Malachi 3:16-4:6

Transcript

GR 54
4/6/1975
Malachi 3:15-4:6
Gil Rugh


Malachi the last book in the Old Testament. I'd like to pick up our scripture reading this morning with chapter 3 in verse 16, Malachi and in the third chapter and the 16th verse. ''Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. And they will be mine, says, the Lord of hosts, ''on the day that I prepare My own possession and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.'' So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.


For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,1' says the Lord of hosts, ''so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.''


But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,'' says the Lord of hots. Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.''


For the next few weeks on Sunday morning we're going to be studying the subject of biblical prophecy and this is exciting days to be living in as a believer as to what goes on in the world seems depressing but for us who are confident of God's sovereignty and control of all the affairs in the world, why the events that are transpiring do excite us and make us more eager for His coming. And we're going to be looking in the some of the details of prophecy, the order of coming events, and the nations of coming events is some of what is going on in the world today. So for us it will be a help but for some of you it will be a review but I trust it will be a profitable one. And in a song like, 'Jesus May Come Today,' and that is exciting, there is no possibility that Jesus could come to earth today; that there is a real possibility has come to take his bride to meet Him in the air and to return to Glory with Him. The coming of Jesus Christ to earth is at least seven years from today, from the coming of Jesus Christ for the church. It may be today and thus we'll be considering next week in particular the next prophetic events in the scriptures. The rapture of the church.
For our study this morning we're in the book of Malachi and in the fourth chapter and a prophetic portion of the word joined with future events surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth to establish His earthly kingdom—the millenium.


Let's have a word of prayer together before we look into the word. Father we are thankful for Your sovereignty, Lord for Your absolute control over all the affairs of this world; Lord over each individual. Lord we thank you for the privilege of knowing you personally and participating with eagerness seeing Jesus Christ face to face. Lord as we consider something of His second coming to earth, the judgment surrounding His coming, Lord pray that your love, mercy and grace might be evident even in judgment. Lord that we might be made aware that we have a God of justice as well as a God of love. Lord we thank you for our Savior who manifested Your love and satisfied your justice. We pray in His name. Amen.


Malachi and in the fourth chapter. A very important portion of scripture for many reason. One is it is God’s last word and command for some 400 years, so after Malachi chapter 4 verse 6, God will have nothing to say by wrestling to man again for some 400 years. The next time God speaks directly to man it will be through the person of John the Baptist who is announcing the presence of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who will establish the kingdom for Israel. So it's of particular interest just to see what God has to say in final words to the nation Israel. And I think it's of interest that is primarily a message of judgment. That God's final word bear on the judgment that is going to come on the nation. It is a harsh statement. In the closing verse of the Old Testament ends with the word 'curse' and for this reason the Jews always read verse 5 again after verse 6. And in their bible they repeat verse 5 after verse 6 so that the book and the message does not end with the pronouncement of curse. But God chose to end it that way and I take is that's the way it should end.


We read in our scripture reading verse 16-18 of chapter 3 and we studied these verses two weeks ago, where God talks about the sparing His people, a people for His own possession for written in the book of remembrance before him. You notice this is the book of life and all who belong to God are found written in the book of remembrance or the book of life. And these are sit aside then to be His own possession and they will be spared the judgment that is coming on the wicked. Verses 18, we noted, ''So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one does not serve Him.'' Because of this point in their history Israel had ceased to distinguish, they made no difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. They said that the righteous were good and the good were unrighteous. Verse 15, they claimed that the wicked and the arrogant escape the punishment. God says, 'I'll rectify that, but I'm preparing My own.


Now chapter four opens up in an explanation ''For Behold, the day is coming,'' In the Hebrew bible there is no chapter 4 in Malachi. It's just a continuation of chapter 3, but I know there a chapter breaks isn't any major problem. This, ''For behold ties with what had gone on before. Why God is preparing His own possession about distinguishing between the righteous and the wicked. There is a day of judgment is coming, ''Behold,'' three times and in chapter 3 and 4 God calls our attention with the word 'behold'. Chapter 3 opened up with, ''Behold, I am going to send Me messenger,.'' Chapter 4, ''Behold the day is coming,1' and then in verse 5, ''Behold, I am going to send you Elijah.''


