Although there were those
within the nation of Israel who were following ways which were
against “the LORD of hosts”, Malachi the prophet recorded
God's words toward those who “feared the Lord”. These
faithful few were to be especially blessed by having a “book of
remembrance” written for them, being claimed as His own, and
given the ability to discern righteousness and wickedness in those
who lived around them. The proud and wicked were to be “burned”
thoroughly as “chaff”, and nothing was to be left of them, but in
chapter four and verse two of Malachi, we learn more concerning those
who “fear” or “reverence”
God's name as the “Sun of righteousness” arises. We read:
But unto you that fear
my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his
wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
The
verse begins, “But unto you that fear my name shall the
Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;” As
a contrast to those who will be “burned”
and consumed by the coming of the Lord, the word “But”
is employed to disassociate the wicked from those who “fear
my name”. These righteous and
faithful few will enjoy “the Sun of righteousness”
which is “shemesh
tsĕdaqah” in
Hebrew and is a reference to Jesus Christ the Messiah. “The
Sun of righteousness”
shall “arise”
or “come forth, break out, rise up, shine” “with
healing in his wings”
which means “a cure comes quickly”. When the “Sun
of righteousness” appears
in His second coming, He will swiftly bring healing (as though riding
on the rays of the Sun) and a cure to the conditions within which
those who “fear the Lord”
live.
The
verse continues, “and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves
of the stall.” When the “Sun
of righteousness” heals or cures the conditions brought
on by the wicked, those who “fear the Lord” shall “go
forth, and grow up” or “come out, and spring or leap”, and
they shall be “as calves of the stall” which is a
reference to the fattening up of the calves and the leaping they do
when let loose in a field. In other words, when the “Sun of
righteousness” appears and brings healing to the conditions
around them, those who “fear the Lord” will be able to
freely “go forth” in their business and will leap for joy
as they are freed from their wicked conditions.
As we
ponder the benefits of those who “fear the Lord”
contrasted with the judgment for those who practice wickedness and
unrighteousness, we might wonder why anyone would want to be on the
wicked's side. “The Sun of righteousness” or Jesus Christ
will come to the earth again, and in the book of Revelation we are
told He will rule the world with a “rod of iron”.
And out of his mouth
goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he
shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the
wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Revelation
19:15
Those
who were the “God fearing faithful” in the days of Malachi were
looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, and we who live today
know that Jesus Christ came, died for our sins, arose from the grave,
returned to Heaven, and will come again. And when He comes, He will
heal the nations, cure the wickedness, and bring freedom and joy to
those who “fear His name”.
May we find ourselves within the “faithful remnant” who “fear
the Lord” and look forward to
His coming again. “Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus”.
Next
time we shall see more of the benefits of being those who fear the
Lord's name,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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