The Great Day of the Lord

[a] “For behold, (A)the day is coming, (B)burning like an oven, when (C)all the arrogant and (D)all evildoers (E)will be stubble. The day that is coming (F)shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you (G)who fear my name, (H)the sun (I)of righteousness shall rise (J)with healing in its wings. You shall go out (K)leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, (L)on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

(M)“Remember (N)the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules[b] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

(O)“Behold, I will send you (P)Elijah the prophet (Q)before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will (R)turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and (S)strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”[c]

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 4:1 Ch 4:1–6 is ch 3:19–24 in Hebrew
  2. Malachi 4:4 Or and just decrees
  3. Malachi 4:6 The Hebrew term rendered decree of utter destruction refers to things devoted (or set apart) to the Lord (or by the Lord) for destruction

The Sun of Righteousness Will Dawn

1-3 “Count on it: The day is coming, raging like a forest fire. All the arrogant people who do evil things will be burned up like stove wood, burned to a crisp, nothing left but scorched earth and ash—a black day. But for you, sunrise! The sun of righteousness will dawn on those who honor my name, healing radiating from its wings. You will be bursting with energy, like colts frisky and frolicking. And you’ll tromp on the wicked. They’ll be nothing but ashes under your feet on that Day.” God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.

“Remember and keep the revelation I gave through my servant Moses, the revelation I commanded at Horeb for all Israel, all the rules and procedures for right living.

5-6 “But also look ahead: I’m sending Elijah the prophet to clear the way for the Big Day of God—the decisive Judgment Day! He will convince parents to look after their children and children to look up to their parents. If they refuse, I’ll come and put the land under a curse.”

The Great Day of God

“For behold, (A)the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all (B)the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be (C)stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will (D)leave them neither root nor branch.
But to you who (E)fear My name
The (F)Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
(G)You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do this,
Says the Lord of hosts.

“Remember the (H)Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With (I)the statutes and judgments.
Behold, I will send you (J)Elijah the prophet
(K)Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And (L)he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and (M)strike the earth with (N)a curse.”