behold. Figure of speech Asterisrmos. App-6 . all that do. Hebrew = every one who doeth. But some eighty codices, with four early printed editions, Targum, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "all who work. " wickedly = lawlessness. Hebrew rasha'. App-44 . saith = hath said. the LORD of hosts. See note on Malachi 1:4 . leave . A Homonym. See notes on Genesis 39:6 . Exodus 23:5 . read more
This brief chapter of six verses is, in the Hebrew Bible, included with Malachi 3. It is an appropriate and exciting close to the Book of Malachi, to the voice of Prophecy, and to the Old Testament Canon of the Bible."For behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."This is a reference to the final judgment,... read more
Malachi 4:1. Behold, the day cometh— This is a continuation of the discourse in the preceding chapter; and would be more properly joined to it, than made the beginning of a new chapter. read more
1. the day cometh . . . burn— (Malachi 3:2; 2 Peter 3:7). Primarily is meant the judgment coming on Jerusalem; but as this will not exhaust the meaning, without supposing what is inadmissible in Scripture—exaggeration—the final and full accomplishment, of which the former was the earnest, is the day of general judgment. This principle of interpretation is not double, but successive fulfilment. The language is abrupt, "Behold, the day cometh! It burns like a furnace." The abruptness imparts... read more
The Lord now elaborated on the day to which He had just referred (Malachi 3:17). There is no chapter division in the Hebrew Bible; all of chapter 4 appears as the end of chapter 3. This day of the Lord would be a day of judgment. The Lord compared it to a fiery furnace in which all the arrogant and every evildoer (a hendiadys meaning every arrogant evildoer) would burn like chaff (or stubble; cf. Malachi 3:2-3; Malachi 3:15). Fire language is common in connection with divine judgment and anger... read more
4The New Elijah1. The comparison is to an oven heated by a fire lighted within it: cp. Matthew 6:30. This passage is closely connected with the preceding. Stubble] rather, ’straw.’2. ’The day of the Lord is darkness and not light’ (Amos 5:20), but when the night of judgment is over, day dawns for the righteous.The Sun of righteousness] ’Righteousness’ is here almost equivalent to ’blessing,’ as in Psalms 24:5.With healing in his wings] Since the dawn spreads with rapidity from the E. over the... read more
IV.(1) The day already foretold in Malachi 3:2 shall be as a fire burning fiercely as a furnace, and “the wicked”—not only the heathen, but the murmurers themselves, so far from being accounted happy (Malachi 3:15)—shall be as “stubble.” (Comp.Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 5:24; Zephaniah 1:18; Obadiah 1:18, &c.) read more
The End of the Christian Year Malachi 4:1 The end of a Christian year and the approach of another bring, like all endings and new beginnings in our frail and brief life, solemn thoughts. The Church in her services encourages them, and impresses them upon us. I. The Day of Change and Ending. Life, if you think of it, is so made that it seems stable, settled, permanent, and yet it is liable always to interruption and shock. It moves incessantly towards some day of change and ending. Both... read more
4; Malachi 2:1-17; Malachi 3:1-18; Malachi 4:1-6PROPHECY WITHIN THE LAW"MALACHI" 1-4BENEATH this title we may gather all the eight sections of the Book of "Malachi." They contain many things of perennial interest and validity: their truth is applicable, their music is still musical, to ourselves. But their chief significance is historical. They illustrate the development of prophecy within the Law. Not under the Law, be it observed. For if one thing be more clear than another about "Malachi’s"... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Malachi 4:1-6
4:1-6 GOD’S CARE IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENTGod’s action in destroying the wicked in the day of judgment is pictured in the illustration of a farmer burning off his field after he has harvested his grain. The righteous are likened to the farmer’s calves, which were previously tied up in the dark stalls but are now set free. They burst forth to go leaping and skipping over the recently burnt-off fields. As the sun shines down upon them it brings healing and vigour into their lives of newfound joy and... read more