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Commentary on Malachi 4 verses 1–3
The great and terrible day of the Lord is here prophesied of. This, like the pillar of cloud and fire, shall have a dark side turned towards the Egyptians that fight against God, and a bright side towards the faithful Israelites that follow him: The day cometh, that is, the Lord cometh, the day of the Lord; and it has reference both to the first and to the second coming of Jesus Christ; the day of both was fixed, and should answer the character here given of it.
I. In both Christ is a consuming fire to those that rebel against him. The day of his coming shall burn as an oven; it shall be a day of wrath, of fiery indignation. This was foretold concerning the Messiah, Psa 21:9, Thy hand shall find out all thy enemies, and shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of thy anger. It will be a day of terror and destruction like the burning of a city, or rather of a wood, the trees whereof are withered and dried, for to that the allusion seems to be, as Isa 10:17, Isa 10:18, The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame, and it shall consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field. Now observe here, 1. Who shall be fuel to this fire - all the proud in heart, whose words have been stout against God, and their necks stiff and unapt to yield to the yoke of his commandments (all those that in the pride of their countenances will not seek after God, nor submit to the grace and government of Jesus Christ - all that proudly say they will not have Christ to reign over them), and all those that do wickedly in their affections and conversations, that wilfully persist in sin, in contempt of and contradiction to the law of God; they are such as do wickedly against the covenant, as another prophet had lately expressed it, Dan 11:32. God, that has perfect knowledge of every one's character, knows who are the proud, and of every one's actions, knows who they are that do wickedly; and they shall be as stubble to this fire; they shall be consumed by it, easily consumed, utterly consumed, and it is wholly owing to themselves that they shall be so, for they make themselves stubble, that is, combustible matter, to this fire. If they were not stubble, it would not burn them; for the fire will be to every man according as he and his works are found; if they be wood, hay, and stubble, they will be consumed; but if they be gold, solver, and precious stones, they will abide the fire and be purified by it, Co1 3:13-15. Those that by their unbelief oppose Christ thereby set themselves as briers and thorns before a devouring fire, Isa 27:4, Isa 27:5. 2. What shall be the force and what the fruit of this fire: The day that cometh shall burn them up, shall both terrify and ruin them, and shall leave them neither root nor branch, neither son nor nephew (so the Chaldee paraphrase): neither they nor their posterity shall be spared; they shall be wholly extirpated and cut off. Who knows the power of God's anger? The proud and those that do wickedly will not fear it, but they shall be made to feel it. Where are those now that called the proud happy, when thus they are made completely miserable, when there remains no branch of their happiness to be enjoyed for the present, nor any root of it out of which it might again spring up? Now this was fulfilled, (1.) When Christ, in his doctrine, spoke terror and condemnation to the proud Pharisees and the other Jews that did wickedly, when he sent that fire on the earth which burnt up the chaff of the traditions of the elders and the corrupt glosses they had put upon the law of God. (2.) When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, and the nation of the Jews, as a nation, quite blotted out from under heaven, and neither root nor branch left them. This seems to be principally intended here; our Saviour says that those should be the days of vengeance, when all the things that were written to that purport should be fulfilled, Luk 21:22. Then the unbelieving Jews were as stubble to the devouring fire of God's judgments, which gathered together to them as the eagles to the carcase. (3.) It is certainly applicable, and is to be applied, to the day of judgment, to the particular judgment at death (some of the Jewish doctors refer it the punishment that seizes on the souls of the wicked immediately after they go out of the body), but especially to the general judgment, at the end of time, when Christ shall be revealed in flaming fire, to execute judgment on the proud, and all that do wickedly. The whole world shall then burn as an oven, and all the children of this world, that set their hearts upon it and choose their portion in it, shall take their ruin with it, and the fire then kindled shall never be quenched.
