This week we are finishing a book in the Old Testament called the book of Malachi. Yesterday, we saw Malachi reveal for us that we take a detour when we tell others that following God’s ways is foolish and futile. Just like the Jewish people of Malachi’s day, when we tell others that following Jesus is foolish and futile; when we tell others that there is no benefit or gain by following Jesus; when we communicate to others, either verbally or through our body language, that following Jesus is a joyless duty; when we tell others that it is better off to be far from God than to follow God because God does not deal justly with arrogance, selfishness, and rebellion, we have taken a huge detour that gets us off track when it comes to our relationship with God and that dishonors God.
Today, we will see Malachi reveal for us that not only do we take a huge detour that gets us off track in our relationship with God and dishonors God when we tell others that following God’s ways is foolish and futile. When we tell others that following God’s ways is foolish and futile we reveal a powerful distinction that exposes us to some extreme consequences. We see Malachi unpack this reality in Malachi 3:16:
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name.
Here we see Malachi give us a glimpse into what was happening amongst the Jewish people and how they responded to those who were saying that following God’s ways is foolish and futile. The prophet explains that there were some Jewish people who responded to what they were hearing by coming together in order to encourage one another to stand firm in their confident trust in God and the Word of God. There were some Jewish people who remained faithful to God and who denied the arrogant slander and gossip of those who had taken a detour from God. There were some Jewish people who still held the Lord in honor; there were some Jewish people who still thought highly and made much of God. And those Jewish people continued to gather together in community to encourage one another to remain faithful to living lives that honored and glorified God.
Malachi then explains that God responded by giving attention to those who denied the gossip and slander of those who were saying that following God’s ways were foolish and futile. Now this phrase gave attention, literally means to incline one’s ear to hear. But not only did the Lord lean in to listen; Malachi also tells us that a book of remembrance was written before the Lord for those who fear the Lord and esteem His name.
This book of remembrance was not because God needed something to help Him remember. This book of remembrance was to serve as a memorial of the faithfulness of the Jewish people who did not buy into the lie that following God’s ways is foolish and futile. Malachi then reveals the reason why the Lord would keep such a book that memorializes the faithfulness of His followers in verses 17-18:
"They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
Here we see Malachi reveal the reality that at the end of God’s story here on earth, there will be a day where every human being will give an account for how they lived their lives here on earth. And on that day, the book of remembrance will not only serve as a memorial for their faithfulness; the book of remembrance will also provide the evidence of their faithfulness during their life here on earth. And on that day, the Lord simply says “they will be Mine”. On the day when the Lord establishes the kingdom of Heaven in its fullest sense, those who were faithful to the Lord throughout history will be God’s possession. Now this little phrase, My own possession, conveys the sense of making someone or something a special treasure or possession.
And as the Lord’s special treasure and possession, when the Lord judges all of humanity, to those who are faithful, the Lord says “I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." Malachi is revealing for us the reality that at the end of God’s story here on earth, that just as a father has compassion on his faithful son who serves him, God will have compassion on those who are faithful to Him.
And as a result of God’s activity at the end of God’s story, the prophet explains that all humanity will be able to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. There will be a crystal clear distinction between those are just and right when it comes to their relationship with God and those who are guilty of not being right when it comes to a relationship with God. There will be a crystal clear distinction between those who served and followed God and those who did not serve and follow God. Malachi then unpacks exactly how this distinction will become so crystal clear in Malachi 4:1:
"For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch."
Here we see Malachi explain what the Messiah will do when the kingdom of Heaven arrives at the end of God’s story here on earth, when every human being will give an account for how they lived their lives here on earth. And that day of accounting or judgment will be like a furnace of fire that was used during the harvesting of grain. During the harvest, a winnowing fork was used in the Jewish agricultural society of the day to sift through grain. Piles of grain would be scooped up by the winnowing fork and thrown into the air. The heavier grain would fall to the ground, while the worthless chaff would be blown away by the wind. The wheat would be then gathered into a barn, while the chaff would be gathered to be burned with fire.
Malachi’s point is that the Messiah will sift through all of humanity and gather all of those who reject God and the word of God to experience the eternal judgment that awaits those who reject Him. And that judgment, according to Malachi will be thorough and complete. Neither root nor branch; not a shred of selfishness, rebellion, or arrogance will remain unscathed from God’s right and just response to selfishness and rebellion. Malachi then contrasts the consequences for those who rebel and reject God with those who are in a right and faithful relationship with Him in verses 2-3:
"But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. "You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing," says the LORD of hosts.
Unlike the justice and judgment that those who reject God and the word of God will experience at the end of God’s story here on earth, for those who honor and glorify the Lord, they will experience the blessings that come from living faithfully and rightly with Him. First, for those who live in a right relationship with God, God’s righteousness will become apparent like the sun shining in all its brightness. Those who fear the Lord will experience justice and righteousness in the fullest sense. Second, those who live in a right relationship with God will experience healing from the damage and destruction that selfishness and rebellion have wreaked on the earth.
Malachi then paints the word picture of calves skipping away as they are released from the captivity of a stall to reveal the reality that those who live in a right relationship with God will experience the joy that comes in living in the fullness of the relationship with God that they were created for. And in the joy that they will experience as a result of living in the fullness of the relationship with God that they were created for, those who live in a right relationship with God will overcome and dominate those who have received God’s right and just response to their selfishness and rebellion upon the Messiah’s coming.
Tomorrow, we will see Malachi then conclude his letter by reminding the Jewish people of God’s promise of the Messiah and His coming…
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