Preparing the Way of the Lord

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. 5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:1-5

Preparing the Way of the Lord
O, the great prophecy of the coming forerunner and the Messiah after him. Malachi foretells the coming of John the Baptist. John prepares the way for the Lord who dwells in his temple. The Lord will be where he has promised to be found. The work of this Messiah is to make new in the midst of sin and death and unrighteousness. He takes away the spots and blemishes. He washes and refines his holy people in his own blood which he sheds as the perfect sacrifice for his people. This is the one offering that is pleasing to the Lord God. This is the one sacrifice that will stop the wrath and anger of our God because of our sin. Jesus makes new our relationship with the Heavenly Father and restores our place as children of God. He places his name and his work upon us so that we might live in him forever. Thanks be to God that he sends our rescue and that we have been made new and whole again.