A Volunteer of Regret v.1
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v.1- Two illustrations of fire are used in Malachi: a refiner’s fire, which is used to shape the Christian into Christlikeness. This is found in 3:2. Peter also mentions this the New Testament. If you’re going through something, it might be God melting away impurity from you. The second fire is one of destruction. This is Hell and its real! It is for all who do not turn to Christ in repentance. If there is no saving relationship with Jesus, the fire of destruction will happen.
God always sends a message of mercy and repentance before He sends wrath.
The psalmist states the appearing of Christ on the day of judgment. Psalms 21:9 “You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.”
Will you be ready when Christ comes? He’ll either return or you’ll meet Him, which ever comes first.
Jesus spoke more of Hell than of Heaven- why? As a warning to those who would not follow Him. Matthew 13:42 says, “and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
A Victory to Rejoice In vv.2-3
There is a remnant, a few Israelites, that have placed faith in the coming of the Messiah, the Sun of Righteousness. We, today who have placed faith in Christ, who are in awe of His name, can rejoice in our salvation. The victory is that sin has been defeated and death has no sting!
A Voice of Reason vv.4-5
v.4- Be obedient to God. Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
v.5- John the Baptist proclaims Christ is coming and He came, we too are to be the voice of reason! We are to proclaim the coming of Christ! Be ready!
A Victorious Result v.6
v.6- Luke 1:17 “and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord and people prepared.”
What does this mean? Restoration of family relationships will come as a result of hearts being turned to Christ! Luke 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.”
A sign of true repentance is restoration in relationships. Our relationship with Christ being restored gives birth to restoration with family members. Pride, Satan, and our flesh will always get in the way of this. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to stir in us a work of repentance that leads to rejoicing!
A heart transformed by the gospel is the only way a heart cold toward others can be melted! Preach the gospel to yourself! Luke describes the sinful women being forgiven, and therefore because of the work of Christ, we too can forgive! Luke 7:47 “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven- for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”