Blake Jennings

Grace Bible Church

“Divine Ophthalmology”

Malachi 2:17-4:6

Just like the Israelites in Malachi's day, we are often limited by short-sighted vision which sees life only as it is at this moment, when God is not yet judging sin or rewarding righteousness. And in that short-sightedness, sin becomes excusable and even reasonable. But in this passage, God corrects our vision so that we can see long-range as He does. God reminds us that His perfect and unbearable justice is coming to earth when Christ returns, and it will utterly destroy His enemies. And he reminds us that on that Day, He will reward our righteous deeds beyond our wildest dreams. So live everyday of this life in light of that Day when Christ returns.

Short-sighted vision – see life only as it now is

Long-range vision – see life as it will be

I. The Question

• First occurrence: 2:17

– “Where is God’s justice in this wicked world?”

• Second occurrence: 3:13-15

– “Why serve God when we see no reward for it?”

• But wait! 3:5,7

• So their real question: “Why bother obeying God when injustice goes unpunished and righteousness goes unrewarded?”

• Short-sighted vision excuses:

– “no big deal” sins

– “no one will ever know” sins

– “everybody’s doing it” sins

– sins of omission

II. God’s Answer

• First answer (3:1-5)

– 3:1 – “I am about to send my two messengers of judgment”

– 3:2 – “And it will be unbearable”

▪ 3:3-4 My people will be refined

▪ 3:5 My enemies will be destroyed

The Day of the Lord

▪ Is Imminent (1 Thess 5:2-3)

▪ Involves a series of events:

1. Rapture of the church

2. 7 year tribulation

3. Return of Christ in judgment

4. Millennial Kingdom

5. Great White Throne Judgment for the lost

6. Eternity in Heaven for believers

▪ There is only one way to escape God’s wrath

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

—John 5:24

• Second answer (3:16 - 4:3)

– “My reward is coming”

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

—2 Corinthians 5:9-10

…each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

—1 Corinthians 3:13-15

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

—2 Corinthians 4:17-18

III. God’s Application

• First – 3:7-8

– “Obey me in your giving”

• Second – 4:4

– “Obey My law through Moses”

• For us:

– “Obey My law through Christ”

– Reevaluate your actions in light of Christ’s imminence

▪ “Live everyday in light of that Day”

– Share the gospel like hell was at stake