1. Malachi 3:13-4:6 (3:13-24) It’s Worth the Wait NYCBC ESC Sunday School December 11, 2011 Pastor Lu-Lu Ling It’s Worth the Wait NYCBC ESC Sunday School December 11, 2011 Pastor Lu-Lu Ling

2. Is it worthwhile to believe the Lord? Is it worthwhile to serve the Lord?

3. Malachi 3:13 - 4:6 13 “Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 ‘So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.’ ” 16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. 17 “They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. 4:1 “For behold, the day is comin0

4. Malachi 3:13 - 4:6 16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. 17 “They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” 18 So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.

5. Malachi 3:13 - 4:6 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” 2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 3 “You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts.

6. Malachi 3:13 - 4:6 4 “Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6 “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” 0

7. The Arrogant3:13-15 The Faithful3:16-18 Their Ends4:1-4 The Preparation4:5-6 The Structure

8. DescriptionEnding Arrogant Faithful Preparation

9. Description3:13-15Ending Arrogant definition of arrogant: to be severe, strong, harsh, hard, speak out of not knowing vain to serve God sacrifices (2:13) no profit to obey, mourn/fast no profit to obey, to mourn/fast they are being blessed the keep doing evil the test God get away with it 3:18 wicked does not serve God

10. Description3:16Ending3:17 Faithful fear the Lord, revere speak with each other more than one of them speak well of God God paid attention known by God God speaks up for them special possession/treasured father and son relationship will be spared of judgment God heard God had their deeds written down written in front of Him historical record some time in the future 3:18 righteous serves the Lord 3:18 in the future distinction will be made

11. Description3:13-15Ending4:1 Arrogant definition of arrogant: to be severe, strong, harsh, hard, speak out of not knowing vain to serve God sacrifices (2:13) no profit to obey, mourn/fast will be like chaff set a blaze until nothing is left neither root and branch no profit to obey, to mourn/fast they are being blessed the keep doing evil the test God get away with it

12. Description3:16Ending4:2 Faithful fear the Lord, revere speak with each other more than one of them speak well of God God paid attention sunshine, healing, joy freedom, go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. God heard God had their deeds written down written in front of Him historical record You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts0 3:18 righteous serves the Lord 4:2 fear,

13. For All to Do 4:4 Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.

14. Ending4:5-6Future Preparation 5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6“He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” Victorious merciful - God is at work in the turning.

15. Malachi 4:5 Who is Elijah? Not John the Baptist Matthew 11:14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. “ Luke 1:17 “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” John 1:21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

16. Malachi 4:5 Who is Elijah? Rev. 11:3-12, the 2 witnesses before the end time v. 3 “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” v. 5 has power to protect themselves v. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; (and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.)

17. Malachi 4:6 6 “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

18. 2 Last verses of the OT Hebrew Bible 2 Chron 26:23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!’” English Bible Malachi 4:6 “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

19. Malachi 4:4-6 Looking back to the Law and the Prophets and looking forward to the future, with a formula to avoid God’s curse.

20. #Malachi: Consider Your Ways 1How have you loved us? 1:2-5 God loves by given a second chance. 2How have we despised your name? 1:6-2:9 Dishonour God by giving blemished animals and the priests not teaching as they should. 3For what reason? 2:10-16 Breaking covenant with God and men by divorcing the wife of youth and marrying non Jewish women. 4How have we wearied the Lord? 2:17-3:6 God is unjust, He puts up with injustice. 5How should we return? 3:7 Return to the Law (cf. 4:4) 6How have we robbed God? (3:6-12) By not tithing. Invited to test God. 7How have we spoken against the Lord? 3:13-15 Useless to obey/serve God. Tested God. Expected God to reward immediately.