Answers Bible Curriculum Year 2 Quarter 4 Lesson 12
In this lesson, we look at what Malachi foretold about the future. What did Malachi have to say about a coming messenger, a day of judgment, and God’s righteous remnant? What were the people to do as they waited for God’s plans to come to pass? How do these truths relate to Christians today? We consider these questions and more.
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first you are going to be cursed you already are cursed because you’re not faithful to my covenant so truly returned Israel Israel returned from exile was ready to receive all the blessings of God’s kingdom restoration but they were not yet interested in being the holy people God called them to be one of the blessings they didn’t want the holiness now as Christians today we can make the same terrible mistake a mistake in our thinking that we can receive salvation and blessings from God while we still cherish sin we still cherish our idols we might be just as ignorant about our sinfulness before God as the people of Israel which reminds us that we cannot rely simply and how things seem or how things feel or how well things are going but we have to actually listen to what the Word of God says that’s what’s going to show us what our true state is before God but Malachi is something else to say to Israel and that’s what we’re going to look at today something about the future here’s our outline for our class looking at three promises and mostly from the latter part of Malachi so Malachi 3127 Malachi 3 16 to chapter 4 verse 4 and then the last two verses in Malachi Malachi 4 5 and 6 by the way I’m using a new camera today and the quality is better and we also upgraded our connection so I can see you better today so hopefully that’ll make it easier for me to pick up if you’re raising your hand or something like that as long as our connection holds up let’s pray as we go on God thank you so much for this opportunity to look back at your word in Malachi creates you to help me to be able to explain it let your word go forth with power and I pray that you would encourage convicted instruct your people build up your church I’m in okay let’s look at our first promise in Malachi I’ll hold this slide for a second first promise in Malachi from chapter 3 verses 1 to 7 so open your Bibles please to Malachi 3 page 9 52 for using the pew Bible remember where we are historically Malachi is prophesying and is written either during the time of Nehemiah governorship perhaps in between his two governorships or right afterwards so we’re close to around 400 450 to 400 BC and this is the last prophet who writes in the Bible but here we are Malachi 3 notice the context before we read remember how chapter 2 finished what aspect of God’s character are the people questioning and Malachi 2 verse 17 let’s go ahead and answer exactly the question God’s justice where is the god of justice it can’t be more explicit so we want to keep that in mind as we look at these verses here so Malachi 3 verses 127 actually kind of wanted 107b how long as I read behold God says behold I am going to send my messenger and he will clear the way before me and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come into his suddenly come to his temple and the messenger of the Covenant in whom you delight behold he is coming says Yahweh of hosts but who can endure the day of his coming and who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiners fire and like Fuller’s soap he will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver and you will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver so that they may present to Yahweh offerings in righteousness then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to Yahweh as in the days of old and as in former years then it will draw near to you for judgment now be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely and against those who oppressed the wage-earner in his wages the widow and the orphan and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear me says Yahweh of hosts for I Yahweh do not change their for you o sons of Jacob are not consumed from the days of your father’s you have turned aside from my statues have not kept them returned to me and I will return to you says Yahweh of hosts and that’s what we’ll stop are reading so this is our first section is our first promise let’s make some observations notice the announcement in verse 1 God says I will send my messenger there’s really a play on words here because Malachi’s name literally means my messenger so God’s so my messenger is announcing that God will send my messenger essentially it’s what we have here by the way the works for messenger now law it’s the Hebrew word also used for angels your memory angels just the term that means messenger so when it says my messenger it could also be translated my angel angels are messengers now notice what this future my messenger will do this future Malachi he will clear or prepare the way before me now who’s the mean this is god this is God speaking so he’s going to clear the way before God and if the message is clearing or preparing the way what does that mean God will do he’s going to come God Himself will come now notice in the second half of verse 1 we have some very striking parallel ISM got two statements that are said in almost the exact same way the Lord is set in parallel to the messenger of the Covenant whom you seek is set in parallel to in whom you delight and will suddenly come into his temple is set in parallel to is coming so structurally and logically those statements are very near one another now look at verse to notice this starts to the pronoun his I never see a pronoun in the text we want to make sure we know what is its antecedent what is that pronoun standing in for or referring to the messenger of the Covenant was the last masking noun that this pronoun would fit that’s our best choice here so that his would be referring to the messenger of the Covenant what is the messenger of the Covenant primary task according two versus two and three what is he going to do he’s going to purify he’s going to purge he’s going to cleanse it’s all about purification there’s lots of purification language notice two main metaphors used here