Malachi 3:16-18 English Standard Version

The Book of Remembrance

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. ¹⁷ “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Focus on verse 16 where we can see that what is written in the book of remembrances is based on conversation we have with one another. Verse 17 quickly identifies us as His. At the end of verse 17 is a notable comment about His treasured possession that is still in the process of being made in the sense of the future.

Is His treasured possession His bride?

Following that line of thinking then seeing the distinctions between the right and wrong could be defined as discernment.

Hebrews 5:14 English Standard Version (ESV) But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews tells us that discernment has to be put into practice in order to be developed for the power of good. Training of discernment will produce maturity by making mistakes. Every error teaches us more and more about our gift of discernment.

1 Samuel 3:8 English Standard Version (ESV) And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.

Discernment is a perception of the spirit moving in others.

2 Corinthians 12:1-3 English Standard Version

¹ I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. ³ And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

There will be an overwhelming desire to share what we see by revelation when we are “caught up” in the spirit. This experience is not one of being physically caught up as spoken about in 1 Thessalonians. It is a spiritual experience where the Holy Spirit shows us things with purpose.

Many of us have experienced revelations that are compelling and if we understand that there is purpose behind why the Holy Spirit has given us this experience, we need to seek the purpose. The purpose behind an experience that we are not to share are meant to change us in ways we cannot attain by ourselves.

Paul tells us after these verses about a thorn given to him to keep pride at bay. This sounds like a warning to the reader to seek wisdom in revelations to avoid our own personal thorns. We can avoid the chastening of the Lord if we seek to understand the purpose behind these revelations. God does all things with purpose and if we look to His Word we will discover one enduring theme, growth in Christ.

Isaiah 55:11English Standard Version (ESV) so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

His Word has the power to change us. It also holds the answers to understand His purpose.