He Gave Us Prophets: Unfolding EschatologyEgzanp

Later Prophetic Insight – Malachi: Malachi 4:1-2

Malachi focused on this distant hope more than any other late prophet. He sharply rebuked those living in Jerusalem and warned them that a day of judgment and blessing was coming in the future. For instance, in Malachi 3:1 we read these words: 

“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

And in his last words in 4:1-2, Malachi speaks of what will happen in that great future day: 

“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty… “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” 

As the Old Testament closed, it became apparent that this salvation was not coming quickly. The people of God would have to wait for the full restoration. 

We’ve seen that eschatology in the Old Testament began with Moses and that the early prophets opened many insights into these matters by adding royal and temple themes. Now, we’ve seen that Daniel and the last prophets of the Old Testament learned that the exile would be extended for a long time. Only then would the great divine intervention take place and bring restoration to God’s people. This brings us then to the last stage in biblical eschatology, the eschatology of the New Testament.