we have a metal worker or a silversmith refining metal so you could do that by intense heat and you skim off the impurities that bubble to the surface or the second metaphor we have a fuller fuller is just a wool worker so a fuller whenever he’s going to clean or process the wool you pounds it he stretches it and uses a soap an alkaline mixture to remove the oil and the dirt impurities in the wool so it gets nice clean bright wool at the end of it now notice the questions that come in verse 2 what’s since these questions give us about the nature of this messengers coming purification when it says who can stand who can endure as I indicate about this purification it’s going to be intense when those questions are asked and they don’t have an answer it’s because there’s a implied answer there should be an obvious answer which is it’s going to be hard for anybody to stand it’s going to be an intense even traumatic purification now notice who specifically is mentioned as going to be purified the sons of Levi you purify the sons of Levi who are the sons of Levi priests and the Levites those would be the line of priests remember we’ve already heard plenty in this book about the priesthood and especially how corrupt and faithless it’s become but this priesthood is going to be purified and what’s the result of the priesthood purification Rite they will present righteous offerings remember that’s and also been an issue we’ve seen in Malachi their offerings of Israel have not been acceptable to God but now they will become acceptable they will present righteous offerings and they will be able to offer on behalf of Israel Israel’s offerings will be pleasing to God and it says that this will they will be pleasing their offerings will again be pleasing as in the days of old and as in the former years that’s interesting we’re seeing again here this comparison of Israel in the present or the future and Israel in the past but in earlier in Malachi to there’s comparison about the priests it says you pre serving faithless you’re not doing your job you’re not doing like Levi did in ancient days he was faithful before me now i’m airman that term levi it’s a little bit odd because levi himself was never a priest but the descendants of Levite there was a faithful line of descendants of levi that did do what God called them to do ask priests or as helpers to the priests and God rebuke the priests for not being like their forefather Levi we have the something similar happening here we have a comparison who says you’ll be like once you’re purified you’ll be like the days of old and the people of former years but it’s not just cleansing and purification of offerings that God is going to accomplish God says I will also draw near to you for judgment I will draw near to you for judgment God gives examples of the types of people he’s going to judge sorcerers adulterers both breakers pressors of the downtrodden and vulnerable and at the end of verse 5 what ties all these people together they do not fear God you’re not for Yahweh and then we have a 4 in the beginning of verse 6 these transition words are important to identify and observations for indicates God’s gonna give her a reason for what he has just declared and notice the reason God gives in verse 64 I Yahweh do not change and then there’s are therefore so there’s a commitment as a consequence of what God just expressed therefore because I don’t change therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed you’re not burned up you’re not destroyed so this implies if God were changed well what would have happened to Israel that’s right he would have wiped him out for their sin he says now you’ve always turned aside in the days of your father’s you turned aside so I did not change or if I did change I would have liked you out you would have deserved being wiped out because you constantly departed and they’re specifically what it says what God says they’ve departed from they’ve departed from his law you don’t keep my statutes from ancient times you don’t keep my statutes now that’s interesting here we have another comparison to the former times but this time it’s the evil forefathers you’re just like your evil father’s you’re not like your faithful forefathers you’re likely evil forefathers but God ends this section with a guarantee return to me I will return to you and the word for return here is the same word that means repent in the Old Testament the word for repent has the idea of return God says return repent and i will return to you alright let’s some interpretation questions a million interpretation issue here is unint and the identities of those terms used in the beginning in verses 1 and 2 my messenger the Lord and the messenger of the Covenant we got to see two different things here first we should see that my messenger and the messenger of the Covenant even though they’re both called messengers they’re not the same person my messenger and the messenger the Covenant are not the same one comes before God comes the other comes while the others coming is associated with God’s coming one clears the way for God but the other intensely purifies God’s people and priesthood so the messenger my messenger and the messenger the Covenant are not the same on the flip side the Lord and the messenger of the Covenant are the same where it says the Lord and it says messenger to the Covenant those are two descriptions of the same person and we can see reason for this their identity they’re connected identity is seen in the parallel descriptions given about them that’s why we have the parallel ilysm in the latter half of verse 12 are described in nearly the same way because they are the same this also makes better sense of the idea that the people of Israel delights they are already presently delighting in a messenger of the Covenant how could that be if it’s just really a human who’s going to come in the future they don’t know him yet but they do know the Lord and they supposedly already delight in the Lord / the messenger of the Covenant for the more logically if verse the beginning of verse one talks about the one who comes before God and then it ends with God Himself is coming then verse two should talk about the coming of God which is what it does it’s very logical very straightforward by the way you can see this connection between the Lord and the messenger of the Covenant in other translations of the Bible more explicitly the ESV has seen fit to translate those two phrases that that talk about the Lord and the messenger of the covenant with a semi one in between so even emphasizing more the parallel pneus of the ideas expressed king james version goes even further instead of joining those two descriptions with the word and it joins it with the word even so the Lord will come into his temple even the messenger of the Covenant in whom you delight so it’s equated the two the two persons so as most commentators agree the messenger of the Covenant is the Lord he is the Adonai he is the master and if he comes into his temple then we’re talking about God Himself messenger of the Covenant is God now why describe God as the messenger of the Covenant that seems like an odd description and perhaps it is surprising though it is emphasizing something about the nature of God’s coming or at least part of the nature of God’s coming God is going to bring further revelation or bring instruction regarding his covenant not just talking about eight coming in here we’re talking about becoming God’s covenant but we should note this isn’t the first time that God has been equated with a messenger because as we’ve said two words for messenger is angel and we’ve seen the angel of the Lord many times in the Old Testament the messenger of the Lord who is God in most instances where that term is used he’s already appeared many times in Israel’s history bringing messages bringing word from God so maybe it’s not that strange that God is called the messenger of the Covenant by the way this idea of my messenger preparing the way or clearing away this might remind you some other verses in Isaiah and anybody recall them Isaiah chapter 40 you’ll you’ll know it once i quote it for you that’s the one that talks about how voice calls out make way for the Lord in the wilderness and then it goes on to describe the Lord is coming there’s a voice calling out though let’s prepare the way for the Lord God Himself is coming so we’re seeing something very similar to what Isaiah has already said now let’s consider the situation that return exiles they are looking forward to the coming of the Lord they wanted to see Israel’s enemies destroyed they wanted to see the nation blessed they want to see the kingdom restored just as the prophets like Isaiah had spoken however how does God challenge the people’s expectations of his coming in this passage they surely we’re looking forward to it but how is that sentiment challenged here yeah joe right so the people as a whole are not repentant not following the Lord yet they’ve been looking forward to his coming because I think all this blessing is going to come but God is clarifying for them realize that when i’m coming i’m going to purify you and it’s going to be intense i’m coming to you for judgment i am coming to purify but I’m also coming to judge yes Danny that’s a good question danny is God being sarcastic and when he says in whom you delight I think that’s a worthy interpretation certainly we know Israel as a whole is not delighting in the Lord but they express that they do that’s why they’re asking all these questions like god what what do you what are you saying that we’ve done wrong why don’t you accept our sacrifices this is so strange to us we love you God you don’t seem to love us God says no I do love you you’re the one who doesn’t love me so I think you I think it could be right Danny but that’s just sarcasm there Robbie you’re going to say something yeah I thing that could be part of it too that they do in a sense the line and God but it’s not the real God and it’s not a true sense of delight they’d like to have God give them all the blessings they don’t like to actually follow God they don’t delight in God’s law so certainly there’s there’s problems in the idea of Israel actually delighting in the Lord and Malachi’s time but certainly they they think they are they think they’re delighting in the Lord and they’re looking forward to God’s coming they want to see it happen they’re wondering why it hasn’t happened yet and God says realize what my coming entails it involves intense purification of you I’m gonna root out I’m gonna be a witness against the sin in Israel I’m going to purify you so you can see that all of this is a direct answer to that blasphemous thought in Malachi 217 where is the god of justice well god is highlighting his justice here i am coming I am coming in justice I’m sending my messenger before hand and when I come it won’t be to hand out blessings every son of Jacob it’ll be to purify you and a bear witness who among you really belongs to me notice again the reason for all this that God gives he says for I don’t change now why bring up this idea of God’s not changing well certainly there’s at least two reasons one God is showing my holiness hasn’t changed you’re wondering where my justice is you think that I’ve just stopped being just I haven’t stopped being just and here’s what I’m gonna do to show that I’m just as Holy and just as I ever have been I will not excuse wick of wickedness even among my people wickedness will receive its recompense but also God says I don’t change therefore you’re not consumed i also am faithful to my own merciful covenant nature so you have hope Israel you have hope I’m giving you I’m being patient with you and I’m not going to cast you off utterly I’m going to keep covenant I’m going to ah though i purify you you will not cease to exist I will restore right worship of me because I’m faithful to my covenant therefore you can return you should repent there’s hope for you goss has returned to me return to my law you’ve abandoned my statutes come back to my word look at who i am and look at what i’m going to do and return to me if you return you will escape if you return I will return to you Danny were you going to ask something okay yeah that’s a good question God Shekinah glory glory was in the first temple but never seemed to appear in the second temple and maybe issue was wondering about that you’ve been complaining about that why haven’t you why isn’t your visible glory dwelling with us again