Each month, we’re going to reflect on what we’ve been reading in the Know His Word reading plan. We’ll call this Reading His Word. You’ll hear excerpts from Bible studies and reflections from our team and others reading alongside us. This month we’re sharing some reflections adapted from Malachi, a Bible study by Lisa Harper. Enjoy!
The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord. … “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession. … For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. … 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. 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. … Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 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.” Malachi 3:16b–4:6
Like the shimmering planes of a perfect diamond, our Creator Redeemer’s summation speech at the end of Malachi displays four facets.
- Faithful, postexilic Israelites will launch a revival (3:16a).
- God will remember those who remain faithful (3:16b-18).
- The Day of the Lord will serve to both punish the wicked and reward the righteous (4:1-6a).
- If God’s people don’t keep their covenant with God, their land will be destroyed (4:6b).
In my opinion the third facet gleams the brightest because of this one verse: “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” (Mal. 4:2).
The first part of this shimmering Scriptural sliver reminds me of a story my friend Laura told me recently. She attended a Christian convention with her husband—who’s an author—and described how she wandered aimlessly through the convention center while he was in a publishing meeting. She said she’d begun to feel a little jaded by the commercialism—the booths advertising inspirational self-help books and T-shirts with God slogans—when she caught a glimpse of a man in a flowing white robe and long brown hair a few aisles over. She said at first she was confused by his ancient apparel but then was absolutely compelled forward by the compassionate expression he was wearing. Before she could help herself, she began trotting toward the stranger with her arms outstretched, exclaiming, “Jesus!”
Of course, Laura’s bubble was quickly burst when he introduced himself as the actor who simply played the part of Jesus in a recent video Bible project. However, I think her enthusiastic response to a divine doppelganger is a sweet reminder that we are going to meet Jesus face-to-face one day! We won’t have to trot a few aisles over to reach Him either. Instead the Good Shepherd will stride toward us with His everlasting arms outstretched. Then He’ll bend down and scoop each one of us into His embrace. And every bruise we’ve experienced, literally or figuratively, will disappear. The fissures in our broken hearts will close up. The doubt and disappointment in our minds will fade into perfect peace. In that moment, when the real Messiah lavishes us with the perfect affection we’ve been aching for our whole lives, we will be absolutely and completely healed.
I can’t wait to be held by Him!
The second half of Malachi’s messianic prophecy here in 4:2 really tickles my evangelical funny bone! Granted I’m partial to this phrase because as a motorcycle riding, dancing believer, the boogying cow part resonates with my inner rebel. But even more so I love the imagery of pirouetting livestock because of the joyful freedom it depicts. Which reminds me of another joyful freedom parade I got to participate in a few years ago.
My friend Judy had coerced me into joining her for a 10k road race in downtown Denver. Mind you it took a lot of coercing because I have the runner’s equivalent of Attention Deficit Disorder—I find any distance over 3 or 4 miles to be about as pleasant as sticking my hand in a blender! But I love hanging out with Judy, I love the mountains, and this particular race had cute T-shirts, so against my better judgment I agreed to compete.
Of course, I had second thoughts on the morning of the race because it had started snowing—the heavy, wet spring kind—and I’d forgotten to bring a jacket or a fleece. I stood there shivering at the starting line, my forehead creased with worry lines. What if I come in dead last? What if I get hypothermia? What if those really chubby old ladies over there beat me? Then suddenly Bang! The starter’s pistol rang out and we were off.
For a mile or so I was right up there with the leaders, racing along at breakneck speed, enjoying the roar of the spectators as we flew past. But then the course veered uphill and the cheers of fans faded away. Soon all I could hear was my own ragged breathing. Before the race was even half over, I was scanning for potholes, hoping to twist my ankle so I could hobble off the course with some stolen dignity.
Then suddenly there was a commotion to my right and when I turned to see what it was, I was shocked to discover a giant bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich jogging next to me—not exactly pirouetting livestock but still comically rare! This meal-on-wheels was comprised of three young men, bungee-corded together and wearing huge foam cutouts that had been spray painted to resemble a BLT. The first guy was dressed like a 7-foot-tall piece of Wonder Bread, trailing a very lifelike piece of lettuce-tarp. The second guy was barely visible, with only his face poking through enormous strips of rubber “bacon,” which were affixed to a tomato wedge of horror movie proportions. Merrily bringing up the rear was another grinning slice of Wonder Bread, slathered in painted-on mustard. It was the most creative costume I’ve ever seen at a sporting event, and it was passing me!
However their winks of camaraderie and shouts of encouragement provided just the spark I needed to rise to the occasion and pick up the pace, and pretty soon we were sprinting neck and bread in about 109th and 110th place respectively. I crossed the finish line mere seconds ahead of the snack (I think their wind resistance gave me a slight advantage) and sprawled to the ground in a heap laughing. It had been one great, big, cold, fast, slow, uphill, downhill, hilarious, liberating, glorious adventure!
Which is pretty much God’s concluding promise in Malachi. A life devoted to Him will sometimes be cold, sometimes be uphill, and sometimes be not at all what we came prepared for. But with His help we’ll rise to the occasion and experience the most glorious adventure possible this side of Heaven!
Want to read more from Lisa Harper on Malachi? Check out the full Bible study here!
