Shabbat Shalom, everyone. We are very glad that we can come together for the ministry of the Word. So, I'd like you all to open your Bibles. Today, I would like to conclude with the Lord's help with the ministry of the Book of Malachi. Malachi was the last prophet of Israel, of Yehudah, of Judah, who presented the final message to our forefathers, that is, the people of Israel, for quite a while before John, the baptizer, Malachi introduced Yeshua, the Messiah, as the promised one of Israel, and who said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." So, the verses for this ministry are found in chapter 3 and chapter 4 of the book of Malachi.

Malachi, and we are reading from Malachi, Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16 into Malachi chapter 4 and verse 6 to remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, before I'm going to read these verses, that in actuality, in the Hebrew Tanakh, in the Masoretic text, we don't have the fourth chapter. So, actually, the verses in chapter 4 are part of chapter 3. So, in a sense, Malachi is divided only into three chapters in the Masoretic Hebrew text, but in the English, we have this fourth chapter. So, I'm reading Malachi, Malachi chapter 3, verse 16. "Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another. And the Lord hearkened and heard it. And a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name.

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels. And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." Malachi chapter 4, verse 1. "For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble. And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.

And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. In the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commended unto him in Chorev, for all Israel, with their statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah, Eliyahu, the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to their children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." And that is the final verse in the ministry of the prophet Malachi to our forefathers 450 years before Yeshua the Messiah was born and presented himself to Israel the nation.

Malachi is a fascinating prophecy that was given to the people of Israel, to the people of Judah. Just imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, how Malachi was raised by God. His name Malachi means My messenger. He was raised by God to speak to our forefathers, the Jewish people, who are now back in the promised land. They were back already enjoying, you might say, to be in the Kna'an, in the land of Israel, in the city of Jerusalem. But, beloved brothers and sisters, like it is from generation to generation, things came in, things crept in, and there was a departure in heart from the presence of the Lord.

Oh yes, they went to the temple, oh yes, they went through the motion, they offered sacrifices, they kept the Shabbat, they went to the feasts, they offered all the things that what you might say they were obliged to offer, but their heart was far away from God. Like us today, in the present day of the church age, we go through the motion, we go to the meeting, we go to the church building, but in reality, many times we have to confess that our hearts are many times not where they should be. And God was not pleased with this, because God wanted His people to enjoy Him, and He wanted Himself to enjoy His people, so He gave them this final message.

Knowing, they did not know, but He knew very well that between now, 400-450 BC, to the time of the Gospel of Matthew, the Messiah will present Himself before Israel, there will be so many years where there will be no message. No messenger, no one to instruct the people. Even though, you notice that we read in chapter 4 and verse 4, remember the law of Moses, my servant. Remember, don't forget, because the law was given to you in order to drive you to recognize that you need God in your life, and that the law was given in order to point us to the coming of the Messiah. Remember the word of God, remember the law of Moses, remember the things of the Lord, but as it is with us as human, we come to a point that we can easily forget what the Lord has done for us.

So now here we are in the final words of the final message of the final messenger that was presenting before our people of all, the people of Israel. So remember that in the previous meetings, when we met together and we studied the word of God, we have pointed in this prophecy of Malachi, that is Malachi, that Malachi, in his days, he was appealing. In the following, you might say there were two groups among the people of Israel. There were the godly, the spiritual ones, the spiritual men and women from among the people of Israel, but there were also the carnal, they were believers, they were part of the people of Israel, but they didn't walk the way they should have been living for the Lord.

Now, if you remember that in the previous chapters, in chapter 2 and verse 17, they said, these, you might say, carnal Hebrews, carnal Jewish people, they say in verse 17, be everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them. And then they continue and said, oh, where is the God of justice, the God of judgment? God is really, doesn't seem to be caring. Everyone that is done evil, he seems to be good in the sight of the Lord, so we will carry on to carry on to do our own ways. And you remember God evacuse them because they were divorcing their wives.

Others were taking the wives from among the Gentile world who did not believe in the God of Israel. And then others, as in chapter 3, he said to them, will a man rob God? They robbed God. They didn't provide for the Lord's work at the temple. They were failing to serve the Lord, and they robbed God with that which belongs unto him. And so God is challenging them, he's speaking to the hearts and the conscience. And now in the final verses, he's now speaking to the godly remnant from among the people who return from Babel. And to them, he gave an assurance and an encouraging word.

