Malachi: The Coming Messiah

A man, but where in the Book of Malachi we're finishing up this series on the Minor Prophets and I will remind you that the Minor Prophets are not minor because it's like the minor leagues but rather the Minor Prophets or minor because they are short in length. Try not to destroy Jason stuff. The Minor Prophets are short in length. They could all fit on one scroll. So you got Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel the big profits the Major Prophets, but that's not like the major leagues the Minor Prophets as if we've been going through them one a week There's twelve of them. It's been delightful to see the unity of the message that God is going to be glorified when he brings salvation through judgment and here were in The Book of Malachi. It's the last book of the Old Testament before the coming of Jesus. It's the last Prophecy Before the coming of Jesus and throughout the Minor Prophets. We've seen the God has been promising to send a messiah. That is an anointed one. I hear who's going to come in fix. What's wrong with the world? What happened in the fall? Since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and send into the world and death through sin. God has been promising that there would be a descendant who would come and who would make all things new and at this Messiah he was going to be from the line of David from the line of Judah and when he comes he's not just going to be a new king. He's going to be a new prophet and a new priest and he's going to save his people and in the Minor Prophets we've seen it's not just that he's going to save Israel, but he's going to save all the nation's now we're on this side of the Cross. We know the story. We know that Jesus came and that contrary to the expectations of his disciples. He didn't bring Salvation by conquering Rome by restoring the Kingdom of Israel to its rightful place instead. What he did is he went to a cross? And he died in our place for our sins so that we could be forgiven and made right with God. And so this Kingdom that the Minor Prophets have talked about is the kingdom of God. This is spiritual Kingdom and Jesus didn't stay dead. The scripture says he rose again on the third day and he ascended into heaven and he seated at the right hand of God the father and he's interceding for us and now he's ruling and reigning with the greatest Authority is King been given the name king of kings and Lord of lords Philippians 2 tells us and all of this is because God keeps his promises throughout the prophets. He says he's going to keep his promise and he's going to do it in a way that brings him great Glory far more Glory than if he had done it in any other way. I'm so Malachi speaks of this messenger who's going to go before the Messiah and Elijah like messenger who's going to proclaim the time of yahweh's coming in his judgment in the inauguration of the Kingdom. Now when we look at Israel, we've talked about their history Israel was taken into captivity into first Assyria the the world power of the day and then later Babylon the next world power of the day and then the next world power of the kingdom of Persia Cyrus in the nation of Israel back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and rebuild the Temple and the Book of Malachi is written in that time. After Israel had returned and the Reason God sent Israel into Exile was because they did not worship an honor God instead. They kept worshipping other idols. But when Israel returns, they were broken of their idolatry. They didn't fall back into their old ways. But what they're going to be condemned for in the Book of Malachi is that they were divorcing their own wives in order to marry. People who still did worship idols the people of the land that they returned to and it's no surprise that the tribe of Judah is indicted in the Book of Malachi because none of the descendants of David up to that point who were promised to be king. None of them were the Messiah none of them brought the promise Kingdom in Malachi is going to speak to this. So what we see first is the need and provision of a mediator in the Messiah. What's a mediator mediator someone who stands between two parties in inner-city who brings peace and Reconciliation? If you've ever had to deal with a mediator, I mean if you're a parent you are a mediator between your kids very often. And you have to figure out the story and who did watts. And usually the first one that comes to you is not the one who's really innocent, but they're trying to get ahead. It's the one the second one who's the innocent one and then you're trying to navigate this and mediate and bring them back together. Well, we have a need for a mediator between us and God. And we know that where the guilty party not God. He's perfect. We're the ones who have disobeyed him. And so there's this great need in chapter 1 and 2 of Malachi. I'm just going to read short sections at a time today. So beginning in verse 1 of chapter 1 the Oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you since the Lord but you say how have you loved us is not Esau Jacob's brother declares the Lord yet. I have loved Jacob and