II. In both Christ is a rejoicing light to those who serve him faithfully, to those who fear his name and give him the glory due to it (Mal 4:2), who stand in awe of that name of his which the wicked profane and trample upon. Here are mercy and comfort kept in store for all those who fear the Lord and think on his name. Observe,
1.Whence this mercy and comfort shall flow to them: To you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings. The day that comes, as it will be a stormy day to the wicked, a day in which God will rain upon them fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, as he did on Sodom (Psa 11:6), a day of clouds and thick darkness (Amo 5:18, Amo 5:20), so it will be a fair and bright day to those who fear God, and reviving as the rising sun is to the earth; and particular notice is taken of the rising of the sun upon Zoar when that was mercifully distinguished from the cities of the plain, which the fire consumed; see Gen 19:23. So to those that fear God is comfort spoken. When the hearts of others fail for fear let them lift up their heads for joy, for their redemption draws nigh, Luk 21:28. But by the Sun of righteousness here we are certainly to understand Jesus Christ, who would undertake to secure the believing remnant, in the day of the general destruction of the Jews, from falling with the rest, and to comfort them in that day of distress and perplexity with his consolations; he directed those that were in Judea to flee to the mountains (Mat 24:16), and they did so, and were all safe and easy in Pella. But it is to be applied more generally, (1.) To the coming of Christ in the flesh to seek and save those that were lost; then the Sun of righteousness arose upon this dark world. Christ is the light of the world, the true light, the great light that makes day and rules the day (Joh 8:12), as the sun. He is the light of men (Joh 1:4), is to men's souls as the sun is to the visible world, which without the sun would be a dungeon; so would mankind be darkness itself without the light of the glory of God shining in the face of Christ. Christ is the Sun that has light in himself, and is the fountain of light (Psa 19:4-6); he is the Sun of righteousness, for he is himself a righteous Saviour. Righteousness is both the light and the heat of this Sun; the word of his righteousness is so; it guides, instructs, and quickens; so is the everlasting righteousness he has brought in. He is made of God to us righteousness; he is the Lord our righteousness, and therefore is fitly called the Sun of righteousness. Through him we are justified and sanctified, and so are brought to see light. This Sun of righteousness, in the fulness of time, arose upon the world, and with him light came into the world (Joh 3:19), a great light, Mat 4:16. In him the day-spring from on high visited us, to give light to those that sit in darkness, Luk 1:78, Luk 1:79. Righteousness sometimes signifies mercy or benignity, and it was in Christ that the tender mercy of our God visited us. (2.) It is applicable to the graces and comforts of the Holy Spirit, brought into the souls of men. Grotius understands it of Christ's giving the Spirit to those that are his, to shine in their hearts, and to be a comforter to them, a sun and a shield. Those that are possessed and governed by a holy fear of God and a dread of his majesty shall have his love also shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost; and then the sun may be said to arise there, and to bring both a delightful day and a fruitful spring along with it. (3.) Christ's second coming will be a glorious and welcome sun-rising to all that fear his name; it will be that morning of the resurrection in which the upright shall have dominion, Psa 49:14. That day which to the wicked will burn as an oven will to the righteous be bright as the morning; and it is what they wait for, more than those that wait for the morning.
2.What this mercy and comfort shall bring to them: He shall arise with healing under his wings, or in his rays or beams, which are as the wings of the sun. Christ came, as the sun, to bring not only light to a dark world, but health to a diseased distempered world. The Jews (says Dr. Pocock) have a proverbial saying, As the sun riseth, infirmities decrease; the flowers which drooped and languished all night revive in the morning. Christ came into the world to be the great physician, yea, and the great medicine too, both the balm in Gilead and the physician there. When he was upon earth, he went about as the sun in his circuit, doing this good; he healed all manner of sicknesses and diseases among the people; he healed by wholesale, as the sun does. He shall arise with healing in his skirts; so some read it, and they apply it to the story of the woman's touching the hem of his garment, and being thereby made whole, and his finding that virtue went out of him, Mar 5:28-30. But his healing bodily diseases was a specimen of his great design in coming into the world to heal the diseases of men's souls, and to put them into a good state of health, that they may serve and enjoy both God and themselves.
