But to you who fear my name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; And you shall go out and grow like stall-fed calves. Malachi 4: 2, NKJV
Dear Lord, we wait to hear a Word from You that will bring us hope, not only now, but in the day of judgement. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Our promise for today, comes after a message of doom; It begins with the conjunction “but.” As a consequence, the pronouncement that was made prior, does not refer to the person(s) in the sentence that follows. No doom is determined against those who fear the name of the Lord! When we meditated on forgiveness, we mentioned that it is a wise thing to send our sins ahead to the judgment (1 Timothy 5: 24), so that we will not meet them in the judgment. Those who fear the Lord have complied with that requirement, therefore, they can go to the judgment in confidence!
Christ is our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23: 6). He is also the Light which lighteth every person who comes into the world (John 1: 9). When Christ arises (stands up) for His people and asks the Father to take His (Christ’s) blood as the propitiation for our sins, this will bring perfect “healing” from the plague of sin. Praise the Lord! No wonder it is said that we “shall go out and grow like stall-fed calves.” The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, offers the following suggestions for this verse, “Grow up…’to spring about,’ or ‘to paw the ground [playfully].’ The redeemed are pictured as leaping for joy at the final outcome of God’s justice and love…’ ” “Calves of the stall…The LXX [Septuagint] reads ‘young calves let loose from bonds.’ ” Who, but Christ our Righteousness, can set us free from the bonds of sin, by applying His blood? And “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8: 36).
The story is told of a young man who had gotten into a drunken brawl and had hurt a man. This young man was from a decent home, and had come to the city; unfortunately, he started moving with the wrong crowd, and soon found himself in problems with the law. When he met with the attorney that the state had appointed him, he recognized him as a friend from his youth. Needless to say, the attorney defended him brilliantly, and the young man was acquitted. His friend advised him to refrain from his reckless lifestyle, and to seek help in getting his life in order. He promised he would; but his good intentions were short-lived.
Several years went by, and the young man once again found himself in problems with the law. This time he was brought in for homicide. He was terribly distraught. Who could help him now? But to his surprise, there in the judge’s seat, was his friend who had defended him years before. Immediately, his fear left him, and he began to feel that this was his lucky day. When the moment of the verdict arrived, the young man stood confidently awaiting his sentence. Solemnly, the judge declared him guilty of murder in the first degree. In horror he cried out, “But how could you? You defended me a few years ago and I was acquitted, what made the difference today?” The judge, with much pain in his heart ,and tears in his eyes, replied: “My friend, then, I was your lawyer; today, I am your judge.”
If you want the “Son of Righteousness,” who is now defending you in the presence of His Father, to come to your defense when you meet Him as your Judge; take heed to these words, “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you” (Job 22: 21). Blessings!