Sat, 31 December, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.

Malachi 4

¹ “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.”

We have come to the last day of the year, and as we conclude reading through the Bible for the year, our meditation today comes from the final chapter of the final book of the Old Testament.

Malachi warns of the day of God’s judgment, and promises healing for those who fear Him. He tell us to remember the ten commandments, given to Moses at Mount Horeb. And finally, Malachi closes the book with the promise of Elijah coming before the day of the LORD.

What do we learn from this?

The New Testament makes it clear what Malachi is talking about here when he promises the coming of Elijah. Malachi is prophesying about the coming of John the Baptist. John is both the messenger Malachi mentions in the previous chapter, and Elijah in this chapter. John the Baptist prepares the way for the coming of the Messiah. He preaches repentance, and in the people’s turning to God, the broken relationships in families will be restored. (This is not a promise that every broken relationship will be healed if a person turns from sin, but our problems between family members are all rooted in sin. If both family members repent of their sins, their relationship will be restored.)

There is much hope for us in repentance. But there is also a threat if we do not repent. All those who do not turn to God, repenting of their sins, and trusting in Him alone for their salvation, are under God’s curse.

The Old Testament ends with this dire warning. God is sending John to prepare the way for the Messiah. People will have a choice to make. Either repent, or remain under God’s curse. Malachi looked forward to John’s call for the people to repent. We look back upon it. But we are faced with the same choice: Repent or remain under God’s curse. Which is it to be, dear friends?

Where is Christ in this passage?

John the Baptist was Elijah and the Messenger who prepared the way for Jesus Christ. Everything John did was to point others to Jesus. He was preparing people to meet Jesus. As such, John realized that he was not important. He was just a mouthpiece, a messenger. The one who was important was coming after him. John asked his hearers, and us, to not look to him, but to look to Jesus Christ. As we read of Malachi foretelling the coming of John, consider how John calls for us to Behold the Lamb of God!. Jesus Christ is presented for us here in these final verses of the Old Testament.