3.What good effect it shall have upon them. (1.) It shall make them vigorous in themselves: "You shall go forth, as those that are healed go abroad and return to their business." The souls shall go forth out of their bodies at death, and the bodies out of their graves at the resurrection, as prisoners out of their dungeons, and both to see the light and be set at liberty. "You shall go forth as plants out of the earth, when in the spring the sun returns." Some make it to mean the going forth of the Christians from Jerusalem, and the escape they thereby made from its destruction. And thus the souls on whom the Sun of righteousness arises go forth out of the world, go forth out of Babylon, as those that are made free indeed. "You shall likewise grow up; being restored to health and liberty, you shall increase in knowledge, and grace, and spiritual strength." The souls on which the Sun of righteousness arises are growing up towards the perfect man; those that by the grace of God are made wise and good are by the same grace made wiser and better; and their path, like that of the rising sun, shines more and more to the perfect day, Pro 4:18. Their growth is compared to that of the calves of the stall, which is a quick, strong, and useful growth. "You shall grow up, not as the flower of the field, which is slender, and weak, and of little use, and withers soon after it has grown up, but as the calves of the stall," that, as one of the rabbin expounds it, grow great in flesh and fatness, with which both God's altars and men's tables are replenished; so the growth of the saints, on whom the Sun of righteousness arises, honours both God and man. Some read it, instead of You shall grow up, You shall move yourselves, or leap for joy, shall be as frolicsome as calves of the stall, when they are let loose in the open field; it denotes the joy of the saints, who rejoice in Christ Jesus; they shall even leap for joy; they are always caused to triumph.
(2.)It shall make them victorious over their enemies (Mal 4:3): You shall tread down the wicked. Time was when the wicked trod them down, said to their souls, Bow down, that we may go over; but the day will come when they shall tread down the wicked. The wicked, being made Christ's footstool, are made theirs also (Psa 110:1), and come and worship before the feet of the church, Rev 3:9. The elder shall serve the younger. When believers by faith overcome the world, when they suppress their own corrupt appetites and passions, when the God of peace bruises Satan under their feet, then they tread down the wicked. When it came to the turn of the Christians to triumph over the Jews that had insulted over them, then this promise was fulfilled: They shall be ashes under the soles of your feet; they shall not only be trodden down, but trodden to dirt. When the day that comes shall have burnt them up, they shall trample upon them as ashes. When the righteous shall rise to everlasting life, the wicked shall rise to everlasting contempt; and, though they shall not triumph over them, they shall triumph in that God whose justice is glorified in their destruction. The saints in glory are said to have power given them over the nations, to rule them with a rod of iron, Rev 2:26, Rev 2:27. This you shall do, in the day that I shall do this. Note, The saints' triumphs are all owing to God's victories; it is not they that do this, but God that does it for them, that says, Come set your feet on the necks of these kings. Some read it, "In the day that I make, or shall make, the great day that I shall make remarkable, of which you will say with joy, This is the day which the Lord has made." The day of the destruction of Jerusalem is called the great and notable day of the Lord (Act 2:20), and our Saviour in foretelling that destruction made use of such expressions as, like these, might be applied likewise to the end of the world and the last judgment; for it was such a terrible revelation of the wrath of God from heaven, and caused such a scene of horror upon this earth, that it might fitly serve for a type of that glorious transaction which will be an outlet to the days of time and an inlet to the days of eternity. By the accomplishment of these prophecies in the ruin of the Jewish nation, we should have our faith confirmed in the assurances Christ has given us concerning the dissolution of all things. Surely I come quickly; so says Christ, the Lord of hosts, to whom all power in heaven and earth is committed.
