In the 1830 edition, Jesus continues quoting this next chapter, Malachi 4, without a break from Malachi 3, which he quoted in 3 Nephi 24. The Lord apparently considered them a unit for the purposes of his message which, to the Nephites, was the importance of the written scriptures (3 Ne. 23). Malachi 3:16, which he quotes in 3 Nephi 24:16 gives this text its particular relevance to the Nephites: the Book of Mormon’s coming forth. Significantly, Moroni in his appearance to Joseph Smith, quoted from the first part of Malachi 3 and apparently all of Malachi 4 when introducing Joseph to the Book of Mormon:
While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.
Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.
He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted “seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:
For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. (JS—H 1:30–39)
Moroni’s citation of Malachi in that great announcement of the work of translation of the Book of Mormon inextricably ties these chapters in Malachi to the marvelous work and a wonder that is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. That tie confirms that when we see these same chapters in the Bountiful context, we must see it in that future context as well.
The last days (“the day cometh”) are frequently described as accompanied by fires to destroy the wicked (“shall burn as an oven”) “All the proud” and the wicked will be destroyed as fire sweeps across dry grain “stubble” in a harvested field (3 Ne. 24:2, 24:15). This method of clearing stubble is still practiced in Mesoamerican fields. It also appears in Isaiah 47:14: “Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.” (See commentary accompanying 2 Nephi 15:24, 19:5.)
The reference to leaving them without “root nor branch” is not technically accurate when applied to stubble, since the roots are underground and grass-related plants (wheat, corn) do not have branches. But the meaning here is generational. “Root” is a metaphor for ancestors and “branch” for progeny. Our modern reading interprets this genealogical devastation as the fate of those who are not sealed. The Nephites would certainly have understood the prediction of earthly destruction, but there is no record of sealing ordinances among them.