Malachi 4 5

Malachi 4:5 kjv

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Malachi 4:5 nkjv

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

Malachi 4:5 niv

"See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

Malachi 4:5 esv

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Malachi 4:5 nlt

"Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives.

Malachi 4 verses

Malachi 4 5 Meaning

Malachi 4:5 is a foundational prophetic promise signaling a divine intervention before the culmination of history. It foretells the sending of "Elijah the prophet" as God's chosen messenger, whose crucial mission is to prepare humanity for the approaching "great and awesome day of the Lord." This "day" encompasses both divine judgment upon the wicked and ultimate deliverance for the righteous, signifying a momentous period of divine reckoning and revelation. The promise emphasizes God's sovereign initiative in preparing the world for His ultimate self-manifestation.

Malachi 4 5 Context

Malachi 4:5 concludes the Old Testament prophetic canon, serving as the final word from God's inspired prophets to Israel before a 400-year period of silence. The book of Malachi itself addresses the spiritual complacency and disobedience of the post-exilic community who had rebuilt the temple but not their relationship with God. The people are accused of corrupted sacrifices, failure to tithe, divorce, and doubting God's justice. Chapter 4 begins with a stark contrast: a day is coming that will burn like an oven, consuming the wicked, while righteousness will dawn upon the upright (Mal 4:1-3). Immediately preceding verse 5, there is a command to remember the Law of Moses (Mal 4:4), emphasizing adherence to covenant. Against this backdrop of covenant infidelity and impending judgment/blessing, the promise of Elijah's sending serves as God's merciful act to prepare His people and prevent utter destruction, underscoring His persistent desire for repentance and restoration.

Malachi 4 5 Word analysis

• Behold (Hebrew: hinnēh, הִנֵּה):
  • Significance: An emphatic particle used to draw urgent attention, like "Listen!" or "Look!" It highlights the absolute certainty and profound importance of the following divine declaration. It underscores that this is a matter of critical divine intention and purpose.
  • Insight: Often marks the introduction of new, significant information or a sudden, impactful event in Scripture.
• I will send (Hebrew: shālaḥ, שָׁלַח):
  • Significance: Denotes a divine initiative and sovereign act. God is not merely hoping or suggesting, but actively purposing and carrying out this sending. It implies authorization, purpose, and capability behind the action.
  • Insight: Emphasizes God's control over prophetic events and His faithfulness to His word.
• you (Hebrew: lakhem, לָכֶם):
  • Significance: Plural, referring to the entire covenant community of Israel. This promise is for all of God's people, indicating the universal scope of the forthcoming prophetic work.
  • Insight: Highlights that the preparation and the "Day" concern the destiny of all who belong to the covenant.
• Elijah (Hebrew: 'Eliyyahu, אֵלִיָּהוּ, meaning "My God is Yahweh"):
  • Significance: A direct reference to the renowned prophet from 1 & 2 Kings, known for his fiery ministry, powerful confrontations with idolatry (Baal worship), miraculous acts (calling down fire, stopping rain), and unique translation to heaven without dying (2 Kgs 2:11). His identity carries immense weight.
  • Insight: His reappearance symbolizes a ministry of restoring fervent faith and zeal for God against spiritual apostasy, much like his historical ministry.
• the prophet (Hebrew: hannaḇi', הַנָּבִיא):
  • Significance: Confirms Elijah's office as God's spokesperson. It reinforces his authority and the divine origin of his message. The definite article "the" distinguishes him as the well-known, specific Elijah.
  • Insight: The prophecy anticipates a true prophet, distinct from false ones, bringing an authentic word from God.
• before (Hebrew: lipnê, לִפְנֵי):
  • Significance: Denotes sequence and precedence. Elijah's ministry is preparatory, serving as a harbinger to precede and announce the "Day." It marks his role as a forerunner.
  • Insight: This clarifies his mission is not an end in itself, but a means to an end – a precursor to God's decisive intervention.
• the great (Hebrew: hagāḏōl, הַגָּדוֹל):
  • Significance: Implies immense magnitude, overwhelming importance, and significant impact. This "Day" is not minor or fleeting.
  • Insight: Conveys the immense scale of what is to come, affecting all of creation and humanity.
• and awesome (Hebrew: wənōrā', וְנוֹרָא, meaning "dreadful, terrible, fear-inspiring"):
  • Significance: Evokes a sense of terror, dread, and reverence due to the overwhelming display of God's power, majesty, and justice. It is not merely grand but fearful.
  • Insight: Highlights the terrifying aspect of God's righteous judgment, particularly for the impenitent, contrasting with the gracious hope for the faithful.
• day of the LORD (Hebrew: yōm YHWH, יוֹם יְהוָה):
  • Significance: A crucial eschatological phrase across the prophetic books. It refers to a time of direct divine intervention in human history, often encompassing both the execution of God's judgment upon the wicked and the vindication/salvation of His faithful. It marks a decisive period.
  • Insight: This term can have multiple fulfillments: near-term historical judgments, the first coming of Christ (bringing judgment and salvation), and ultimately the eschatological consummation and final judgment at Christ's second coming. Its "coming" denotes certainty and inevitability.