(Chapter 4, verse 1 onward) Behold, for the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the proud and all the evildoers will be stubble; and the coming day will set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. LXX: For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when it will burn them up, and all the aliens and all the evildoers will be stubble; the day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. For the wicked have made me labor in their speeches, and have said: Every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such please him: and if it be not so, who will confront him? and since he is good to those who serve him not, they have said: Where is the God of justice? And behold I speak these things to justify myself, for I am full of complaints against the ungodly; but if I had a cause, I would just speak, and would not fear him as he is. And when He shall have inflamed and burnt them, He will leave in them no root nor germ of wickedness. This is what the impious will suffer on the day of judgment. On the contrary, it is said what will happen to those who fear the name of God: And the sun of justice shall rise upon you, who ((elsewhere: because)) will judge all things truly: and neither good nor evil, neither virtues nor vices, shall be able to remain hidden. And health shall be in His wings, to carry the repentant on His shoulders, according to what is written in Deuteronomy: Spreading His wings, He has received them, and has carried them on His shoulders. (Deut. XXII, 11). Then those who are now included in the world as if in prison will go out, and they will leap like calves from the herd, or like calves freed from chains. Hence the Apostle says: I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ (Philippians 1:23), so that he may go out and leap like a calf freed from chains, and like a victim of the Lord. And he is not content with the end of this joy; but he will trample on the wicked when they become ashes. Hence, there is also an imprecation for the righteous: But the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet swiftly (Romans 16:20). Abraham spoke to the Lord, feeling himself to be like the ashes of divine majesty: 'I am dust and ashes' (Gen. XVIII, 27); and therefore he will see the sun of justice, and will rest among its chosen ones, and carried by him, he will be raised up to the heavens. But he, through pride, said: 'I will set my throne above the stars, I will be like the Most High' (Isai. XIV, 13); he will be cast down to the earth, and will be like ashes under the feet of the holy ones, when the day of the Lord of judgment comes.
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SUMMARY
Malachi 4:3 culminates a powerful prophetic vision of the "day of the LORD," portraying the decisive and irreversible triumph of divine justice. It vividly describes the ultimate subjugation of the wicked, who will be utterly destroyed and rendered powerless, likened to ashes beneath the feet of the righteous. This verse serves as a profound assurance of God's unwavering commitment to vindicate His faithful people and eradicate all forms of evil, emphasizing the finality of His judgment and the complete reversal of fortunes for those who oppose Him.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Malachi 4:3 stands as the concluding statement of a climactic prophetic oracle that began in Malachi 3:13. The preceding verses, Malachi 4:1-2, set the stage for this dramatic pronouncement. Malachi 4:1 describes the "day that shall burn as an oven," consuming the proud and all who do wickedly, leaving them as stubble. In stark contrast, Malachi 4:2 promises healing and joy for those who fear God's name, who will "go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." Malachi 4:3 then completes this picture by illustrating the ultimate fate of the wicked from the perspective of the righteous, underscoring their complete and public humiliation. This final chapter of Malachi, and indeed of the Old Testament, serves as a powerful summary of the covenantal blessings and curses, looking forward to a definitive divine intervention.
Historical & Cultural Context: Malachi prophesied to a post-exilic Jewish community in Judah, likely during the Persian period (late 5th century BCE). This community, having returned from Babylonian exile, had grown spiritually apathetic, cynical, and complacent. They were offering defiled sacrifices, neglecting tithes, questioning God's justice in the face of the wicked's prosperity, and intermarrying with foreign women. The "day of the LORD" was a well-established prophetic concept, often associated with judgment and deliverance, but the people had a distorted view of it, expecting only blessing for themselves. Malachi corrects this, emphasizing that the "day" would bring judgment first to God's own people if they were unfaithful, and then a final, decisive judgment upon all unrighteousness. The imagery of "treading down" was culturally resonant, evoking the defeat of enemies in battle or the process of threshing grain, where the valuable grain is separated from the worthless chaff and trampled underfoot.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Malachi and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights Divine Justice and Retribution, affirming that God is not indifferent to evil and will ultimately bring about a full and righteous judgment, as seen in the promise that the wicked will be consumed on the day that burns like an oven. Secondly, it underscores the Vindication of the Righteous, assuring those who "fear the LORD" (as described in Malachi 3:16) that their faithfulness will be rewarded and their oppressors will be utterly defeated. This vindication is not merely passive observation but a symbolic participation in God's triumph. Thirdly, the verse vividly portrays the Complete Destruction of the Wicked, emphasizing the absolute and irreversible nature of their demise. They are reduced to "ashes under the soles of your feet," signifying their utter powerlessness and eradication, a stark contrast to the flourishing of the righteous described in Malachi 4:2.