Malachi 3:18

Then shall ye return

Either the wicked, who will be "converted" F26, as some render the word, and will have a different view of things, and
change their minds and language; or they that feared the Lord, who at the time before spoken of will have a new turn
of thought, and another and clear discerning of persons and things, and better judge of the dispensations of
Providence: some that refer this to the resurrection of the dead, and the last judgment, understand it, as Abarbinel
does, of the returning of souls to their bodies, when indeed the difference between persons after described will be
very discernible; but it seems to refer to the time of Christ's first coming, and Jerusalem's destruction:and discern
between the righteous and the wicked;
the difference between such who are really and truly righteous, who are here meant, even such who believe in Christ,
and are justified by his righteousness; and those that are wicked, as all by nature are: though sometimes this
character designs the more profane and abandoned, and even professors of religion; the difference between these is
not always easily discerned; as for the righteous, they are not known and discerned by the world; and by reason of
afflictions, temptations, and sins, they are apt to judge wrong of themselves; and sometimes are so left to fall into sin,
that they look like others: and there are wicked men under the appearance of righteous men, as were the Scribes and
Pharisees in Christ's time; but by the destruction that came upon them, and the preservation of such as believed in
Christ, it was discernible who were wicked, and who were righteous; indeed, at the last day, this difference will be
more visible; in the bodies of the righteous, which will be raised glorious, when those of the wicked will not; in their
souls, having on the wedding garment, the robe of Christ's righteousness, and perfectly holy; and in their situation,
being set at Christ's right hand, and the wicked at his left; and by the characters that will be given of them by the
Judge, and the different sentences passed and executed on them: between him that serveth God and him that
serveth him not;
that is, between such persons that serve the Lord, and him only, privately and publicly, in righteousness and true
holiness, in spirit and in truth, with faith and fervency, with reverence and fear, heartily and willingly, seeking his glory,
without any dependence on their services; and those that are ungodly, or only outwardly serve the Lord, for sinister
ends, and with selfish views, and according to their own inventions, and the traditions of men, and not the will of God,
as the Scribes and Pharisees; between whom, and Christ's sincere disciples and followers, the awful day, described
in the next chapter ( Malachi 4:1-6 ) , will make a manifest difference.

Far be it from you to do such

a thing--to kill the righteous with the
wicked, treating the righteous and the
wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not
the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Genesis 18:25

He urged them to plead for

mercy from the God of heaven concerning
this mystery, so that he and his friends
might not be executed with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:18

Hate evil, love good; maintain

justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD
God Almighty will have mercy on the
remnant of Joseph.
Amos 5:15

New

International

Version (1984)

And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and
those who do not.
New

Living

Translation (2007)

Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and
those who do not."
English

Standard

Version (2001)

Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God
and one who does not serve him.
New

American

Standard

Bible (1995)

So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does

not serve Him.

King

James

Bible

(Cambridge

Ed.)

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

WORD

Translation (1995)

Then you will again see the difference between righteous people and wicked people, between the one who serves
God and the one who doesn't serve him.
King

James

2000

Bible

(2003)

Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that
serves him not.
American

King

James

Version

Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that
serves him not.
American

Standard

Version

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

Bible

And you shall return, and shall see the difference between the just and the wicked: and between him that serveth
God, and him that serveth him not.
Darby

Bible

Translation

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

Revised

Version

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

Bible

Translation

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

English

Bible

Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who
doesn't serve him.
Young's

Literal

Translation

And ye have turned back and considered, Between the righteous and the wicked, Between the servant of God and
him who is not His servant.

Malachi 3:18
After He spares the God-fearing, it will be clear who is really part of Hisekklesia.
God will intervene on behalf of His people!
Will Christ intervene directly to correct His church? Most membershopethat He will.
Most agree that problems exist. They agree that they dislike what is going on. But
their justification for remaining with it is that they expect that Christ will intervene.

If Christ is going to intervene, then why did He not intervene during the Ephesian
era? If He would have intervened then, the Catholic and Protestant churches would
never have begun. But He did not intervene. Instead the Ephesian church broke
into small groups of those who wanted to hold fast to the doctrines that the
apostles had given them. The main body went on and eventually blended back into
the world.
So how will God make the distinction between the righteous and the wicked
(Malachi 3:18)? What form will His intervention take?
The context of Malachi 3 indicates it, but a clearer prophecy of this time can be
found in thebook of Revelation.
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the
wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a
time, from the presence of the serpent . . . . And the dragon was enraged with the
woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the
commandments of God and have the testimony ofJesus Christ. (Revelation 12:14,
17)
This is how He will intervene! This is how He will fulfill what He said in Malachi 3.
He will cause a separation!
Those who are to be spared will depart from the main body and be protected from
the great time of trouble just ahead. The other group must prove their dedication to
God by bearing the full force of Satan's wrath. There must be two separate bodies
of people, or they would share a common fate!
The exact time the separation is to occur is not given. Revelation 12 only shows
that itwilloccur. When it occurs, it will be abundantly clear who was faithful and
righteous and who was not. Compare these scriptures withRevelation 3:10-11, 1619.
John

W.

Ritenbaugh

Guard the Truth!

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