Malachi 4:1-6 "See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all..."

See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:1-6).

Comment:

Although this passage is often assumed to be describing an apocalyptic time of final judgment and the end of our human experience, that's not really what it says. It is really a positive statement that, although our challenges will be severe, "righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings." And the triumph of good will happen, not in a distant heaven, but here on earth. It will be the new consciousness that Jesus Christ will later describe as “the kingdom of heaven.” And our human experience will not end; it will be transformed. Jesus points out that the required shift in consciousness will split families and turn parents against children (cf. Matthew 24). The promise of this passage is that beyond that time of upheaval and discord lies a great healing that will restore us to an energy of love and allow our spiritual path and purpose to continue to unfold.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed