THIRD NEPHI
THE BOOK OF NEPHI
THE soN OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE soN OF HELAMAN
THE soN OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE soN OF HELAMAN
CHAPTER 25
At the Second Coming the proud and wicked shall be burned as stubble—Elijah shall return before that great and dreadful day—Compare Malachi 4. [A.D. 34]
[ This chapter relates the words of God given to Malachi. The general message of the book of Malachi is that Israel has apostatized (ch. 24, Mal. 3) So the Lord will have to punish and purify them, so the righteous remnant can inherit the covenant blessings of their fathers (ch. 25, Mal. 4). ]
1 aFOR behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts [ What exactly does “host” mean? The phrase “Lord of Hosts” is the same as the “Lord of Sabaoth.” “The Lord of Sabaoth was a title of Jehovah; the hosts were the armies of Israel (1 Sam. 17:45), but also included the angelic armies of heaven” (Bible Dictionary, “Sabaoth,” ] , that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But unto you that fear my name, shall the son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall.
3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.
4 Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet [ According to Andrew Skinner, Jews regard the prophet Elijah as the “messenger of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1), and a chair is to be provided for him at circumcision ceremonies. This belief is based on rabbinic reasoning as may be found in passages like one from the medieval text entitled Pirqe de Rabbi Eliezer. The sages have instituted the custom that people should have a seat of honor for the messenger of the covenant, for Elijah, may he be remembered for good, is called the messenger of the covenant, as it is said, And the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in, behold he comes (Malachi 3:1) Jews also regard Elijah as the forerunner of the Messiah or Messianic age, and a seat is again provided for him at the Passover Seder table, along with a cup of wine--the cup of Elijah. The words of the Passover Haggadah importune God to send the prophet and, thus salvation: “May the Compassionate One send us Elijah the Prophet of blessed memory, to bring us good tidings of sympathy and salvation.” (These words are part of the Grace after Meals recited after every formal meal by traditional Jews.) One popular Haggadah suggests the following: This is the cup of Elijah the Prophet, for our legends tell us that Elijah enters every house where a Seder is taking place. Why Elijah? Of all our Biblical Prophets, it is Elijah who became the kindly mediator between Heaven and Earth [see the video reference below]. The Bible stories tell us of a fiery chariot sent to carry him up to Heaven. And from Heaven, he was to return to help prepare mankind for the dreamed-of time of the coming of the Messiah, the time of judgment and redemption. The prophet Malachi foretold this about Elijah, when he said, Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord, And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers. Text and tradition show us that the Jewish people believe that Elijah is both the messenger of the covenant and the forerunner of the Messiah. These two propositions are grounded ultimately in the Torah--specifically Malachi’s prophecies. The former belief relies on Malachi 3:1, while the latter on Malachi 4:5–6, part of which was just quoted in the Haggadah excerpt. But what is also true, though perhaps not emphasized as much, is that both beliefs are inextricably tied to the temple. According to the complete texts of Malachi, the messenger Elijah--the keeper of the covenant in Jewish belief--is sent as a preparer so that the Lord-Messiah, who is continually sought after, may come to his temple. The full texts of Malachi 3:1, followed by Malachi 4:5–6 ] before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; [ When is this to happen? Before the great and dreadfful day of the Lord - or the day when the Lord of Hosts will judge the inhabitants of the earth. ]
6 And he shall turn [ “The word turn here [in Malachi 4:5–6] 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 always there is a 100-percent response. And then I ask the same congregation, ‘How many of you have read the part that has been opened to us?’ And there are many who have not read the Book of Mormon, the unsealed portion. We are quite often looking for the spectacular, the unobtainable. I have found many people who want to live the higher laws when they do not live the lower laws” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 531–32). ] the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.