Malachi chapter four. Our text this evening verses one through three are concerning the day of the coming day of the Lord, and as we'll see the furnace of the Lord as he uses this metaphor here in chapter four for God's judgment upon the wicked. A metaphor that is actually quite common throughout scripture. So if you would Malachi chapter four and verse one, for behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble. And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings. And you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. You shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Yesterday or last week, we looked at the book of remembrance. The book of remembrance is like that the book of life, the lamb's book of life in the New Testament.

The Lord will remember. Who does he remember? He remembers those for blessing and for good that fear him. Look if you would in verse 16 of chapter three, then they that what? Feared the Lord spoke to one another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought or revered his name.

The Lord has been carrying on a debate with the children of Israel in the book of Malachi. They would make accusations against him. He would clearly demonstrate that their accusations were completely without merit. And the issue was not God, the issue was them. They accused the Lord of not blessing them though they made sacrifices and though they were had a repentant heart and though they followed the commandments, but in reality, they were giving God their leftovers and not their best.

In reality, they weren't keeping the commandments not really at all. The problem was not with God, the problem was with them. And that is often the case in the world today. Oftentimes among religious people, not people necessarily that are saved and born again, but people that are religious. They know a little bit of scripture, they go to church from time to time.

But when bad things come, who gets blamed? God does. But who's to blame? Sin is. Satan is.

And we are. We are the problem. Jesus is the what? He's the solution. He is the way of escape.

And through faith in him, our names can be written in the what? In the lamb's book of life. For whosoever's name was not found written in the book of life was cast in the fire. Meaning that those names who are written in the book of life, those who have eternal life in Christ have a different destiny, eternal one in heaven with Christ. So now, again, God turns to the hypocrites.

God turns to the Jews who thought they were supposed to be blessed in every way simply because they were Jews. A problem that Jesus is gonna face when he comes about four hundred years later from the day of this writing. And again, God speaks in judgment upon the wicked, whether it be the religious hypocrites or whether it be the pagans around them who worship idols and have no thought for God, the problem is the heart. And here again, God does not speak words of comfort to the wicked, but to those that what? To those that fear him, to those who trust in him and love him and come to him in humility and in faith genuinely from their heart.

So let's look at the furnace of the Lord here in verse one again as God speaks to the wicked. For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven. And all the proud, that is the self righteous, the proud in themselves, those who follow the admonition of Satan and not God. Yea, and all that do wickedly, all that have no regard for the commandments of the Lord, who do not esteem him as their creator and as their Lord shall be stubble. And all that day cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts and it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

In other words, sometimes when you when a forest burns and trees are burnt, they aren't burnt completely. Part of the tree survives. The root often what? Survives. But God says here of the wicked, when the day of destruction comes, when that day comes, return of Christ, God's not gonna leave even the root.

His fire will consume it all and there will be nothing left. The vivid picture of fire and burning is used frequently throughout scripture to illustrate the Lord's complete victory and judgment of the wicked and ultimate purification. The chaff and stubble that are mentioned here, chaff and stubble are regularly used to represent the wicked who will be punished quickly with no resistance before the judgment of the Lord. When I was a youth pastor in Georgia, across the street from us, there was a field they rotated the crops. But sometimes they planted wheat in the field and when after they harvested the wheat, they would burn the field.

And it was very interesting to watch if you've ever watched a controlled burn, particularly of a dry wheat field after it had been harvested. So they harvested the wheat and they left the stubble, which was about that tall. So after the machines went through, it left this about this much all throughout the field and then there was more on the edges. And first they would take a plow and they would plow up all the way around a track around the field, 10 or so feet, ten, twenty feet wide. And then after they plowed that track around the field, they would drive a tractor or truck around the inside edge of that of that track that they had dug up.

And behind the tractor, the truck, they would drag this pole and on the end of the pole was something that would leak oil out behind the truck and it was also lit on fire. So as the truck went around, the oil would drip off of come off of that that rod that was on fire and would immediately catch fire on the stubble, the wheat that was left behind. And they go all around the field and they would start the field burning. And it started kind of, you know, not that big of a deal, you just had this little flame all the way around the edge. A few minutes later, once that fire got going, the because it was in a circle, the way the oxygen when it heats, oxygen does what?

Rises. And it would pull that fire in and that little fire that started out like this in a matter of minutes would be a wall of fire twenty and thirty feet high and it would come together and that field would be gone. And it left little to nothing that wasn't burnt to ash. That's the picture that the Lord is leaving here. There will come a day when the Lord will bring final judgment upon the wicked of this world and he will have complete victory and there will be nothing of the wickedness that Satan planted in the field of this world left.

