God's Time Matrix Series

God’s Time Matrix

(Malachi 4:1-6)

1. Some problems have simple and quick solutions.

“Our patient in the hospital was a big, burly former officer. Just after surgery, and still half out of it, he became agitated and confused, tearing at his IVs and trying to escape his bed. The nurses gamely attempted to keep him calm, but were losing this battle. That’s when my old Air Force training came in handy.” "Colonel!" I commanded. "At ease."

And with that, the colonel fell back to sleep. (from Reader’s Digest)

2. But so many of God’s dealings are in simple when looking at the broad brush rendition, but especially complex when looking at the detail.

Main Idea: God’s plan to restore the Kingdom to Israel and to bring in Millennial righteousness has been partly fulfilled but will be completely fulfilled in God’s times.

I. The END Times (1-3)

➢ The simple picture of the rising, shining sun

Daniel Habben wrote, “The 17th Century czar of Russia, Peter the Great, lived in a palace filled with exquisite artwork. Yet whenever he saw a sunrise he wondered why many did not awaken early enough to view one of the most glorious sights in the universe. “They delight,” he said, “in gazing on a picture, the trifling work of a mortal, and at the same time neglect the one painted by the hand of the Deity Himself” (Joel Pankow). There can be no denying that the dynamic colors and grandeur of a sunrise is more stunning than anything man can put on canvass.” (source: Sermoncental)

2b read, “And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.”

➢ Like the Sun which can either scorch and burn or warm and make cozy, the Messiah will do both – depending upon whether one has come to know Him or whether one has not come to know Him.

A. The JUDGMENT Furnace (1)

1. Furnace = pottery kiln (not the modern furnace used to heat homes)

2. Of the lost in Matthew 13:42, “and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

3. –not necessarily speaking of “hell” in this context, but judgment

4. Of believers in I Corinthians 3:11-15, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”

B. The HEALING Messiah (2)

The sun sends out sun beams which are its “wings.” But this passage was understood in a double way. The Sun is the Messiah and the wings are the fringes of his prayer shawl.

“As the [prayer shawl] was placed over the head, it formed its own tent. WINGS of the garment were formed when the arms were held out. For this reason, the corners of the prayer shawl are often called "wings." During the first century there were several traditions associated with the tzitzit [fringes]concerning Messiah. One was that these knotted fringes possessed healing powers. Certainly the woman with the issue of blood knew of these traditions, which would explain why she sought to touch the hem (the wings) of Jesus’ prayer garment. The same word used in Numbers 15:38 for corner is used in Malachi 4:2 for wings. With this understanding in mind, an ancient Jew under the prayer shawl could be said to be dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and under His wings (Ps. 91:1-4). The lady with the issue knew that if Jesus were the promised Messiah, there would be healing in His wings (fringes). That this was the opinion of many other people is revealed by the crowd who sought his healing powers, ‘that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole,’ Matthew 14:36.” [http://www.hopeofisrael.net]

➢ Like a freed calf who, in the morning when the sun is shining, is released to the pasture, so those who are captive will be set free when the Messiah shines upon them.

C. The VICTORY of the Righteous (3)

➢ “’Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

➢ This is reminiscent of the spiritual conquest Christians now experience; this does not mean that the literal people of Israel will not fulfill the literal aspect of this.