“But for you that honor my name, victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays, and you mill jump around like calves at play” (Malachi 4:2).
In the six verses of chapter 4, Malachi describes the preparations for the Judgment Day, the final destruction of sinners, and the reward of the faithful. The preparations for judgment Day: These include obeying God’s law, repenting, and restoring family relationships; fulfilling verse 6: “And He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.”
The final destruction of sinners: Those who disdained every opportunity to obey and fear God will be completely destroyed. “That will leave them neither root nor branch” (verse 1), which symbolizes the destruction of Satan (the root) and his followers (the branches). This eliminates the popular belief that hell is a place of eternal torment. If the ungodly are consumed like stubble, and their ashes stepped on by the soles of the feet, this indicates that at some point in time the fire will burn itself out and the ungodly will no longer exist (verse 3).
The reward of the faithful, who fear God: Three promises are presented. The first promise is: ‘The Sun of Righteousness shall arise” (verse 2); this refers to two characteristics that identify Jesus: the Light of the world (see John 8:12) and the source of all righteousness (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). “In the visions of the prophets of old the Lord of glory was represented as bestowing special light upon His church in the days of darkness and unbelief preceding His second coming. As the Sun of Righteousness, He was to arise upon His church, ‘with healing in His wings.’ Malachi 4:2. The coming of Christ will take place in the darkest period of this earth’s history…. To God’s people it will be a night of trial, a night of weeping, a night of persecution for the truth’s sake. But out of that night of darkness God’s light will shine.»—Prophets and Kings, ch. 39, pp. 716, 717.
The second promise is: “With healing in His wings,” which represents the unexpected appearance of Jesus and the spiritual liberation that this brings with it. The third promise is “You will jump around like calves at play: The word ‘jump,” in the original Hebrew racâd means “to jump around excitedly with joy or happiness, leap, dance.” Psalm 114:4 expresses, ‘The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs.” What indescribable delight we who are waiting for the Lord’s coming will experience!
The Old Testament ends with a promise for those who fear God: We have a great future assured to us with God!
Prepare to see the end of evil, and to jump for perfect joy.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Angelica Cuate & Esteban Cortes