He's really speaking to the godly from among his own people to give them a sense of comfort in the midst of discouragement. Yesterday, we have studied Isaiah chapter 57. And in Isaiah chapter 57, we read that the righteous and the godly ones suffered even death. And no one cared. And they may have said, what's the use of continuing on to follow God? What's the point? I mean, nobody cares anyways. Life is passing on. And why should we really care for our spiritual welfare? And God is speaking to the heart of those individuals to encourage them to go on, to move along. God never changed. You remember what we read?

He says, I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Chapter 3 and verse 6. In other words, you have changed. I don't change. Whenever, beloved brothers and sisters, whenever we are not in a healthy spiritual state, we can't blame God. It is always me. It is always us. Who moved? Not God. I moved. My heart turned to be called towards him. And that's why God says to Jacob, Jacob, you know what, Jacob? I didn't change. It's you who have changed. But because of my sovereign grace, I do not consume you. I will sustain you and I will bring you eventually to the future day when you will be rejoicing in my presence.

In the messianic kingdom, when Israel as a nation will be restored. So now, beloved brothers and sisters, we are in the third chapter. In the last verses, verses 16 to 18. And in the fourth chapter and the sixth verses of the prophet Malachi. And you notice that this portion began very precious. And I think it should be an encouragement to us. You notice that verses 16, 17, and 18. We read of the Lord's blessing for the godly of Israel who will have the fear of God in their lives. Notice what he says in verse 16. Now, pause with me for a moment. This is a fascinating verse. In the midst of chaos.

In the midst of disorder. In the midst of coldness and routine among the people of Israel during the days of Malachi. When some of them said, you know what, God does not come in judgment. Where is the God of justice and of judgment? There was always a remnant. A small group of people. In the midst of the nation of Israel. Who you might say, who maintain and sustain the nation by their godly conduct and behavior. The Bible called them Yirei Yehovah. The God-fearers. It says, they that feared Jehovah spake often one to another. While the others, who are also part of the nation of Israel, did not enjoy a relationship with the Lord.

Their heart was callous and cold. But there were others that really had their heart desire to please God. In other words, they saw the condition around. They discerned the situation that is going on. Did God change? Is He less important today than yesterday? Does He love me less today than when the time that I thought I need Him more? Does He want me to be in relationship with Him today more than what it was yesterday? No. They understood that God is always available for His own people. And they have the fear of the Lord. In Hebrew, we call it Yirat Adonai. It's not fear. Oh, you're scared from God.

Oh, no. While we should be scared from God. Because the time He's going to come in discipline upon His people. But that was Yirat, that was reverence. That was, in that passage, Yirat Adonai. It's speaking about reverence to the things of God. They didn't want to forget Him. When they were in Babylon, they realized that they were there by the rivers of Babylon. And they wept when they remember Zion, Zion. Now that they are back in the land. And their fathers already passed away. And they are the new generation. They said, no, no. If all the rest of the nation will go in the wrong direction.

I'm going to continue to follow the Lord. Remind me of the song sometime that we sing. That I follow Jesus wherever He will take me. Though none go with me, still I will follow. In other words, the remnant, the little group, continuing to follow the Lord. Oh, yeah, they were misunderstood, I'm sure. They were probably persecuted by their own brethren. They probably were not appreciated. But the Lord had appreciated these ones that fear Him. And that's why we read very preciously here. They that fear the Lord, not as they speak often one to another. The others spoke against God. Where is the God of justice and the God of judgment?

But they, you might say, gathered themselves together and they were spending the time to speak to one another. To encourage one another. To remind themselves of days and years of old. How God had blessed the nation of Israel. And how God had provided for their own people. They didn't want to forget the Lord and what He had done for them. We read in Psalm 105. Oh, give thanks to the Lord. Call upon His name. Make known His deeds among the people. Psalm 105, verse 1. And talk ye of all His wondrous works. Glow ye in His holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

Seek the Lord and His strength. Seek His face evermore. Remember His marvelous works that He hath done. His wonders and the judgments of His mouth. Oh, ye seed of Abraham, His servant. Ye children of Jacob, His chosen. Psalm 105, verses 1 to 6. It's amazing, beloved brothers and sisters. Wonderful to see that their mind and their hearts were thinking about God. They didn't want to forget Him. They wanted to give Him the glory and the honor that He deserved from among His people. And you remember what Shaul Paul said to young Timothy, younger Timothy. He says, remember Yeshua, the Messiah of the seed of David. Don't forget Him.