The day is coming,'' in chapter 4 verse 1, ''burning like a furnace;'' For if God had just said, 'Listen Israel, there is a day coming--now give me your attention so that you understand clearly what I'm saying.' Because Israel had fallen into the same rut that we've have fallen into today, and that is we believe that a religious people could never be personally judged by a just God. Now if men do not understand that there’s a future judgment it is because they are willfully ignorant. If the bible speaks clearly about anything, it speak clearly about judgment. And you cannot speak about salvation without speaking about judgment. And want’s Israel clear--there’s a future day of judgment and that day is coming and it is burning like a furnace. So a picture here of a furnace heated to consume the chaff and the waste that which is of now value any longer. And note as verse 1 goes on, ''All the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff;’’ So the analogy here when they winnowed the wheat and the chaff was loft and then burned up now in God’s statement the chaff are people. The people who are arrogant and evildoers. The people talked about in verse 15 of chapter 3, 'now we call the arrogant blessed, not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape. But the arrogant and the evil doers do not escape. And in verse 1 we find out that they will be like chaff and God is heating the furnace to consume the chaff. The day that is coming will set them ablaze says the Lord of Hosts, ''So it will leave them neither root nor branch.’’ And that expression 'leaving them neither root nor branch’ was a picture of their total--of totally being consumed; the entire group of people and every person is consumed who is arrogant and evildoer. The wicked are in view here. Now as we move through our study in prophecy in coming weeks, we’re going to be studying our timeline when then events occur. But the time of Malachi chapter 4 verse 1 is the time surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth. When Jesus Christ shall come personally to earth to establish His kingdom then there shall be a judgment and the wicked will be consumed at that time.


Now be careful here. Verse 1 of Malachi 4 does not teach the doctrine of what is called annihilation. But it's not that the wicked shall now cease to exist, that is not a doctrine found anywhere in the bible; but it is talking about the bodily destruction of the wicked. The bodily destruction is followed by torment and destruction but not annihilation. This time we're talking about in dealt with in Matthew chapter 13. just turn over there, it's close to Malachi. Malachi the last book of the Old Testament, Matthew the first book of the New Testament and just a few pages over from Malachi to Matthew chapter 13. We'll pick up with verse 41. The analogy is somewhat similar. At Christ's second coming to earth it will be a distinction made between the wheat and the tares and the tares are gathered into bundles to be burned just as the chaff is burned. In verse 41, ''The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'' You note where the weeping and gashing of teeth goes on in that furnace. They're not destroyed, but in that furnace they are in terrible agony.


Look down to verse 49, ''So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'’ The time period, Jesus Christ is returning to earth after seven years of tribulation. And is returning to earth for the purpose of setting up an earthly kingdom. But it is not possible for anyone who is wicked, an unforgiven sinner to entire bodily into the kingdom that he's going to established. So at the beginning of the setting up of His kingdom there is a judgment and all the wicked are bodily destroyed because not one wicked person will go into the millennium. Now again, this does not refer to their destruction. We often try to make analogies, they were annihilating--that if you put something in the fire it's burned up. Therefore these people that are put in the fire they are burned up and cease to exist.


There are a number of passages. We're not going to take too much time, but at least I want to draw them to your attention. Luke chapter 16 one of the more familiar passages. Luke 16, the end of the chapter; pick up with verse 19—Matthew, Mark Luke those are the gospels, is the account of the rich man Lazarus. Now we're not going to go into a debate whether this is a parable or a literal account. Regardless, the truth that it is thought that it's still truth. And if it's a parable the truth is helped by the parable still stands and it's a literal account because the truth is there as well. And what is being emphasized here is that one man dies, Lazarus and goes directly to the place of comfort, paradise! Immediately is in Abraham's bosom. The rich man dies and immediately he is consciously present in a place of torment. And I take it that the stress to this account is to teach first of all, there is life after death for both those who are believers and those who are unbelievers. And life after death consists of either conscious enjoyment in the presence of God; or conscious torment away from the presence of God. You can read this account and as this man in Hades, the rich man, lifts up his eyes and cries out, there is torment, conscious torment yet, but he has died. His body has been put in the grave that he as a person has no ceased to exist--the suffering, the agony or the destruction from the presence of God. But there's no such thing as annihilation here. And you note, interesting at the end of this chapter. People say, 'Well I don't mind going to Hell. All my friends will be there. But you know your friends better than I do, I'm not going to argue that point. But you note. What his concern is. Well look, we're going to have a party, here my brother will be joining me. What does he say. ''Send someone to tell my brothers so they don't come to this terrible place of torment.'' Quite a different picture than we have, but the conscious suffering from the presence of God.


