4:1 On the day of the Lord, see note on Isa. 13:6.

4:6 John the Baptist prepares hearts for the coming of the Lord in the person of Christ (Luke 1:17).

The End Times: The Day of the Lord

Malachi 4:1–6

For more on the day of the Lord see:

Joel 2:1–17

Joel 2:28–32

Amos 1:1–2:16

Obad. 10–21

Zeph. 1:2–6

2 Pet. 3:1–13

The coming day of the Lord will produce two different results. One is likened to the heat of “an oven” in which all evildoers are “set … ablaze” and nothing of them remains (v. 1). The other result is likened to the heat of the “sun of righteousness” in which the Lord’s people will leap for joy and “tread down the wicked” (vv. 2–3). Both judgment and mercy are works of God, and he himself pours them forth on the last day.

God shares two instances of mercy prior to that “great and awesome day” (v. 5). First, he commands, “Remember the law of my servant Moses” (v. 4), which points faithful Israelites back to the Word of the Lord, for the words he gave generations ago are still true for Israel in Malachi’s day. In that law the people will know their God and be able to follow him as the last day approaches.

Second, he promises, “I will send you Elijah the prophet” (v. 5). Will Elijah the prophet return? In fact, someone like Elijah will come, in the person of John the Baptist (cf. Matt. 11:10–14), who “will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers,” thwarting the execution of a “decree of utter destruction” (Mal. 4:6). God will bring about conversion leading to salvation by changing people’s hearts, and as a result he will relent of judgment.

Who will come on the heels of the one like Elijah? The answer is God. If John the Baptist is the one like Elijah, then Jesus is the God of Israel, Yahweh, who has come and will come again. He turns hearts permanently toward God and brings the lasting salvation that will enliven his people to dance under the “sun of righteousness” on the day of the Lord.

Theology for Life—We are already living in the last days. The work of Jesus Christ rescues us from destruction and the oven of God’s wrath. Christ came and will return; if you do not know him, remember the Word of God and turn your heart to Jesus.