Malachi 3:2: “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 fullers’ soap:”
The day of His coming is not a reference to an actually appearance. We are so use to the words Second Coming and the appearance of the Lord in the skies as a future event that we automatically reference this to the Second Coming of Jesus. Maybe this is a type or an illustration of the Second Coming or it could even be what is called an on-going prophecy, a reoccurring event, however, in its context it is an event that was to happen and did happen very shortly after this prophecy was given by Malachi. The word for coming in Hebrew is bo which means to fall upon or even to attack. Who can abide when the Lord falls upon you or attacks you. The English word coming is an unfortunate word to use here because it implies making an appearance. Actually, the Lord is here right now, He does not need to make an appearance. However, it would be nice if He would fall upon us. Then again, maybe it would not be so nice. If He falls upon us we get all his glory and holiness, however, if we are in sin well light and darkness do not mix and our sins will either be cleansed or will block any protection from God from the consequences of that sin.
The passage says “Who can abide the day of his falling upon us?” The word abide is kool which means to seize contain and measure up. The picture is one of sheltering. When the events or natural consequences of sin are about to fall, God will fall upon us measure us up and if we are found worthy, clean and compatible He will protect us. To those of us cleansed in the Blood of the Lamb we will measure up and will be sheltered from the storm. However, to those who are not cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb there is no shelter. Who shall stand when he appears. The word stand is ‘amad which is standing in support of something. You know all those for Hillary Clinton, stand or ‘amad. In other words, show your support by taking a stand. The word appearance is ra’ah which is the word for seeing both spiritually and/or physically. I do not believe it should be rendered as a physical appearance in this context, as it does not fit the context. I believe an English word that is sometimes used for ra’ah would fit the context much better and that is the word discern or distinguish. Who will show their support when the Lord discerns or distinguishes who is going to receive his protection.
Then it says something quite intriguing. He will be like a refiner’s fire and fuller’s soap. I believe this is a reference to the coming Messiah a couple hundred years later who will cleanse and make one pure so they can join with the holiness of God to be protected. But the appearance of the Messiah and His death and resurrection has not taken take place yet. It is interesting that the word stand ‘amad in this passage in Hebrew is used as a participle. This measuring up and cleansing action is an action that was taking place at that very time.
I recently read something of interest put forth by quantum physicists, they said that time is linear. Past, present and future all exist on the same plain. We cannot wrap our brain around it, but what that means is that the past and future are all occurring at once. One day with the Lord is as a thousand years II Peter 3:8. How were people saved in the Old Testament before the cross? They were saved the same way they are now, so I was told when I was student at Moody Bible Institute. I fully agree with that. In God’s eyes the death and resurrection of His son had, was and will occur. In your special plain of time with Jesus is dying for your personally right now for you personally no one else. He travels through this plain of time to die for me and then for someone else, but his death is a continuing event. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation Hebrew 2:3. Your sin put Him on that cross, no one elses. Take that to bed with you tonight. The cleansing blood of Jesus, if our physicists are right is occurring right now, just as it was occurring when the Book of Malachi was written.
So I believe what we have here in Malachi 3;2 is a call to salvation. Just like an evangelistic meeting, Who will stand for the Lord and be cleansed like a refining fire and fuller’s soap to be found worthy of allowing God to fall upon them with His presence and protection. That verse applies just as much to us today as it did back then and in fact applies to each one of us right now.
Just one final word about this fuller’s soap. A fuller or a borith is one who presses or whitens cloth by pounding it with one’s feet, hands or a club to rid it of its impurities. A soap or alkali from the ashes a plant mekabbeshim is used to bleach the cloth. You know sometimes that cleansing process is not enjoyable. I was talking with someone today about Noami in the Book of Ruth who wanted to be called Marah because she was bitter and the Lord marar or dealt bitterly with her. I never like that idea of God dealing bitterly with someone. Besides that it appears this Godly woman was looking for sympathy. But when I studied this word marar or bitter I found its Semitic origins is the word for bile, that acid taste that comes to your mouth when you are spitting up. Yet this also comes from same root as myrrah which is a sweet perfume or essential oil used for medicinal purposes. Myrrah was used to sooth skin abrasions. So when Noami said that God was dealing bitterly with her she was making a play on words here. She was asked to be called Marah not because she wanted sympathy, but that she did not want sympathy. She was declaring that she was being cleansed by borith mekabbeshim fuller’s soap. God was putting her through a cleansing process which was not pleasant, but don’t feel sorry for Noami, because this was only a process to help cleanse her and make her pure.
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