Malachi 4:1-6

Intro: Turn to Malachi 4 - page 802

There’s a few reasons why we are in the book of Malachi today, on Mother’s Day

The primary reason why, is this: I have a son named Malachi - who is named after this prophet
that we hear from in the Old Testament.

When we began having children, my wife decided to name them rst names that began with M
and middle names that begin with A.

Sometimes people ask me what input I had in naming the kids and I tell them my rule was this:
“The person who birthed the baby can name the baby” - so Ashley named the babies and I
was just a sounding board, of which I was completely happy to be.

Both Micah and Malachi are named after the Biblical prophets of the Old Testament.

- so when Micah turned 13 I preached a message from the book of Micah

- FOR Micah, but also FOR us as a church - kind of a special gift to him.

And now, 5 years later Malachi has just turned 13 and so today I will preach from the book of
Malachi - FOR Malachi but also for us a church.

But the passage we will look at today has a special tie to today - as we’ve already had our
family dedication - recognizing the key role that God has designed the family to play in the
world, more speci cally the role of fathers and mothers in the lives of their children - especially
tting on a day like today, MOther’s Day.

So today’s message is for: Malachi and it’s also for parents, but this passage also has an
addition to believers - those who fear my name and a warning to those who are not-yet
believers.

So I want to pray to this e ect, that this passage will be used by the Holy Spirit in each of our
lives, to apply the truths we see this morning.

PRAY

Let’s begin by reading our verses for today and then before we jump into the exposition we will
give a little bit of background so we understand the context of what we are reading.

READ Malachi 4:1-6

Well, how is it that we come to this passage at the end of Malachi - and keep in mind this isn’t
just the end of Malachi - it’s the end of the prophets and the law and the entire Old Testament.

We know from Scripture and history that in 586 BC the kingdom of Judah was captured by the
Babylonian empire their temple is destroyed and they are forced into exile

About 50 years later they are allowed to go back to Jerusalem when the Babylonian empire
falls.

Fast forward 100 years - God’s people have been back in Jerusalem for 100 years now, they’ve
rebuilt the temple and on the scene comes the prophet Malachi…at least we think….

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 You know how you can get the baby book or go book mark or go online and nd the meaning
of just about any name? Well, the name Malachi mean’s “Messenger of the Lord” - but it
doesn’t get it’s meaning because some baby book said it - Malakh - (pronounced Mal-a-ka) is
literally the Hebrew word for Messenger of the Lord.

The prophet Malachi is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, so this nal book is literally
God’s Message to his people given by his messenger, Malachi

When you read Revelation 2-3 at the end of the New Testament, we see what God thinks about
the spiritual condition of the New Testament church - the church at Ephesus, Laodecia, Sardis
etc. - God says what he thinks of how they are and what they must change.

Similarly, at the end of the OT, God, through Malachi is giving a spiritual temperature of his
people and letting them know what they must do to change.

The basic temperature reading that God gives of his people is this: I put you into exile by way
of punishment - because you were not following me - but the punishment did not change your
hearts - you are still unfaithful

Then God goes through a series of things that either HE has done or THE PEOPLE have done,
that prove his point that their hearts are still hard.

And they follow this pattern where God says something and the people question God.

1:2 - I’ve Loved you…How have you loved us?

1:6 - You have despised me…How have we despised you?

And the list goes on and it gives us a two-fold picture.

1) of a God who has not changed

2) of a people who do not TRUST their God - they are questioning everything he claims - he
might have been the God of their fore-fathers but they are seriously questioning whether of
not he is the God who he says he is.

It kind of comes to a head in chapter 3:14-15 (READ)

The people are saying - wait a second…we are called to live faithfully and righteously and here
is everyone else, living arrogantly and being blessed and evil doers are prospering. Why should
we sacri ce and serve, when it seems like you don’t punish evil and bless obedience?

And before we jump all over the people of Israel, we have to remember that typically we view
them as a whole - I mean when you think of “people of Israel” the snapshot in your mind
probably spans from Abraham till Jesus and you think of them as one unit in general.

We forget that this people in the time of Malachi - they weren’t the ones who saw the Red Sea
parted and knew King David or saw the conquest of the land of Canaan.

They hadn’t experienced God in that way, so they doubt who God says he is.

They see the snapshot of evil prevailing and they think - nope - God isn’t who he says he is.

All they have to fall back on (in their minds) is the stories they had heard ABOUT God

- and that’s tough…Because that’s HISTORY and so often HISTORY doesn’t seem real.

