Malachi 3:1

My messenger. God replies to the closing question of the previous chapter by affirming with certainty that He is coming in judgment and righteousness. To the people of Malachi’s day this message was a warning that God would deal with their sins. However, in addition to its warning message for the Jews of Malachi’s day, this prophecy also had a Messianic import (see on Mark 1:2; see DA 161). John the Baptist was the “messenger” who prepared “the way before” the Lord by preaching repentance (see Isa. 40:3-5; Matt. 3:1-3; 11:10, 11; Luke 3:2-14).

Come to his temple. That is, to the most holy place for the work of the investigative judgment (GC 426).

Messenger of the covenant. Or, “angel of the covenant” (see on Haggai 1:13). The Lord, or “messenger of the covenant,” is none other than Christ, the second person of the Godhead (see on Ex. 3:2), and is to be clearly distinguished from the previously mentioned “messenger” of this verse. This prophecy regarding the “messenger of the covenant” applies not only to the time when Christ came to His Temple during His first advent (see DA 161), but also to the events connected with the close of earth’s history and the second advent (see GC 424; PP 339).