1 THE burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. [ Malachi means my messenger. ]

2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau [ Symbolizes the world. ] Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, [ Jacob or Israel stands for the chosen of the Lord. Joseph Smith has some commentary on this verse two and three. "As it written Jacob have I love, but Esau have I hated. Where ias it written Malachi 1:1-2, when was it written about 379 years before Christ and Esau and Jacob were born about 1773 years before Christ. So Esau and Jacob lived about 1,376 years before the Lord's spoke by Malachi saying Jacob have I love, but Esau have I hated. The text is often brought forward to prove the God loved Jacob and hated Esau before they were born before they had done good or evil, but if God did love one and hate the other before they had done good or evil he has not seen fit to tell us of it either in the old or new testament or any other revelation that this only we learn that 1,376 years after Esau and Jacob were born God said by Malachi Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated and surely that was time sufficient to prove their works and ascertain whether they were worthy to be loved or hated. Why did he love the one and hate the other for the same reason that he accepted the offering of Abel and rejected Cain's offering because Jacob's Works had been righteous and Esau's Wicked. (History of the Church volume 4 Page 262 ) ]

3 And I hated [ In Hebrew it menas to love less, so it is not quite as strong of an emotion as it is in the english language. ] Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons [ Jackals. ] of the wilderness.

4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

[ In verse 6-14 Malachi will speak to the priesthood holders of the church in his day. It does also have application for our day as well. ] 6 ¶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. [ Or those that despise the authority that God has given them. He will now describe exactly how they have despised his name. ] And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? [ The answer is found in the law which is contained in Duet. 15:21. So they were offering up sacrifices which where not acceptable under the law. It does not matter whether they do not know the law(they are men that should, so if they have not taken the time to learn it) or they do not care about the law - either way it is sin. ] and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors [ Or the temple doors. ] for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. [ Why? Because they are selfish and worldly. ]

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; [ Acts 10: where the gospel will be opened to the gentiles, Paul was the one commissioned by the president of the church Peter; to take the gospel to the gentile nations. (Isaiah 56:3-8 The Lord will extend the privileges pf the temple to everyone who will accept the gospel and live the laws. ) ] and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 ¶ But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

13  Ye [ These men who hold the priesthood. ] said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! [ Or those who say they are tired of the priesthood. ] and ye have snuffed [ To belittle. ] at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? [ You know what you are supposed to do and bring for an offerring. Yet you do not do as you are asked. There is a reason for me requesting a unblemished sacrifice, because the Son in whom the offerring is for is unblemished - they need to match. So you do what you know is wrong and I(God) should just accept that? Well it does not work that way. God is bound by laws like no unclean thing can dwell in his presence, there is too great of difference. Laws are laws and they cannot just be broken because of your wishes. ] saith the LORD.

14 But cursed [ How will he(the priesthood holder) be cursed? Well he will loose the priesthood. As we loose the priesthood we also loose our exaltation. The power to administer the ordinances of the priesthood. ] be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. [ Or the gentiles who seem to have more respect for God than does covenant Israel.]