Contextualizing Malachi in 3 Nephi

[_consiglieri]

I thought I would post this recent insight for public consumption.

Contextualizing Malachi in 3 Nephi

Early on in the Book of Mormon, Nephi says he will liken the scriptures unto his people that it might be for their “profit and learning.” (1 Nephi 19:23) He proceeds to do this by quoting Isaiah passages and giving them a unique application to the Nephites.

When the resurrected Jesus appears to the Nephites, he makes sure that Malachi chapters 3 and 4 are added to the record. (See 3 Nephi 24 and 25)

Malachi 3:1 talks about the Lord coming suddenly to his temple. Although this is invariably seen as an eschatological prophecy, it is hard to think the Nephites saw it as anything other than having been fulfilled when the resurrected Lord came to his temple in Bountiful. (3 Nephi 11:1)

The next verse asks “who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?” and adds that “he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.” This indicates an appearance accompanied by destruction that all do not survive. The text itself suggests this was fulfilled in the destruction and death preceding Jesus' coming to the Bountiful temple.


Malachi 4:6 speaks of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers.

Once again, although this prophecy is generally seen as having fulfillment in the end-times, the text indicates the fulfillment occurred during Jesus’ visit.

Immediately after finishing his quotation of Malachi 4:6 in 3 Nephi 25:6, Jesus says, “These scriptures, which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom in him that they should be given unto future generations.” (3 Nephi 26:2)


With this, Jesus turns the hearts of the fathers to their children. Mormon seems to understand this, as he comments that he has written the “lesser part” of what Jesus taught the Nephites “to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles.” (3 Nephi 26:8)


Having turned the hearts of the fathers to the children, Mormon next records how Jesus turned the hearts of the children to the fathers: “And it came to pass that he did teach, and minister unto the children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter.” (3 Nephi 26:14)


A similar scene is described two verses later, which contains the entirety of information given regarding what happened on the third day of Jesus’ visit: “Behold, it came to pass on the morrow that the multitude gathered themselves together, and they both saw and heard these children; yea, even babes did open their mouths and utter marvelous things; and the things which they did utter were forbidden that there should not any man write them.” (3 Nephi 26:16)

Following Nephi’s tactic of likening the scriptures unto his people may help in understanding how the text itself presents the fulfillment and “Nephite understanding” of these prophecies from Malachi.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[_The Mighty Builder]

Well there you go. Sell the Dog and the Cat, we're going to Party!

[_consiglieri]

Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew and dog will have his day.