Reading for today
Old Testament: Malachi 4
Thoughts from today’s reading
Malachi 4:1-3. We see that the same sun and heat that withers the wicked turns out to be healing for the righteous. Proverbs 11:8 says, “The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead.” It also happened in the book of Exodus that the plagues that afflicted the Egyptians did not come near the dwelling places of the Israelites. We should not take our relationship with God for granted, it is what preserves us in the midst of unfavourable circumstances.
Malachi 4:4-6. Malachi was the last prophet of the Old testament to speak the word of the Lord to the Israelites before we see the prophet John the Baptist speaking. The time period between both prophets was about 400 years. The last thing Malachi prophesied about was to remind the Israelites about the Law of Moses and the prophecies of Elijah, while John the Baptist was pointing out the messiah, Jesus Christ. It is no wonder that when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain of transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared to Him. This meeting was like a transition from the Old testament to the New. All the laws and all the prophets are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and He is the one that came to bring us into an eternal relationship with the Father.
Prayer
1. Lord we thank you that you have made us righteous through Jesus Christ and this keeps us in the evil day. Thank you because we are delivered from the day of judgement of the wicked and we can stand before you to receive the blessings of God which follow eternal life. Father, today we say the we bask in the Sun of righteousness and our health blossoms, we declare restoration of health where it is needed. We give you all the praise in Jesus’ name, amen.
2. Father, we thank you that all the laws and prophecies of God are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We thank you that you have given us the key and the secret to live a life that is fully pleasing to you, and that life is in Jesus Christ. We do not take our place in Christ for granted, and we prepare ourselves to declare His message to the world around us so that we turn the hearts of the children to the Father. Thank you for making us salt and light in the earth so that it is not overrun with a curse. We give you all the praise now and always in Jesus’ name, amen.