Brief Thoughts on Malachi.
1868 148 The captivity did not purify Israel. The returned captives deny the love and despise the judgment of the Lord. (See Mal. i. 2; Mal. ii. 17.)
The unclean spirit went out; but the house was not the Lord's.
But there is a remnant, informal, spiritual, remembered now, to be distinguished hereafter.
They are exhorted to hold by the word. They are promised the judgment of the evil, and a new dispensation. They are not promised present recovery of David's throne or deliverance from the Gentiles.
So the Reformation in Christendom: the unclean spirit went out; but the house was not the Lord's.
Apostles contemplate an informal remnant, promise judgment and a new thing, but hold out no present recovery. See 2 Timothy, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation ii., iii.
Malachi's remnant were found by Jesus as Malachi left them. (See Luke i., ii.) So will the coming of the Lord find the saints as left by the apostles in the epistles.
This document may be found online at the following URL: http://www.stempublishing.com/magazines/bt/BT07/1868_148_Malachi.html.
You are welcome to freely access and use this material for
personal study or sending to other Bible students, compiling
extracts for notes etc, but please do not republish without
permission.
With the prayerful desire that the Lord Jesus Christ will use this God-given ministry in this form for His glory and the blessing of many in these last days before His coming. © Les Hodgett 
.