Malachi 3:17 KJV

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

When we think of jewels, what do we think of? Something beautiful, shiny, glittering, rare, expensive, and precious, right? Have you ever thought of yourself as a jewel? Not me! But as I was reading through Malachi, these verses shot out at me. As we dig a little deeper, I think you'll be amazed.

Jewels is the Hebrew word, sᵊḡullâ, which comes from a root word that means "To shut up". It also means "peculiar treasure". But I found it very telling that the root is "to shut up" as in to take wealth and shut it up, lock it up somewhere safe. Can you see where I'm going with this?

Let's read this verse in context. The verse immediately after gives us more insight into who these jewels are and when God will spare them and "shut" them up in safety

Malachi 3:18 KJV

Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

When does God tell us that He will separate the righteous from the wicked? Isn't it at the harvest (rapture)? Until then, both grow together in the field.

Matthew 13:26-30 KJV

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Wasn't God the one who shut the door of the Ark, separating Noah and his family from the wicked?

Matthew 24:37 KJV

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

The next verses in Chapter 4 of Malachi give us no doubt as to what time these verses are talking about, the day of the Lord, the Tribulation.

Malachi 4:1-2 KJV

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

So, a day is coming when the righteous who fear the Lord will be spared and He will make us His Jewels...His peculiar treasure to be shut up for safety! Just another pre-tribulation rapture passage to me, one of many. Yet, the main point I want to make here is

How to become one of the Lords Precious Jewels?

This passage in Malachi not only tells us we must be righteous (covered by the blood of Jesus) and fear Him, but the verse that comes before all the others above is the most important in my opinion.

Malachi 3:16 KJV

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Have you every met a lukewarm Christian? Have you ever spent a lot of time with them? One of the most telling characteristics is that they rarely talk about Jesus. They may mention God in passing or that they prayed for some particular thing, but they don't want to talk about the Lord. They don't want to discuss the Bible either or what God is doing in their life. If you try to bring up those topics, they usually change the subject or look uncomfortable.

But those who truly love Jesus and who have a relationship with Him are always bursting at the seams to talk about Him, how wonderful He is, what He's taught us lately, how excited we are to meet Him one day, how much He has forgiven us, healed us, etc.. We can't help it. It's like a young man or woman when they first fall in love. They never stop talking about their love interest, often to the point where you get sick of hearing it! That's how we should be. And the very cool thing is, that every time we talk about the Lord Jesus with other like-minded Christians, He hears us and He writes our names down in a "Book of Remembrance" for those of us who Fear (as in reverence) Him and meditate on Him or think about Him all the time.

So, you want to be a Jewel? A Peculiar treasure? You want to be spared the horrors coming on the Earth during the Tribulation? You want to have your name written in the Book of Remembrance? Then fall madly in love with Jesus, fear Him, and make Him first in your life.