Abiding the Day (Malachi) QUESTIONS

An Unacceptable Offering

READ Malachi 1:7-8, 10, 13-14

What are the priests offering on the altar of the Lord?

 

READ 3 Nephi 9:19-20

What is the equivalent of a “three-legged ewe” in the context of what sacrifice the Lord requires of us today? (I.e. a broken heart and contrite spirit)

What rewards do those receive who are sacrificing an unacceptable sacrifice?

 

 

Who Shall Abide the Day of His Coming

READ Malachi 3:1-3

What is the role of the true messenger sent from God?

What does it mean that the Lord will “suddenly come to his temple”?

Who may abide the day of His coming?

 

 

An Unchangeable God

READ Malachi 3:6-7

How changeable is an unchangeable god?

So where does all the change come from?

What must we do?

 

 

Tithing

READ Malachi 3:8-11

Why does the Lord ask us to prove Him?

 

 

Return of Elijah

READ Malachi 4:1

Who will be burned as stubble?

What does “leave them neither root nor branch” mean?

 

READ Malachi 4:5-6

What is the curse the Lord will smite the earth with?

 

To truly understand the mission and spirit of Elijah, we have to read from a talk that Joseph Smith gave in January of 1844, months before his death. 

READ TPJS 371:8-372:4 and 373:2-374:1

“What shall I talk about to-day? I know what Brother Cahoon wants me to speak about. He wants me to speak about the coming of Elijah in the last days. I can see it in his eye. I will speak upon that subject then. The Bible says, “I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” 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 their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; 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. And I would to God that this temple was now done, that we might go into it, and go to work and improve our time, and make use of the seals while they are on earth. The Saints have not 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. I would advise all the Saints to go 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, and 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 can work; and my only trouble at the present time is concerning ourselves, that the Saints will be divided, broken up, and scattered, before we get our salvation secure; for there are so many fools in the world for the devil to operate upon, it gives him the advantage oftentimes. The question is frequently asked, “Can we not be saved without going through with all those ordinances? I would answer, No, not the fulness of salvation. Jesus said, There are many mansions in my Father’s house, and I will go and prepare a place for you. House here named should have been translated kingdom; and any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too. But there has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation. It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even the Saints are slow to understand. I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen.”

What does “turn” the hearts mean?

What is Joseph concerned about?

What is Elijah’s latter-day mission?

 

READ Abraham 1:2-3

What was Abraham’s goal?