Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word
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⚙ Annotations & References ▾
Passage sections 1 ▾
The Sun of Righteousness prophecy 4:1–4:6
Themes 9 ▾
Day of the Lord 1, 3, 5 Righteousness 2 New Creation 2 Hope 2 Judgment 3 Justice and Mercy 3 Forgiveness 6 Blessing and Curse 6 Repentance 6
People 2 ▾
Moses Exodus & Wilderness 4 Elijah Divided Monarchy 5
Speakers 2 ▾
God divine 1, 3 Malachi human 2, 4-6
Prophecies 5 ▾
The Day of the LORD (Malachi) 1, 5 The Sun of Righteousness 2 The LORD God Is a Sun and Shield 2 The Coming of Elijah 5-6 Elijah as Type of John the Baptist 5-6
Typology 3 ▾
Elijah → John the Baptist 5-6 Elijah as type of John the Baptist 5 Elijah as Forerunner 5-6
Historic voices 11 ▾
Against Heresies (Adversus Haereses) 2× 1 Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews 1× 1 Summa Theologica 2× 2 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2× 2 City of God 4× 3-6 Commentary on the Gospel of John 2× 5 Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew 1× 5 John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible 1× 1-6 Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary 1× 1, 4 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary 1× 2-6 Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament 1× 4
Manuscript witnesses 5 ▾
Codex Sinaiticus Aleph c. AD 330-360 Codex Vaticanus B c. AD 300-325 Codex Alexandrinus A c. AD 400-440 Aleppo Codex (Crown of Aleppo) c. AD 930 Leningrad Codex (Codex Leningradensis) AD 1008
Cross-references 149 ▾
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What is Malachi 4 about?

The final word divides that coming day between the proud, who will be left as burning stubble, and those who fear God's name, for whom the Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in His wings. Malachi calls the people to remember the law of Moses His servant while they wait, and promises that God will send Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the LORD to turn the hearts of fathers and children toward one another. With that pledge the Old Testament falls silent, its last voice pointing past four centuries of waiting to the forerunner and to the dawn of salvation. So the Scriptures close as they had long moved—leaning forward, watching for the messenger of the covenant and the rising Sun who is Christ Himself.

Historical backdrop

A century has passed since the first exiles came home, and the second temple has stood for two generations. Persia still rules, now under Artaxerxes, and Judah remains a small province paying its tribute at the empire's western rim. The great return has settled into disappointment: the promised glory has not come, the harvests are thin, and the priests bring the altar lame and blemished animals they would never dare offer a governor. Malachi speaks last, and after him the prophetic voice falls silent for four hundred years.

Matthew Henry on Malachi 4
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Malachi 4
The Church Fathers on Malachi 4
Cited by the confessions

Malachi 4

Malachi Chapter 4
4

1For, 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. 2But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. 3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts. 4Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.

5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come. 6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

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What is Malachi 4 about?

The final word divides that coming day between the proud, who will be left as burning stubble, and those who fear God's name, for whom the Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in His wings. Malachi calls the people to remember the law of Moses His servant while they wait, and promises that God will send Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the LORD to turn the hearts of fathers and children toward one another. With that pledge the Old Testament falls silent, its last voice pointing past four centuries of waiting to the forerunner and to the dawn of salvation. So the Scriptures close as they had long moved—leaning forward, watching for the messenger of the covenant and the rising Sun who is Christ Himself.