Malachi 4:1-6 – Being prepared!
Malachi 4:1-6 – Being prepared!
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 22, 2018
Most of us on that Tuesday morning had not given much thought to what the day held. After all it was a pretty normal day. I was on my way to Morning Prayer and my thoughts were on the day. I was not thinking about eternal things. This was true for most of those who boarded planes in Boston, went to work in New York City, or began their day behind a desk at the Pentagon. Few that day had any idea of what the next few hours would bring, yet with devastating swiftness we were all reminded just how quick death comes. Since 9-11, it has made me wonder how many folks are prepared for eternity.
We find that the Prophet Malachi was very concerned about the subject of preparedness. It was in his thoughts as he wrote to the Israelites. He wanted them to consider the eternal consequences of their lives. He knew that if they did not think about their actions and faith now, there would come a time of reckoning for his nation and for each individual. This morning, as we read the final few verses of Malachi, we will be forced to consider the matter of being prepared as well. Let’s discover how…
READ: Malachi 4:1-6
When we are younger we think we have plenty of time to do what we want and then we discover that the years go by faster than we first thought. Living a life of no regrets doesn’t mean doing whatever we want when we want, rather it means living our lives in such a way as to not regret some of the decisions we have made. Malachi teaches us that being prepared means realizing that…
I. There will be a day of reckoning! (V. 1)
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.”
1. It had been hundreds of year since Israel had heard from the Lord. It seemed as if he no longer cared for his people. He did but they had turned away from him instead of drawing close during a time that they should have been one of reflection and spiritual growth. Instead the Israelites had wasted their time and neglected the tings of God. Malachi startles them by reminding them that “Surely the day is coming” and it would not be just an ordinary day because “it will burn like a furnace.” This is a dire warning and one that needed to be heeded. God’s words to the Israelites meant there would be harsh judgment coming. No one and nothing would be able to stand its fiery heat that would melt away all pretense and burn away any falseness. In fact, “All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire”. This is more than the purification of Israel and has to do with the judgment of all people everywhere. Israel may have felt alone, lost, and that God did not care but he did. He had not forsaken them and he would hold all of sinful mankind responsible; so “says the Lord Almighty”! God had said it and so it was true! Judgment was coming. God promised it would and “Not a root or a branch will be left to them” who had been the enemy of Israel. We far too often forget in our day and age that we are going to be held accountable for our attitudes and actions and that there will be a day of reckoning!
EXAMPLE: There is an old saying that states, “The light at the end of the tunnel may be an oncoming train!” There are those who live their lives for the moment. “It feels good to me, let’s do it!” is their motto. But whether you believe in it or not there will be a day of reckoning. Israel had thought that just because a lot of time had transpired, God was no longer involved. We can adopt the same false notion when we think we can do whatever we want whenever we want. However, God’s warning should wake us up! “Surely a day is coming” and there will be a day of reckoning!
The world was going to be judged. It still is. Nothing has changed yet the world has not learned the lesson Malachi wanted to teach them. Malachi reminds us that in being prepared we need to…
II. Remember who we follow! (Vv. 2-3)
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the LORD Almighty.
1. Those that followed the Lord would not face the harsh judgment of God. Malachi gives the Israelites hope by reminding them “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” If we revere the Lord, lift him up and follow him we have nothing to fear. Those who revere God follow him no matter what others do or say. Reverence for God means you honor him with your life and not just give him lip service. The Day of the Lord would be horrendous for the wicked but for God’s people it would be one not of darkness but of sunshine and healing! The promises of God would come completely true for those he loves. No longer enslaved, no longer held captive, no longer seen as nothing God’s people would now “go out and leap like calves released from their stall.” Like a new day when the farmer lets his livestock out to forage and where the little calves leap for joy at being let go for the day the Israelites would leap for joy at being freed! These words are attributed to the Messiah who would come. The righteous would be victorious. God’s promise was that they would “trample down the wicked”. In fact they would “be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things” the LORD Almighty promised. Malachi knew the Israelites had stopped following God but he had not given up them. Malachi reminds us that we need to remember who we follow!
EXAMPLE: Why do you think that so many politicians end their remarks with, “God bless America”? Some would say it is an attempt at misguided patriotism. I honestly believe it is because they are trying to connect themselves with God whom they have forgotten, hoping their listeners will think they are both patriotic and religious. Perhaps, they want to re-identify themselves with their country and the inherent ideals that were foundational in her formation, although I rather doubt it. Why am I so skeptical? God has always been at the center of our nation no matter how many try to say otherwise. God is to be the foundation of any nation. His law is where we get our notion of freedom and liberty, the idea that everyone has worth. Malachi knew that God’s people are to remember their relationship with God. Malachi reminds us that we need to remember who we follow!