Why? Why I shouldn't forget Yeshua, the Messiah? It is because Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, He died for our sins. He paid the price for our sins and sins. He suffered so you and I will never need to suffer anymore. He was judged by a holy God so you and I will never need to be judged. That's why. And the Lord found delight in that. And he, we read here, Malachi, they that fear the Lord, Yirei Yehovah, they speak often one to another and the Lord hearken and he heard it. And I love this expression, beloved brothers and sisters, we don't realize. Remember that the Lord heals everything that we say.

In fact, David says, from where else I can get out from you or go away from you in Psalm 139. We read in that Psalm 139 that God is omnipresence. He's everywhere. God is omniscience. He knows everything. And we also read that He's all-knowing and all-powerful, omnipotent. He's all-powerful. We can't run away from Him. We can't hide from the presence of the Lord. He's everywhere. And He wants our hearts to be delighted in Him. So you notice this verse 16 still continues and it says in that verse 16, And Jehovah, the Lord, hearkened and He heard it. What a delight it must have been for the Lord in the midst of the time of darkness, you might say.

Difficult times in the history of His people that He can find a few individuals, minority, a few who were godly Jewish people in the days of Malachi, who spoke about the Lord, who thought upon His name. He delighted to hear them speaking. It's like going to a home for a visit and spending the time speaking about the things of God. There are many things to speak about. We can speak about the weather. We can speak about the situation, the grass that grow, the trees and so on. Many blessings that God had given to us. But also, as it says here, they speak often one to another, but they were speaking about Him.

They were acknowledging God in their lives as the Creator, as the Sustainer, as the Redeemer, as the Savior. It's amazing when you really think about it. So the Lord hearkened and heard it. You know, sometimes we think God has gone to sleep and He doesn't see things, He doesn't hear things. We don't realize that God delights to hear the people of God speaking of Him, sharing with each other the things of God. Now I know that we live in a time that when you go out on the street and you want to tell people about Yeshua, the Messiah, people say, don't give me this. And sometimes when you want to talk with believers about the Lord, some say, don't be too religious.

I don't want to hear too much about the things of God. But God wants His people to speak about Him, to think of Him, to remember the things that the Lord has done for us and not to forget Yeshua, especially for us as believers today, not to forget Yeshua, our Mashiach. And so the Bible tells us here in Malachi 3, verse 16, And the Lord hearkened and he heard, he listened to what was said. You remember that in earlier verses, we read in verse 13, how those from among the people of Israel who spoke against Him, He said in verse 13, Your words have been stout against me. This is verse 13.

Stout means chazakim, strong against me. But now he's listening to the others who were speaking and he was so pleased when they spoke about Him. They thought about His word. They wanted to honor Him. And I would like to encourage you, beloved brothers and sisters, to speak about God, to speak about Yeshua, the Messiah with each other. We are living in a time where the whole world is desiring us for not to read the Bible, not to pray, not to go to meetings, not to speak to each other. Don't be religious, so-called. The world is telling us, you don't need God in your life. That's what the world is telling us today.

And yet God delights His people to speak about Him, to think about Him, to mention His name. He hears it and He finds pleasure in that. And when He finds pleasure in it, He will not forget that. Not that He is like you and I, who are inclined to forget. God will never forget that. And you notice what it says here in this very same Malachi chapter 3 and verse 16. At the last portion, it says there, notice what it says in this verse 16, And a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His name. A book in Hebrew, we call it Sefer.

A book of remembrance. Sefer Hazicharon, or Sefer Zichronot. You know, you and I have our own books at home. When our children were young, we are writing the first time, He says, Abba. We wrote again the first time he or she crawled. We put in a book the first time that our children have done one thing or another. The first time they went to school. And we love to open those books and look back. And we remember those records. Oh, I remember those days when our children, when we have done that, or this, or the other. You see, God is just the same. Delight to have a record of that which remind Him of the manner whereby His people lived.

And so notice that you and I might say, well, does God, does He not remember? Does He need someone to put things in a record in a book? In a book of remembrance was, as it says here, a book of remembrance was written before Him. Does He need to be reminded? Lord, let me tell you that the whole book that we have in our hands today is a book that was written by men of God. As we have just read, our dear brother read, holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God. And you and I are reading today the words of holy men of God who spoke the word of the Lord, including Malachi.

