Sharper Iron — Advent with the Prophets: Law and Gospel in the Day of the LORD

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Rev. Chris Hull, pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Malachi 4:1-6.

Malachi closes the Old Testament with words of Law and Gospel. For all evildoers, the day of the LORD will come as a fire that burns everything in its path. In their arrogance, they have no fear of the LORD. Yet, for those who fear the LORD through faith in Christ, that same Day will bring the Sun of righteousness whose warmth brings healing. For Christians, then, that Day is full of joy as the LORD wins the victory over their greatest enemies and delivers it to them by His action. To prepare, Malachi calls the people to return to the LORD’s Word spoken through His servant Moses. He also proclaims the LORD’s promise to send a new Elijah to bring the people back to repentance in preparation for the Day of the LORD. In this, Malachi speaks of John the Baptist whose preaching called all to repentance and pointed them to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

“Advent with the Prophets” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Old Testament readings appointed for the season of Advent. This holy season of repentance focuses our attention on Christ’s coming. As we spend time hearing the words of the prophets, the saints who waited patiently in the years before Christ’s coming in the flesh at Christmas, we too are prepared to receive Christ now in His Word and Sacrament, even as we wait for Him to come again in glory.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Malachi 4:1-6

The Great Day of the Lord

4 [a] “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 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.

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules[b] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”[c]

Footnotes

Malachi 4:1 Ch 4:1–6 is ch 3:19–24 in Hebrew

Malachi 4:4 Or and just decrees

Malachi 4:6 The Hebrew term rendered decree of utter destruction refers to things devoted (or set apart) to the Lord (or by the Lord) for destruction

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.