Canvas 4
And 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. Malachi 4.6
CLOSING WITH A CURSE
So we come to the end of Malachi’s
all embracing prophecy; and so closes the Old Testament.
The last word is curse!
The Old Testament commenced with the power and majesty and blessing of the
creation, and ends with a curse.
Jewish Rabbi’s and teachers prefer to end the prophecy with verse 5 and escape
the word and the implication. I have heard of sections of Scripture being
deleted, or indeed false sections added. Here we find verses juggled around till
they land in the right order for the Rabbi’s!
John writing in The Revelation warns against all such behaviour; ‘ For I
testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If
any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book: And if any
man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take
away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book. He
which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.’
That passage of Scripture is the last in the New Testament.
The last word is curse, but it is certainly not the last thought on the
matter. The weight of emphasis is on the word lest
and that little word suggests that there is way of escape from the dread of the
impending curse.
LOOK AT THE WORD CURSE
We are not trying to hide it or move it from its setting in Scripture. For
it is there for a reason at that point. Surely the curse is something to be
prevented, something to be avoided, and something to flee from.
CURSE CAN BE CONTAINED
Certainly the curse would fall if something were not done. That ominous
truth is revealed to men, in all the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. We may
well ask ourselves how it may be prevented. Is there a solution to this matter?
ACTION OF THE ATONEMENT
Yes there is an answer to the question - we return to that word ‘lest’
and the promise is given in the redemptive action of the Lord, by which the
hearts of the people shall be wonderfully and supernaturally changed. Thankfully
the condition of escape does not depend on the action of man. It is of the Lord,
and the action of God will produce a change in the heart of man. The Gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ is mighty to save and will if accepted, redeem man from
the curse. He became a curse for us on the Cross of Calvary that His perfect
righteousness might be given freely to those who repent of sin and receive
forgiveness. For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
ACCEPTANCE CARRIES ASSURANCE
So beyond the Old Testament we have the New Testament and there we find the
fulfilment of Malachi’s mighty prophecy to the last minute detail. God pays
attention to detail on every level. In all His works He is perfect. The
redemption and salvation of man reveals the love and power of God.
John the Baptist came as the messenger preparing the way.
Jesus the Messiah came, as the Way, the Truth and the Life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord. - God’s final
word is never curse but blessing.
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all comfort.