Esau I hated I have laid waste his Hill Country and left his Heritage to jackals of the desert. If eat them says we are shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins. The Lord of hosts says they may build but I will tear down and they will be called The Wicked country and the people with whom the Lord is angry forever your own I shall see this and you shall say great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel. So the Lord's love the Lord's Covenant keeping love sets the stage for the coming of this hero this messiah in verse to God tells them I have loved you. So the reason the Messiah is going to come is not because Israel deserves it but because God is going to keep his promises. And it should bring us great comfort when we see all of these promises in the Old Testament that God is going to send a hero a messiah to make all things right. It's never because we deserved it. It's always because it's his character. He is loved and he demonstrates this love by sending his son to be the hero the Messiah. Snow in verse to there's this question in what way have you loved us? How have you loved us in verse 2 in our English in might sound like an accusation? It might sound like okay work. Israel's asking what God have you really loved us? Because we don't see it. But in the Hebrew language, it's not an accusation. The the emphasis in Hebrew is on the manner of the loving rather than doubt about God's loving so it might be saying in what way have you loved us God? And approve of this love and versus 325 is that God spares them from judgments, but he doesn't spare Esau or eat them. Now if you know your story in Genesis, Jacob and Esau we're brothers and they were the sons of Isaac and Esau was the older one. He was the one who deserves the birthright from Isaac as the firstborn but Jacob dresses up like Esau when his dad is blind in his old age and steals the birthright. And Isaac gives the birthright to Jacob and it leads to division between the brothers and you can read the story Jacob runs off. He goes and works to get his wife for seven years and then he doesn't get the woman he wants he ends up getting the other sister. So he works another seven years and then he has two wives and there's a whole bunch of trouble with that in the Book of Genesis and Jacob returns and there is reconciliation between the brothers but Jacob inherits The Inheritance and Esau has to move away to a neighboring country and over the hundreds of years. They become kingdoms Nations and Edom the nation that came from Esau and Israel the nation that came from Jacob. We're always at War but by the time of Malachi the nation of Edom had been destroyed. And they were a wicked evil people and God says Israel. The reason you're still around. The reason that you haven't disappeared off the face of the planet is because I have loved you.