Example: I’m a lover of history, so whenever I am reading about it or listening to it or watching

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 much as I try…it’s di cult. I begin to think - was it REALLY like that? I can’t imagine not
having this or that not being invented yet etc.

**Conversation with Molly about not having internet when I grew up (to me that didn’t feel that
long ago) but she asked if we had electricity then either? Because to her they are one and the
same - she wasn’t there so to here it’s just words on a page from another time.

And that’s who God had become to his people - just a story from another time and he is not
the God of justice who loved his people like he said he did.

And this brings us to chapter 4 of Malachi - really it begins at the end of chapter 3 - it’s one
thought.

Read Malachi 3:17-4:3 (They…referring back to vs. 16 and those who feared the Lord)

So God says listen - you think there is no di erence in how I treat those who fear my name and
evil doers - but “there is a day coming when it will be clearly seen” - evildoers will be set ablaze
and left with no root and you who fear my name will go out leaping like calves from the stall.

So God’s nal word is that a day (and we will circle back to this “DAY” in a moment) but a day
is coming where the distinction will be clear between the evil doers and the righteous.

And to drive home this point God through the prophet Malachi gives the nal 3 verses of the
Old Testament.

And from where we sit in 2023 - having the opportunity to know and read BOTH the Old and
New Testaments, just ask yourself the question…How would you EXPECT God to end the Old
Testament?

We’d probably say something like “It won’t have FINALITY - it will have some future aspect -
some hopeful thing - a bridge of sorts to take us from where we’ve been to what is about to
happen.”

And that’s exactly what we have…vs. 4 - Remember - so look back on something and then vs.
5, I WILL send - a future promise

So a bridge that maybe we would expect… but then then something that maybe we didn’t see
coming - in verse 6 and we will see that for the end.

1) Faithful work - a look back

2) Final Victory - a look forward

- Not before God’s Mercy

3) Unexpected e ect of God’s mercy

Let’s read these last three verses once more before - READ Malachi 4:4-6

1) Faithful work - a look back - vs. 4 - this is signaled by the word “Remember”

- Remembering or looking back

How will we be certain of God’s future promises if we are not certain of who he has been and
how he has worked in the past.

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 It’s the biblical picture we see all through Scripture - God uses the testimonies of his people -
the rehearsing of the Exodus - the telling of his great deeds - the placing of stones of
remembrance - giving his word so we read in Hebrews 1:1 - “Long ago, at many times and in
many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets”

Remembering is always going to be a crucial way to know and understand God.

And it’s not just a spiritual thing - workplaces look back at data and productivity - they do
yearly reviews to nd patterns of what happened in order to better prepare for the future.

The great theologian Mater said it in Cars 1 after just nishing racing around backwards - “Aint
no need to watch where I’m going - just need to know where I’ve been”

If you remember where you’ve been you can better prepare for the future.

Do you recall in Luke 17, when Jesus is talking to the Pharisees and his disciples about the
nal days - he is trying to draw out in them a sense of urgency, so they don’t spend time on
earth piling up earthly possessions by having earthly concerns and instead he warns them to
save their lives by preparing for the coming kingdom - then to drive home his point he says in
vs. 32 “REMEMBER Lot’s Wife”

- Remembering this woman who was on the path to having her life saved while her city and all
her possessions were being destroyed - so she is on a bridge between destruction and
salvation…and she turns back, longingly towards the destruction - if you were watching that
in a movie you would almost yell out at the screen - “What are you doing?” “Don’t turn
back” - it’s so obvious

So to Jesus’ audience, he felt that REMEMBERING would be a means of their own salvation.

*Do you know the story of Pilgrim’s Progress - there is an analogy of sorts of this biblical
account - Christian leaves the City of Destruction with a mate - Pliable - and you begin to think
they will be on this journey for it’s entirety together - but shortly into the story, while on the path
to salvation, after facing a bit of di culty, Pliable turns back to the City of Destruction.

Why? Because he didn’t remember what lay before him and he didn’t remember the
destruction behind him.

Or take American history - what is one of the most famous battle cries we read of in our history
books? “Remember the ALAMO!

In 1835 Texans were trying to win their independence from Mexico and with less than 200 men
they withstood Santa Anna and his force of 2,000 men for over a week. In the end they all
died, but not in vain, because Texans took up that Battle Cry of “Remember the Alamo” - and
remembering what had happened inspired them to win their indolence over the next 6 weeks.

So REMEMBERING becomes a power tool to live in the present - it inspires, it guides, it resets
our thinking.