The Israelites needed to remember their past in order to prepare themselves for the present situation. If they could not they would not be prepared to step into the future God had for them. The same is true for us and our nation as well. Malachi understood this and reminds us that in being prepared…
III. We should reconsider our future formation! (Vv. 4-6)
“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
1. For them to remember the important moments of faith and Moses’ teachings would reestablish their spiritual foundation. Malachi tells them “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.” Too often we forget the past, and when we do we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Malachi attempted to correct the problem of forgetting the teachings of God by calling the Israelites back to those basic tenets of faith. God’s people are to remember their relationship with God! To prepare ourselves for eternity, we need to reorient our hearts to him. His words refer to the act of actually remembering the Law combined with appropriate actions. The Israelites thought that Elijah would come before the Messiah came because of what Malachi shared: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” He would “turn the hearts” of those who were willing to listen. The work of this Elijah-like messenger was found in John the Baptist. Malachi relates, “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” There is no greater need in America today than fathers to be actively involved in the spiritual lives of their children. We face a paternal spiritual crisis where fathers are not involved in the spiritual preparation of their children and because of this we face a vacuum that is being filled by all other kinds of ungodly behavior. This future formation must be heeded because unless God intervenes, the nation would be “cursed”. Malachi reminds us that we should reconsider our future formation!
EXAMPLE: Stamped on our money are the words, “In God We Trust,” yet is this true? The stones that Joshua put in the Jordan have been washed away, the fire pit of Elijah is overgrown with weeds and forgotten, and the temple in Jerusalem is no more. No one knows for absolute certainty where the empty tomb of Christ is. The only monument that stands the test of time is the one made in the human heart by God’s handiwork through the blood of Jesus. Will we remember the prayers we prayed and our conscious decision to follow God again? Will the dust of our dried out faith become the soil of renewal where “In God We Trust,” really means what it says? The choice is ours to make this morning. Joel said that, “The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful.” Then he asked, “Who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11 NIV) Malachi reminds us that we should reconsider our future formation!
Conclusion:
Paul said that, “the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 NIV) Malachi warned Israel that here will be a day of reckoning, Malachi reminds us that we need to remember who we follow, and Malachi prompts us to reconsider our future formation!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2018 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 22, 2018
Most of us on that Tuesday morning had not given much thought to what the day held. After all it was a pretty normal day. I was on my way to Morning Prayer and my thoughts were on the day. I was not thinking about eternal things. This was true for most of those who boarded planes in Boston, went to work in New York City, or began their day behind a desk at the Pentagon. Few that day had any idea of what the next few hours would bring, yet with devastating swiftness we were all reminded just how quick death comes. Since 9-11, it has made me wonder how many folks are prepared for eternity.
We find that the Prophet Malachi was very concerned about the subject of preparedness. It was in his thoughts as he wrote to the Israelites. He wanted them to consider the eternal consequences of their lives. He knew that if they did not think about their actions and faith now, there would come a time of reckoning for his nation and for each individual. This morning, as we read the final few verses of Malachi, we will be forced to consider the matter of being prepared as well. Let’s discover how…
READ: Malachi 4:1-6
When we are younger we think we have plenty of time to do what we want and then we discover that the years go by faster than we first thought. Living a life of no regrets doesn’t mean doing whatever we want when we want, rather it means living our lives in such a way as to not regret some of the decisions we have made. Malachi teaches us that being prepared means realizing that…
I. There will be a day of reckoning! (V. 1)
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.”
1. It had been hundreds of year since Israel had heard from the Lord. It seemed as if he no longer cared for his people. He did but they had turned away from him instead of drawing close during a time that they should have been one of reflection and spiritual growth. Instead the Israelites had wasted their time and neglected the tings of God. Malachi startles them by reminding them that “Surely the day is coming” and it would not be just an ordinary day because “it will burn like a furnace.” This is a dire warning and one that needed to be heeded. God’s words to the Israelites meant there would be harsh judgment coming. No one and nothing would be able to stand its fiery heat that would melt away all pretense and burn away any falseness. In fact, “All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire”. This is more than the purification of Israel and has to do with the judgment of all people everywhere. Israel may have felt alone, lost, and that God did not care but he did. He had not forsaken them and he would hold all of sinful mankind responsible; so “says the Lord Almighty”! God had said it and so it was true! Judgment was coming. God promised it would and “Not a root or a branch will be left to them” who had been the enemy of Israel. We far too often forget in our day and age that we are going to be held accountable for our attitudes and actions and that there will be a day of reckoning!
