Malachi 3 and the Appearance of Elijah

The first phrase of Malachi 3 God says, Behold me sending my messenger. God sends his messenger, which is part of His return.

The chapter goes on to prophecy about the return of Messiah in such a way that refines and purifies.

This appears to be what happens by the message of the one who is sent before the God of heaven’s armies. Isn't this what happened to Joshua before the battle of Jericho and what John describes in the book of Revelation? Unless God purifies us, no one will be be able to stand before God. Our cry should be for God to purify us even if we don’t experientially feel this is what must happen.

Scripture says the Lord whom you are seeking will suddenly come to His temple. The question is whether this points to a literal temple. Scripture is highlighting our need for Christ. Please read on. 

The temple must be rebuilt. Understanding this only as literal appears to draw attention from the point of Scripture, whereas if it figuratively refers to the people of God, then the context explains the meaning. Reference to the temple spotlights the need for rebuilding, but the temple is not the center of the message. God builds it through purifying and cleansing His people. Peter says we are living stones being built into the temple of the Lord with Christ as the foundation or cornerstone. Purification which brings the stones into total alignment with the cornerstone is the preparation and sign of His soon return. 

The powerful word of repentance and alignment "surfaces the way for the faces of God” (literal Hebrew to English translation) . The message prepares the road so to speak. He surfaces the way to faces of me sounds like his appearance paves the way for the revelation of God. It also seems that it may imply that the messenger surfaces or appears to reveal Him who is coming to those who are delighting in Him. The Scripture focuses the reader on Messiah with the textual repetition of he and him and lord around the word temple. The word of God continues to focus on Him whom ones are seeking —THE LORD — and the messenger of the covenant, in which His own are delighting, behold. He comes says Yahweh of hosts. The ones who are delighting in the covenant of God written upon our hearts are those who behold the messenger and those who are preparing themselves for Christ’s return. 

An implication that I suggest above may be that Elijah or his message surfaces as God allows, in order to reveal the faces of God to those delighting in Him. This phrase, faces of God, refers to the fullness of God or personal knowledge of God through His revealing Himself. This contrasts people hearing or reading about God and not experiencing His speaking to them. In connection to that lack of feeling connected to God’s word or His word not speaking to us, Rabbis believe the lack of experience God means to use to draw us to Himself. It is God telling people to seek Him to hear Him and know Him. 

He and His word are hidden in order for us to seek Him out and what He has to say to us through His word.