Here we have Thomas Watson's most helpful exposition of Malachi 3:16,17. We can do no better than to give the famous preacher's own outline:
,1, A Character of the Godly: i) In general, they were fearers of God; “they that feared the Lord”. ii) in special, a. “They spake often one to another”. b. “They thought upon God's Name”.
,2, The Good Effects of their Piety: i) The Lord regarded; “He hearkened and heard”. ii) He recorded it; “a book of remembrance was written”.
,3, He rewarded it; and this reward consisted in three things. i) God's owning them; “they shall be mine”. ii) God's honouring them; “in that day when I make up my jewels”. iii) God's sparing them; “I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him”.
Thomas Watson himself says that the main design of this excellent Scripture, is to encourage solid piety, and confute the atheists of this world, who imagine that there is no gain in godliness. Will the world, or men's lusts, give them such noble recompenses of reward, as God bestows upon His followers? It is an unhappiness that, in these luxuriant times, religion should for the most part run either into notion or ceremony.
Publisher: Banner of Truth (June 2006 but re-titled "The Great Gain of Godliness")
ISBN-10: 0851519388
ISBN-13: 978-0851519388
