Malachi 4

Chapter Overview

What happens in Malachi 4

The final chapter of the Old Testament looks ahead to the great Day of the LORD. The wicked will be burned away like dry straw, but those who honor God's name will experience healing and joy. Malachi closes with a call to remember the Law of Moses and a promise that God will send the prophet Elijah before that great day comes.

Scripture

The Great Day of the LORD

Study note

God describes a coming day of judgment that will burn like a furnace. The proud and wicked will be completely destroyed, like dry straw in a fire. But for those who honor God, the 'Sun of Righteousness' will rise with healing. They will leap with joy like calves let out of their stall. This passage has been understood as pointing to the coming of the Messiah.

1 "The day is coming that will blaze like an oven. Every arrogant person and every evildoer will be dry straw, and that day will set them ablaze," says the LORD of Armies. "Nothing will be left of them — not a root, not a branch." For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 "But for those who honor my name, a Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing rays streaming from its wings. You will jump and skip with joy like calves let loose from their pen." But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3 "You will trample the wicked like ashes under your feet on the day I take action," says the LORD of Armies. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

Remember Moses, Expect Elijah

Study note

The Old Testament ends with two commands: remember and watch. God tells the people to remember the Law of Moses given at Mount Horeb. He then promises to send the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible Day of the LORD. Elijah will turn the hearts of parents and children toward each other. In the New Testament, Jesus identified John the Baptist as the fulfillment of this promise.

4 "Never forget the Law of my servant Moses. Remember all the rules and commands I gave him on Mount Horeb for the whole nation of Israel." Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 "Listen! Before the great and awesome Day of the LORD arrives, I will send you the prophet Elijah." Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

6 "He will mend broken family bonds — turning the hearts of parents back to their children and the hearts of children back to their parents. If that does not happen, I will come and strike the land with utter devastation." And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Key Themes

Themes in Malachi 4

The Day of the Lord as both judgment and healingThe sun of righteousness rising with healingRemember the Law of MosesElijah coming before the great day

Prophetic Connections

How this chapter points to Christ

Malachi 4:5-6 Matthew 11:14; Matthew 17:10-13; Luke 1:17

Jesus declared that John the Baptist came 'in the spirit and power of Elijah,' fulfilling Malachi's promise that God would send the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible Day of the Lord.

Apply This Today

Living Malachi 4

The Old Testament closes with both a warning and a promise. For those who reject God, judgment burns like a furnace. For those who honor His name, the Sun of Righteousness rises with healing in its wings. The final command to remember the Law of Moses and the promise of Elijah's return bridge the Old and New Testaments. The closing words about turning hearts of parents and children toward each other reveal that spiritual renewal always begins in relationships.

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