Malachi 4:1-3
"For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,"
Says the LORD of hosts,
"That will leave them neither root nor branch.
But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves."
Like Malachi, we can sometimes feel dejected when we look around us and see the seeming prosperity and joy of those who reject God. Their lifestyle seems so attractive. But God answers through His prophet. He warns that those who proudly resist God will be completely consumed by a burning furnace. They will be utterly destroyed on the coming day of judgement. But something much more wonderful awaits those who fear God.
John the Baptist’s father referred to this passage in Luke 1:78, speaking of Christ’s birth. However it hasn’t reached its full fulfilment yet. The full rising of the Sun to its full brightness will occur when He comes in glory to judge between those who resist God and those who fear Him. That day is coming!
On that day the rising of the Sun will cause light to be spread throughout the entire world. We will see the light of His glory (Rev 21:23). We will see the light of His truth (Psalm 43:3; John 18:37). We will see the light of His Word (2 Cor 4:4). We will see the light of peace (1 John 2:10).
Not only will He be as a sun, but also will shine with beams of righteousness. He shines with the radiance of righteousness, so brightly that these beams fall on us too. His righteousness becomes our righteousness. This righteousness, in turn, becomes our life (John 1:4; 8:12).
On this day Christ’s wings of healing will heal all our infirmities. His wounds have become our healing and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Perhaps some diseases and infirmities we have in this life aren’t healed yet. But they will be at the resurrection. Christ will wipe every tear from our eyes; there shall be no more mourning nor pain (Rev 21:4).
And finally, on that day we shall “go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves” (verse 2). It will be on this day that we shall finally come to the realisation of the full blessings of fearing God. We shall truly prosper, and have true joy that outweighs the sadness that we have in this life.
So when Jesus comes the arrogant and the evildoer will turn to burnt stubble. But He will restore every believer to light and life; will heal us all and we will prosper in His eternal kingdom. Behold, that day is coming!
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,"
Says the LORD of hosts,
"That will leave them neither root nor branch.
But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves."
Like Malachi, we can sometimes feel dejected when we look around us and see the seeming prosperity and joy of those who reject God. Their lifestyle seems so attractive. But God answers through His prophet. He warns that those who proudly resist God will be completely consumed by a burning furnace. They will be utterly destroyed on the coming day of judgement. But something much more wonderful awaits those who fear God.
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
John the Baptist’s father referred to this passage in Luke 1:78, speaking of Christ’s birth. However it hasn’t reached its full fulfilment yet. The full rising of the Sun to its full brightness will occur when He comes in glory to judge between those who resist God and those who fear Him. That day is coming!
On that day the rising of the Sun will cause light to be spread throughout the entire world. We will see the light of His glory (Rev 21:23). We will see the light of His truth (Psalm 43:3; John 18:37). We will see the light of His Word (2 Cor 4:4). We will see the light of peace (1 John 2:10).
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!” (Psalm 84:11-12)
Not only will He be as a sun, but also will shine with beams of righteousness. He shines with the radiance of righteousness, so brightly that these beams fall on us too. His righteousness becomes our righteousness. This righteousness, in turn, becomes our life (John 1:4; 8:12).
On this day Christ’s wings of healing will heal all our infirmities. His wounds have become our healing and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Perhaps some diseases and infirmities we have in this life aren’t healed yet. But they will be at the resurrection. Christ will wipe every tear from our eyes; there shall be no more mourning nor pain (Rev 21:4).
“Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,
And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,
As the light of seven days,
In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound.” (Isaiah 30:26)
And finally, on that day we shall “go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves” (verse 2). It will be on this day that we shall finally come to the realisation of the full blessings of fearing God. We shall truly prosper, and have true joy that outweighs the sadness that we have in this life.
“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:12-14)
“They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water He will guide them.” (Isaiah 49:10)
So when Jesus comes the arrogant and the evildoer will turn to burnt stubble. But He will restore every believer to light and life; will heal us all and we will prosper in His eternal kingdom. Behold, that day is coming!
"Sing, O heavens!
Be joyful, O earth!
And break out in singing, O mountains!
For the Lord has comforted His people,
And will have mercy on His afflicted" (Isaiah 49:13).
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