Look over in revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20 the last book in the Old Testament. We have here events surrounding the earthly reign of Jesus Christ. In Revelation chapter 20 is the only place in the bible that tells us that the first step of the eternal kingdom of God is a 1000 years in duration. And we're told this repeatedly in the opening verses of Revelation chapter 20. But look at chapter 19 verse 20 for background. ''Christ returned,'' chapter 19, ''is the visible return of Jesus Christ to earth same time as we’re talking about in Malachi chapter 4 verse 1, Then a couple of people are dealt with here and we'll talk about these in coming weeks. Verse 20, ''The beast was seized and this in the false prophets who performed signs in his presence by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worship his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstones.11 I take it there are significant here when it says they were thrown alive into the lake of fire with brimstone.


Now chapter 20 opens up and we have the 1000 year reign. And every believer rules and reigns with Jesus Christ on earth for a 1000 years and then in verse 7, ''when the thousands years are completed Satan will be released from His prison.’’ He has not been free during the 1000 years. If the details of this move you, why, you come back in the coming weeks, ''and he goes out to deceive the nations of the earth.’’ And in verse 9, ''they come up upon the broad terrain of the earth surround the camp of the saints in the beloved city, Jerusalem and fire came down from heaven and devoured them and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophets are also.’’ They were cast there a 1000 years before. And note, ''and they, the devil, the beast, the false prophets, they two of these are human beings--the beast and the false prophets and the devil. ''They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.11 And there is no stronger way to express eternity in the Greek than we have it here as ''forever and ever.11 Under the ages of the ages. And quite clearly, end of the point, if verse 10 does not speak of torment forever and ever and ever, then there is no verse in the bible that speaks of eternal life forever and ever and ever either. Because if forever and ever as revelation 20 verse 10 only means for a moment until they are consumed, then the same expression, 'forever and ever' is the expression used to deal with the eternal life of a believer. And we’re going to live 'unto the ages of the ages.’ So we must be consistent as often as the doctrine of eternal destruction is. Verse 11 to the end of chapter 20, then deal with the resurrection of every wicked person. Every person who was destroyed at Malachi chapter 4 verse 1, and in the verses in Matthew chapter 13, bodily destroyed, they are being held in conscious torment in hades and now at Revelation chapter 20 at the end of the 1000 years they are bodily resurrected; they as persons are called back from Hades. Their bodies are raised from the dead and they reinhabit their bodies and their bodies are resurrected bodies, durable for eternity. Not capable of destruction or decay and then in the eternal body these individuals are sentenced to the second death. Verse 14, ''And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.’’ This means that everyone who had died and everyone who was in Hades was thrown into the lake of fire. ''This is the second death, the lake of fire.’’ So you have the idea that death is annihilation or ceasing to exist, note what is the second death? The second death is the lake of fire-- conscious eternal suffering and agony from the presence of God forever. And anyone whose name is not found in the book of life was thrown into the fire. We looked at the book of life in connection with the end of chapter 2 of Malachi a couple of weeks ago. So that is the course of the wicked.


Now you can get back to Malachi chapter 4. Malachi chapter 4. Now keep in mind what we have then. In Malachi chapter 4 verse 1 we have the destruction of the wicked so that Jesus Christ can set up a kingdom composed only of the righteous. Now if you wonder about those who rebel against Christ at the end of the millennium, why you stick with us and we’re going to talk about the millennium in a couple of weeks. That these wicked are bodily destroyed, they’re killed but they are still consciously in existence in suffering.


Alright that is the wicked. Now In verses 2 and 3 God picks up with the righteous again but the contrast here, ''for you who fear My name. Different group of people here the same group that we talked about in chapter 3 in verse 16. ''Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another.’’ And the Lord puts their name in His book of remembrance. Now those who feared the Lord, ''you who feared My name, the Son of Righteousness will rise with healing in it’s wings and He will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.’’ So a contrast here with the heat. So instead of the burning destructive heat of the furnace there’s the warmth and the refreshment of the Son. So the one type of heat of destruction, the other of warmth and refreshing. For the wicked the destruction of the heat of the furnace; for the righteous the warmth and refreshing heat of the sun. ''You who fear My name, those of you have come to revere Me, have placed your trust in Me.'' It had nothing to do with their religious activity. Only the fact that they've revered His name, they've come to rest upon Him and honor Him as the God of their salvation. The Son of Righteousness will rise with healing in it's wings. The Son here is going to righteousness. Righteousness will be the characteristic, will be the healing of all those who are believers. I take it there is a date beyond that. I take it the Son of Righteousness is no other than the Son of God Jesus Christ. He is the one who is the Son of Righteousness. He is righteousness.


