Return from Exile: Malachi 4 (1)

Pray Psalm 96.11-13.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice
before the LORD.
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.

Sing Psalm 96.11-13.
(Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above)
Let heaven sing with lusty voice; let earth and sea sing sweetly!
Let fields and trees in Him rejoice, for He is coming swiftly
to judge the world in righteousness, the peoples in His faithfulness.
He comes; exalt Him greatly!

Read and meditate on Malachi 4.1, 2.

Preparation
1.What two things will happen on that coming day?

2.Who will arise with healing in His wings?

Meditation
The captivity of God’s people to self and sin will not continue indefinitely. A promise is made to those who fear God’s Name, that remnant for whom a book of remembrance has been compiled. It is a promise of healing, fatness, and victory. Yet for those who continue in pride and wickedness, a dire warning looms. The prophet looks down the long corridor of history and shows the effects of what happens in the day when God comes to gather the treasure of His people.

The Messenger of the covenant (3.1) will bring a new order to the world—the Kingdom of God. He will come like Melchizedek of old—King of Righteousness and King of Peace. In His first coming, He will arise like the Sun of Righteousness, to bring His rule of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit to those who fear Him (v. 2). In His second coming, the day of wrath, He will bring judgment and destruction to all those who reject Him and His Law (v. 1). Then will all wickedness be destroyed, with “neither root nor branch” remaining.

The day of ultimate wrath and destruction is coming to create space for righteousness, peace, and joy to increase and abound. But in between, the healing grace of God will reach those who fear His Name, and they shall go out, fat with the Good News, to bring the grace of God to the world (2 Cor. 4.15). And they will have powerful effects of restoration and renewal in the world until the day of wrath comes, “burning like an oven” (v. 1).

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
“But to you who fear My Name…” (Mal. 4.2).

The promises that accompany this appellation are a beauty to behold:
“The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings;
and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.
You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this…”
(Mal. 4.2, 3).
“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD!
But let those who love Him be like the sun
when it comes out in full strength” (Judg. 5.31).
“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter
unto that perfect day” (Prov. 4.18).
“Arise, shine; for your light has come!
And the glory of the LORD is upon you…
the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you” (Is. 60.1, 2).
“Therefore He says:
‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light’” (Eph. 5.14).
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels,
and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matt.16.27).

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10.28).

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matt. 4.23).
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed;
to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD” (Lk. 4.18, 19; Is. 61.1, 2).

“Now this is His Name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer. 23.6).

Fear Him.

For reflection
1. How do you experience healing which the Sun of Righteousness brings to us?

2. What is our responsibility with respect to the warning of coming judgment and wrath?

3. How do you expect Jesus to make His righteousness known through you today?

That day which to the wicked will burn as an oven, will to the righteous be bright as the morning; it is what they wait for, more than those that wait for the morning. Christ came as the Sun, to bring, not only light to a dark world, but health to a distempered world. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Malachi 4.1-3

Pray Psalm 96.1-10.
Pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom, for the increasing rule of Jesus Christ unto righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Sing Psalm 96.1-10.
(Mit Freuden Zart: All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above)
Sing to the LORD! O, bless His Name! All nations tell His glory!
Salvation’s tidings loud proclaim; let earth rehearse His story!
For God is greatly to be praised; His throne above all gods is raised!
Fear Him and sing His glory!

All other gods are idols vain; the LORD created heaven.
Splendor and strength with Him obtain; to Him be glory given!
All fam’lies, praise this mighty LORD! Give strength and glory to His Word;
exalt the LORD of heaven!

Bring off’rings sweet to Him, our LORD, in holy garments praise Him!
Tremble before Him, all the earth; among the nations raise Him!
The earth is fixed, it will not move; the peoples will His justice prove.
Exalt the LORD and praise Him!

T. M. and Susie Moore

Two books can help us understand our own captivity and lead us to seek revival and renewal in the Lord. The Church Captive asks us to consider the ways the Church today has become captive to the world. And Revived! can help us find the way to renewal. Learn more and order your free copies by clicking here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available free by clicking here.