yet yeah maybe that’s part of it certainly they are they’re looking for the full restoration and they haven’t seen it yet and that would be one of those things but God says don’t think that I’m being faithless don’t think oh well I said I’m gonna dwell with you but I’m not really going to oh I will I am coming to you but not in the way that you’re expecting listen what my other prophets have said I’m coming to you to purify you because you are not yet appear people so yeah Danny I think you’re right there so we’ve seen in this first section of promise both words of hope but also words of warning that says I am gonna I’m gonna come to you i am going to accomplish for you restoration but i’m also going to purify you i’m gonna judge you and before all that happens i’m going to send a messenger to clear the way before me now let’s look at another promise another passage where God gives promise and this is later in Malachi 3 let’s look at Malachi 3 16 to chapter 4 verse 4 note the context of these verses Malachi 3 15 again ends with the sentiments of Israel what is Israel questioning in Malachi 3 15 they’re questioning is justice again and more than is justice they question whether there’s any benefit to following God at all they questioned his faithfulness the calling to question God’s character and let’s see how God responds let’s read now verses 16 to or chapter 3 verse 16 to chapter 4 verse 4 yep okay then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another and Yahweh gave attention and heard it the book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear Yahweh and who esteem his name they will be mine says Yahweh of hosts on the day that I prepare my own possession and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him so you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked between one who serves gone and one who does not serve him for behold the day is coming burning like a furnace and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff and the day that is coming will set them ablaze says Yahweh of hosts so that it will leave them neither root nor branch but for you who fear my name the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall you will tread down the wicked for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing says Yahweh of hosts remember the law of Moses my servant even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel now you may notice some similarities in this passage to the one we just looked at let’s observe this section begins by noting that those who feared the Lord react to Malachi’s prophecy and react to the indifference of the other Israelites toward God it says these God fewer speak to one another or they spoke to one another I noticed God’s reaction he heard their words and he wrote a book of remembrance on their behalf God then gives promises about these people regarding a future day the day God says on which God prepares a possession for himself the promises God says I will spare them and they will be mine now if these true God viewers are spared what does this imply about the other people including other Jews they’re not spared and God clarifies that in the verses that come after it says as a result of what you see I do with these God fevers you will again note the difference between the righteous and the wicked you say there’s no benefit to being righteous you’re going to see the difference because i’m bringing a certain day god promises a burning day a day where the arrogant and evildoers are going to be set ablaze this day is coming there’ll be nothing left of those people this is a day of judgment this is a day of total judgment verse 2 gives us another contrast contrasting word with it with the word but and it says unlike the arrogant and the evil who will be utterly consumed burned up on that day those who fear God will experience the healing Sun of righteousness you can see here we have a continuity of theme when it comes to heat fire burning that has the idea of heat the wick they’re going to be burned up but the righteous they experience a heat but it’s not a consuming heat it’s a healing heat the Sun rises the dawn appears and they are healed they are restored they are refreshed they’re not burned up it’s like the Sun is coming it’s gonna burn some but it’s gonna heal others it’s gonna heal the righteous also then uses another metaphor here it says there’s true God fears they’re gonna skip about like calves from the stall like calves going out of the stall what does this image convey your baby cow coming out of the stall how do you feel going out to the past year this is a an image of joy and freedom and security baby Cal doesn’t worry about anything just trots out there looking for grass getting out of the stall this is a vision or this is a metaphor of happiness they’re gonna be like a baby cow running outside happily and without fear a calf going out from the Saul that’s what’s going to be the case for the righteous God says and then we have this third image and it’s kind of startling God tells those true God fevers you will tread down the wicked that’s kind of expression we’ve heard throughout the Bible but it’s used in a more specific way here you’re going to tread down the wicked why is that what’s happened to the wicked what have they become if ashes that’s why you tread them down because they’ve become ashes on the ground and so when you walk around you were literally treading on the wicked because I burned them up God says I burned up the wicked I burn up those who are pressing you I burned up the enemy’s you walk on their ashes all of this is coming on the day that the lord is preparing notice how this section ends remember the law remember my ancient word go back remember my ancient commands and this is a similar ending to our first section in chapter 3 God rebuked people for not keeping his statutes and told him to return here again God points the people to his word alright let’s talk interpretation again so this whole section is again a response to the wickedness the wicked thoughts and Malachi 3 15 God contradicts that thought God’s not just got my faithful there’s no benefit following God God says look at the difference look at the difference of what’s going to be the destiny of the righteous and of the wicked I am a just God notice again the idea of burning this day of burning this idea of a certain day coming a day of judgment or day burning this is not something unique to Malachi Malachi is actually drawing on prophetic language used by many of the prophets this all centers around the idea of the day of the Lord now we’re going to see that phrase specifically said and the latter part of Malachi 4 but this idea the day of the Lord is something that Malachi is filling in along with the other prophets Dave the Lord is not certainly does not necessarily mean a certain 24-hour day it’s a term that refers to a time of judgment a time of judgment purification and restoration and the various prophets say different things about the day of the Lord there were different days of the Lord throughout history there would be a temporal judgment like the fall of Jerusalem that was the day of the Lord but the prophets also talked about a future day of the Lord and that’s kind of logical day of the Lord a day of the Lord that when it comes or when it happens God Himself will return God Himself will come this is a future eschatological day of the Lord the ultimate day of the Lord on this day I’m paraphrasing the other prophets here we’ve read some of this ourselves actually from the other latter prophets on this final day of the Lord Israel’s enemies would besieged Jerusalem but they would be destroyed by God God would rescue his people and now for that day God will rule himself from Zion the Jews will receive their full covenant blessings and Israel will have dominion over the whole earth so you can understand why the Jews of malachi’s day have been looking forward to this day of the Lord all these great things are going to happen on this final day of the Lord they were excited for it but again God is offering some clarification to this kind of misguided enthusiasm about the day of the Lord don’t think Israel the day of the Lord is just for judging your enemies or just for judging the wicked Gentiles that final day of the Lord includes judgment for you it includes judgment on the wicked Jews that remain in the nation just to give you a sample of this from the other prophets here’s F and I at 21 23 says Zephaniah 2 1 2 3 God says believe speaking to Judah here gather yourselves together yes gather Oh nation without shame before the decree takes effect the day passes like the chaff before the burning anger of Yahweh comes upon you before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes upon you seek the Lord all you humble of the earth who have carried out his ordinances seek righteousness seek humility perhaps you will be hidden and the day of Yahweh’s anger so that was no guarantee it’s not like over Israel we’re safe says you better seek the Lord if you seek the lord perhaps you will be hidden when his day of anger comes another section Zechariah 13 verses 8 and 9 here’s what Zechariah said specifically about Israel Zechariah 13 vs 8 to 9 it will come about and all the land declares Yahweh that two parts of it that two parts in it will be cut off and perish but a third will be left in it so two-thirds destroyed one-third will be left and I will bring the third part through the fire refine them as silver as you’re fine and test them as gold is tested they will call on my name and I will answer them I will say they are my people and they will say Yahweh is my god notice language very similar to what we’ve just read and then one more Joel Joel chapter 2 verses 32 31 again talking about the final day of the Lord here’s what it says Joel two verses 32 31 I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth blood fire and columns of smoke The Sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of Yahweh comes it will come about that whoever calls on the name of Yahweh will be delivered for on mount zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escaped as Yahweh has said even among the survivors whom Yahweh calls so the day of the Lord is coming on the whole earth but there will be survivors even from Israel a purified remnant not all Israel’s guaranteed to be part of that remnant many even two-thirds of Zechariah says will be destroyed so Malachi is making the same point as these other prophets God is telling people don’t think the day of the Lord has already come and therefore the kingdom with its blessings is imminent no the day of the Lord is still coming and it’s coming on the whole world and that day you will see God makes a distinction not between Jew and Gentile but between those who truly fear Him and those who do not between those who serve Him and those who don’t between the truly righteous and between the truly wicked the righteous will be spared the wicked will be burned up what’s the point this this is a wake-up call to Israel wake up is you’ll return truly to Yahweh lest you perish in the judgment rend your hearts and not your garments as Joel says God is being patient and merciful to you return while you can return before the day of the Lord comes how sad would it be Israel for you to be longing for the day of the Lord only to perish when it arrives what does returning to God and tail it means returning to his law remember the law of Moses those who will be spared those who will be healed those who’ll be made joyful in that day are the ones reverence and obey the Word of God now while you wait for the day God says remember my long so we’ve seen the second message from Malachi about God’s promised future let’s look at one more and this one is the shortest Malachi 4 verses 5 and 6 comes right after our passage last two verses in Malachi this one involves Elijah look at Malachi 4 verses 5 and 6 behold I’m going to send you elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of Yahweh he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers that it will not come and smite the land with a curse all right let’s observe on what time God announces that he will send Elijah for the great and terrible day of Yahweh what made Elijah distinct among the Old Testament prophets he didn’t die that was one of the main ones he was taken to heaven and chariot of fire he didn’t die but what else was distinctive about him yes Rob yeah that’s true he yet uniquely despaired because he thought