A couple of passages of scripture. Jeremiah chapter 23, in the New American Standard Bible Jeremiah and in the 23rd chapter. Isaiah, Jeremiah; a couple of big prophets together there. Jeremiah and the 23rd chapter. Behold the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.' So the Son of righteousness there will be shining on us is none other than the Lord who is our righteousness, Jesus Christ. He is the Lord our righteousness because all our righteousness is, 'are as filthy rags,' as Isaiah wrote. But now we have His righteousness. How did He become the Lord, my righteousness? When I place my faith in Him, then God justified me. He declared me righteousness because of the righteousness of Christ was shed to me that God should declare me righteous, so we talk about the Son of
righteousness shining upon us. it is Jesus Christ who is all righteousness who will be providing their healing and the refreshing and those that are wounded and abused and misused as His children as now Malachi wrote--their wounds will be healed, their weariness will be carried for. Because Jesus Christ will be there as the Son of righteousness to provide their strengthening and their enabling.


Paul refers to Christ in a similar way in I Corinthians chapter 1. I Corinthians and in the 1st chapter. Paul is talking about the way God works and it's not the way that man works. Han sets up a religion of works so that I try hard so that God will accept me; and that's not the way God operates. He does it so no man can boast. I cannot boast of my righteousness because I acquired in by believing in Jesus Christ period. Verse 30 of I Corinthians chapter 1, ''But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, 'LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOASTS IN THE LORD.' '' Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption and that is what Jesus Christ is to us and that's what we become in Him, those who are righteousness, redeemed, sanctified. So when we read Malachi chapter 4 verse 1 we have the privilege of reading about this one who is righteousness.


I think there's an interesting picture in Revelation chapter 1, of Christ. The most detailed description given anywhere in the bible that which Christ looked like. There's a description of the resurrected Jesus Christ with His glory being displayed. And in Revelation chapter 1, there’s one aspect of this description I'd like to bring out to you. In Revelation chapter 1 verse 14. Talking about Jesus Christ here, John is on the island of Pathmos, I heard a voice and turned to see the voice and then He describes the one that he sees. The verse 14, ''And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace..’’ And the picture here of the fire and the bronze, a bronze is a picture in the Old Testament of judgment--the brazen altar and so on. And then we see Christ with the eyes as a flame. And this One who will consume the wicked and the wicked will be consumed and destroyed from before his presence. And this same one, with the eyes and His burning eyes for some pictured the destruction, but for those who know him because of warmth and refreshment as the Son of Righteousness. The only question, is this His righteousness do you have? You can stand in His presence in His righteousness but if you cannot say He is the Lord my righteousness then when you are in His presence you will be consumed. Because you stand in His presence in righteousness it is like filthy rags, unacceptable before a Holy and righteous God. And again the beautiful way that God has operated and worked.


Man devises a religion of works and then goes under the
assumption that God will bring the standard down to where
I try hard enough I can meet it. But in Jesus Christ, God keeps His standard of perfection that lifts me up to meet it--that I stand in His presence perfectly righteousness because I have the righteousness of God as my clothing. And thus before Him I am acceptable.


Alright going back, on your way back, you might...go on back to Matthew 13 on your way to Malachi just from this verse in the series in which that we read, we picked it up when we were reading. Matthew chapter 13 verse 43. Verses 41 and 42 talk about the destruction of the wicked. Verse 43, ''THEN THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SEND (shine) AS THE SON in the kingdom of their Father.’1 So the Son of righteousness rises and shines on those who hear the Lord, who hear Him, trust Him. And note, we are of His character. I partake of His righteousness and so I am shared to shed to shine as the Son as one who is righteous. ’THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN IN the kingdom of their father.’ So he who is righteousness stand in the kingdom, I shall stand with Him. We’ve seen a quote from Daniel chapter 12 verse 3.


