but rather means, "why would we need to come back?" In other words, they question whether they have any problems to fix in the first place. Israel has drifted so far from God that they don't even recognize that they've fallen away.

Malachi 3:7–12 is both a reminder and an encouragement to Israel. God's covenant through Moses included positive promises, in response to obedience. However, it also included negative consequences, in response to defiance. Israel has been ''robbing'' God by failing to pay His tithes. Israel's lack of success, in this case, is partly because of their own disobedience. Even so, God promises to restore Israel's fortunes if they will be faithful. Though often mis-applied, these requirements and promises are meant only for Israel, not all believers at all times.

The final message, completed in chapter 4, is an appeal for God's chosen people to return. God would prefer to see them redeemed, than to be destroyed, when the end finally comes. This passage includes God's promise to send a messenger heralding the Messiah. And, that the Promised One will someday rule and conquer the wicked. In the meantime, Israel must stop ''robbing'' Him by withholding His tithes and offerings. Only God's unchanging nature has kept Israel from destruction. At the same time, God will remember those who have been faithful during these faithless times.

Malachi's first message, to the priests, ended in chapter 2. The prophecy then shifts to accuse Israel of unfaithfulness across chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3. The final message covers the last half of chapter 3 and all of the short fourth chapter. This last warning is centered on Israel's failure to pay God His tithes and offerings, as well as a promise to send Messiah to judge all sin.

Malachi is the last message of prophecy given to Israel prior to 400 years of silence. Israel has rebuilt the temple, following the invasions of Babylon, but they are still under foreign oppression. Israel's spiritual condition, however, is dire. Hosea depicted Israel as prone to failure, but repentant. Later, Ezekiel exposed Israel's blatant disobedience. By the time of Malachi, Israel has passed into numbness and apathy. Unlike other Old Testament prophets, Malachi takes the form of a dialogue, where Israel responds to accusations as if unaware that they've occurred. The next prophetic voice from God would not come until the ministry of John the Baptist.