it was the only prophet he did live in a time of unique apostasy and we’re not very many other prophets were around so he did feel like he was all alone so yes that’s true bad Elijah what else coming up what we can’t recall Elijah specifically talking about Messiah we certainly see Isaiah and other the prophets who wrote scripture they say a lot about the Messiah Elijah like I’m not recalling anywhere specifically he was mainly rebuking worship and sin in Israel no that’s okay other things we should remember about Elijah yeah the distinct look you remember there’s a person I think it’s kings or chronicles where he says I saw this one guy and he’s like what he look like well he was a hairy man with a leather belt he’s like oh it’s Elijah Elijah the Tishbite so he had a distinctive look he also had a distinctive location of ministry where do we find Elijah most the time he’s in the wilderness he’s on the run remember Elijah’s the profit on the run always on the run so he’s usually in the wilderness and certainly he was a powerful prophet of God he does does many astounding miracles God has a just Titanic Display of power on Mount Carmel with Elijah versus the profits of bail and certainly he went to heaven in a very miraculous way he didn’t die you’re staking a heaven and chariot of fire so there’s some unique things about Elijah and God says I’m going to send Elijah I’m gonna send Elijah and I note the similarity of this announcement in Malachi 45 to what we saw in Malachi 3 1 before God comes in Malachi 3 1 he said I’m going to send my messenger and here it says before the day of the Lord comes which the day of the Lord involves the coming of God God will send Elijah now notice what this coming Elijah will do he will restore the hearts of the children and the hearts earth the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers and this is a curious phrase not used anywhere else in the Old Testament book of Malachi has not said anything about problematic relationships between children and parents though there was that word in Malachi to about seeking a godly offspring kind of odd that we’re talking about fathers and children here though we’d have seen in Malachi there has been several times that can harrison between the descendants of Israel and the forefathers of Israel God even rebuke sigil for not being like their forefathers the faithful forefathers so we do have though this phrase about restoring hearts and notice the effect of this restoration verse 6 god says this happened so that I do not smite the land with a curse now it’s interesting it says land here there’s an intimate connection between Israel the people and Israel the land if you go back to the Torah go back to the curses of Deuteronomy it talks about how God will do different things to the land based on what the people do and God is doing the same here the word for cursed by the way can also be translated band I don’t put the land under a band that’s a kind of a loaded term to be under the band in Old Testament terms means that you were devoted to destruction your God says I’m not because I’m sending this messenger who’s going to do this thing I will not put the land under the band I will not utter Lee destroy and curse the land God says Elijah’s coming will prevent me from doing this to the land and people of Israel alright let’s interpret first are the my messenger of Malachi 3 1 and the elijah a Malachi 4 5 the same person we have good reason for saying so God’s coming is connected with the coming of the day of the Lord so then a sense there’s parallel situation for both people who are sent by God the day of the Lord involves judgment and purification of Israel which God said he would do in Malachi 3 before that can happen God’s messenger has to come just as Elijah has to come first here before Israel can be purified before Israel can be judged a messenger is going to come just as it says Elijah is going to come so it’s very likely that these two meant by Malachi as the same person I think the the Jews in their interpretation of Malachi afterwards before the time of Christ they debated whether Elijah in the messenger were the same person but this very good reason to say that they are this passage clarifies the nature of the my messengers clearing the way before Yahweh how does he do that he’s turning the hearts of the people he’s causing the people’s hearts to be restored this is an important ministry because as verse 6 says without this changing of hearts among the people God would devote the land to destruction certainly Israel didn’t deserve their hearts to be restored to have the people directed back what does this promised action by God through Elijah reveal about God God’s going to send someone to restore their hearts what does that show about God it shows that he’s faithfully kind and loving towards his real he’s drawing them back he’s directing them back even after all this he says I’m gonna send a messenger how many times is God sent prophets in the Old Testament says I’m gonna send a messenger he’s gonna be there to restore your hearts before I come before the day of the Lord comes I’m gonna send Elijah to you now what specifically does this phrase about fathers and children mean well it could refer to the righteous restoration of broken family relationships Malachi hasn’t really talked about that but that is one symptom of sin the people are devoted to idols in their hearts and as they are practicing wickedness it is going to hurt the relationship between fathers and children and Malachi says her yeah Malachi says God’s going to restore that that’s possible it could also refer to the descendants of Israel embracing the faith of their righteous forefathers it’s in the sense the hearts of the fathers that the children the father’s here are not those living together in the time of the coming of Elijah but the children are those alive at that time and they’re embracing their forefathers and the forefathers in a sense are embracing your children there actually is a verse in the Old Testament were talks about how Jacob disowns his descendants he’s like wow you guys are so wicked you’re not my kids and so perhaps that’s the idea here now that their forefathers are again owning their children saying yes those are my