Paul uses this verse Jacob I have loved but Esau I hated to argue for God's sovereignty and calling Sinners to himself and Romans 9 and the emphasis is is on his love his Mercy. The emphasis is on the heart of God that God is love and he demonstrates this love by sending his son to be our savior those of us who don't deserve his love because we rebelled against him and in verse five there is this hint of a promise that the Lord is name is going to be great even beyond the border of Israel. So it's one thing for God to spare Israel and protect Israel and keep them alive in history. It's quite another thing for Jesus to be the savior of the world that every nation tribe and people in tongue would come to him. And us two thousand years later or on the other side of the planet in and as far as I know, none of us are Jewish in our heritage and so were the rest of the Nations and the lord's name has become great among all the nations far beyond the borders of Israel. This is God keeping his promise Paul and Ephesians chapter 2 says we were Gentiles that is anybody other than Jewish we were without hope and without God, but because of God's grace and his Mercy he came near and brought us near So that we might find Mercy and so it's by Grace. We've been saved through faith Grace. What is Grace? It's this glorious getting of what we don't deserve. It's a gift that we don't deserve but it's just given out of Grace. It's incredible. And so this salvation that comes to us. This good news that comes to us is not because of our good deeds and it's in spite of our bad Deeds. It's a free gift from God that we receive not by works, but by faith. It's not incredible. Let me give you an example of it. I might have used this before but I have this nice new Bible that Jen bought me cuz it's large print so that as I get older I can read it from the pulpit up here for the church planting if I wanted to give you this Bible and I say this Bible is yours and it's free. You don't actually have it until you receive it. That is you accept it. So if it's sitting up here and you never receive it, you don't have it. But the gift is there. And this is what the gospel teaches is that God so loved the world he gave his son as a gift that you might not perish but have eternal life a gift to be received. And the way you receive it is not by your good deeds. It's not like cleaning yourself up. It's simply by faith believing the Jesus died for your sins and he rose again. It's about knowing the need to him and saying I want you to be the king of my life and being charged because I've made a mess of my own life. This is a good news that we believe beloved. This is this is the the heart of the good news of the Gospel is that we could never earn God's favor. And so what God did was gave his son to be a substitute in our place. And by faith in him God forgives all of our debts and he looks at us as if we have the righteousness of his son. Hallelujah, what a savior now God is still promising this Messiah to come in back in Malachi 1:6 all the way down to 2:9 what God tells Israel is that you need a new priesthood? Because your current priests the the priests who are the Levites their unfaithful. Verse 6 a son honors his father a servant to his master if then I'm a father. Where is my honor and if I'm a master, where is my fear says the Lord of hosts to you all priests who despised my name, but you say how have we despised your name? Well by offering polluted food upon my altar, but you say how have we polluted You by saying that the Lord's table may be despised when you offer blind animals in sacrifice. Is that not evil when you offered those that are lame or sick? Is that not even? Present this to your Governor. Will he accept you or show you favor says the Lord of hosts and now and treat the favor of God that he may be gracious to us with such a gift from your hand. Will he show favor to any of you says the Lord of hosts? Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors that you might not Kindle Fire on my altar in vain. I have no pleasure in you says the Lord of hosts and I will not accept an offering from your hand. So the Lord Yaweh his name is to be great among the nation's but the priesthood the people who were the mediators between God and man they were despising. Yahweh's name. And God says in verse 6, if a father deserves honor from his son how much more does God deserve honor. He's a greater father. He's a greater Master than any human. He's a Divine Father in heaven. And so God tells and will you have despised by name by offering polluted and defective sacrifices verse 11 for from the rising of the sun do its setting my name will be great among the Nations and in every place in cents will be offered to my name up your offering for my name will be great among the Nations says the Lord of hosts. So God is going to solve this problem of a bad priesthood by sending a priest who will offer pure sacrifices. Here's a hint that were talking about a change in priesthood. First 12 but you profane it when you say the Lord's table is polluted and its fruit that is its food may be despised. But you say what a weariness this is and snort at it says the Lord of hosts you bring what's been taken by violence or is lame or sick and this you bring is your offering shall I accept that from your hand says the Lord. So what these priests were doing, they were supposed to offer animal sacrifices that were unblemished and they instead we're just grabbing all of the animals that people didn't want broken legs blemished defective may be attacked by Wolves whatever the case would be. They would bring those instead of their best. And God says, you're not giving me your best. You're not offering worship that belongs to me and then verse 14 career should be the chief who's made a male in his flock and vows it and your sacrifices to the Lord. What is blemished for? I am a great king says the Lord of hosts and my name will be feared among the Nations. And now a priest's this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take to heart to give honor to my name says the Lord of hosts. Then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings indeed. I've already cursed them because you did not lay it to heart behold. I will rebuke your Offspring and spread dung on your faces and dung on your offerings and you should be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to get my Covenant with Levi May stand says the Lord of hosts my Covenant with him was one of life in peace and I gave them to him was a covenant of fear and he feared me he stood in awe of my name. So when God started the levitical priesthood with Levi Levi served as a priest who love God and feared his name and honored him, but now his descendants were doing so far from that. Here's what I wanted to get to versus six and seven. True instruction was in his mouth and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness and he turned too many from iniquity for the lips of a priest should guard knowledge and people should seek instruction from his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. So God. It said I'm going to replace the priesthood. I'm going to bring a better priest who's going to offer pure worship that was back in chapter 1 verse 11. And now he says this is what an ideal priest looks like one in verse 6 who has true instruction who has no wrong in his lips who walks in peace and uprightness and turns many from their Sin from their iniquity. Any guards knowledge for 7in people seek instruction from his mouth for he is a messenger of the Lord of hosts. No, the next series that I'm going to do is the book of Hebrews. So will I'm going to preach on Psalm 110 is a start to that and then we'll start into the book of Hebrews because what we see here is this new priesthood that God was promising was going to come the book of Hebrews argues throughout that all of this is Jesus. He is better than everything in the Old Testament. He's a better priest because he's a perfect priest. This problem of this priesthood is even if you had a good priest they still had send so your mediator needed a mediator your lawyer needed a lawyer. That's the idea. They couldn't be a good priesthood because they were guilty too. So Jesus comes perfect and he's a perfect priest and because he's seated at the right hand of the father. Never to die. Again. He is a perfect priest forever. Not only that he offered a better sacrifice these priests even if they offered the best it only covered sin for a year. But Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world forever. And he's a better Temple. So this temple on Earth the place where God's glory was among his people in Israel. Jesus says, I'm the true Temple. I'm the true place where God is with you. And he's the better Temple the better sacrifice the better priesthood. He's better than everything in the old Covenant. In fact turn over to the book of Hebrews chapter 7. I want you to see this with your own eyes.

