Text of Emphasis: Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Lord”
During a new year sermon, a congregation, just like ours was asked several questions by their pastor; by the way, the pastor has decided to ask these questions because he can see the inactivity of his congregation for several years now, they have been busy with other business, and has almost forgotten God’s business, so deep was their inactivity, that they have not engage in any community-related work for almost three years now, the attendance during their regular services keeps on decreasing for three years now, there are very few who are attending the special occasions of the church for three years now, and worst of all, there has been no baptism not even a single soul for three years now. He wanted them to at least awake from their present slumber and resume the work of, and for the Lord.
With how to rejuvenate his congregation foremost in mind, the Pastor asked these final questions during that sermon: Do you believe that we are all here because of God’s business? The congregation unsuspecting of their pastor’s intent almost with enthusiasm said, Amen. Then he asked again, do you believe that this business was entrusted to all of us by God, and that we are co-owners of this business? Another loud Amen was the response of the congregation. With that response the Pastor swiftly asked, then why have you taken your break too long, and left me here alone manning the store all by myself? No wonder, I have not taken my break for the last three years, because there’s nobody else to take care of God’s business. And there was total silence on the congregation.
Fortunately, the story was all made up by someone’s bright imagination. But I believe, and know that most of you will agree, that this is what will happen when the church suddenly lose its focus and started to foster wrong priorities. As a church specially called for these last days, we have a message to tell the world. But before we can even do this, we have to know what our real role is, in all of these.
Getting back to our role we are talking about a minute ago. We have to be clear on this, we have to establish what that role is. According to the words of this generation, “you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out this one”. If you will trace back the history of God’s people, there is one very outstanding role, and that role has something to do with communicating His message either to an individual, to a group of people, to a whole nation, or to the entire world. God’s messages in the Bible predominantly dwell on His rebukes and warning, his promises and assurance of mercy, as well as prophecies regarding events that will happen in the future. The role seems simple but many are reluctant to do it.
But before we proceed any further, let’s make it clear that God decided to give responsibilities to mankind not because he is not capable of doing things by himself, God is more than capable of doing things alone, this is not a big matter to Him, if we consider His power. But our wise and all knowing God knows, that by allowing us to have responsibilities and role in the work of salvation, we could appreciate more the efforts that heaven expended in order to save sinners like us, and at the same time experience by ourselves, the joy of seeing souls being saved into the kingdom of God.
A. We are God’s Messengers
Relaying God’s messages is almost endemic to a prophet’s responsibility, prophets dominate the role of being God’s messenger, however it is not wholly confined to them. Even non prophets were used by God interchangeably with the prophets, to transmit his messages to the intended recipients. But aside from being messengers, prophets are also advisors, chroniclers, organizers and protector of God’s interests. The function of a prophet is much more than prophecies. This is what the book of Joel implies (Joel 2:28-29) Conventional knowledge about the work of a prophet doesn’t touch their administrative, writing, healing, teaching functions as well as their minor roles.
Relaying a message of rebuke or relaying unfavorable news is probably the toughest job as a messenger.
And talking about tough jobs; one of the toughest jobs in military is not seen in the battlefront. Lt. Col. Frank Wenzel of US Army, stationed at Fort Irwin, California has one of the toughest jobs in military. Being one of the highest ranking officer of his unit stationed in Iraq, part of his job is to deliver the sad news to the relatives of soldiers who either died or were injured in battle. “Your son or husband has made a supreme sacrifice for this country” this is often the statement he bears to the relatives. General George Armstrong Custer had experienced bearing the sad news to a mother that her four sons have died in battle.
We have to realize that a prophet’s job is not a blue collar job, it is tough and unpopular. Prophet Nathan realized this when he was commanded by God to rebuke King David; a God-fearing servant who suddenly lost his sensitiveness towards sin, he committed an adulterous act when he took Bathsheba, and in order to conceal his sin, he planned the death of Uriah, her husband who happens to be a very valiant and loyal general to him. If prophet Nathan would confront the king openly, he knew he would end up like Uriah, the King is a very powerful man, and at the stroke of his hand, he could order the arrest and death of the prophet. But God would not let his servant perish in the hands of a blinded king, instead he approached the king as if pleading justice for a man who was unrighteously slighted by a rich and influential neighbor. Let us review this story as it is written in 2 Samuel 12:1-9.