We read a book of remembrance was written before Him. A book that will remind God, you might say, not that He needed to be reminded, but it's a record of how did these people who belong to me live their lives. And He's intending to reward them in a future day at the Messianic kingdom, when Yeshua is going to come again and will establish the Messianic kingdom. And God will bless those that live for them. And God will bless those that live for Him and He will reward them. And He will bless them in a future day. Not only that He provided salvation for them, but He's also provided rewards for those who are faithful in living their lives for Him here upon the face of this earth.

You see, beloved brothers and sisters, there are various books that the Bible presents before us that shows us that God is still have a record that He Himself has put together in order that He eventually will bless His people. In fact, if you remember what Moses said in the book of Exodus, and I'm going to read this verse in Exodus chapter 32. And in verse 31 and 32, Moses, who wanted so badly to bring his own people, Israel, into the promised land, and he asked God to lead Israel. But Israel failed the Lord. Israel sinned. And Moses, in verse 31, Moses returned unto the Lord and he said, Oh, these people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold.

Yet now, if thou will forgive their sin, and if not blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. Moses loved Israel, his people, so much that he said to God, God, if you are not going to forgive Israel's sin and bring them into the promised land, blot my name out of the book that you have written. And of course, Moses was a child of God. That book of life, or the book of the living, Moses' name will ever retain there because he was a man of God. He lived for God. He was a believer. So, you notice that Moses understood.

He's not talking about the book that we hold today in our hands, but he's speaking about the book or the record of all those that live and belong to the Lord. The book of life. Those that were entering into this world and accepted the will of the Lord for them. There is a book that is written for believers and there is also a book that is written for the manner of their behavior. How did they live their life here on earth? But beloved, also, let me remind you that there is also books that are written of the behavior and the conduct of the unbelievers. Even though their names are erased from the book of the living, from the book of life, but there is a record of the manner whereby they behave in their lives.

In Revelation chapter 20, let me read you that verse as well. Revelation chapter 20, the great white throne judgment. In Revelation chapter 20 and verse 11 we read, And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away and there was found no place for them. And listen to this, verse 12, And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God and the books were opened. And another book was opened which is the book of life. And the dead, these are the unbelievers, were judged out of those things, out of those things which were written in the books, the plural, the books according to their works.

So what we really learn that there are, not only that there is the book of life or also the Lamb's book of life, but we have books and records that God is keeping in relationship to the manner of life that his people lived and also the unbelievers lived. And there is a greater reward for God's people and a greater or lesser condemnation for those that do not belong to him. Amazing to think about it. This is to motivate us to think about the Lord because the book of remembrance was written before him and it says, For them that feared Jehovah and that thought upon his name.

You know, brothers and sisters, this is extremely practical for the life of the people of God. And you and I, just like Israel of old, living in the days of, you might say, of decline in the times of Malachi, we also live in those kind of days, the days of decline in the church age. 2,000 years passed by. Yeshua is coming very soon. And we also are exhorted to make decisions for the Lord in our lives. Maybe it's hard at the time, there's no doubt. We are not always going to be popular when, if we're ever going to make any decision for Yeshua, the Messiah, especially in the world in which we live in.

The Apostle Paul said to a younger man by the name of Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 2, he said to him, and listen to these words, in 2 Timothy chapter 2, in verse 15, he says to him, Timothy, study to show yourself a proof unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. And then he said, in verse 16, but shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and the word will eat as doth a canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have heard saying that the resurrection passed already and overthrew the faith of some. In other words, Paul, Shaul, is warning Timothy to shun that which is contrary to the word of God during the days of the assembly, the church age.

And he continued and listened to what he says in verse 19. He says, nevertheless, Timothy, Timothy, nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having these seals, the Lord knoweth them that are his. Let everyone that name is the name of the Mashiach, the Messiah, depart from iniquity. And he continued and he said, but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also wood and of earth and some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master's use and prepared unto every good worth.

You know what he's really saying to Timothy? That the house of God, this is the church, the assembly, become like a great house in the last days. And inside that great house you have all kind of mixture. As it says here in this verse, in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, some to honor and some to dishonor. In Christendom, in a professing church today, you have all sort of mixture. Some to honor and some to dishonor. Some are vessels of gold and silver but some are vessels of wood and earthen. Some are to honor and some are to dishonor.