Hebrews chapter 7 verse 22

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better Covenant. The former priests were many and number because they were prevented by Death from continuing an office but he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Why is this so important first 25 consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those to draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. There was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest holy and innocent and unstained and separated from Sinners and exalted above the heavens. He has no need like those High priests to offer sacrifices daily first for his own sins. And then for those of the people since he did this once for all when he offered up himself, That is amazing. Good news 8:1. Now the point of what we're saying is this we have such a high priest one who seated at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in heaven a minister in the holy places in the true tent the true Temple that the Lord set up not man. And he offers himself. This is this is what it means to believe in Jesus. And the Book of Malachi was promising that God was going to replace the priesthood with a better priest 300 years before Jesus ever came back to Malachi. The grace of the Lord is seen in sending the Messiah through a descendants of Judah the lion of Judah 2:10 have we not all one father has not God created us then. Why are we faceless to one another profane in the Covenant of our fathers? Judah has been faithless an Abomination has been committed in Israel. And in Jerusalem for Judah has profane the sanctuary of the Lord which he loves and is married the daughter of a foreign God may the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendants of the man. Who does this who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts and the second thing you do you cover the Lord's altar with tears with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accept it with favor from your hand. But you say why does he not because the Lord has been witnessed between you and the wife of your youth to whom you've been faithless know. She was your companion and your wife by Covenant did he not make them one with a portion of the spirits in their Union? And what was the one God speaking Godly Offspring to guard yourselves in your spirit and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth For the man who does not love his wife but divorces are says the Lord the god of Israel covers His Garment with violence says the Lord of hosts so guard yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless. So they're unfaithfulness as a nation was pictured like adultery there and faithfulness. Is that verse 10 to 12. They had married the daughter of a foreign God that they had Pagan style worshiping verses 12 and 13 and that they were divorcing their wives to get this in verses 14 to 16 unfaithfulness to the Lord and unfaithfulness to one another breaking of covenants with God and man Jesus refers to this passage when he's asked about divorce.

the God hates divorce It's a result of the fall and our selfishness in our sin. That would Jesus also teaches is that there's great forgiveness in him. So, isn't that good news? Divorce is so much a part of our culture and sometimes it can feel like there's no hope after it. I talked to so many people who've been divorced in the the pairing of hearts in the breaking of emotions. Is it so difficult and yet God is able to bring healing and forgiveness even in the midst of that because Jesus is in all sufficient savior. He's a high priest as we read who's able to save to the uttermost and what that means is he doesn't just save us in the future. He saves us today. See Israel was condemned because they were divorcing their wives to marry these foreign wives who worship foreign gods and they were not even sorry about it. They had no remorse over it.

And yet what we see with Jesus coming is a better high. Priest is that he brings true forgiveness. He brings true repentance. He brings a change of heart. That's why Jesus said got to be born again, and you can't even see the kingdom of God unless you are but when you are born again, you have a new heart you have a new nature the old things have come to pass the newest come and there's great hope and healing in Jesus. what a what a constellation the Jesus is really a savior of sinners. If you're a great sinner, you don't have to worry. Jesus is a great Savior and he's able to save and deliver. You can't out sin the grace of God doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter how bad you've been Jesus is able to save. That's good news as glorious news.