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Malachi 4:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. Imagery is central, particularly the vivid picture of the wicked as "ashes under the soles of your feet," which immediately evokes a sense of utter destruction, humiliation, and finality. This is a form of Metaphor, where the wicked are compared to the worthless residue of fire, emphasizing their complete lack of substance or power. The act of "treading down" also functions as a Symbolism of complete victory and subjugation, drawing on ancient Near Eastern practices of conquerors placing their feet on the necks of defeated enemies. Furthermore, the verse uses a form of Anthropomorphism by referring to the "soles of your feet," attributing human-like physical interaction to the righteous in their experience of divine judgment. The stark contrast between the fate of the wicked and the righteous, especially when read in conjunction with the preceding verses, creates a powerful Antithesis, highlighting the binary outcomes of God's final judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Malachi 4:3 powerfully articulates the biblical theme of divine justice and the ultimate vindication of God's people. It assures believers that the apparent prosperity of the wicked is temporary and that God will decisively intervene to set all wrongs right. This judgment is not merely punitive but also restorative, establishing a new order where righteousness prevails. The imagery of the wicked becoming "ashes under the soles of your feet" underscores the absolute finality of God's judgment and the complete eradication of evil from His perfected creation. This perspective offers profound comfort and hope to those who suffer injustice, knowing that the God of hosts will indeed fulfill His promises.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Malachi 4:3 offers a profound and challenging truth for believers today. In a world where injustice often seems to flourish and the wicked appear to prosper, this verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's ultimate sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to justice. It calls us to trust in His perfect timing and His righteous judgment, rather than seeking personal vengeance or despairing in the face of evil. For those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways, it provides immense comfort and assurance that their faithfulness will be vindicated, and their oppressors will ultimately face the consequences of their rebellion. This should inspire perseverance in righteousness, even when it is difficult, and a patient waiting for the "day that I shall do this." Conversely, for those who disregard God and persist in wickedness, it serves as a solemn warning of the inevitable and irreversible consequences of their choices. It compels us to examine our own hearts and lives, ensuring that we are aligned with God's purposes and living in reverence for His holy name, anticipating the glorious day of His final triumph and the establishment of His perfect kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Malachi 4:3 suggest that the righteous will literally participate in the physical destruction of the wicked?
Answer: While the imagery of "treading down" might suggest direct physical action, the primary emphasis of Malachi 4:3 is on the outcome of God's judgment and the vindication of the righteous. The "treading down" is a vivid metaphor for complete subjugation and victory, signifying that the wicked will be utterly powerless and humiliated before the righteous. It's less about the righteous actively inflicting harm and more about them witnessing and experiencing the full extent of God's decisive triumph over evil. The context of Malachi 4:1 indicates that God Himself is the one who will "burn them up," reducing them to ashes. The righteous are those who will then walk upon the ground where the wicked once stood, now reduced to dust, signifying their complete and irreversible defeat. This is a picture of ultimate reversal of fortunes and divine justice fully realized.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Malachi 4:3 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of God's righteous judgment and the source of all vindication. The "day of the LORD" described here is ultimately the day of Christ's return, when He will judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1). Jesus is the "Sun of Righteousness" promised in Malachi 4:2, whose coming brings healing and light to those who believe. His first coming inaugurated the defeat of Satan and sin (Colossians 2:15), and His second coming will bring about the final, complete subjugation of all evil. The "treading down the wicked" and their reduction to "ashes under the soles of your feet" points to Christ's absolute victory over all His enemies, including death itself (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). Believers, united with Christ, are called to share in His triumph, not by physical vengeance, but by living in His righteousness and anticipating the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). The ultimate fulfillment is found in the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells and evil is forever banished, a reality secured by the Lamb of God who was slain and reigns forevermore (Revelation 21:1-4).