The Day of the Lord: Malachi 3:13-4:6 | Light Breaking Through the Darkness
Watch This Sermon: “The Day of the Lord”
Is it really worth it to follow God when the wicked seem to win? In this powerful and hope-filled conclusion to the book of Malachi, we see that God is not blind to injustice nor forgetful of faithfulness. He promises that the Day of the Lord is coming—a day when the arrogant will face judgment, and the faithful will leap like calves set free.
The same God who calls His people to remember and return also provides the mercy we so desperately need in Jesus Christ. This sermon unpacks the final words of the Old Testament, showing us how the story points forward to Christ, the true Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in His wings.
📖 Scripture: Malachi 3:13–4:6
🔍 Sermon Points:
📌 God Sees the Heart and Remembers the Faithful
📌 The Day of the Lord Will Reveal the Truth
📌 God’s Call to Return is Urgent and Hopeful
📢 Want to reflect more on this message? Read the devotions for this sermon: 5 Devotions on Repentance, Renewal, and Righteousness
📖 Click to Show the Transcript of this Sermon
You can almost hear it before you see it. The weather turns a bit. Maybe it's just the first sunny afternoon that sneaks past 50 degrees or so, and suddenly, the world around us wakes up, right?
Children pour out of the school buildings and they are on a mission to get home and get back outside. And soon you hear laughter and you hear shouting. The sound of basketballs bouncing and of bikes skidding to a stop make their first appearance since the previous fall.
And it isn't just the kids who make their way outside on a day like this. Adults will emerge to stretch their legs and the legs of their dogs, And the more ambitious of us may even partake in a little yard work. And you're guaranteed to see one extremely ambitious person jogging in shorts and a t shirt, even if the breeze still has a little bit of a bite to it.
A week before, we were wearing heavy coats. Today, we're pretending it's summer. Why is that? Well, it's because after months of cold, something in us longs to be free. We've been in confinement for far too long and we're just flat out tired of being cooped up. Just the hint of warmth, that tiny promise of spring, it gets us out. It gets us moving in excitement.
And this is similar to the image that Malachi uses as he speaks to those who fear the Lord. He says, you shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Now you don't have to be involved in agriculture and raising cattle to understand that picture. Just think about the image that I painted for you about the first day of spring. We're like that as well. Going out with joy, with movement, celebrating freedom.
And what was spoken of by Malachi is a promise that's given to God's people. Not just freedom from weather or confinement in a stall like the calves, but a freedom from the weight of a world that mocks holiness, a world that doubts God's justice, and a world that tempts us to believe that there's no reward in righteousness.
But here, as Malachi close-up, he reminds us that there is a day coming. And on that day, God will make the distinction clear. His people will rejoice, not because of wishful thinking, but because the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.
And so as preparation for digging into our passage today, Here really quickly are the three points we're going to be considering. In the first section of the passage, we're going to see that God sees the heart and he remembers the faithful. And then as we move on to the next part of the text, we'll see that the day of the Lord is going to reveal truth. And then as we close-up the book of Malachi, our final point will be that the call to return to the Lord is one that is both urgent and hopeful.
So as we come to what we read this morning, it's important that I remind us very quickly of what we saw last week. We learned in the passage we looked at last week, that in addition to the adultery, the idolatry, and the sacrificing of blind and lame animals, the people of God in Malachi's time were not giving their ties as well. Those offerings that were commanded by the law of God. And what we drew out of that passage was that this was an issue of the heart.
The people were not far from God because they didn't tithe or give proper sacrifices. They were far from God, and then their sin was a result of the distance that they had between God. They were far from God because their hearts were directed towards the things of this world instead of being directed towards their covenant keeping God.
That was their and then here in verse 13, we're going to see another complaint against the Lord. These people have had harsh words against him. And then we see that formula that we've become very familiar with here in Malachi as we've gone through this short We get a question in response to the accusation that God is making. Oblivious. They've turned away from God, and they don't see it. That are hard against him and yet they they wonder how they've spoken against him.
Well, the answer that they're given shows us that they feel as though it doesn't do them any good to serve God. And this goes back to an idea that's come up before in Malachi for us, that the evil seem to be blessed by God. And they aren't doing what he commands them to do. So why, as the people of God, should we obey God if there's no benefit to following Him? When the people outside the covenant do whatever they want, when they do these sinful things, and they're blessed by God, and it sure seems as though they are going to escape the judgment of God.
We've been in Malachi, we understand this because we observe it in our lives as well. Personal lives where we wonder how someone who disregards the things of God is allowed to be so prosperous. Greater world. We see this in the world at large. So many who reject God and His commands seem to have the world at their fingertips. What is being said here in Malachi is unbelievably relatable.
But as we move on to the next few verses, we see that God does in fact remember the faithful. We don't see it with our eyes, and we don't understand what's happening, but it's made clear to us here that God does know, that he is aware. And it shows us here in this next verse, as we move on to verse 16, that there are those in Malachi's time who fear the Lord.