The grace of our Lord is seen this is what's remarkable. So God is condemning Judah for doing this divorcing their wives and marrying foreign wives, but he's going to say never the less. I'm going to send my Messiah through the line of Judah. No, that doesn't seem like that should be rights. It seems like Judah should be disqualified. Well, when you look at the genealogy of Jesus in The Book of Matthew, you see a lot of people who are disqualified. And yet the Lord sent his Messiah as a descendant of them. I'm trying to get the nod ahead of myself in my notes here. Let's go back to 2:17. They doubted the Lord's Justice. You wearied him the Lord with your words, but you say how have we we read him by saying everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and He Delights in them are by asking. Where is the God of Justice behold? I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me in the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his Temple the messenger of the Covenant in whom you Delight to behold. He's coming says the Lord of hosts, but who can endure the day of his coming who can stand when he appears for he's like a Refiner's Fire like a Fuller's Soap. He will sit as a Refinery and a purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord and then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old is in 4 more years, then I will draw near You for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers against the adulterers against those who swear falsely against those who oppress The Hired worker in his wages the Widow and the fatherless against those who thrust aside the Sojourner and do not fear me says the Lord of hosts for I do not I the Lord do not change. Therefore you are children of Jacob are not consumed. God says you've doubted the Lord's Justice in verse 17 by saying where is he? Have you ever been tempted to think that will God has enacted yet Injustice. Is he really ever going to bring Justice? That's what they're saying. Will God hasn't he hasn't done anything about evil and wickedness yet. So maybe he never will so maybe it doesn't matter if I commit evil and Injustice. But God says no justice will come the Messenger will come Yahweh will judge and worship and Justice will be restored in the role of this coming Messiah. He says is like a purifier of God's people. Fuller's Soap that we don't know what that were a fuller was someone who was like a laundromat. I don't know any other way to describe it. That's the title of someone who cleans clothes and so when the Messiah comes he's like a Fuller's Soap. He's like taking your clothes down to the laundromat and having them cleaned by a professional. When he comes he's going to clean everything he's going to purify. He's like a refinar and that imagery we might know you ever get down the rabbit hole of YouTube looking at how metal is refined. You see how these people do what they melt it and they take the impurities off the top they let it cool and then they remelt it and they take more impurities off when the Messiah comes he's going to be like a refined he's going to refine us. He's going to be like a Fuller's Soap. He's going to clean us he's going to wash us and we're whiter than snow. The scripture says in Isaiah though. Our sins are like Scarlet. They'll be white as wool Hallelujah. This is good news and these promises God says it's going to happen. Turn over to Matthew 1. This is why I was trying not to get ahead of myself. look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1 I want to point out a few people to you. And I want to start with verse 2.

Abraham the father of Isaac & Isaac the father of Jacob and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers this these men who are the fathers of Israel. They didn't deserve God's grace. You look at the life of Abraham. He gave his wife away twice to foreign Kings Isaac did the same thing Jacob. We already heard about him. He stole his brother's Birthright and then when he was down with his father-in-law, he stole a bunch of his sheep and bread him so that he had all the best when he left and he even stole some of the household goods. In fact, Jacob was known as a thief and a cheat and it's steel and it wasn't until God wrestled with him and God changed his heart and then changed his name to Israel. The Jacob was changed. And then the women in this you have first Tamar who's mentioned in verse 3 in the story of tomorrow in the Book of Genesis is it is a horrible story. It's gets quite a tragedy. So tomorrow is married to one of Judas sons and this son dies and according to their culture. Judah was supposed to have Tamar marry one of his other son so that if she would be protected in the in the his line would would continue and so Judah refuse to do it and so tomorrow stood by the roadside and seduced Judah and had a child by him. And this is one of the ancestors of Jesus Rahab as they go into the promised land Rahab is mentioned here later in verse I didn't write it down by thank you Ray habazin vs 5 she was a prostitute who ran a brothel in Jericho, but because she believed God was going to judge it. She she protected these spies that came in and she ends up marrying a Jewish man in the Messiah is one of her descendants Ruth in the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Bible Ruth is a moabite woman who's not Jewish and she had really no right to marry into a Jewish family, but she did and then her husband dies and she's left without any protection and there's no children and so she cast herself upon the mercy of Boaz a kinsman redeemer. And the Messiah is going to come from her line Bathsheba who's mentioned this woman that David looked at and spied from afar and then had bathsheba's husband killed in battle so that he can marry her.