Okay back to Malachi in chapter 4 and verse 2, ''for you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.’’
And the picture here of the calves being led out and the Sun shining and their exuberance now of being free in the sun.
And we’ve seen something of that when we went through not too long ago in a period of time when it was so cloudy and dreary and then the sun was out and some remarked to each other, 'My
you just feel different, you can go out when the sun is shining.' Well you know, it just gives you a different attitude. Well it seems like a picture here of the refreshing feeling and provision for the believer and the joy and happiness that now is ours as we are in His presence in His kingdom. ''And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,' says the Lord of hosts.'' So rather a gruesome picture for the wicked. They are destroyed. They are bodily removed and the righteousness stand and the picture here of the righteous treading on the wicked. And you say, 'well that gruesome, I don't know if I want whether I want to do that or not.' Well you better want to do it, because you're either going to be ashes or you're going to be walking on them. It seems gruesome, but it sets things right. You can hear this in Malachi, you know part of the problem. The wicked seem to be dominant and ruling and crushing the righteous. Don't worry, God's got everything under control and the day is coming when the wicked will be ground under the feet of the righteous. Because we'll stand with Him who is destroying the wicked. I think there's an interesting distinction to be drawn for us as church believers. And we'll talk about this week with the rapture of the church. But we do not primarily look for this hope of Israel. There's a little bit different analogy used. And in 1 Peter chapter 1, Christ is talked about as the morning star. And if you can get there quickly you can turn there, if not I'll read it to you and you can read it to yourself when you get home. II Peter chapter 1 verse 19, page 361 in the New Testament, ''And so we have the prophet word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. The morning star being that which ushers in the dawn. And that is what we're look for and the morning star which arises in our hearts, Revelation chapter 22 verse 16, identified as Jesus Christ Himself. Revelation 22:16, ''I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright 'morning star.' ''So for the church, you and I as believers today, we are looking for the morning star to arise which will be the first step in ushering Him in as the 'dawn'. But for Israel there looking for the Son of righteousness. The full display of the bright day. Because you and I will be removed at the rapture and that is the beginning of the day. But Israel looks forward to that kingdom--all believers in Israel, they become believers in the tribulation will partake of. And there the picture is of the Son shining in it's brightness. So a little different picture of the same event. So you and I are in on the very beginning. For Israel it's persecution, refining to come to the place to trust Christ as Messiah. Then the coming in of the Son in it's brightness. Verse 4, in Malachi 4 again, back there. A word now of exhortation. ''Remember the law of Moses My servant,'' For 400 years God is not going to keep the records of the nations. So as He closes it with what He has to say: ''Remember my word, the law of Moses My servant.’’ God had given His written word to Israel and now there is an exhortation and a command to remember it. Israel didn't do it. They didn't function in light of this law so we see them unprepared for the Messiah when He comes in 400 years, ''...the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.'' And I take it you ought to note this verse. That the law was given for Israel. ''Remember the law of Moses My servant'' for all Israel. The law was a standard given to Israel. The nation who was to be trusting in God, this was to be the guideline for their conduct. And there are people today who believe the law falls on the believer and they're losing sight of the fact that the law was given to Israel. It never did apply to Assyria. It never did apply to Babylon. It never did apply to the Philistines, it always applied to Israel as a code of conduct for the people who were to be God's peculiar possession. And here is the word, ''Remember the law of Moses, My servant.'' The written word. I take it that the thrust is the same for you and I. We have the written word. We go to that word to find out what God has to say. There's a dissatisfaction with that today. There's more dependence upon what men have said, men have written. And anyone who comes up with a peculiar idea can get a following. Interesting to see how the Maharaji is faring these days and the organization comes apart. But all the people who flocked after Him-- this is the answer. Then they find out all their money is going to
maintain their high style of living and now is for mother
whatever she goes by. They had to disown Him, so I guess that makes him not the Maharaji anymore. The whole garbled mess! That seems like an extreme but the same thing followed in all the sects; the Greeks, the religious division and everything else. If they would be satisfied with what the word says you wouldn't have a problem. But then when we got to battle over what men say about the word, then we have all kind of divisions. You know it doesn't matter what Gil Rugh says about the word. But it does matter what the word says.