“The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.
Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.”
Nathan made sure that King David pronounced the judgment upon himself. By using a parable as approach, Nathan escaped death and at the same time executed right justice. This is a testimony of how tough a prophet’s job is. They were often put to death because they gave rebukes and unpopular messages to the profess people of God. This probably answers the question why some among us shun from their responsibility of bringing an unpopular message to the world.
B. We are to live up to God’s Calling
It is understandable that people won’t just accept roles and responsibilities. It is human nature not to accept roles or responsibilities when he knows that he/she is not built or lack the training for it. But this can only be on a temporary basis. There should be a point in every one’s life when he/she would stand up to his calling and accept whatever responsibility God would want him to do.
This brings me to my experience as a member of the choir, by now I’m sure you can see that I am an active member together with our head elder of our very own Manila Center Chancel Choir. Five years ago joining as a member of a church choir or even a singing group has never crossed my mind. Meaning if you gave me that responsibility earlier than five years ago, I would most probably not accept it, because singing is simply not my thing, not in my wildest dream. But there was a time when I was asking the Lord what more I can give. As if it is an answer to that query, I was appointed adviser of Music Department, and the state of the choir was very saddening that time because the choir director went abroad and his return was indefinite, male members were almost non-existent and very few are attending practice. I said to myself that the best way I can help the choir is by joining it myself because that would help ease their lack of manpower problem. So even though I am already more than forty years old that time and lack the training and experience in singing, I took the challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bragging about this, in fact I really don’t consider myself a good singer not even an average. But honestly, I enjoy singing now and singing with the choir but never ask me to sing solo or else I will ask my daughter to sing for me. This is the lesson I learned from joining the choir; that my contribution no matter how small it is, is very important because our collective contribution as choir members made up the songs of praises being sang during our worship services. They may not sound the best but it is the result of our best efforts to glorify God.
Those who will step up and bear responsibilities will not be left by themselves. God promised that He will be there to fill whatever is needed in order for them to succeed in their calling. “For with God nothing is impossible”(Luke 1:37) and “unto Him who is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). To every believer there is a vast potential of heaven’s resources available for them and ready to be delivered or disposed to fill their needs, whether these are spiritual or physical needs.
C. We are the reformers of the last generation
Now let’s review the key text for this message found in Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Lord”.
Let us examine closely the text. Malachi, a prophet himself is quoting in this text the very words the Lord told him. The words, “I will send” and “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” are almost self-explanatory, the first means the Lord is the one sending and the second refers to the time just before the coming of the Lord, but what is unclear are the words, “Elijah the prophet”. We know that Elijah was translated to heaven for hundreds of years when these words were uttered and translated for thousand of years if we consider this generation where we are now living. Will God send the real Elijah who was translated to heaven thousands of years ago in our time? Although this is possible with God’s power, it will violate many established teachings in the bible, so this is hardly what the text means; if the text is not referring to the real Elijah then who is “Elijah the prophet” in this text referring to.
