Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

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December 11, 2013
Passage: Malachi 4
Focus: "’Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Malachi 4:1.

It would seem that Malachi, as with some other Old Testament Messianic prophecies, lumps together both the first and second comings of Christ. The overlapping of these major events of human history can cause some confusion insofar as understanding the order of how things will play out. But I have to return to my underlying belief that this relative confusion is actually intended by the Author of this prophetic inspiration. He does not will that His followers get the future so perfectly figured out so as to cause faith and trust to be unnecessary. And I have to conclude that this final little 6-verse chapter of the Old Testament is highly significant with its basic all-encompassing reduction of the whole equation to its simplest bottom-line common denominator as it relates to you and me personally. And what is that? In my own simple words I would put forth the whole matter in the form of two simple facts that cannot be avoided, altered, or opposed:

1. THE SOVEREIGN LORD ALMIGHTY WILL CAUSE THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT OF ALL THINGS TO COME TO AN END BY MEANS OF SOME FORM OF UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.


2. ALL HUMANS WITH A HEART AFTER GOD WILL WIN—AND THOSE WITHOUT THAT VITAL QUALITY WILL LOSE.

Some may argue, resist, get angry, cry, fight, or whatever—but it changes absolutely NOTHING. As the common expression goes—IT IS WHAT IT IS! I have no difficulty subscribing to Peter’s reasoning when he declares, “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11-12). Is there anyone out there who can even come close to convincing me that A HEART AFTER GOD is NOT in my best interests? In this regard I believe you and I are wise to be deliberate absolute dogmatists!

To support the idea that those with A HEART AFTER GOD win, let me cite verse 2 of Malachi 4: “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” The details of that promise may be a little blurry, but the general idea comes through with perfect clarity. It’s a promise similar to the one recorded in Hebrews 10:35—“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” It’s appropriate to throw away your garbage and unused surplus of junk—but do not throw away this dogmatic confidence! Keep it. Protect it. Maintain it. Keep it fresh. When it’s all over—when the smoke has cleared and the dust settled, I am certain no one will ever regret having embraced A HEART AFTER GOD.

Speaking of the need for being “dog-matic”…