“Do Not Fear Me”

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Malachi 3:1-5

God uses His prophets in the Old Testament to communicate messages of hope or judgment. But when we look closely, we see that even His words of judgment were intended to lead to repentance, healing, and restoration.

In Malachi 3 the Lord promised to send a messenger who would prepare the way for Him. John the Baptist announced the coming of the true Messenger, Jesus “the messenger of the covenant” who would fulfill God’s promises. He would act “like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap,” for He will purify those who believe in Him. The Lord sent His word to cleanse His people because of His loving concern for their well-being.

God’s message is one of love, hope, and freedom. He sent His Son to be a messenger who speaks our language – sometimes with messages of correction, but always those of hope. We can trust His message.

Ask the Lord to share His good news with others in the new year.

Our Daily Bread – December 31, 2018