Words-group analysis

• "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet": This opening phrase emphasizes divine authorship and initiative. It's a certain, direct, and authoritative declaration from God himself that a specific, well-known, and impactful prophetic figure will be dispatched for Israel's benefit. The urgency ("Behold") highlights the seriousness and impending nature of this promise.
• "before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes": This clarifies the purpose and timing of Elijah's sending. He is not sent for a random purpose, but specifically to prepare the way for God's ultimate eschatological intervention. The "great and awesome" nature of this Day signifies its monumental, terrifying, and decisive character, making the preparatory ministry of Elijah critically necessary for human salvation. The Day is inevitable, requiring prior preparation.

Malachi 4 5 Bonus section

The prophecy of Elijah's return in Malachi holds a unique place at the end of the Old Testament canon, indicating that a significant period of preparation and reconciliation is required before God's ultimate consummation of history. The mention of Elijah being taken up into heaven (2 Kgs 2:11) and not experiencing death also contributed to Messianic Jewish expectations of his physical return. The disciples' question about Elijah coming first (Mt 17:10) reflects this popular understanding. Jesus' answer clarified that John the Baptist had indeed come "in the spirit and power of Elijah," fulfilling the preparatory role for the First Coming, emphasizing a spiritual or functional fulfillment over a strictly literal, physical one. Yet, the intense imagery of the "great and awesome day of the LORD" also aligns well with the prophetic descriptions of Christ's future Second Coming (Rev 19:11-16), leaving open the theological discussion among scholars about whether another Elijah-like figure, or a manifestation of his prophetic spirit, might yet precede this ultimate advent. The emphasis throughout Scripture on preparing hearts for the Lord’s arrival highlights the enduring relevance of Malachi's final warning and promise.

Malachi 4 5 Commentary

Malachi 4:5 is a linchpin prophecy connecting the Old and New Testaments. The sending of Elijah is not merely a nostalgic return of a past hero but a strategic act of divine mercy and warning. Historically, Jesus identified John the Baptist as the fulfillment of this prophecy in spirit and power (Matt 11:14, 17:11-13; Lk 1:17). John's ministry, characterized by a fervent call to repentance, did indeed precede and prepare the way for the Lord's first coming, embodying the confrontational and heart-turning spirit of Elijah.

However, the "great and awesome day of the LORD" often carries a heavier eschatological weight in the prophets, speaking of final judgment. While Jesus' first coming brought judgment (John 9:39) and division, it was also a time of grace and salvation. Many scholars understand the "Day of the Lord" in its fullest sense to refer to Christ's second coming, a day far more overtly "great and awesome" in judgment and glory than His first. This suggests a potential dual or continued fulfillment of Elijah's preparatory ministry, perhaps through an Elijah-like figure or the pervasive "spirit and power of Elijah" leading to repentance before Christ's final return. The purpose remains constant: to "turn the hearts" (Mal 4:6) back to God and one another, averting divine wrath and preparing a people for God.

Practical usage can involve recognizing the continuous need for repentance and preparation within the Christian walk, as the "Day of the Lord" represents not just a future event but also God's active, discerning presence. It reminds believers that true faith involves turning hearts towards God and one another, echoing Elijah's conciliatory role, in anticipation of God's ultimate kingdom.