This is why God, through Malachi says to his people who are doubting, who haven’t seen him
work, who feels he is letting the unjust win and evil doers go unpunished “REMEMBER”

And there is a a speci c subject of remembering that God brings into focus here - “remember
the LAW”

the law of Moses that I commanded at Horeb.

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 It has a similar ring as the Alamo - even though other militia weren’t at the Alamo - they knew
what happened / in the same way “People of God” - you weren’t at Horeb, but you need to
REMEMBER what happened - I brought your families out of Egypt - I came down to that
mountain in power and glory that could not even be looked upon and I gave you my Word - the
law - so you would know how life works best - and your obedience to it would lead to joy.

And this is really the application to our lives today - think of the analogies used

- Lot’s wife eeing destruction

- Pliable turning back to the City of Destruction

- Wartime battle inspired by remembering the Alamo

- God’s words to his people to remember his Word - his law

Why? Because remembering would change the way they are living

Example: Think of this - picture immediately after the Alamo - Texan forces are preparing their
militia to battle for their freedom - and while training, a particular soldier is discouraged and
timid - he acts poorly in some hand to hand combat and small training skirmishes

- the Captain pulls him aside and says “What’s the matter private? - you think this kind of
e ort will cut it? “Don’t you remember what happened at the Alamo?” “Remember the 200
men - your neighbors - who lost their lives? If you don’t get your act together, you’re going
to face the same fate!

- Listen…go home tonight - tell the story of the Alamo to your children - talk about it when you
wake up in the morning - speak of it when you are in the house and while you do your
chores - hang it’s words over your door - bind it as a sign on your hands - then talk about it
some more as you lie down and rise up!

Then you come back tomorrow and we will see if you are ready to ght.

Well, of course, I am rehearsing Deuteronomy 6 - this is the heart of what God is saying to his
people - You are in a battle - So Remember my word - talk about it when you rise and when
you go to sleep, teach it to you children, bind it on your hands, hang it on your doorposts - do
what you must to not forget it, because Remembering it is crucial to not turning back to
destruction.

Then Malachi shifts form Remembering God’s faithful work in his word to

2) Final Victory - a look forward (What I WILL do) (vs. 5)

You remembered, now you are to be hopeful - and there are really two ways that we see hope
in this verse

a) The rst is that God is VICTORIOUS intros verse

b) The second is before he takes the victory, he o ers mercy

We are taking a running start at this passage in Malachi 4, but Malachi introduces the idea of
the “Day of the Lord” back in ch. 3:2

3:2 - The day of his coming

4:1 - The day IS coming

4:1 - The day that is coming

4:5 - The great and awesome day of the Lord

All talking about the nal day what God will be victorious over evil

Just to understand the contrast - Look at Luke 22:52-53

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 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and o cers of the temple and elders, who had
come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But
this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

We understand what Jesus means by “this is your hour” - he’s saying - you can have this ght
- I’ll LET you have the upper hand right here and now - evil can look like it won

But Malachi and Amos and Joel and Isaiah and other prophets and even Paul and John in the
NT tell us about the day of the Lord - the nal day when he will take his victory from the hour
that evil has enjoyed - and this will be total victory

And Malachi sets up the two sides of this victory

Read ch. 3:18-4:3

So what will happen to those who fear his name and those who are evildoers is clear.

And I just want to show you why these words aren’t cruel and harsh but rather hopeful and
merciful…

Example: In most battles, or competitions with opposing sides - you don’t know who is going
to win. The game has to be played out rst to nd the winner.

1 - So if we were playing tug of war and I said pick up a team, you’d pick the one you thought
was going to win, then try YOUR HARDEST to help the team win.

2 - What if we were playing tug of war and I said pick a team - then added the losing team will
be pulled into a pit of destruction - well then the stakes are raised and you would try even
harder to pick the right team and help it win, in the midst of your fear and nerves because so
much is at stake.

3 - But what if we were playing tug of war and I said pick a team - then added the losing team
will be pulled into a pit of destruction, but team A is going to win

If you could KNOW the outcome and CHOOSE your side, that gives con dence and hope

And this is precisely what God, through the prophet Malachi is telling his people

The Day of the Lord is coming - destruction or salvation is at stake - those who fear me will
win, evil doers will be destroyed

But there is also a picture of mercy in our verse, because Malachi tells us that God will send
Elijah the prophet BEFORE the Day of the Lord comes.

We don’t have the time to trace the thread of Elijah through Scripture, but there is a reason why
at the Passover celebration we partook in, one of the cups is called the Cup of Elijah - because
there is an expectation from the Jews that Elijah will come again.

