The Coming Day of the Lord

Matthew 24: 1-31 & Malachi 4: 1-6

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

I have a book in my library on this topic of the last days, whose theme is "the blessed hope". But what do we think of that particular hope today? What do you think? I suppose, there are three possible reactions.

First: There is the liberal reaction to completely discredit any pie in the sky mentality as overly primitive. When I was in Seminary I heard one explanation that completely canceled any hope at all for a second final coming. One person very carefully explained how the early church completely misunderstood the promise. Instead, of the vision glorious, he said that the second coming had been fulfilled with the giving of the Holy Spirit. He went on and to explain how the world would continue as it is until the sun would fail. And that was that! How tragic. How can people live and work with that idea? To live with no hope of a future end of the age.

Second: There is the reaction of the pious evangelical who desires an immediate end of the age so that they can now have the reward of heaven without any further trials and tribulations. This, we might say is an over preoccupation with the future state. There is a story told about George Whitefield that illustrates this: Among a group of ministers, Whitefield spoke of the burden of laboring in the ministry and of his great consolation that in a short time his work would be done and he be with Christ. Most of the ministers agreed with him, excepting one, William Tennent. Since, he was the oldest, George Whitefield expected him to be most agreeable to the idea. Yet, finally he was pressed to express his viewpoint.

And his viewpoint is the third that is possible: He said that he had no immediate wish for death, his business was to live as long as he could to serve his Lord and Master as faithfully as he could. Rev Tennent thought rightly that the opportunity of honoring Christ by fulfilling our present duties was a priceless privilege, and what is expected in the sense of Christ's words: "Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Yes, we must look forward to that coming, yet we must labor while is still day. Certainly, our labor is difficult and we do get discouraged just as the people in Malachi's day.

Let's turn again to the book of Malachi."You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?...'" Malachi 3: 14 There were those who were questioning whether it is worthwhile to serve God. Just as many worldly people today reject the same service. Malachi teaches that in the light of the last day, it is profoundly worthwhile. We will soon see that he brings out the fact that after all there are two types of people. The saved and the lost. And one of the differences between these two groups is their view of this blessed hope.

One fall I heard the medical consultant for Channel Six News speak. He gave quite an energetic speech which was mostly aimed at getting people to live for today only and never mind the future! I do not think that audience needs encouraged to live in that way. People would like to give up the drudgery of thinking about tomorrow and planning and working for the future.

Economically, there are certainly two types of people. There are those who spend and live for today. Then there are those who plan and save for tomorrow. Certainly we can see this difference economically but theologically, we must imitate the second group and look toward that great and glorious Day of the Lord. Malachi promises that we will indeed "see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

Let us begin our study of the last chapter of Malachi. Look carefully at verse one. The great vast majority of people will be caught in this situation. In the first three verses here, the central feature on the picture is the sun which brings different effects to different people. Here in the higher latitudes, we do not completely experience the effects that are on the prophet's mind. There in the Middle East, much nearer the equator, the sun can become incredibly hot. The summer in Palestine can be very dry.

Very like our drought in this area in 1988 The fields were parched for rain, the crops were tinder dry. All it would have taken would have been a spark to ignite the stubble. This is what some will experience when our Lord Jesus Christ indeed comes in glorious splendor. But as we read further we see that there will be a difference between people.

The image in verse two is the reaction of the righteous. One winter, we bought a calf to raise in January. It was cold and gloomy. We put him in a clean warm stall in the barn and fed him daily with a warm bottle. Eventually, he was weaned to solid food and hay. The stall by then was less clean. By late March, you could sense that he, like the sheep were wanting the winter to be done with. Finally, in April the weather warmed, the grass grew. And one day, we opened a door to his pen. He looked out, stepped up to the edge and took a sniff. He shook his head and poked his nose out the door. Within five minutes he made up his mind to experience the brightness of the coming of spring. When I looked out later, he was running around the pasture. The same day, we let the sheep out as well. The lambs were as happy as the calf. They were gamboling about the place. This is how Malachi envisions our reaction to the coming of the Great Day of the Lord.

Then, the doubts of the people he writes about in 3: 14 will be resolved. Then, in verse three, we are reminded that there are indeed two kinds of people. The saved and the lost. Certainly, there is the great worldly multitudes that will rue the day. Yet, unfortunately there are many within Christ's Church who will be dismayed as well. The awful truth is that when Christ returns, he will come not only to judge the world, but also to judge the professed Church. Just as there were two kinds of people within Malachi's Judah. There were those who gave God insincere worship with blemished cheap 'sacrifices'. And there were those who did their best honestly to revere God's name because they loved him.

If you read the words of Jesus in the Gospels, you will find that he gives many warnings about the Day of Judgment. Many will come to that day expecting to be welcomed into heaven but who in fact will be cast into hell. There is a story told about a lady who lived in Birmingham, England. One night she dreamed that the day of judgment had arrived. She saw the Judge, in awful majesty, commence the great assize. Around him, in a huge circle were drawn the human race. With a slow and solemn pace, he traversed the whole circle. To those he approved, he gave the token of his acceptance by graciously laying his hand upon their heads. Many he passed and gave them no sign. As he approached the dreamer her anxiety to know her fate became intense. As he came still nearer and was about to settle the matter, the agony of her mind awoke her. It was but a dream. But, the dream had its effect. She worried for the salvation of her soul. And soon became a devoted Christian.

If any of you have not settle the matter of your relationship with the Lord, we earnestly pray that you will meet with us and inquire into the settling of your heart's fondest desire: to be saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. For those who already have made that covenantal commitment Malachi here gives us a method of preparing for that Day.

"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel." Malachi 4: 4 Just as Malachi directed us to the Covenant of Moses at the beginning of his prophecy, so again we return to that. "Remember the law". Does that mean as many suppose that we are blandly to keep the requirements of the Law? I am certain that very many of you have sincerely practiced the ten commandments for many years. But, that will not do!

The Apostle Paul gives us the correct perspective of what purpose the law serves. "What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith." Galatians 3: 19-24

Salvation can never be earned by good living and law-keeping. Salvation was and is and always will be a matter of God's free mercy. It is a gift which God gives to all who trust in Christ. The purpose of the law is not that people might merit salvation by law-keeping, but to alert people to the fact that they are sinners. This must be the motive of Malachi. To direct the Jews of his day to the law, in order to prepare them for the last day.

Malachi gives them a second point of reference in verse five:"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes." He speaks of the prophet Elijah. Jesus later makes it clear that this verse points to the ministry of John the Baptist. John, you will remember, preached the law of God, he cried for justice, purity and sincerity with all his heart and urged people tirelessly to own up to their sins and failures without trying to shift the blame or pretend that they were better than they really were. In preparing people for Jesus, he also prepared them for Judgment Day. The sense of this statement is in the idea that our reaction to Jesus Christ determines our own end! What do you make of Jesus Christ?

So, we have seen that Malachi says: through the law and through Elijah the Lord seeks to prepare you for the last day. But, there is a last warning in this last verse of the Old Testament. "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." We look at the last phrase of that last verse and see that God would indeed wash his hands of the people of the Promise if they did not listen to one like Elijah! We know the results, four hundred years later, the Jews rejected the witness of John the Baptist, they rejected the Messiah and brought down upon themselves and their land the curse of God.

Yet, there is still one more lesson here in this last verse. God gave them a sign to look for if they took notice and began changing in the right direction. When Elijah came, if his ministry were accepted: "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers;"

If John the Baptist's ministry had had the desired effect, the hearts of the Jews of Jesus' time would have been changed. If they had accepted Christ, they would have loved one another. In the New Testament, this is a critical mark of the Christian. If you have love, you are prepared for the judgment day. In Galatians 5: 6 we read: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

We are saved by faith in Him, but what is the hallmark of true faith, which distinguishes it from false pretenses? True faith expresses itself not just by adherence to biblical doctrine, not just by an outwardly pure life, but by a life of heartfelt service and love, Notice in this verse how the Jews were to know that they were on the right track. There would be unity between parents and children. This is different from the worldly expectations of a generation gap. This expectation is so strong that it has become self-fulfilling in far too many cases.

We cannot leave Malachi behind without considering what we need to learn from this. Last week we closed with the scriptural implication to talk about the faith with each other. This week, let us add on to that, that you especially spend time talking with your children. There does not have to be a generation gap, we can be one in the Lord. Let us pray for the blessing of God in this area.

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