kids they actually have the same kind of faith that that I did or that I do perhaps it’s a little difficult to understand either way though certainly the sense is that people are going to turn back to righteousness they’re going to turn back to the Lord and Elijah is going to help accomplish that so we have this third promise from God let’s summarize what we’ve seen today in response to God’s justice and his benefit being blaspheme by the people of Israel God promises that a burning day of the Lord is coming God Himself will visit his people as the messenger of the Covenant on that day all the wicked including the hypocrites in Israel will be searched out judged and consumed Israel will be pure will be purged and purified the truly righteous remnant however will be refined and spared and the day of the Lord will actually result in their vindication their joy and their healing they will be remembered by God God will keep covenant and they will experience the benefits of that they will see God restore Israel and establish his kingdom and righteousness just as he promised in the other prophets God will never utter ly destroy Israel and even before the day of God’s coming the day of God’s judgment God will send a messenger to prepare the people and to mercifully direct their hearts back toward God how is Israel to respond to this message from Malachi these promises from Malachi we already saw God says through Malachi repent turn back to God and to his law love and serve the Lord truly keeping his commands as you wait for the unveiling of the day of the Lord remember god’s law as you wait for God to come so we see our summary the big question is now have these he’s been fulfilled have these promises from Malachi been fulfilled and the answer is partly partly they have after Malachi’s prophecy there are 400 years of prophetic silence no other prophets appear in Israel no new revelation comes from God to Israel though God already gave his scriptures so the people were hearing God through the already revealed scriptures rather than new words from God but then after 400 years God sent a for running messenger and Elijah and who do we know him as John the Baptist and a new testament is very explicit about this speaking of John angel Gabriel told Zacharias in Luke 1 verses 16 to 17 this is Luke 1 verses 16 to 17 and he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God it is he who will go as a forerunner before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the father’s back to their children there is that word from Malachi and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord that was the word spoken about John the Baptist by the angel Gabriel John indeed resembled Elijah and spiritual power in appearance and in wilderness ministry and just as Malachi promised John prepared the way for the messenger of the Covenant who is that that’s Jesus that’s the god man Jesus Zacharias John’s father prophesied about John later in Luke Luke 1 76 to 79 here’s was a car I said about John Luke 176 or 79 and new child will be called a prophet of the most high for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways to give to his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God with which the sunrise from on high will visit us that there’s a possible illusion of Malachi there to shine upon those who sit in darkness and a shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace so he says John the bath repairs the people he will prepare the people by giving them the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins Jesus spokes the crowds da John the Baptist in Matthew 11 10 and 14 here’s what Jesus said this is the one about whom it is risen written behold I send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you that’s Malachi 31 and Malachi 11 army Matthew 11 14 and if you are willing to accept it John himself is Elijah who was to come so the Gospel writers very aware of Malachi’s prophecy in showing that John fulfills it now you may ask why did john deny being Elijah when the Pharisees asked him in John 121 I’m will read their second chief but John does deny they asked him who he is are you Elijah who was the come he says no why does he do that well this is a little puzzling building a pen the answer appears to be that the Jews of Jesus day thought that Elijah himself would literally return they were expecting the Elijah from the Old Testament after all I didn’t die so he can come back that should be easy enough John says I’m not the same Elijah but i am the forerunner cuz John himself even quotes Isaiah 42 the to the Jews and Pharisees who were visiting John is the Elijah like forerunner of the Messiah he is the my messenger though he’s not Elijah himself now I said though that these words sir Malachi only partly fulfilled because when we look at the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus they don’t do everything that Malachi prophesied would happen or they don’t accomplish everything John the Baptist did prepare the way before God the way before Jesus and many did repent but John was ultimately rejected he was killed as was Jesus himself Jesus the Messiah was rejected and killed Israel is not yet purified we saw Malachi 3 said I’m going to purify them they’re gonna offer white they’re acceptable worship it acceptable worship to me it hasn’t happened no have we seen the final day of the Lord those things haven’t happened nevertheless those events have been initiated they’ve been initiated according to Malachi’s word by John the Baptist and by Jesus and they will be fully realized in the future the son of god will return he will come into his temple and he will purify a remnant of Israel for himself as he judges the whole world God still has not cast off Israel perhaps partly due to the Ministry of John the Baptist and God’s people must still do as Malachi indicated fear the Lord keep his word and wait for the Lord’s coming now some interpreters believe that another Elijah is coming before the second coming of Jesus before yeah before the second coming and based this partly off of Matthew 17 verses 10 to 13 Matthew 17 verses 10 to 13 this is right after the vision of the Transfiguration where Peter James and John see Elijah and Moses on the mountain with Jesus and they ask him a question Peter James and John asked Jesus question they say why then to describe say that Elijah must come first so they referring to the teachings scribes no Malachi they say Elijah’s got to come before God does and he has jesus answered and said Elijah is coming and will restore all things but i say to you that elijah already came and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they wished so also the son of man is going to suffer at their hands and the disciples understood that he had spoken them about John the Baptist how some interpreters including many in the early church understand Jesus words about Elijah is coming and will restore all things as a future promise this is another prophecy and elijah like ministry is going to appear again before the second coming perhaps Elijah or an alleged like figure will be one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11 perhaps I’m not sure if we have to understand Jesus words in that way though it is possible it is possible that another Elijah perhaps even Old Testament a Leyden himself will finish what John the Baptist started but certainly as we’ve seen with a number of these verses the New Testament is emphatic that John the Baptist is the fulfillment of what Malachi prophesied in chapters three and four what we’ve seen today and also shows that Jesus is the Lord Jesus is the one John the bastard prepared to wait for know it’s interesting when we think about Isaiah 40 or even these verses in Malachi if you acknowledge that John the Baptist is the forerunner you have to acknowledge that Jesus is God because of what who is the forerunner preparing the way for not for another human not for a mere angel but God himself he’s preparing the way of the Lord so Jesus is God and certainly Jesus Jesus demonstrated that in his ministry also so as the Old Testament closes as the last prophet utters a word about the future it is a sobering word saying judgment is coming but before that happens before the final day of the Lord God will send a messenger to turn the people back towards himself and it would be another 400 years until they saw this prophecy fulfilled but things were getting nearer and nearer to the plan of redemption moving forward well we have a couple more minutes so let me talk about application and then maybe a lot of time for one or two questions at the end what does this second part of Malachi have to do with us today oh hopefully you see truly we are in the same situation as the return Jews in Malachi’s day many Christians many people in the world they claim to follow the Lord they claim to worship the Lord but they don’t really meanwhile God’s true people they struggle with holy perseverance they struggle to keep obeying God they struggle to keep having hope so God tells us through Malachi just as he told Israel do not forget my faithfulness to my own character I am holy and just I will judge the wicked even among those who claim to follow me even among those who call themselves Christians hypocrites who do not truly belong to me will be burned up like chaff on the day of my wrath however those who take my word to heart they will be spared they will be healed on that day they will skip about like joyful calves when my salvation comes so from us today here in America there is a way of escape from the coming wrath of God in the day of the Lord God is faithful to his merciful character those who repent who trust in the messenger of the Covenant to be their only righteousness will be cleansed and be made able to stand in the fierce day of the Lord we are to look forward as God’s people God’s true people we had to look forward to the Lord’s coming persevering and simple faithfulness to the end God sees he’s writing he’s writing our actions down in the book of remembrance he’s writing down our our faithfulness to him which he himself is causing me but he’s writing it down he will reward his own but he will destroy those who only claim to belong to him they claim but they do not actually back up their claims so let us be sober I just be sober lest we like hard-hearted Israel look forward to seeing God look forward to his day while we still haven’t repented because when we arrived before God if we still haven’t repented and his day comes we will have the most tragic and traumatic wake up possible God will tell us I never knew you depart from me into eternal torment you who practice lawlessness I pray that is not what God says to any of you some questions to think about how actually one more statement God’s omniscient judgment is coming he knows how we truly are but also his hope of salvation is coming so let us return to God and His Word that we may be saved some questions to think about number one do you vainly try to take God’s blessings of salvation without a new life of holiness number two when the day of the Lord comes will you be saved where will you be judged don’t simply answer based on your feelings expose yourself to God’s Word number three is your life demonstrate that you are patiently and faithfully waiting for the coming of the Lord new testament a lot more to say about Jesus coming back are you waiting faithfully number five if you thank love and praise Christ they’re giving you a hiding place in the day of the Lord that’s it for this week next week is review we’re going to be looking back the last 12 lessons that we’ve done this quarter and I prepare some review questions for you so please get ready for that also I’ll take some time in our next lesson to answer any questions that you still have so if you have some questions based on the last 12 lessons bring those next time and also view your questions about how things are going in California our seminary is going and answer those too let’s close in prayer how do we thank you for this word it’s a sober word but a good word it is a message of hope to those who belong to you to those who are faithful that is a message of sober warning to those who only pretend to belong to you God may we truly delighting you and not just pretend to the liteon you deliver us from evil cleanse us from sin so that we will not have to endure the burning day of wrath but instead could be hidden in that day okay that you would accomplish this by your merciful nature amen a