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Malachi 4 (ESV)

The Great Day of the Lord

4 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. ² But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. ³ And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

⁴ “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

⁵ “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. ⁶ And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

 

REFLECTION:

• In the last part of the Book ofMalachi, the prophet indicates that in the last days God will correct all unrighteousness. Although there are injustices today, on the day when the Lord comes to execute judgment (1), everything will be clearly explained. The oven symbolizes the holiness of God, which burns away all uncleanness (1, 3), and also represents God’s judgment on the unrighteous. And those who fear God will receive spiritual healing and joy in God’s righteousness, just like leaping calves (2).
• In God’s law, we learn of God’s will, and to live by God’s will is to turn our hearts to Him and be restored. Elijah was before Elisha, so Christ also had a man like Elijah who prepared people’s heart for Him (5), and that is John the Baptist (cf. Luke 1:17).
• Malachi specifically tells us how to commit ourselves to God: God deserves our best for Him (1:7-10), we not only have to change our wrong way of life (2:1-2), but also value our family and stay with our spouse for life (2:13-16). In addition, we should also allow God to purify us (3:3) and offer tithes (3:8-12), knowing that we have nothing to boast about (3:13-15).

 

PRAYER:

Dear God! Thank you for the reminder by your words. When I see wicked people in power, I will stand firm on the teachings of Christ, learn the example of the prophet Malachi as a faithful witness of his time, and hope that God’s righteousness and love will be manifested.

 

HYMN: