Wake up call
Malachi is inspired to prophesy about the coming of two messengers. John the Baptist is the one sent to prepare the way and Jesus Christ is the Covenant Messenger. In an ancient royal procession the messenger went before the King to announce his arrival, to indicate the route, and to remove any obstacles in the road. John the Baptist fulfilled this exact ministry for Jesus (Matt11:10). The same idea is indicated in Isa40:3-5. God's purpose for bringing this specific prophecy through Malachi in his day was probably because Israel complained that the Messianic promises of Haggai and Zechariah were not fulfilled. Here Malachi shows that the way for the Messiah must be prepared, and they aren't ready yet.At the end of Malachi 2, Israel complained that God seemed to reward the wicked and did not exercise His justice in the world. God responds to their complaint by saying, "I will set things right with My Messiah, and before Him will come My messenger."
And so The Lord promises that He Himself will come - not merely a new or better prophet, but the Lord Himself - the second Messenger- Jesus Christ coming to institute a new covenant as the fulfillment of the old covenant and as a judge with the purpose of purifying judgement. This will be a fearful coming. He will be a swift witness (who saw every sin) against sorcerers, which was a sin the Jews became familiar with sorcery and other magical arts during their captivity in Babylon. Jews of Christ's time practiced sorcery (Acts8:9; 13:6; Gal5:20). He is coming to judge against the practices of injustices which defraud labourers of their wages and oppression against orphans and widows which also deprive the foreigners justice by not fearing the Lord God Almighty. This injustice is a characteristic of the last Anti-Christian confederacy, about to be consumed by the brightness of Christ's second coming (Rev13:13, 2Thes2:9).
Dear friends, this is a warning and a wake up call even in today's time about the second coming of Christ. He will come to judge the world full of hate against our fellow brothers and sisters, a world full of political, social and economic injustices against the less privileged in the society as well as within our churches. The judgement shall be fair for everyone shall be judged according to his/her deeds.
God's ultimate purpose is to cleanse the society and to change the hearts of people. When Jesus returns in glory and rules on this earth, evil will be quickly punished.
| "Then I will approach you for judgement, and I will be a swift a witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, and against the oppressors of the hired worker with his wages, the widow and the orphan and the abusers of the alien, and yet do not fear me", says Yahweh of hosts. (Malachia3:5) |
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Zacchaeus Chilembo is a minister in the UPCSA Synod of Zambia, serving at Chipata Congregation. He is a husband to Angela M Chilembo and together they have three sons Emmanuel, Isaac and Zacchaeus Junior. Zacchaeus likes playing guitar during his free time.