That's where we need to be sure that we're firm. Word of promise in verse 5, ''Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.'1 One of the most familiar prophets in the Old Testaments, stated very briefly, ''I am going to send you Elijah the prophet.'' Elijah the prophet! Remember Elijah did not die physically. Elijah was translated into the presence of God, translated from earth--this is where he goes on a fiery chariot. Fiery chariot separated Him from Elisha and then Elijah was taken to heaven, II Kings chapter 2: you
can read that account and the.... greatest of all prophets,
Elijah. God says I'm going to send him. Now there is a couple of views on Elijah's coming. We're not going to do a lot of detail. In Luke chapter 1 verse 17 regarding the birth of John the Baptist we're told that He will come in the spirit and power of Elijah. So the first reference we pick up now after 400 years of silence--we're told that here's one coming in the spirit and the power of Elijah.


Turn over to Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11 verse 14. Where Jesus tells the Jews that they would accept Him as Messiah, John the Baptist would satisfy the requirements of Matthew chapter 4 Verse 5 of being Elijah. Chapter 11:14, ''And if you care to accept it, (we're talking in the context of the John the Baptist in verse 12)he himself is Elijah, who was to come.'' And Jesus said if you would accept this, if you as a nation would respond in faith to Me and then John the Baptist is the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5.


Now in chapter 17 of Matthew we’re told that there will be a future Elijah. Matthew 17, verse 10. The question is given, ''...Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? And He answered and said, ''Elijah is coming and will restore all things’ but I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.’’ So Jesus makes clear hear that there is a future Elijah. But! There was an Elijah already. You don’t need Elijah, because Elijah would come with belief and Elijah came and you don’t believe you murdered him. Now John the Baptist was not physically Elijah returned, as John chapter 1 makes the claim: I’m not Elijah. I’m not the physical Elijah come
back to earth. But He was in the spirit and power of Elijah announcing the Messiah, His kingdom, and coming judgment.


Now Revelation chapter 11. We have the future Elijah, I
take it, and this is before the great and terrible day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is a technical expression in the Old Testament. Referring to that period of time from the Rapture through the seven years tribulation, through the millennium down to the Great White Throne. Prime emphasis of 'The Day of the Lord’ is judgment. In Revelation chapter 6- 19 deal with the judgment of the day of the Lord and in verse 3 of Revelation 11, ''And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.' These are two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone desires to harm the, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies;1 ’' Verse 6,
''These have the power to shut up the sky....and so on.1' Verse 7, ''And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome then a and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom (Jerusalem in the Old Testament) land Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.'' And after the three and a half days the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were beholding them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, 'Come up here.’ And then went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them.'' So quite a startling ministry these men carry on. And evidently this is the final fulfillment of Malachi chapter 4 verse 5.


Now there are two possibilities. Either that Elijah will physically, himself, come back to be these two witnesses or it will be another person, who comes as John the Baptist did, in the Spirit and power of Elijah. But the thrust of the ministry will be the same. It will be for the purpose of turning Israel to the Messiah before the day of destruction comes. Because if there was no turning to Christ then there would be a total destruction of every person on the earth at His Second Coming. But these two witnesses will be for the purpose of turning Israel to the Messiah and there will be a turning to Christ. So that in Malachi chapter 4, now I'm aware I didn't solve the problem whether it's a literal Elijah or just one in the spirit and power of Elijah. I'm not sure that it can be settled. My personal feeling is that it is not the literal physical Elijah coming back but that one in the spirit and power of Elijah as John the Baptist was. It won't shake my theology at all if Elijah himself comes back. That would be great too. Either way I won't be here. I'll be in heaven having a great time so whatever the Lord does there with Elijah is fine with me. But he's coming. And this 5 and 6 of Malachi 4, ''Behold, I am going
to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.1' And the emphasis here on the destruction of that day,, ''and he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.'1 So here you see, even though this verse ends with a curse, it ends on a note of God's mercy and grace. God could be simply be done with Israel but in grace He's going to send
Elijah to turn them back to Himself. After all their turning
from Him, after all that they not been well done anything
to do with Him for thousands and thousands of years God still ends in Mercy and Grace, ''He says, I'm still going to send them Elijah.'' I'm still going to turn them around. Why? Because they are My people! They are my treasured possession.


We'll be talking about this in the coming weeks. That I believe there is a definite glorious future for the nation Israel. The physical nation Israel by the glory of destiny and some day they'll sit under the ministry of this one who will minister as Elijah did. So His power and His authority and they will be turned as a nation to the Messiah and that will be in the great and terrible day of the Lord following the rapture of the church. And we'll talk about that in coming days. So it ends on a note of grace as well as a note of judgment.