But in Scripture, there are really two primary places we see Elijah coming

1) in John the Baptist

2) Revelation 11

And the connection is that just as John the Baptist came and said Repent, the kingdom of
heaven is at hand - prepare your hearts - make your hearts right

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 In Revelation 11 we have these two witnesses who make a nal extraordinary call for Israel to
repent and believe

Without getting too caught up in this usage of Elijah, know that this is the point - Before the
judgement on Day of the Lord comes,God sends messengers to extend his mercy by calling
for people to repent.

John the Baptist did it, the last witnesses will do it

In a WAY, today I am LIKE an Elijah, extending God’s mercy to you who have not yet received
it!

You were created to be with God - not apart from him for all eternity - but He will have his day -
it could be TODAY - and if you are still living in sin, you are being prepared for destruction. But
God showed us mercy by sending Jesus to die FOR YOU - in your place and face the penalty
for your sin so you don’t have to be destroyed.

What a sad day today would be, if you did not accept his call of mercy and confess your sin
and turn to God. (If you don’t know how to do this - come nd me after the service)

Malachi’s call is to Remember God’s Word - there is a bridge to what will come - the Day of the
Lord which is both meant to give hope and see mercy.

And that’s what we might expect at the end of the OT - a look to the past and look ahead to
the future - but then, we don’t anticipate this nal verse.

There is a resulting work from the message that this new Elijah will preach.

Remember, this whole book, we said, exists because the exile had NOT changed people’s
hearts.

So God is keenly aware that people hearts still need to change - so when Elijah preaches and
says get ready for the Day of the Lord - prepare your hearts we would THINK the result would
be seen in the form of SALVATION and Baptism and serving God.

Like verse 6 would simply say “And souls were saved from destruction”

But instead God wants his people to see the inner workings of HOW this will happen and it has
to do with the family.

The hearts of parents need to be turned toward their children and the hearts of children need to
be turned toward their parents.

And I don’t think its’ a stretch to include both mothers and fathers (Parents - so hear that) in
the application of this verse, because I think that is the heart of what is being said. Even though
I am a father, so I will speak from this perspective.

So the nal plea from God, through Malachi is for the hearts of fathers to be turned toward
their children

What does this mean? How does a father (or mother) turn their heart toward their child?

Before we answer that - let’s just pause to appreciation this beautiful language to us as parents
- the reminder to turn our hearts toward our children.

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 Like do we ask ourselves that when we wake up or go to sleep - Was my heart TURNED
toward my child today?

I can tell you how our heart is turned AWAY from our children…

1 - Ignoring them - making your life and your work and your responsibilities most important so
your child gets your leftovers. And we do this all in the name of love - we say I am working my
tail o for THEM - but when you miss life WITH them, while working FOR them…they don’t feel
like it for them.

They don’t feel like your heart is turned TOWARD them

2 - Your communication - we don’t even hear it sometimes - we write it o as “correction” or

-maybe you don’t feel they are grateful enough FOR you so you are sure to remind them - your
lack of feeling you are “enough” is taken out on your children

We could go on but we get the idea - as fathers and mothers we are to be working our hearts
TOWARD our children - this is what the Gospel does - it’s tenderhearted - it’s forgiving
because this is what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.

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What does it mean for children’s hearts to be turned toward their parents?

-First remember we are all someones child - whether we are 5 or 15 or 50 it might look di erent

For young children it might be obedience - simple obedience to our parents knowing that the
parent out of love and God’s way has our best intentions in mind. So we honor with obedience.

For teens and young adults - it might be confronting our cockiness - our know -it-all attitude
that ripe with self-dependance. Our ungratefulness because we can do it all and we know best
- turning our hearts toward our parents is a trust in them that they are God’s instrument in our
lives to guide us and direct us.

For those of us adults who still have parents, turning our hearts toward them might mean
caring for them, verbally thanking them for raising us - perhaps forgiving them for their failures
as parents or even their sins toward us - whether they ask for forgiveness or not.

In all these things, look at the language - The father doesn’t change his child’s heart

The child doesn’t change his father’s heart

This is so often our approach - I will show them - I will change them - I will make them

The heart you are responsible for is not someone else’s - it’s your own.

And the reason we do this is not for our own “feeling good” it because of what we read in
Romans 5 - and I will paraphrase…”But God TURNED HIS HEART TOWARD US in this way -
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

So this Gospel truths is the reason why we turn our hearts toward our children

or as children turn our hearts toward our parents - because this is precisely what God has done
toward us.

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