Because we see here that they speak with one another and that God pays attention and hears them. When the words of God came and exposed their sin, they took those words to heart. These people being spoken of here, they desire to be faithful instead of turning to further sin and rebellion.
And there's something that's really beautiful in these words here. Those who feared the Lord, those who heard God and listened are now being heard by God as well. I think it's important to understand that this doesn't mean here that these people were perfect when the people around them were participating in the sinfulness that we've seen described in the book of Malachi.
Who these people are is they are the ones who hear God's complaints, hear these calls to repentance, and they respond. They turn to him in faith, and God sees them turning to him. And instead of the harsh words that have been spoken against God, what we now have is those who fear the Lord.
And we don't know how big this group of people is, but we do know that they honor the name of the Lord. And we read that a book of remembrance is written about them. What's with this book? What's with a book of remembrance? Well, in that time, the Persian kings were very deliberate to keep very precise records about those who did good things for them, so that they could reward them.
This was important. They kept track of it. Taking notice of those who have turned to him in repentance. And the idea is that he is paying attention. And like the Persian kings who keep a record, He is keeping a record, and He will reward those who have returned to Him.
And verse 17 here expresses this to us by saying that those in this book will be a treasured possession, that they will be spared like a son who is a faithful servant. And then verse 18 transitions quickly to tell us what this remnant is going to be spared from.
There has been complaining that God blesses the wicked and forgets the righteous. And like I said, we can relate to that. But verse 18 makes it clear that there will be a distinction between the wicked and the righteous.
We've seen that there's a remnant and that God does remain faithful, but the text doesn't stop with just those bare facts that God is watching. Instead, what happens is Malachi, he turns our attention to very clear words of judgment. While what they see with their eyes in the present seems upside down from the way things should be. A day is coming when everything will be made right.
And we see this as we transition to chapter four of Malachi, and we see our second point, that the day of the Lord will reveal the truth. Now as I mentioned before, we understand the complaints about the wicked prospering. Our eyes see wealth, and our assumption is that that means blessing, or that worldly influence means significance, or that earthly power is true security.
But we're reading about something here that throws all that out the window. When the day of the Lord comes, the truth is revealed, and those things that seem like everything to us by worldly standards are brought to nothing. So we find that this day is coming.
And the imagery and not the imagery here is not clean and neat, is it? The wrath will be burning like an oven, and the arrogant and evildoers will be stubble. These words make it clear that wickedness does not go unpunished. Those who have ignored the law of God and refer used to return to God in repentance will be like stubble in this oven of wrath.
The image is very clear here. They are set ablaze, and neither root nor branch remains. It is complete desolation. Wealth does not save. Prosperity is worthless. Power and security are gone. There's nothing left.
But we see that for the faithful, the story is a different one. They have been seeing the darkness of the world around them, but now the sun of righteousness is rising for those who fear the name of the Lord. And there is healing in its wings from the desolation described here.
This oven of wrath, the stubble, the inescapable judgment. There's now the sun of righteousness rising. And from this, we find that there's joy. This is where we see those words, They shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Or to go back from my back to my opening illustration, like people who've been cooped up all winter on a 55 degree day in March.
The faithful have had a long season of despair, but the day of the Lord brings them happiness. The message here is that the people of God will know when he acts, and they will find joy in the righteousness, and they will know that faithfulness to their covenant Lord was not in vain.
This isn't a happiness and joy that others are being judged. It's a happiness of the righteousness of God being displayed. And what's interesting in these verses that we're looking at here are the contrasting images.
Notice how this is structured in these three verses. Oven, stubble, and being set ablaze. In other words, complete desolation. That's the image. Then the brightness of the sun of righteousness and joyful exuberance by the people of God, but then it's followed with more imagery as we see that the righteous tread down the wicked.
But notice what the treading is. This isn't that the righteous are treading on the people to judge them. They're not the ones judging the wicked themselves here. The judgment is already done by God here. The ashes are under their feet.
And so this is a picture of God's judgment on the wicked and the finality of it. This is what the people of Malachi's day doubted would happen. They didn't think God would act. They thought it was pointless to be faithful to God, but here they are clearly told that the day of wrath is coming.
Wickedness is not going to always prevail. There will be justice. It just isn't here yet. And as I try to remind us regularly, the books of scripture are recorded for us for a reason. These are not just ancient records to give us information.
The books that we have for scripture are meant to do something in us. They're speaking to us as well. It's meant to do something in the people of God in every generation, not just the generation to which the books are addressed.
So what do you and I do with these words here? That there's a day coming where there'll be burning wrath like an oven and the righteous will tread down the wicked because the ashes are under their feet. What do we do with this clear message? That message that we have here that that God sees and remembers the faithful even when evil and wickedness seem to be prospering.
What we need to remember here is the truth that God also promises to act. The day of the Lord is coming. A day not just of judgment, but also a day of joy when the truth is revealed, and righteousness shines like the sun.
