Mal 4:5-6 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mal 4:5-6: 4:5-6 The second postscript warns that divine judgment of the wicked is indeed approaching, and promises divine deliverance and restoration of the righteous. • Elijah is a supreme example of a prophet of God who preached repentance with messages that were authenticated by signs and wonders (see Luke 1:17 ; Jas 5:17-18 ). Elijah was a forerunner of the day of the Lord (see Mal 3:1 ). The New Testament identifies John the Baptist as the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah (see Matt 11:11-15 ; Luke 1:17 ).

a4:5-6►

bLuke 1:17►

cJas 5:17-18►

dMal 3:1►

eMatt 11:11-15►

fLuke 1:17►

g4:6►

h2 Cor 5:18-20►

iDeut 7:26►

j1 Sam 15:18►

kZech 14:11►

lJosh 6:17►

‏ Malachi 4:5-6

Summary for Mal 4:5-6: 4:5-6 ^a The second postscript warns that divine judgment of the wicked is indeed approaching, and promises divine deliverance and restoration of the righteous.

• Elijah is a supreme example of a prophet of God who preached repentance with messages that were authenticated by signs and wonders (see Luke 1:17 ^b; Jas 5:17-18 ^c). Elijah was a forerunner of the day of the Lord (see Mal 3:1 ^d). The New Testament identifies John the Baptist as the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus the Messiah (see Matt 11:11-15 ^e; Luke 1:17 ^f).
4:6 ^g His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children: Two key themes prominent in Malachi and the Old Testament prophets in general are the turning of hearts and the ministry of reconciliation. Turn is the Old Testament term for repentance and indicates a complete change of loyalties. Turning toward God results in reconciliation between generations (see 2 Cor 5:18-20 ^h).

• strike the land with a curse: The word curse implies total destruction (see Deut 7:26 ⁱ; 1 Sam 15:18 ^j; Zech 14:11 ^k). The people of Israel who did not respond to God’s prophet would face utter oblivion, as had been the fate of their Canaanite predecessors (e.g., Josh 6:17 ^l).