I have heard it said over and over again that hindsight is 20/20. How many things can you remember in your life that if you would have known they were going to turn out the way they did, you would have made an entirely different decision? How would you live your life differently today if you knew what would happen tomorrow? Imagine what it would be like to never be caught off guard by the unexpected. We have often sang these words in worship, “Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, And I know who holds my hand.” We can live with confidence in the face of uncertainty because God knows exactly what lies ahead in the future. He is never caught off guard and He never says I wish I would have seen this coming. Today we make our final stop in our eight week journey through the book of Malachi. We have seen a nation living with the fruits of their disobedience. Now in the final section of the book Malachi presents some motivation to spurn the people on toward faithfulness. Malachi leaves no doubt that God is in control, nothing happens without His knowledge or approval. Malachi raises the curtain on the future to provide the people with a glimpse that will encourage the faithful to remain steadfast and the unfaithful to repent and turn back to God. The motivation for faithfulness is the approaching Day of the Lord. Today I would like for us to see what insight and encouragement we can gain from the prophet Malachi.
I. The day is coming when faithfulness should override our skepticism.
A. In the midst of the skeptics were a handful of faithful followers, like the seven thousand in Elijah’s day who had not bowed their knee to Baal.
1. Despite all the unbelief and skepticism among their people at the time, they found ways to encourage each other to be faithful.
2. What they were saying, we do not know; but we can assume it was an expression of love and worship.
3. Perhaps they argued with the impious skeptics; perhaps they warned others against them.
4. If they questioned the circumstances of life it was in full faith that God does only that which is good.
B. The Lord never once failed to remember those that remained faithful to Him.
1. “A book of remembrance was written before him.” The Lord had heard their words and those words were written before him.
2. The book represents God’s providence and omniscience, his ever-wakeful care, his unfailing knowledge.
3. In this book of remembrance God would take notice of all those who were faithful and feared His name.
4. The Lord assured believers, those who truly reverenced God and possessed God-consciousness, that they would not be forgotten.
II. The day is coming when once again the distinction between the faithful and unfaithful will once again be obvious.
A. God promises that a day would come when He would acknowledge those who have remained faithful.
1. On that day the Lord would acknowledge His faithful as a treasured possession.
2. Centuries before at Sinai this term was used to describe all of Israel now it refers to a faithful few.
3. The people of Malachi’s time understood “the day” to refer to what we know as Christ’s first coming; the day we celebrate as Christmas, yet Malachi sees Jesus’ birth and beyond seeing Christ’s second coming.
4. The Lord shows clearly that while the others are being punished the faithful would be spared this tragedy.
5. The faithful will see the justice that they have cried out for.
B. In that day the faithful would “again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God, and him that serves him not.”
1. In times past again and again they had abundant opportunity to observe, both in their national and individual lives, the different treatment of the saint and sinner.
2. Unfortunately the spiritual blindness of the majority kept the people from having a true perspective.
3. On that day, when all wrongs are rectified and all wickedness punished, it will be apparent that God does judge justly and that he does make a distinction between those who serve him and those who do not.
III. The day is coming when wrong will be punished and right will be rewarded.
A. To the unfaithful the day of the Lord would be a terrible experience.
1. Fire is often associated with the Day of Judgment in both testaments.
2. Fire is the symbol for God’s holiness which consumes all impurities.
3. Like in Malachi’s day many today believe that God simply ignores the wicked.
4. Those that the skeptics regarded as happy and blessed in this world would become “stubble,” the worthless stubs that remain after the wheat has been cut and gathered into the garners.
5. As far as this world is concerned, the wicked would be totally removed.
B. The Day of Judgment will be a day of vindication for those who have remained faithful.
1. Those who continued to fear Yahweh’s name, worship, and honor and revere him would experience a visitation of healing in that future day.
2. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:19-22—NIV)
3. The promise states that one day the curse of sin will be removed and everything will be returned to the way God intended it to be.
4. The basic idea here is that the oppressed will be victorious over the oppressor “in the day which I am making.
5. God is currently preparing that day when the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked will be vanquished.
IV. We should keep the words of the Lord ever written on our heart.
A. Malachi by no means is calling the people to a legalistic adherence to a set of rules and regulations but to maintain a growing relationship with the Lord.
1. The Lord exhorted his people to “remember the law of Moses my servant.” Malachi thus sets his seal of approval on the Pentateuch. This is a fitting climax to the entire Old Testament.
2. The Law of Moses after all came by divine command in the range of mountains called “Horeb.” The particular peak where Yahweh entered into a covenant with his people was Sinai.
3. The mention here of the place where the law was given would serve the dual purpose.
a. Reminding the readers of the awful wonders that accompanied the giving of that law.
b. Underscore the divine origin of that law.
4. The best way for the people to prepare for the day of the Lord was to remain faithful to the Lord and His Word.
B. The love of God is the foundation of Malachi’s message and the one we proclaim.
1. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:36-37—NIV)
2. Remember Malachi’s final call to remember the Law; what is at the very heart of the Law?
3. If we are going to be ready for the Day of the Lord then we too need to remember the Law; “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.”
4. We need to constantly keep our guard up and not let sin sneak in and draw our hearts away from God.
5. Take heed from Malachi, don’t focus on religious duty; build an intimate and loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
6. So the only question that is left is, “Are you prepared for the Day of the Lord?”
Luke Skywalker travels to Dagobah in search of the Jedi master, Yoda (Frank Oz). Luke knows that to become a Jedi knight he must learn to use the force. After his X-Wing fighter sinks in the swamp, Luke is instructed by Yoda to lift it out by using the power of the Force. When Luke tries and fails, he gives up and the fighter sinks deeper into the swamp; however, Yoda is successful, telling Luke the reason for his failure is because he does not believe.
Is there anything you need to unlearn so your faith can grow and be put into motion?