He uses fire and stubble in our illustration. Fire, actually quite a bit. Obadiah one eighteen, the house of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devour them and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for the Lord has spoken it. In this illustration in Obadiah one, the fire that lights the field on fire is Israel and the field that burns up to nothing is the nation of Edom who are the descendants of Esau as God pronounces judgment on the house of Edom as it is burned up. Joshua seven twenty five, Joshua said, why hast thou troubled us and the Lord shall trouble thee this day and all Israel stone him with stones and burnt them with fire after they had stoned them the stones.

It wasn't enough that they stoned Achan to death because at the city of Jericho, he disobeyed the Lord and took some of the things of Jericho that were forbidden and hid them under his tent. No. After they stoned him, they then what? They then burnt it. What is the the lesson there?

God is the Lord, he is in charge and it is not wise to test him or to go against him. For he is a consuming what? Consuming fire. And you won't stand before him. Matthew Joshua six twenty four, and they burnt the city with fire and all that was therein, only the silver and gold and the vessels of brass and iron they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.

That is the city of Jericho. In Matthew chapter three, John the Baptist said to those who were questioning him as to who he was, he said there was one who was coming after him whose shoes he was not worthy to lace or to tie and he and while John baptized them with water, Jesus would baptize them with what? Fire and the Holy Ghost. You want to be the Holy Ghost part, not the other. In Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable of the wheat and the what?

The wheat and the tares. In Matthew chapter 13, the field is the world, the wheat are the children of the Lord, the tares are the children of the devil that were planted. When the servants realized that there were tears, there were weeds coming up in the field, they asked the master should we go and tear them out? He said, no, wait until the day of the what? Until the day of the harvest.

Then I'll send my angels and they will separate the wheat from the tares and the wheat shall be stored in my barn and the tares shall be what? The tares shall be burnt up. The enemy that sowed them, this is verse 39, Matthew 13, the enemy that sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the world, the reapers the angels and therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. Revelation chapter 20, and death and hell were cast into the lake of what? A lake of fire.

Speaking of the judgment of the Lord, the eternal judgment of the Lord upon the wicked, upon those who chose not to fear Him nor trust in Him whose names were not therefore written in the what? In the book of life. Second Peter chapter three, we read a couple weeks ago, it speaks of the day when this world will be burnt up and God will make a new heaven and a new earth. A new heaven, new earth where the righteous, those that feareth him shall live forever. That day that day is coming for the wicked, for the unrighteous, for those who have not taken up God on his offer of grace and mercy, it will not be a day of rejoicing.

It will not be for some who Malachi wrote when he wrote this book, who chose to play games with God rather than to trust in Him. Jesus will come, His day is coming. Behold, the day cometh, He wrote. Here in verse one, that shall burn as an oven. God's judgment, God's coming, Christ's return is sure.

And if we choose to continue to argue with God and not humbly surrender in faith, then we will face the judgment of God rather than the reward. God is trying to get the attention of those in Israel, in Judah, who are playing games with him, who are making arguments, who are accusing God rather than trusting in him and repenting before him. But praise the Lord, there is a way of escape, a way that we we do not deserve, we we haven't earned. But there's a way of escape in Jesus Christ. For the day that he comes in judgment upon the wicked will be the day that he comes in triumph with the saints.

And so we see that in verse two. But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise. It's a picture here. In verse one, we have the picture of the burning of the field, of the wickedness of this world. In verse two, we have the metaphor of the coming of the dawn.

The coming of the dawn, of the new day. After the darkness of night has passed, what rises? The sun rises to bring another day. Another day of blessing, another day of opportunity, another day of life, blessing. That is what is in store for us who know him and for those who fear him.

The sun will rise not in judgment, but the sun will rise to bless, to heal, to give life. But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings. You shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. You shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Some days in this life, sometimes of life, they get a little bit dark.

We live in a dark world, darkened by sin and sorrow and at times pain and loss, but the sun will rise. Israel had been through a terrible time of what? Of darkness. Their beautiful city of Jerusalem was destroyed, but God made a promise to those who feared him that one day the sun would rise again. The dawn would come and seventy years later, the decree was given by Cyrus for Israel to return and they rebuilt their city and they rebuilt their walls and they rebuilt their temple and the sun rose again in Israel and brought rejoicing.

The darkness has swept back over the nation of Israel for after Jesus came as a nation, they rejected their Messiah and darkness has covered many of their hearts and of their land. But the sun will, what? The sun will rise again on God's people. Whether it be the children of Israel who turned to him in the day of his coming or those of us who are the redeemed of the church age who will go to be with him when he comes to take us home. The sun of righteousness will rise again.