And so our application of this comes for us in our final point and through the closing of the book of Malachi, those last six verses. We see here that the message from God isn't just a warning. It's a call to return to Him in repentance and faith while there's still time.
And we see this in verses four through six of chapter four, and our third point, that God's call to return to him is both urgent and hopeful. So the people are called here to remember the law of my servant Moses. They're not called to something new or something they're not familiar with. It's something they know.
They're called back to the covenant that God made with them. The issue is not that they are acting in ignorance. The people here aren't being asked to do something they don't know. They haven't been behaving sinfully, because they don't know the law of God. That's not what's going on.
The issue is rebellion against the clear words of God. It is not difficult for them to figure out the path that they're called to walk on. They have known God's law their whole whole lives. We read that it goes back to the statues and rules that were commanded at Horeb for all of Israel.
It's very clear they know the law, But they had turned from these things because their hearts were far from God. And if they're going to return their hearts to Him, they will desire to keep His commands, not only because they are the statues they have been given, but because the law reflects the nature of God, and they love God, and they want to do what He says.
They want to walk in holiness before Him. Instead of ignoring God, they want to live before His face in obedience. Instead of despising the covenant, they wanna love the graciousness of the one who has revealed Himself to them.
And what we see here is that He doesn't just call the people to remember. He also promises something to them. He promises to send a messenger. Now, when we came to these words as we were reading it, you may have had something trigger in you that, I know this. I'm familiar with these words.
You likely know this phrase, but not from here in malachi, but from the words speaking of the fulfillment of these words in the Gospels, where John the Baptist is referred to as the Elijah who was being spoken of here in verse five. John the Baptist, in preparing the way for Jesus, called people to repentance, and he called Israel to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.
And that's what Malachi is pointing to here. He is pointing to the one preparing for Jesus, And therefore, he is ultimately pointing to the promise of the Messiah himself. And so the people here in Malachi are called to return to the law of God.
But what does the law do? The law exposes sin. It doesn't fix the heart. The law doesn't repair the separation that exists between us and a holy God. Of the people of God, that they would hear the call to return to God and to follow the law, and they would be brought back into the land, but then they would turn away again in rebellion and idolatry.
They had the law, but they needed something more. The law itself was not going to bring the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. What the people need, what we need is a savior.
Because if we're left to our own devices, judgment is the outcome. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit and the salvation that we have in Christ, we would all be stubble burned in the oven of wrath. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
But the good news of the gospel is that in Christ, we are not left in darkness. The sun of righteousness has come and has brought salvation to light. And he did this by being the one who suffered the wrath that we deserve.
His bearing the punishment for our sins is the salvation that sets us free and saves us from God's wrath. That is the hope that we have here at the end of Malachi. The promise of the one who is coming to save us.
The hope is not just that the day of judgment is coming, but that we know the one who saves us from that judgment has come, and it is the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the application for you and I from this passage, and really from the whole book of Malachi, is to return to God in repentance and faith.
Like the people talked about in Malachi, we are prone to wander. But as we hear this book, we should not only hear it as a harsh rebuke, we should know that for us, as the people of God in Christ Jesus, this book is also a warm and gracious invitation.
As we hear God speak through the words of the prophet Malachi, we know that he is not just pointing out what's gone wrong. He is calling us to return, to come home. This is not a call to do so in shame, but in response to his love for us.
This book, Malachi, is more than just a statement of impending judgment. It shows us God's mercy. It shows us that He desires His people to return to Him in faith, trusting in the grace that we've been shown in Jesus.
And so the call is to return. To return from indifference and doubt. To return from the distractions that we chase after in our hyper busy lives. We return knowing that we don't need to clean ourselves up to be welcomed by Him.
Christ has made the way, and when you are in Him, when you have been united to Christ by faith, you are forgiven. You are clean. You are righteous. Because at the cross, he took my sin and he took your sin and the light of the sun of righteousness has fallen upon us.
The light has broken through. The long winter is over. It's that first warm spring day. The one that makes us open the windows, step outside, and breathe deep the air of freedom.
Breathe in the warm love that the Father has for you in Christ. And walk in freedom in the light of Christ's mercy. Return to Him. Run to Your loving Father. Because in Christ, mercy is waiting, and His forgiveness is full and absolute. Amen.
Let us pray. Gracious and merciful God, we praise you for the gift of your word, that through it you speak to us and you let us know of your mercy and your grace. And we know that this is all because of the One who has come to save us, that in the Lord Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness has fallen upon us.
And we pray that we would walk in that newness of light, that we would move in that light and in that freedom, sharing Your gospel and celebrating the truth that we have, the truth that we have a message to share to a lost, dying, and dark world.
May our lives reflect the sun of righteousness, and may that light go wherever we go that the light of Christ might touch those we come into contact with each day. It's in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
🌅 From Judgment to Joy
Malachi’s closing words call us back to faith, and we’re invited to respond in worship and community. Don’t stop here—walk through the Return to Me series from the beginning and rediscover God’s loving call to return to him in repentance and faith.
👉 Click here for the entire Return to Me series.
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