Malachi 4
Pastor David Groendyk

This is a very short chapter, but it packs a serious punch. Verses 1–3 continue the dispute between the people and God from the end of chapter 3. Remember the charge that God brought against his people in 3:13: the people had spoken against God by saying that it was vain to serve him, because evildoers prosper all the time and consistently escape God’s punishment. Therefore, what difference does it make really to serve God? Is that something you can relate to? Do you ever get frustrated that wicked people prosper and escape so often? God’s response is to tell his people that he will surely make a distinction between his covenant children, his treasured possession, and the wicked who will be judged.

Verse 1 reminds us that this distinction has not yet fully come. As always, the words “the day is coming” represent something that looked forward both to Jesus’ first coming and also to the Last Day. In one sense, Jesus’ first coming has made the ultimate distinction between God’s people and God’s enemies. He brought about salvation on the cross for us while he hardened unbelievers in their unbelief and condemned them to their punishment. In another sense, we’re still waiting for that distinction to be fully brought about and made public. On that final day, the wicked will be utterly cut off, left without any hope. But for believers, it will be a day of great rejoicing and healing. The same sun that burns and scorches unbelievers brings light and hope to believers.

It’s only October now, but let’s look forward to Christmas for just a minute. Do you remember the hymn Hark the Herald Angels Sing? The third verse goes, “Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, ris’n with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.” The rising of this Sun in the birth of Christ gives us life so that we no longer face eternal death and no longer fear physical death. There is no greater healing and restoration, and there is no greater reason to leap like calves being released from their stall, especially when you remember what a wicked and rebellious people we are, just as Israel was. Remember that so much of this book of Malachi has been God calling out Israel for their continued sin. What greater promise could there be for a rebellious, hard-hearted group of sinners than a promise for life and healing?

Therefore, as Malachi himself ends his prophecy, we ought to remember the Word of God and the testimony we’ve heard (v. 4), and we ought to turn our hearts to worship and obey Christ (vv. 5–6). For Israel, they were still looking forward to that one who would come. They were still in need of the signs to indicate when the Messiah would come. What a privilege we have to be on the other side of Christ’s first coming. But also what a great responsibility we have. We know with such greater clarity than Israel did how God saves and what he requires of us. Surely, then, the warning is all the more poignant: turn to him, lest you face destruction. None of us will escape unless we turn to Jesus as our Savior. But if we have turned to him, then no matter how wicked you’ve been, the healing rays of Jesus’ salvation have surely reached you.