Behold, I sent my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)
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Behold, he is coming.
And it’s such great news.
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All across the Old Testament, God established covenants with His people, trying to make a way back to divine communion between man and God. God’s planned to restore hearts back to the life He had intended for His sons and daughters. As He made covenants with even the most righteous of people – Abraham, Noah, Moses, David – each leader eventually abandoned their post. Their brokenness caught up to them. This is the legacy of Israel, forgetting their Maker time and time again, so instead, God planned to establish a covenant that man’s sin could never break. But, this took time.
So, God’s people had to wait. They had to cling to the promise of God, and believe He was a man of His Word before the fulfillment of it.
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There are a handful of prophesies in the Old Testament where God speaks of a Messiah, Redeemer, and Deliverer, offering hope to His children stuck in darkness and captivity. Each of these promises points to Jesus, the sinless and perfect man who died on our behalf for the forgiveness of sins – whose seemingly mundane, yet wildly extraordinary, birth is remembered every December through the season of Advent.
Placed as the final book of today’s ordering in the Old Testament, Malachi is God’s final word before an era of silence. It’s a message directed to those living in Jerusalem, after the temple had been rebuilt when the Israelites expected the prophetic hopes to come to pass. They were anticipating the arrival of the Messiah to establish God’s kingdom and reign with justice and peace – but that’s not what we see. This generation ended up being just as corrupt and unfaithful as those who’d come before them.
In this story, the Israelites bring before God a handful of disputes. Doubting God’s love and faithfulness, the Israelites bring half-hearted offerings to the altar of sacrifice, and worship the idols of their wives. The Israelites see injustice and corruption abounding, putting God’s love and tender care on trial. Fretful and feeling betrayed by God, they turn away from the One who seems to do nothing about it.
Where is the God of Justice? they cry.
But despite the doubt and disobedience of Israel, God has compassion on them, staying true to His word and character, giving them promise instead of punishment. As God tells of the moments she’s been faithful, God invites His people to remember their God. Then, He declares,
Behold, I sent my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)
This is the message of Malachi: we are prone to wander, but God keeps His word. He is faithful, even when we’re found forgetful.
If God said so, then there’s reason to hope.
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Behold, he is coming.
This is such good news.
The last of God’s words for generations, this was the promise Israel held onto as they walked. Not until word travels about a baby in Bethlehem did God speak, ending His silence.
Today, let us remember the God who did not forget His people, but promised them a Redeemer who would come to deliver them from their troubles – One who would restore Israel’s flourishing.
As we wait, and God stays quiet, may we remember that even in His silence, He is ever present. Waiting on Him gives us time to ready our hearts to receive the gift He is sending. And in the mean time, He is with us and He has not forgotten us.
As we bring before God our questions like, God, are you listening? God, do you care? God, are you good? God, where are you?, may we trust and believe His promise is for us, too.
God delays because He’s patient, not because He’s withholding. This is the message of Malachi. Let us clean our hands and purify our hearts before the Lord, so that when He comes we’re ready.
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Behold, he is coming…for you. And it’s such great news.
May this be the praise on your lips today: thanks be to God, for He is faithful to His Word.
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EMBOLDENED 