Key to understanding this text is to establish who Elijah the prophet was during his time. When Elijah was called by God, the whole nation of Israel is in spiritual turmoil; the leaders as well as the people are corroborating in advancing idolatry as the dominant religion of a nation which was originally founded and established by God himself. Almost all nobles and princes of the land has turned to idolatry, pagan temples were erected throughout the nation, and anyone who is found to be servant of Jehovah is in danger of losing his/her life, such was the condition of the nation during the time of Elijah. So deep was has the nation fallen or chained to idolatry that when Elijah stood against Baal’s four hundred prophets during their face off at Mt Carmel, he was alone. Elijah’s rebukes to the leaders turned the nation upside down; and his efforts to turn the hearts of his people back to Jehovah were unparalleled, it is a reformation and a restoration of the old order of things where Jehovah is their only leader and God. This brings us to the conclusion, that Elijah is truly a reformer during his time. This conclusion is supported by the words of the Lord found in Mark 9:12 “And he answered and told them, that Elijah cometh first, and restoreth all things…” The same thing was said by the Lord Jesus concerning the work of John the Baptist, another reformer who preach the coming kingdom of God during his time, his messages were rebukes to the leaders of a nation enslaved not by idolatry as it was formerly during Elijah’s time, but now by religious formalism, tradition and legalism, He said in Matthew 11:14 “And if ye will receive it (referring to John the Baptist and his work), this is Elias, which was for to come.” John the Baptist was referred by the Lord as Elijah because of the similarity of their roles, that of being reformers during their respective eras. John possesses the spirit of Elijah’s resolve to free his nation from the strangehold of false beliefs and restore Jehovah as their one and only true God. Both were ostracized because of their spiritual stance and unpopular teachings.
Now we can see the light as to what the phrase “Elijah the prophet” means in Malachi 4:5. It refers to the work of reform that Elijah initiated during his time, and not on the physical Elijah. That whoever that person or group of people be, whom God will send before the coming of the Lord will also possess the spirit of Elijah, and also ready to initiate spiritual reforms needed in preparing a people for the coming of the Lord, and that includes teaching the unpopular beliefs.
This brings me to the last and perhaps the most important point in this study.
D. We are God’s showcase to the world
God is very pleased whenever he sees His children living up to their calling; Generation after generation, He calls men and women to be His messengers; and the demand for this job will not cease, it will go on, or persist as long as God sees that there is a need for souls to save. But while we may be zealous in preaching the good news to all nations, kindred and tongue, and people; we might forget a very important detail in God’s plan.
When God called the nation of Israel from captivity in Egypt, it was for a very great purpose. God nurtured the nation with blessings and favor. He provided the best care for the nation in the same manner, a good parent would do for his children, and as a gardener he pruned the nation that it may grow and bear fruit, but it did not. In the words of the Lord Jesus found in Matthew 23:37, we can recognize the frustration of heaven with Israel when He said, “O Jerusalem. Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”
Yes! Israel was expected by God to shine forth the light of truth that illuminates her people, to showcase to the world a nation composed of peculiar people who have given their lives fully to the service of Jehovah, it will be a holy nation of priests that would show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. But amidst all this expectation, Israel failed God.
And that role that Israel failed to do, now wrest on His faithful people who will respond to their calling, just before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Lord.
We are living in the threshold of human history and we could be the last generation before the second coming of the Lord. The people of God themselves will be a living testimony for the whole world to see. Our lives will be the greatest undisputed argument that God is very much alive in a world slowly drifting to oblivion. The ultimate proof of what God’s power can accomplish on one who wholly submits to His will. In the last days, according to Apostle Paul, it will be a perilous time; the devil will exert its utmost and final effort to deceive the world and the very elect of God, it will be dangerous not only spiritually but also physically to every soul. But amidst all the confusion that will happen on the last days, the character of the people of God will shine like a bright sun at noonday, and they will endure up to the end because they will rely on God as their Saviour and Deliverer, they will be persecuted and may suffer hardship, but at the end they will come out as victors.
We are that people, we are the “Elijah the prophet” that the text in Malachi 4:5 is referring to. We have the prophetic calling and role to warn the world from its impending doom. We have to stand in these last days as reformers, in the same breadth and manner that Elijah and John the Baptist stood during their times. Many people find some of our belief as odd and unpopular, it is because these unpopular messages will rebuke the world of its sin.
Yes! Dear brethren, the people of God will take the role of a prophet in the last days. We will bring the message of God to our sin-sick world. And like Nathan, there will be times that we’ll have to employ the subtlety of a serpent and meekness of the sheep at the same time to succeed and escape harm. But don’t worry, because God’s appointed angels will be there to protect us.
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