Bathsheba's one of the great-great-great grandmother's of the Messiah and then Mary the only five women mentioned in this genealogy now Mary by all means we don't think that she committed any sexual sin. She was a virgin when she was when she conceived Jesus but all the neighbors they thought there is no way that miracle happened. So her reputation was stained is one who was living in sin because she had a child out of wedlock. We know from scripture that it was a miraculous virgin conception and that she had not committed sin. But nobody around her believed it. In fact Jesus when he was ministering was accused of being a child of fornication. And so what we see in the genealogy of Jesus is a lineage of Grace God's grace and his mercy and his kindness and God keeping his promises. And all of these descendants that are listed after Judah the question would have been is that one the Messiah God promised one of the descendants of Judah would be the Messiah. Is it that one? Nope, is it that one? Nope, is it that one? Nope. So why do we have the genealogy in Matthew 1 because it ends with Jesus who is the Messiah the hero the promised one? It's what we received from this Messiah. It's it's all of Grace Is Why We Sing is why we sing the songs we sang because we know that everything we receive from him by his grace out of his loving-kindness and his goodness and we don't deserve it and yet he gives it to us anyway. So does how does Malachi in the book? He says Judah you need to return and remember 3:6. I the Lord do not change their 40 children of Jacob. You're not consumed from the days of your father. You've turned aside for my statutes and not kept them return to me and I will return to you says the Lord of hosts. But you say how shall we return will a man rob God and yet you're robbing me. But you say how have we robbed you and your tithes and contributions your cursed with a curse for you're robbing me the whole nation of you bring the full tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house nearby put me to the test said the Lord of host if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you before down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the Devourer for you. So that will not destroy the fruits of your soil in your Vine in the field. So you shall not fail to bear says the Lord of hosts in all the nations will call you blessed. Are you will be a land of delight says the Lord of hosts. There's these blessings promised upon those who repent the people were robbing God and it's manifested in that they're not giving their ties and the tithe is not the same thing as how we give today the Old Testament tithes was more like our taxes it was they were a nation of Israel and they had taxes to pay that provided for the priesthood in the sacrifices that was called the tithe got that you're not doing that you giving these lame animals that are polluted that you don't want. Instead returned to give me what to do me and I'll bless you. If they will repent the Lord will bless them now. It's not simply a Prosperity Gospel that says if you give God will return the gift he is promising his real dad, but what he saying is if they keep his Covenant. May God will bring them good things that their own experience could not equal God's vision goes exceedingly abundantly beyond anything they could imagine that Israel's land in verse 12 would be delightful now in our new testament way of giving we don't give out of compulsion. We're not in a theocracy. We give generously it's a joy to give it's an overflow of joy in Christ that gladly meets the needs of others. But if we were to apply this to us today that the application would be repent and return to the Lord in and fulfill your Covenant duties will what are our covenant duties in the New Covenant to believe upon the Lord Jesus the sacrifices we give or no longer animals. It's offering our bodies a Living Sacrifice the fruit of our lips that give praise to his name to love others to do good and share with others.

This day of the Lord that's coming. He says verse 13 will bring Salvation through judgment. 3:13. Your words have been hard against me says the Lord but you say how have we spoken against you? You said is vain to serve God. What is the prophet of our keeping his charger walking as in morning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the Arrogant blessed evildoers only not only Prosper but they put God to the test and they escaped then those who fear the lord spoke with one another the Lord paid attention and heard them and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. They shall be mine says the Lord of hosts in the day when I make up my treasured possession and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked between the one who serves God and the one that does not serve him for behold. The day is coming burning like an oven when all the arrogant and all Evil-doers will be stubble the day that's coming shall set them Ablaze says the Lord of hosts so that it will leave them need a routing or Branch. But for you who fear my name the son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings. You shall go out like leaping like Calves from the stall. So God says there's a day of judgement coming and he's distinguishing between the good and the wicked in the proof of his Covenant Love is that he spares the righteous and he condemns the wicked any promises in the midst of this saying there's a future day of judgment. He says this son of righteousness this Messianic title of who we know Jesus the Messiah Jeremiah 30 3 verse 15 and 16. The Lord is our righteousness. This son of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. That's what we're longing for. Its what Loop the angel revealed in Luke chapter 1 that there would be a child called the prophet of the most high who would go before the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of Salvation through his people in the Forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God. We're by the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of Peace the angel in Luke says Jesus is the son of righteousness who's coming who's bringing forgiveness of sins who's bringing us into the way of peace. It's going to be like a sunrise giving light to the darkness and he's going to guide our feet in the way of peace. And so he's in the book verse for Sorry versus 3 you shall tread down the wicked. They will be like ashes under the soles of your feet on the day. When I act says the Lord of hosts. Remember the log my servant Moses the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel behold. I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers less. I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction. So this Forerunner of the Messiah who's Elijah to come This is how the Book of Malachi ends. Its very abrupt the end of the Old Testament and then for three hundred years, there's silence until Jesus comes. And in John chapter one, we see turn over to John one. We see the way John organizes his gospel.