Well, Timothy, what are you going to do? You are part of Christendom. You are part of the assembly of the church of the ecclesia. What are you going to do? Well, notice he says flee. Timothy, shun and flee from that which dishonor the Lord because you are going to be able to be a testimony in a time such as this. And what he's saying to the people of Judah in the time of Malachi is very much the same, beloved brothers and sisters while the others spoke against God. They were stout against me. Malachi chapter 3 and verse 13, yet they were they that fear the Lord speak often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that fear the Lord and that thought upon his name.

Whenever we do anything for the Lord even though it's weak and feeble the Lord will always honor that which is done for him. Even though with weakness even though with much failure and shortcoming the Lord will bless his own people. So now notice as we move along in Malachi chapter 3 verse 17 now we have the wonderful promise that God gives to the godly people among Israel. He's encouraging them and he's saying to them in verse 17 they shall be mine sayeth the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spares his own son that serveth him.

Look at the precious words of the Lord he said you know what they shall be mine this one that think about me this one who take the time to glorify me they are mine but now he takes us you see you notice here beloved brothers and sisters it's good to understand it because since Malachi was the last prophet who spoke to our forefathers Israel he didn't understand church truth yet you and I learn now in this 2000 years of church history as far as the Hebrew prophets were concerned they were thinking about two mountains you might say mountain number one the first coming of the Messiah to suffer and die mountain number two the second

coming of the Messiah to come and reign they didn't see anything that is in the valley in between the two you might say coming of the Messiah so here Malachi he doesn't know as far as he was concerned he doesn't know wow you know what wait wait wait it's not going to be only 400 years to Yeshua the Messiah going to come but there will be another 2000 years because that's the length of the church age that at least going to be as far as we know it today Malachi didn't know that as far as he was concerned soon God is going to come in judgment the tribulation period is going to come he will

refine his people Israel he's going to judge the world in righteousness and he will establish the Messiah kingdom he didn't see what you and I see today 2500 years later so notice what he says beloved brothers and sisters in this verse 17 they shall be mine says the Lord of hosts and notice in that day what is that day that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spares his own son that serveth him that day is the tribulation period it's called in the scripture the day of the Lord Yom Yehovah it's a day of judgment it's a day that will come upon the face of this world

that rejected the son of God the Messiah and the Messiah's teaching and God's word this is a terrible day that will arise beloved brothers and sisters it's called the day of judgment I want to read to you what we read in the prophet Tsephaniah if you can turn with me to Tsephaniah chapter 1 in verse 14 listen to what Tsephaniah said 200 years before Malachi spoke look what Tsephaniah said the great day of the Lord is near it is near and hastens greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord Yom Yehovah in Hebrew the mighty men shall cry there bitterly and then in verse 15 he gives us a description of that day

it's called that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of wasteness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess day of clouds and thick darkness a day of the trumpet and alarm against listen against the fainced cities and against the high towers and I will bring distress trouble tribulation I will bring distress upon men and they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by

the fire of his jealousy for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land this is Tephaniah chapter 1 verses 14 to 18 you know sometimes we sing for the day of the Lord has come but we have to realize that the day of the Lord is a day of wrath is a day of judgment is a day that God is going to discipline humanity he's going to refine the people of Israel he's going to restore Israel back to himself that's the day that is coming and that's why he's saying in Malachi chapter 3 and verse 17 he said and they shall be mine says the Lord of Hose

in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them you spare them from what I will spare them from the judgment of Jacob's trouble of the tribulation that's going to come upon the faith of the whole world those who trusted in God and the remnant of our own people Israel and also many from among the Gentile world who will believe in the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob they will be spared in order to enter into the messianic kingdom but those who don't who reject the Lord they will suffer the consequence of their sin God is holy and he will come in judgment but the believers they that fear the Lord

and speak often one to another they will be spared and they will become as it says here in verse 17 I will make up my jewels you know this is a beautiful word actually the word jewels is not necessarily a correct word in English it comes from the Hebrew word segula the Hebrew word segula or segula simply mean mine own possession God in Exodus chapter 19 and verse 5 he says to Israel and you will be a nation for my possession from all the nations of the world in Deuteronomy 7 and verse 6 he called them a nation that is my possession and do you know beloved brothers and sisters if you and I belong

to Yeshua the Messiah today who are part of the assembly the ecclesia we have been chosen by the Lord for the foundation of the world to be a chosen generation in this present day of the assembly of the church age Yeshua said I will build my assembly and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it in Matthew chapter 16 and so what a promise he gave them he continued and he said to them now in these verses he is emphasizing Israel's future restoration that will happen in a future day that's remind me and ought to remind us of what we read in Romans chapter 11 when God through the apostle Shaul Paul reminded the

