The Sun of Righteousness

Malachi 4:1-6
Key 4:2

1. Read verse 1. What is the "day" referred to in this verse? (see also Malachi 3:2, 17-18) What will that day be like for the arrogant and evil doers? Why does the LORD specifically mention the "arrogant"? What does it mean that "every evil-doer will be stubble"?

That day refers to the day God makes a distinction between the righteous and the wicked. It is the day of judgment for the wicked. Ultimately, it refers to Jesus' second coming. On that day, God's complete justice will be revealed. On that day, the wicked will not be able to stand. 

It will be the day of destruction. 

Here, the wicked are referred to as "stubble." Stubble is “the stumps of grain and other stalks left in the ground when the crop is cut.” The stubble is the worthless leftover part that needs to be removed and thrown out like garbage. So, it is collected into a big pile and burned up.  

"Not a root or a branch will be left to them." People work hard to establish roots in this world. Some people try to make a name for themselves, while others try to find meaning in activities and being a part of groups. Similarly, people also work hard to branch out--to get more in this world. But not a branch or a root will be left to them. They will have nothing. It will all be burned up.

Human arrogance is offensive to God.

Arrogance is an "offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride."  

From God's point of view, an arrogant person is someone who thinks that they can do OK without God. It's easy to think this because we see many people in this world who seem to be doing just fine without God. But on the day of God's judgment, when we must stand before God, will we be able to stand?   

"Every" means every.

On one hand, we tend to compare ourselves to others, thinking to ourselves: "I'm not that bad," or "I'm a good person." But we all are fundamentally the same in this regard. See Romans 3:9-18.

On the other hand, an "evil-doer" is a person who does evil. Though we are all sinners, there is a difference between those who unrepentantly do what is evil and those who repent of their evil ways and seek to obey God. We cannot use the excuse that "we are all sinners" in order to live an unrepentant evil-doing life. We must repent of doing / thinking evil things. Even though we call ourselves Christians, if we continue to willingly and unrepentantly do what is evil, we will be counted among the evil-doers on the day of God's judgment. (see 1 John 1:5-6)

2. Read verse 2. How will that day be different for those who revere God's name? What does "the sun of righteousness" refer to? Why is "healing" so important? What will life be like for those who are healed? 

For the arrogant and evil-doers, that day will be terrible; but for those who revere God's name, it will be a wonderful day--a day of healing, restoration, and joy. 

It could refer to Jesus. It could also refer, more generally, to the dawn of a totally new "day" or new era. Right now, as we live in this sinful world, we are still under the dark shadow of sin and death. But when that day comes, it will be like the beginning of a new day. In that day, we will live not under the shadow of sin, but in the bright, beautiful sunlight of righteousness. This represents a complete change. When this happens, we will see things differently, we will feel different, we will think differently. The fundamental reality in our lives will not be the power of sin, but the power of righteousness, which means complete freedom! 

We don't realize how sin-sick we are. This sickness affects everything in our lives--our way of thinking, our actions, and our relationships with others and with God. Just as we can't function properly when we are seriously sick, so also we cannot even come close to functioning as God intended us to until we are healed. Complete healing is a wonderful and glorious hope we have in Christ. When we are healed, we will feel so great and be so happy. 

It will be characterized by overflowing joy. We will want to run and jump like calves released from the stall. The word "released" means freedom. Right now, we are limited by our sin-sick condition in so many ways, but when there is complete healing there is also complete freedom. People think that following Jesus will take away their freedom. But the reality is that following Jesus is the only way to find true, abounding, joy-filled freedom.

3. Read verse 3. What role will those who are healed play in God's judgment (see also Deuteronomy 7:1-2)? How might people misunderstand this verse? How can we understand it properly? (see also 1 Corinthians 13:8-12)

They will participate in God's judgment. 

Many people are not willing to say that human beings are worthy of complete destruction, so when they read a verse like this they think that it is terrible and unfair. It seems particularly unfair for sinful people to participate in the judgment of sinful people. In fact, many people are so sensitive that even if another person gently points out one of their shortcomings, they respond harshly: "Don't judge me. You are not better than me."

Two points: 

We cannot understand God's judgment properly by relying on human thinking. We need to grow spiritually mature so that we can understand God's love and justice.

This passage shows that in the time of judgment the difference between the saved and the unsaved will be great. The saved will be perfectly holy as God is holy and will be worthy of participating in the judgment of the wicked.

4. Read verse 4. In light of the whole passage, why does the LORD encourage the people to remember the law of Moses? (see also Matthew 5:17-20) How is this related to revering God's name?

The people had wandered away from the basic standards of right-living provided by God through Moses. For example, the law of Moses commanded them to bring their tithe to God, but they were not doing it.

The law of Moses is the blueprint for a life that reveres God. Every truth we need to live lives that please God can be found in the law of Moses, beginning with the Ten Commandments. Psalm 1:1-2: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." 

5. Read verses 5-6. Who does God promise to send before "that great and dreadful day"? Who does "Elijah" refer to? (see Matthew 11:11-14) Why did God first send this servant (6)? In what sense do Christians share in Elijah's mission? (see also Mark 16:15-16)

Elijah 

John the Baptist 

To prepare people's hearts to accept Jesus. See John 1:22-23.

Jesus is coming again, and until he does we are here on earth and our job is to prepare people for Jesus' coming, so that they would find salvation through faith in Jesus and be counted among those who revere God's name at the time he comes again.