four hundred “ silent ” years in which the Lord would not speak through his prophets until the coming of Jesus .
Malachi ’ s message is this : in times of deep trouble and despair , remember that the Lord is coming to rid the world of evil , and he is coming to be our ultimate hope ( v . 1 ).
In the midst of suffering , it seems hard to believe that God cares about us , but he does . And though God ’ s language at first glance might sound combative , think about who and what is on the receiving end of God ’ s judgment : the wicked , the arrogant , evildoers . Everyone who has ever perpetrated a gross crime against another person will be duly punished and judged for their sins . To the persecuted Israelites , this is a profound affirmation . Justice will be paid in full . No one will get away with mistreating the vulnerable . God is just , and he promises this in no uncertain terms .
But then the prophecy pivots to someone , a “ sun of righteousness ” rising with “ healing in its wings ” ( v . 2 ).
THE GOD WHO KEEPS PROMISES
Believe it or not , this strange-sounding promise is about Jesus , who came to heal and restore the world .
The Hebrew word that ’ s translated as “ wings ” can also be translated as the “ hem ” or “ edge ” of a garment , which calls to mind a story about Jesus from Luke ’ s Gospel . One day a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years comes to Jesus in the midst of a crowd and touches the edge of his cloak . Immediately , Jesus feels the power of healing go out from him , and he refuses to go on until the person who had touched him reveals herself . When the woman comes forward , Jesus tells her in his tender way , “ Take heart , daughter , your faith has healed you .”
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