All this may seem like interesting material but it is more than that. Because we'll see as we've been considering this portion of the word the distinction that God firmly draws
between the righteous and the wicked. And every single person has an eternal destiny. And people don't like to believe that today but it doesn't matter. Amazing that we as adults who prod ourselves on maturity are willing to live our lives in a world of fantasy. I chose not to believe that a God of love would sentence anyone to Hell, there fore there could not be a Hell. Well I choose to believe there's not a heaven then I choose to believe there's not a God. That does not change reality. I choose to believe that there's not a place like Lincoln, Nebraska. There are some days I'd really like to believe that. (the people laugh) Reality doesn't change does it? So If I go on and say there 'there is no Hell, there is no Hell, there is no Hell, I don't believe it' someday I'll have a heart attack, cancer or whatever, takes my live and I find out to my horror, that there is an eternal destiny for every person. You can't escape that. God has provided eternal destiny can be one of eternal glory. He provided that in the one we've been studying about,, the Lord our righteousness, Jesus Christ. So there's not a person here who doesn't need His righteousness because your righteousness doesn't make (?) Your righteousness lacks perfection. When He looks at it He sees it as filthy rags-- and very strong and clear picture there how detestable your righteousness really is--Menstrual-rags is what Isaiah says are righteousness is. Totally undesirable! And I'm going to stand before God, I worked hard, I did my best I was religious and I'm going to be clothes in filthy menstrual- rags and that righteousness is acceptable to Him?? No! He doesn't lower His standard. I'm glad He doesn't. What would heaven be like if God kept lowering the standard, lowering the standard and lowering the standard for man that would close to unbearable. But It's rather exciting that God has provided a way that man can be elevated to God's standard and He's done that in the person of His Son Jesus Christ.
You need to know that you are a sinner. That the penalty for sin is death. Physical death, spiritual death, and eternal death--the idea of death in scripture is separation.
Physical death is separation of a person from His body, Spiritual death is separation of a person from God, eternal death (the Second Death) separation from God for eternity.
We need to realize that Jesus Christ is the Savior. We just celebrated what we call 'Easter', the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Savior that God provided so that your penalty could be paid.


Now understand those two things there's only one thing left. Imagine that? The seven or eight hundred people at Indian Hills this morning have all heard the true facts that they need to know to alter their destiny for eternity--from Hell to Heaven. But it does not follow through in every person sitting at Indian Hills Community Church this morning--your changed destiny. Because it's very possible that there are some who are sitting here are destined for eternal separation from God and will spend eternity in the state of separation. Why? Do you realize you are a sinner? Do you realize that Jesus Christ died for you? Alright,
that’s fine. But on the basis of those two facts are you willing to place your trust in Him as your personal savior? Are you willing to place your faith in Him? And our God will place His righteousness on you. But that's where the test comes. Some of you have decided that’s too much. I think I can make it on my own. So I don't think I'm ready. But Paul makes it clear when he writes: 'Today this is the accepted
time.' You'd better come when God gives the opportunity and in His grace he's dealt with you and provided salvation, there's no reason for anyone here to go into an eternity of torment and separating from the God who loved you enough to provide His Son, even that of forgiveness and the freedom of Christ that is provided for you. Let's pray together.


Father we do thank you for the clarity of your word. We're thankful that you do speak not only of Your Love and Grace. Lord if we only understood in light of judgment.
I pray this morning that we might see ourselves as the sinners that we really are. We know that Lord that in your grace might me more glorious. That we might rejoice in the GOd who could take those so filthy and vile and apply your own righteousness to us. Lord we're thankful that the standard of perfection has been (?) to us in the person of Christ. Lord we pray for those who are here this morning who may be very religious, who may be very concerned and maybe very indifferent, Lord pray that they might see this morning your love for them, your provision of salvation in Jesus Christ. Lord pray that we might see something of the awfulness of eternity in a state of separation from You. Pray that they might even now place their faith in Jesus Christ as personal saviour. Lord pray that those of us who have might be living in light of our glorious destiny, might be anticipating the coming of Jesus Christ to take us to be with Himself. Lord we're thankful that we have your righteousness today and for all eternity. Nothing has changed the fact that now we belong to you because we have been born into your family. We praise You for it in Jesus name. Amen.