after his glorious introduction on who Jesus is What time is skip over for now? He starts in verse 19 and says let me tell you about John the Baptist.

This is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him. Who are you he confessed and did not deny but confessed. I'm not the Christ so they wondered is John the Baptist the Messiah he goes. No, I'm not him. And I asked him what then are you Elijah? And he said I'm not are you the prophets he answered? No. So they said to him, who are you we need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? And he says I'm the voice of one crying out in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said and so John says, I'm the one who prepares the way for the Lord the Messiah Malachi says, this is the one who's coming in the spirit and power of Elijah who's a messenger to prepare the way of the Lord at the end of the Old Testament.

This emphasis on the ministry of the second Elijah fulfilled by John the Baptist is what inaugurating the coming of the Messiah. So it's no surprise in verse 29 of chapter one that when Jesus is coming toward John. What does he say Jason just preached on this Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is he of whom I said after me comes a man who ranks before me because he was before me.

This is incredible. He's saying this one is the Messiah. He is the greater priest. He's a greater sacrifice. He's not just a lamb who dies for sins and covers them once a year know. He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is what Malachi had been promising and prophesying all of the promises of God. The Father are yes, and amen in Jesus the Messiah. The Old Testament is God's promises that he's going to send a hero a messiah to come and in the New Testament. We see that that Messiah is Jesus, you know that right is last name isn't Christ Christ is the Greek word for messiah. So he is Jesus the Christ Jesus the Messiah Jesus the hear Jesus the promised one. That's who he is. All of God's promises are yes, and amen in Jesus and we've seen these promises permeating the Minor Prophets and I trust that in studying them these past three months by the spirit. You've seen a better and more clear view of the glory and grace that's in Jesus the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus. So what we know on this side of the Cross is that God keeps his promises and why is this so important to remember today? Because whatever you're facing whatever you going through. You might have a moment of Peace in this room. And I apologize by even bringing this up that it restores it to your mind. But whatever troubles your facing tomorrow when you wake up and go to work. God keeps his promises. He kept all his promises in Jesus for thousands of years and he has more promises for us beloved those of us who believed in Jesus. God causes all things to work together for good those of us who were in Jesus. God says hey if he didn't spare his own son for you. How will he not with Jesus freely give you everything else in life. God says you've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ. Jesus God promises. He will never leave you in abandon you he will never forsake you he poured out his spirit for this reason God promises to give you the peace that passes all understanding to guard your hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus so cast your cares upon Him God says he's sending Jesus back to make all things new and you're going to be a part of that if you're facing death. God says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Jesus said to live is Christ and to die is gain. The default to die in the Lord is simply to fall asleep. God promises that the fear of death is gone in Jesus The Sting of death is gone. So nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ. Jesus our lord remember that meditate on that reflect on that today's you go father. Thank you for your word. Thank you for this study through the Minor Prophets. You are faithful.

You have proven yourself Faithful over and over again. And you were the God who has loved us and how have you loved us? You sent your son? You gave us your best when we were at her worst. And you promise to bring us safely home to you. You have drawn near to us and say draw near to you and that's what we desire to do now cuz we take the table as we continue in singing We wanted to be a time of communion with you and fellowship with you by the spirit. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.