Sun 23 Jun

Little did Malachi and the people he was ministering to realise that these six verses would be the last for some four centuries These words would form a final word before the living Word, Jesus Christ came.

What then did God consider important for His people to know? A constant cry was the activity of the wicked. The ones who call evil good. The ones who challenge God and get away with it. The ones who commit evil and prosper. The cry is how long will this last before the God of justice takes action? The psalmist consistently cries that the wicked prosper and are not held to account. Where is the God of justice?

God’s response is found in the final word. God reassures His people that the wicked will be dealt with. He uses the illustration of a tree. When it is set on fire not only are the branches consumed in the fire, so to are the roots. We see that happening in the many bushfires we have in Australia. Once the tree is burning it is destroyed.

God reassures His people that the wicked will be dealt with. Comforting words when there was no hint that the wicked would be punished at all. They are comforting for us as we see evil proliferating around us and evildoers getting away with it. As we await the return of our Lord and Saviour give thanks that God in His mercy is allowing time for people to come to Him before He does come and deal with the evildoers. Pray for people you know who as yet have not come to Christ before God acts on His final word.