Roman believers in the local assembly at Rome he said to them I would not brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceit that blindness in part happened to Israel until Israel is partially blinded until what until until the fullness of the Gentiles become in and so all Israel shall be saved that Israel that shall be saved are those that will survive the tribulation period those are the one that he said of them in Malachi chapter 3 I will make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spares his own son that serveth him one day Israel our nation who today are partially

blinded to the messiahship of Yeshua in the future day Israel will recognize that Yeshua Jesus is really the Lord and their messiah and they will eventually be saved as it is written there shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob this is Romans 11 verses 25 and 26 so wonderful to see the connection between Malachi and the future days that are going to come but the tribulation period is that which will come that day is the day that God will refine the nation will restore the nation but not without tribulation sarot as we say this in the Hebrew language now he continued notice that in verse 18 of Malachi

chapter 3 he is now speaking to those from among Israel who were then in the days of Malachi not really in tune with the Lord they belonged to the nation of Israel but they were really you might say spiritually blind or spiritually they backslide they didn't think like the others who fear the Lord and thought of his they thought you know what it's enough for me to be a little bit religious I'll be religious a little bit but I don't really need my heart to be right with the Lord I'm part of the nation of Israel and I really they were backsliding they were going backwards they were not enjoying that which the Lord has

intended for them and you notice what God is saying to them through Malachi in verse 18 he says then later on it says here in verse 18 shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serves God and him that serveth him not now you know he is speaking here in verse 18 he is speaking about the ones who turn away from the Lord from among the people of Israel they were part of the nation you might say they were called people of God like us many times oh yes we are saved hallelujah what a savior we have the ticket Jesus paid it but you know Lord don't bother me

when I die I go to heaven but here and now please don't bother me I don't want to talk about you I don't want to read about you I don't want to pray to you I don't want to talk to you I don't want to have anything to do with you but thank you for paying the ticket to go to heaven and you see they were like that he says no no then when the tribulation period will come then you you you shall return you you will return and then you will discern and you are going to say I have played the fool I thought I knew better than God oh yes I thought that

I could carry on my life without God and I'm fine and God says then shall he return and then you shall discern between the righteous and the wicked between those that serve God and him that serveth him not you know when we turn away from the Lord which happened often times in our lives time passes by and we look back and we saw the last five years ten years of our life and we see how things have gone and we can see what did I gain when I left God out of my life what did I gain was it any value for me in my life did I have joy when I set God outside

of my life you find very quickly that we really played a fool we were not wise when we turn away from the Lord and you know to turn back is always that which delight the heart of God John said if we confess our sins he he he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness he doesn't speak to unbelievers unbelievers need to receive Yeshua first of all he's speaking to believers to the brethren to the achim he's saying to them you need to repent and return back to the Lord shuvu shuvu return return then you can discern right and so he says the time will come and you will

see that that when you're going to return you will realize that you lost not God you lost you played the fool King Saul said I played the fool I played the fool he lost the kingdom because of his wrong disobeyed the Lord consistently and eventually he lost the kingdom that God had entrusted unto him so now brothers and sisters we continue into chapter 4 but chapter 4 in the Hebrew scripture is part of chapter 3 because now we finish verse 18 so verses chapter 4 we have verse 19 verse 20 verse 21 22 23 and 24 of the third chapter in the Hebrew text the Masoretic text but in the English text we enter into

chapter 4 and I want just to highlight a few things here in chapter 4 in chapter 4 verses 1 to 3 the Lord now describes the day of the Lord the tribulation period it's a terrible day beloved brothers and sisters notice what he described there first of all there is a day coming that God will judge all who rejected him here in this world notice it says here for behold the day verse 1 cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up say as the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch

he's speaking about the day and again the day it's not a single day 24 hours it's not a single day 12 hours in a day and 12 hours in a night he's speaking about the period of time that we learn from Daniel chapter 9 that it is a time that is speaking about 7 years 7 years length and that's called the day of Jehovah Yom Yehovah it's a day of judgment which will culminate with the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah and establishing the messianic kingdom when Yeshua is going to reign as King of King and Lord of Lutz but this day this 7 years of tribulation is really the whole book almost all the

