Malachi 1:5 Commentary and Bible Study

It is the nation that is in mind here – not that generation, but the nation of Israel. 'And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say', one day, 'The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel'. Right here, in verse 5 of chapter 1 Malachi is talking about the New Testament age, when the Gentiles will come in and there will be the international Jewish-Gentile church of Jesus Christ. It will replace the old order. Israel will continue in the sense that the New Testament church will be the fulfilment of the nation of Israel. As soon as we read this, we know that Malachi is giving us the clue that he is going to be speaking much about the future the coming of gospel to the Gentiles, the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh at his first coming. That is going to be significant in this prophecy, 'your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border [or borders] of Israel.’ There will come a time when the remnant, the believing descendants, will see this, and with the coming of Christ and the Christian church the Lord will be magnified far, far beyond the limits of Judah as she existed at that time, and throughout the world.The first five verses summarise the book – I loved you but you went from me, you did not read the evidence that I was protecting you, and defending you, and dealing with you, and therefore the time will come when this message shall go beyond Israel and will be opened up to the whole world. That is going to be the theme of the book throughout.