Ever heard of the Italalian prophet? Malachi (pronounced Mah-Lah-chee if you really think he was Italian) wasn't Italian - just looks like it. It's actually pronounced Mah-Lah-Ki (accent on first sylable and long 'i' at the end). I was just trying to lighten things on this Friday. It's been a long week!
I just finished reading through the Old Testament for the second time this year and it has been another eye-opening experience. God's sovereignty was clearer to me than ever, but so was God's willingness to act in response to man's actions. Over and over again he tells his own people Israel to forsake their evil ways and he will bless them. Nineveh was as good as destroyed by God's decree, yet when they repented God chose not to punish them. Did he change his mind? Nah, I don't think so. He knew what they were going to do. I think it comes down to trying to understand things that only God can understand.
In the end this Italalian prophet says a couple of things I like. First, don't divorce the wife of your youth. God hates divorce. Note that he does not hate the divorced! As men, we must stay true to our wives and love them as Christ loved the church - no excuses! Second, Malachi says that the sun of righteousness would rise with healing in its wings. We now know that that sun of righteousness was Jesus.
The Old Testament closes with a promise that a redeemer would come and you would know it because he has healing in his wings. Then 400 years later Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Whoah! I'm so thankful that over 30 years ago Christ healed me of my sin and gave me new life. I'm not perfect - you all know that! I'm just forgiven. : )
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:16 NIV
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