EXAMPLE: There is an old saying that states, “The light at the end of the tunnel may be an oncoming train!” There are those who live their lives for the moment. “It feels good to me, let’s do it!” is their motto. But whether you believe in it or not there will be a day of reckoning. Israel had thought that just because a lot of time had transpired, God was no longer involved. We can adopt the same false notion when we think we can do whatever we want whenever we want. However, God’s warning should wake us up! “Surely a day is coming” and there will be a day of reckoning!
The world was going to be judged. It still is. Nothing has changed yet the world has not learned the lesson Malachi wanted to teach them. Malachi reminds us that in being prepared we need to…
II. Remember who we follow! (Vv. 2-3)
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the LORD Almighty.
1. Those that followed the Lord would not face the harsh judgment of God. Malachi gives the Israelites hope by reminding them “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” If we revere the Lord, lift him up and follow him we have nothing to fear. Those who revere God follow him no matter what others do or say. Reverence for God means you honor him with your life and not just give him lip service. The Day of the Lord would be horrendous for the wicked but for God’s people it would be one not of darkness but of sunshine and healing! The promises of God would come completely true for those he loves. No longer enslaved, no longer held captive, no longer seen as nothing God’s people would now “go out and leap like calves released from their stall.” Like a new day when the farmer lets his livestock out to forage and where the little calves leap for joy at being let go for the day the Israelites would leap for joy at being freed! These words are attributed to the Messiah who would come. The righteous would be victorious. God’s promise was that they would “trample down the wicked”. In fact they would “be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things” the LORD Almighty promised. Malachi knew the Israelites had stopped following God but he had not given up them. Malachi reminds us that we need to remember who we follow!
EXAMPLE: Why do you think that so many politicians end their remarks with, “God bless America”? Some would say it is an attempt at misguided patriotism. I honestly believe it is because they are trying to connect themselves with God whom they have forgotten, hoping their listeners will think they are both patriotic and religious. Perhaps, they want to re-identify themselves with their country and the inherent ideals that were foundational in her formation, although I rather doubt it. Why am I so skeptical? God has always been at the center of our nation no matter how many try to say otherwise. God is to be the foundation of any nation. His law is where we get our notion of freedom and liberty, the idea that everyone has worth. Malachi knew that God’s people are to remember their relationship with God. Malachi reminds us that we need to remember who we follow!
The Israelites needed to remember their past in order to prepare themselves for the present situation. If they could not they would not be prepared to step into the future God had for them. The same is true for us and our nation as well. Malachi understood this and reminds us that in being prepared…
III. We should reconsider our future formation! (Vv. 4-6)
“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
1. For them to remember the important moments of faith and Moses’ teachings would reestablish their spiritual foundation. Malachi tells them “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.” Too often we forget the past, and when we do we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Malachi attempted to correct the problem of forgetting the teachings of God by calling the Israelites back to those basic tenets of faith. God’s people are to remember their relationship with God! To prepare ourselves for eternity, we need to reorient our hearts to him. His words refer to the act of actually remembering the Law combined with appropriate actions. The Israelites thought that Elijah would come before the Messiah came because of what Malachi shared: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” He would “turn the hearts” of those who were willing to listen. The work of this Elijah-like messenger was found in John the Baptist. Malachi relates, “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” There is no greater need in America today than fathers to be actively involved in the spiritual lives of their children. We face a paternal spiritual crisis where fathers are not involved in the spiritual preparation of their children and because of this we face a vacuum that is being filled by all other kinds of ungodly behavior. This future formation must be heeded because unless God intervenes, the nation would be “cursed”. Malachi reminds us that we should reconsider our future formation!
EXAMPLE: Stamped on our money are the words, “In God We Trust,” yet is this true? The stones that Joshua put in the Jordan have been washed away, the fire pit of Elijah is overgrown with weeds and forgotten, and the temple in Jerusalem is no more. No one knows for absolute certainty where the empty tomb of Christ is. The only monument that stands the test of time is the one made in the human heart by God’s handiwork through the blood of Jesus. Will we remember the prayers we prayed and our conscious decision to follow God again? Will the dust of our dried out faith become the soil of renewal where “In God We Trust,” really means what it says? The choice is ours to make this morning. Joel said that, “The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful.” Then he asked, “Who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11 NIV) Malachi reminds us that we should reconsider our future formation!
Conclusion:
Paul said that, “the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 NIV) Malachi warned Israel that here will be a day of reckoning, Malachi reminds us that we need to remember who we follow, and Malachi prompts us to reconsider our future formation!
---
This article is copyrighted © 2018 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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