Definition: And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Malachi 3:3. It’s a really important passage about God’s judgment and a call to repentance. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: Basically, God is saying: “I’m going to look closely at the people who are currently living, and I’m going to make them perfect . Not just clean, but truly righteous – worthy of God's favor.” Let’s unpack it a little bit: “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver…” – This is a metaphor. Think of silver being refined – it’s made pure and valuable by carefully polishing and cleaning it. God is saying He will do the same for those who are not living righteously. “…and he shall purify the sons of Levi…” - The “sons of Levi” were a group of priests in the Old Testament who handled the sacrifices and offerings. So, God is calling them to be cleansed and made pure. “and purge them as gold and silver…” – This is the key part! It means to make them completely free from sin and wrongdoing. Just like refining silver, they need to be made bright and valuable again. “…that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” - This is where it gets really important. God wants a genuine offering – one that’s offered out of love and obedience to Him, not just for their own benefit or to get something from him. “In righteousness” means doing what's right and aligning with God's will. So, the whole verse is telling us: God is sending a message of judgment to those who are still living in sin and wrongdoing. But He also offers them a chance to be made perfect and worthy of Him through repentance and a new life focused on following His will. In short, it's about God’s unwavering love and desire for righteousness, and His plan to purify and reward those who truly turn to Him. --- Do you want me to: Explain any particular part of the verse in more detail? Give some examples of what "righteousness" means? Connect this verse to a broader theme in the Bible (like forgiveness)?