book of Revelation Revelation 6 to Revelation 19 all these chapters deal with the tribulation period the day of the judgment after judgment after judgment the seven seals are open the seven trumpets are sound the seven balls are poured there will be judgment after judgment that are going to fall upon the face of this earth the world will then learn righteousness where God is going to come in judgment it says here it will burn like an oven and it says here that he will not leave the Lord will not leave them neither root nor branch there will be a terrible day and the expression burn here burn like an oven speaks of the judgment the fire

of God that will fall upon the face of this earth during the tribulation period you know Peter wrote this like that and I just want to read in 2nd Peter Peter mentioned this in chapter 3 and verse 4 look listen to the way Peter said he said and he says verse 4 people will say where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation for this they willingly are ignorant that the word of God that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water and now notice in

verse 6 and 7 it says whereby was being overflowed with water perished but the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire amazing amazing Peter is going to say listen this world in a future day is reserved unto fire terrible terrible day we don't wish anybody to be there during those days of the tribulation period when God is going to come in judgment he will leave neither root nor branch God will judge this world who rejected his son Yeshua the Messiah he continues and he says in verse 2 but the godly remnant of Israel there will be deliverance for them those who have trusted in

him he will deliver them out of this judgment verse 2 he says but unto you that fear my name shall the son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall you notice what he says referring back to chapter 3 and verse 16 and he says but unto you that fear my name something is going to happen while to the rest of the world the fire of God's judgment going to be poured upon them for you who are believers he speaks about of course to the Jewish people the people of Israel during the tribulation period so then to you that fear my name

the sun S-U-N like we have in the sky the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings that sun of righteousness S-U-N is a symbol or a picture of the Messiah who is the S-O-N the son of righteousness he will come and the Messiah will come at the end of the tribulation period and he will spiritually heal and restore the people of Israel back to God he will come and he will deliver them out of all that which the antichrist will seek to do against them the antichrist who will rise up in a tribulation he will seek to destroy our own Jewish people and we find out that the sun S-U-N of righteousness will

arise and he will be used this you might say these rays of the sun will be healing for the nation Israel eventually will be a nation that will be a restored nation a nation that will be born in a day as we read here in the prophet Isaiah said this and I read this Isaiah chapter 60 and the first a few verses we read and just bear with me as I'm reading this beautiful verse arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee God is speaking to Israel for behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee

and his glory shall be seen upon thee he's speaking about Israel the Gentiles shall come to thy light and king to the brightness of thy rising Israel one day will enjoy a restoration but these people that will enjoy a restoration will be those that feared the Lord and thought upon his name as Malachi is mentioning here in this chapter notice he continues now in the same verse he says you shall go forth and grow up like kelbs of the stall they will be growing up the nation will be blessed and there will be a wonderful period of time like kelbs in a stall they will enjoy blessing from the presence of the Lord this is

speaking about the future day at the end of the tribulation I just want to make that note that to Israel the Lord Yeshua the Messiah is going to come as the son of righteousness but to the church to the assembly the Lord is going to come as the bright and morning star the book of Revelation teaches us this at the end of the book of Revelation chapter 22 and what is the difference between the morning star and the son of righteousness the morning star appears before the sun appears that will suggest to us that the people of the assembly the ecclesia the church will be removed out of here before the tribulation will come and

the son of righteousness will appear at the end of the tribulation this is really speaks vividly about the fact that the assembly the church the ecclesia are going to be raptured out of here before the tribulation period and a morning star will appear for the assembly but after the end of the seven year of tribulation the son of righteousness will appear and he will bring healing to the nation of Israel these are wonderful pictures that help us to understand the word of the Lord so now quickly beloved brothers and sisters verse three that as we read here Israel will tread down the wicked in the day of the Lord it says in verse three and

ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that is the tribulation day at the end of it in the day that I shall do this say as the Lord of hosts in other words Israel's enemies who fought against Israel from generation to generation to generation afflicted the people of God sent them on all sort of persecution over the generation eventually the reverse will happen Israel will no longer be the tail , Israel will be the head Israel will no longer flee because of persecution Israel will be the one that will eventually will as it says here in verse three they shall be ashes

under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this sayeth the Lord now brothers and sisters finally in conclusion of the book of Malachi I want to just highlight these last three verses very precious because in the last three verses 4 5 and 6 Israel is commended to remember Torah Moshe the law of Moses and then Israel is being told that there is a promise that one day Eliyahu Elijah will come in order to restore the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children and so you notice what it says here in verse 4 remember remember remember ye the law of Moses my servant just pause here for a

moment Israel is to remember now why because from the time that Malachi gave the last message to Israel 400 450 BC there will be such a long time where there will not be any message from the Lord until John Yohanan the baptizer going to come and say behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Israel was to remember the law of Moshe my servant this is the final call of Israel to go back to that which God had given unto them but what happened 400 years passed by 450 years when Yeshua finally came on the scene the law of Moses was you might say disfigured with all sort of rituals

all sort of pharisaic views all sort of things which were no longer found in the law of Moses because by the time Yeshua the Messiah came he was presenting himself as Israel's promised Messiah much of the things that were taught in those days were no longer that which the Lord intended for Israel to remember because the law of Moses lead us to the Messiah Galatians 3 says for what purposes the law was given it was given in order to lead us to the seed of the woman to the Mashiach who was going to come but when he came what happened Israel did not accept him as a nation yes individuals did the apostles did who

gave us the New Testament but Israel as a nation did not as a nation did not they went further and further with all sort of rabbinical teachings pharisaic views by the time that Yeshua came it was no longer a faith system it was works system that's why up till today our people are still not sure how to be right with God don't realize that they need to believe in the Messiah who died for them they try to work their way into heaven to be justified by works that's why the apostle Paul says I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge in Romans chapter 10 remember the law

of Moses my servant which I commended unto him in Horev for all Israel with the statutes and judgment but then he gave them a final promise and he said to them in verse 5 and 6 he gives them the promise of Eliyahu Hanavi the promise that Elijah the prophet will come and here I'm reading this behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse you notice that the last word that we have here is the

word curse come from the Hebrew word cherem and what happened is that God said if you will not submit to my word you will experience the judgment that will come but he promised that Elijah will come Eliyahu Hanavi when we celebrate the Passover we always have a plate for Elijah the prophet is there at the end of the table and every family would send a little boy the little girl outside open the door and look left look right to see if Elijah have come and every year we learn that Elijah hasn't come as yet he will come but he hasn't come because the promise of God I will send unto you Elijah the prophet before

the great day and notice again is the great and dreadful day is the time of the tribulation period and sure beloved brothers and sisters Elijah will come some of us are confused about whether John the baptizer is Elijah or Elijah is John the baptizer but but when they asked John the baptizer are you Elijah that will come he says I am not and when the angel spoke to Zechariah the father of Elijah he said that Elijah that John the baptizer will come in the spirit and the power of Elijah in John chapter 1 and when Yeshua said if you will he is Elijah speaking about John the baptizer he meant he is a Elijah will

come in a future day to present Yeshua at his second coming as Yohanan John the baptizer came in to present Yeshua in his first coming Elijah will come behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and what will be the ministry of Elijah and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse you know when Yeshua came at his first coming he said if any man love me and love father or mother more than me he is not worthy of me he divided

families but when he come at his second coming he is going to restore families together Elijah will come his ministry will be to restore the hearts of the fathers to the children the family unit in a Jewish home was so important since biblical days the family honor your father and your mother it was part of the law given to Israel we know from the other passages husbands love your wife wife be subject to your own husband children obey your parents father provoke not your children to rest the family unit in biblical days were that which God delighted with and today what's going on in the world in which we live in today broken homes broken

families and it is all because we have not submitted to the instruction that the Lord gave us in his word lest I come as mighty earth with a curse if you would be in a synagogue and you come to the time where the book of Malachi is being read in a synagogue they don't end with verse 6 they go back to verse 5 and make verse 5 read again behold I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord in the synagogue verse 6 is not the end in the reading but verse 5 is re-read once again in order that the word curse will not be the

last word that is found in the minor prophets of God well brothers and sisters we concluded with this ministry the prophet Malachi this is the minor prophets and I trust that we have kind of gleaned from that something that will help us in our walk with the Lord as Israel in the remnant days were not in a healthy spiritual way living for the Lord we can apply this to ourselves and ask the Lord to help us today in those days that we will be like this remnant who thought about the Lord spoke about his name and a book of remembrance were written before the Lord for those that think upon his name may the Lord

bless his word can we say Amen