No matter how difficult the day or how dark the times, Jesus is coming again and he is coming to heal. He is coming to give life. He is coming to bring freedom. He is coming to reward those not that have earned his grace, but that have accepted it in his son Jesus Christ. For the son of righteousness is Jesus.

He is the giver of life. He is the light of the what? He is the light of the world. Then Jesus spake then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.

It is Christ who brings hope, life, warmth, provision and healing to those who trust in him. Direction. He is the way, the truth, the life, eternal life. He is the son who is righteous and who shares his righteousness with us like the sun shares its warmth and its life giving light with us also. In Isaiah chapter 60, I don't have this I don't have this here.

Isaiah chapter 60 and verse one, Isaiah prophesies arise, shine for thy light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall rise upon thee and his glory shall be upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and the kings to the brightness of thy rising. Isaiah has been prophesying God's judgment upon Israel. But Isaiah 60 he says, don't lose hope.

God isn't done with Israel yet. His light will shine once again. The next chapter, Isaiah 61, Christ quoted in the Old Testament in the synagogue in Nazareth proclaiming this day in Christ to have arrived. The fulfillment of this prophecy that Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 61 when he says, the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord have anointed me to bring good tidings under the meek. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion in Jerusalem, to give unto them beauty for ashes, oil for the joy of mourning, oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified.

Jesus is the fulfillment of that. He finished the first part when he came the first time. He'll finish the second part when he comes the second time. But we don't have to wait till his return to experience the blessings that are already ours in Christ Jesus, who are part of his kingdom. For the sun has risen in your life if you know Christ as savior.

He is there to shine rays of hope and warmth and blessing into your heart and into your days. Let's see here. The son of righteousness brings healing. It says in verse two, but unto you that fear my name shall the son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings. Isaiah fifty three five, but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are what?

Healed. Healed of what? Healed of everything. Beginning with a soul sick in sin that nobody can heal but who? That nobody can heal but Jesus.

Jesus demonstrated his power to heal the human soul by healing the human what? Body. There wasn't anyone that was brought to Jesus that Jesus could not heal. And Jesus is still a prayer answering, a prayer healing God. And whether he heals us, now he will heal us one day because when we stand before him, there will be no more sickness at all.

He is the one who heals us. He doesn't bring destruction to those who fear him, he brings what? He brings healing. He doesn't bring imprisonment to those that fear him, he brings what? Freedom.

If the the son therefore shall make you free, you shall be what? Free indeed. The calves of the stall. What what does calves of the stall mean? That's a euphemism that you may have read over like I read over and go, calves of the stall?

What does that mean? It means calves that were brought up in the protection of the stall, but who one day leave what? The stall and will be set what? They set free. For the wicked, the day that cometh brings judgment, but for the righteous, it brings freedom.

For the unrighteous and the wicked, it is a day of terror and ruin. But for the redeemed in Christ is a day of hope and security and provision. For the wicked, it is a day of defeat and ultimate judgment. But for the righteous, it is a day of victory over the wicked. And who is the leader of the wicked?

That is Satan. And it says in Rome in Revelation, they overcame him by the blood of the lamb. By the word of their testimony that they love not their lives unto the death. There is victory in the blood of the lamb. There is victory in Jesus.

And the day is coming when Christ will bring victory, when Christ will return to consume the enemies and hand over the kingdom to those that love him. Maybe, and many Christians in this world today and in the past have suffered at the hands of those hostile to God. Many have suffered from the ravages of sin and sickness. But one day this kingdom will be retaken by Jesus Christ. One day he will come with his saints and I believe that's us.

To take back that was taken from him. It says in Daniel seven twenty seven, that the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole leaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominion shall serve and obey him. Verse three of Malachi four, and you shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. The day of the Lord is a day of judgment upon the wicked, but it is a day of blessing and reward. The day that God fulfills all of his what?

All of his promises to the redeemed whether they be the redeemed of Israel or the redeemed of the church. Isn't it wonderful to be on the winning side? Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day. Thank you Lord for your word.

Thank you for the assurances of your word that you will take care of things, that you will take care of our enemies, that you will take care of us, that you will have the victory and we will share in it with you on that day. Thank you for your coming to make a way for us who are on the losing side to be on the winning side. Thank you Lord for your grace and your mercy. Lord, may we be more grateful and hopeful and watching and ready for the day when you shall return and we shall receive the fulfillment of all the promises you have made to those who fear your name. Lord, may today we live for you.

May we be the light that you have called us to be, looking forward to that day when we will see you in all of your glory as you are. Lord, may we reflect just a little of that into the darkness of this world in which we live. May we be filled with hope and love and holiness and joy all the days of our life. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen.

And if you take your hymn books and turn to