Malachi: Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible

Malachi

Malachi 3:2-4

The Lord will purify the sons of Levi, good or bad, for it is through them that blessings flow to Israel. And as Israel once was baptized in the cloud and in the sea, so shall God as a refiner's fire and a fuller's soap purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and as silver. And then, and not till then, "shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in days of old, and as in former years." fn

The purifying of the sons of Levi is by giving unto them intelligence. fn

Malachi 3:3

The offering of sacrifice also shall be continued at the last time, for all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by the priesthood under the direction and commandments of the Almighty, in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation. Therefore, all things had under the authority of the priesthood at any former period shall be had again—bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets. Then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord.

It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine set forth in [this passage], as it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the great sacrifice was offered up and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in [the] future. But those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges, and authority of the priesthood, or with the prophets. The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected [with], and forms a part of, the duties of the priesthood. It began with the priesthood and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation. We frequently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days prior to the law of Moses, which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority, power, and blessings. . . .

These sacrifices as well as every ordinance belonging to the priesthood will, when the temple of the Lord shall be built and the sons [of] Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to then, [with] all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever was and will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifested. Else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by all the holy prophets be brought to pass? It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this had never been spoken of by the prophets. But those things which existed prior [to] Moses' day, namely sacrifice, will be continued. It may be asked by some what necessity [there is] for sacrifice, since the great sacrifice was offered. In answer to [this], if repentance, baptism, and faith existed prior to the days of Christ, what necessity [is there] for them since that time? fn

Malachi 3:5

He shall witness against all iniquity, as said Malachi, and shall sorely chastise those who are gone astray. fn

Malachi 4:1

The world is reserved unto burning in the last days. fn

Malachi 4:4

[The] law revealed to Moses in Horeb never was revealed to the children of Israel. fn

Malachi 4:5-6

The hearts of the children will have to be turned to the fathers, and the fathers to the children, living or dead, to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. If Elijah did not come, the whole earth would be smitten. fn

Elijah was the last prophet that held the keys of this priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and deliver the keys of this priesthood in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness. It is true that the Savior had authority and power to bestow this blessing, but the sons of Levi were too prejudiced. Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood. And without the authority given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness. fn

[Malachi] had his eye fixed on the restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, namely, the baptism for the dead. . . . I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect [Heb. 11:40]. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also. fn

"And he shall turn the hearts of the children to the covenant made with their fathers." fn

6In the end [the earth] shall be burned and few men left. But before that, God shall send unto them Elijah the prophet, and he shall reveal unto them the covenants of the fathers with relation to the children and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers, that they may have the privilege of entering into the same, in order to effect their mutual salvation. fn

"I will send Elijah the prophet, and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers to the children and of the children to the fathers, that they may enter into covenant with each other, lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse." fn

He shall send Elijah the prophet, and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers in relation to the children, and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers. fn

How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He shall send Elijah, . . . and he shall reveal the covenants to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. fn

Now the word "turn" here should be translated "bind" or "seal." But what is the object of this important mission, or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion. But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations, and sealing powers upon our heads in behalf of all our progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with us. And herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. . . .

The Saints have none too much time to save and redeem their dead and gather together their living relatives that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten and the consumption decreed falls upon the world. And I would advise all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth. And if the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their posterity, gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come, when no man could work. . . . The question is frequently asked, "Can we not be saved without going through with all these ordinances?" I would answer, "No, not the fulness of salvation." fn

The spirit of Elijah is the sealing power, to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the parents. fn

The spirit of Elijah is that degree of power which holds the sealing power of the kingdom, to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children and of the children [to] their fathers—not only on earth but in heaven, both the living and the dead to each other. For they (the dead) cannot be made perfect without us [Heb. 11:40]. fn

The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is that ye have power to hold the keys of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers, and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth, and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God, even unto the sealing of the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in heaven. Now what I am after is the knowledge of God, and I take my own course to obtain it. What are we to understand by this in the last days? In the days of Noah, God destroyed the world by a flood and has promised to destroy it by fire in the last days. But before it takes place, Elijah should first come and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and so forth. Now comes the point. What is this office and work of Elijah? It is one of the greatest and most important subjects that God has revealed. He should send Elijah to seal the children to the fathers and fathers to the children. Now was this merely confined to the living, to settle difficulties with families on earth? By no means; it was a far greater work. Elijah, what would you do if you were here? Would you confine your work to the living alone? No.

I would refer you to the scriptures where the subject is manifest: "Without us they could not be made perfect" [Heb. 11:40], nor we without them, the fathers without the children nor the children without the fathers. I wish you to understand this subject, for it is important, and if you will receive it, this is the spirit of Elijah: that we redeem our dead and connect ourselves with our fathers, which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection. And here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those which dwell in heaven. This is the power of Elijah and the keys of the kingdom of Jehovah. Let us suppose a case. Suppose the great God who dwells in heaven should reveal himself to [a man] here by the opening heavens and tell him, "I offer up a decree that whatsoever you seal on earth with your decree I will seal it in heaven." You have power then. Can it be taken off? No. Then what you seal on earth by the keys of Elijah is sealed in heaven, and this is the power of Elijah. And this is the difference between the spirit and power of Elias and Elijah, for while the spirit of Elias is a forerunner, the power of Elijah is sufficient to make our calling and election sure. . . .

Again, the doctrine or sealing power of Elijah is as follows: If you have power to seal on earth and in heaven, then we should be crafty. fn The first thing you do [is] go and seal on earth your sons and daughters unto yourself, and yourself unto your fathers in eternal glory, and go ahead and not go back. But use a little craftiness and seal all you can. And when you get to heaven, tell your father that what you seal on earth should be sealed in heaven. I will walk through the gate of heaven and claim what I seal and those that follow me and my counsel. . . .

Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Elijah is to come after—holding the keys of power, building the temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready. Then Messiah comes to his temple, which is last of all. Messiah is above the spirit and power of Elijah, for he made the world and was that spiritual rock unto Moses in the wilderness. Elijah was to come and prepare the way and build up the kingdom before the coming of the great day of the Lord, although the spirit of Elias might begin it. fn



(Kent P. Jackson, comp. and ed., Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 73.)