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Judgment and Covenant Renewal

[a]“Surely the day is coming;(A) it will burn like a furnace.(B) All the arrogant(C) and every evildoer will be stubble,(D) and the day that is coming will set them on fire,(E)” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch(F) will be left to them. But for you who revere my name,(G) the sun of righteousness(H) will rise with healing(I) in its rays. And you will go out and frolic(J) like well-fed calves. Then you will trample(K) on the wicked; they will be ashes(L) under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

“Remember the law(M) of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb(N) for all Israel.(O)

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah(P) to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.(Q) He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children,(R) and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike(S) the land with total destruction.”(T)

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-6 is numbered 3:19-24.

The Coming Day of Judgment

[a]The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all.

“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.[b] And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

“Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai[c] for all Israel.

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

Footnotes

  1. 4:1 Verses 4:1-6 are numbered 3:19-24 in Hebrew text.
  2. 4:2 Or the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.
  3. 4:4 Hebrew Horeb, another name for Sinai.

Final Admonition

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant (proud, self-righteous, haughty), and every evildoer shall be stubble; and the day that is coming shall set them on fire,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.(A) But for you who fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall. You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,” says the Lord of hosts.

“Remember [with thoughtful concern] the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and the ordinances which I commanded him on [Mount] Horeb [to give] to all Israel.

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.(B) He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance], so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse [of complete destruction].”(C)

Final Admonition

[a]For behold, the day is coming, (A)burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be (B)chaff; and the day that is coming will (C)set them ablaze,” says the Lord of armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branches. But for you who [b]fear My name, the (D)sun of righteousness will rise with (E)healing in its wings; and you will go forth and (F)frolic like calves from the stall. And you will (G)crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be (H)ashes under the soles of your feet (I)on the day [c]that I am preparing,” says the Lord of armies.

(J)Remember the Law of Moses My servant, the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.

“Behold, I am going to send you (K)Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will (L)turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and (M)strike the land with complete destruction.”

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 4:1 Ch 3:19 in Heb
  2. Malachi 4:2 Or revere
  3. Malachi 4:3 Or when I act

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.”