Prophet's Story:

Who Can Endure The Day Of His Coming?

Mid-week Advent 4 - December 21, 2005

Malachi 3:1-6

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Again we go back to one of the prophets, Malachi being our focus for this evening. Malachi’s question, “Who can endure the day of His coming?”

We could focus on the question, “Who is coming?’ But I believe that you all know that the “who” is Christ. That question is an attempt to keep us from looking at the focus of the prophecy. Who can endure the day of His coming? And, who can stand when He appears?

We all know about the coming of the Messiah on that first Christmas. And we all know about the fact that this same Christ will return again, to judge the quick and the dead - just as we confess in our creed. This text is perfect for Advent, for it brings into focus, the second coming of Jesus, the coming to judge the quick and the dead. If you look at this prophecy in that light , it can be rather terrifying. After all, which of you here is able to stand before the Lord in His judgement?

Which of you here is worthy to stand before God without fear? In other words, which of you is without sin? Each of us fits into the list of those who will face God’s wrath in our text. For, at some point in time, we have been a sorcerer, an adulterer, someone who swears falsely, or oppresses those less fortunate, who does not assist the sojourner, or who does not fear God? I know I am found guilty of more than one of those things - in my mind if not also in my action.

If we left it at that, and there was no more word from God by the prophet Malachi, we would wonder if any man is worthy to stand before the eternal judge. Could any endure the day of His coming?

As you and I look at our lives, our words and our thoughts, they daily convict us of our sinfulness. Our sins daily point to the fact that we are unworthy, we are miserable sinners and we will not endure the day of His coming.

That is why this prophecy pointing forward to the “day of His coming” is a perfect text for this Advent season. Yes, this is Advent - it is not yet Christmas. This is a season of reflection and repentance, looking forward to Christ’s second coming, His advent to bring judgement and peace. During Advent, we do not yet focusing upon that little baby in the manger.

Advent focuses upon Christ’s second coming, in a time of penitential preparation to celebrate His first coming. To jump into Christmas too soon, is to be ill-prepared.

Yes my dear friends in Christ, this prophecy indeed relates to the last day. But even as it directs us to the last day, this prophecy pointed to the coming of God’s Christ the first time - His first Advent.

The Jews of that day understood it to speak about God’s Christ. It is Christ who will sit as the smelter and purifier of silver. It is Christ who will purify the sons of Levi. It is Christ who will make the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem a blessing.

Malachi pointed forward to the coming of the smelter. Malachi pointed forward to the coming of the purifier of silver. It is only after being purified, that the offerings of God’s people are indeed righteous and pleasing to God.

So, Malachi looked forward to the coming of God’s Messiah, for in the Messiah, all would be accomplished. When Messiah came, the children of Israel would be refined like gold and silver.

I am sure that you know metals come from underground. My boys had a great time looking for magnesium and copper this summer when we were camping in the UP - they even went spelunking to do it. They also wanted to buy a piece of copper that had come out of the ground and wasn’t formed into some trinket or bauble, made smooth and shiny. It was an interesting piece, the metal was rough and here were pieces of quartz and dirt imbedded in it. It had not been purified.

How many of you know how to get impurities out of a precious metal - copper, or gold or silver? These are refined to take out impurities. Refining takes place by use of an extremely hot fire - and the impurities burn off and what is left is the precious metal.

Malachi mentions this refiner’s fire.

Christ is this refiner’s fire. Christ, the very Word God points out our sins. Christ lays bare our sins. Through the prophets; John the Baptist, the apostles, and all faithful preachers since that day, God has brought His law to His people. This is the refiner’s fire. All people stand condemned by their own sins, their impurities, under the Law of God. Through this Law, we are brought to an understanding that if God’s wrath were vented upon us in all its fury, we would not endure.

But also in that Law, our sin is purged. The refiner’s fire, God’s Word, drives us to our knees in repentance. Like the fire burns the impurities out of precious metals, so too God’s Word burns the impurities of our sin out of us in repentance and forgiveness. God confronts us with our evil, not to destroy us, but to purify us.

In Christ we are purified, even as Christ Himself is pure. Christ has burned up our impurities - we are baptized into Him - into the refiner’s fire - and we are molded into new creations. Christ went to the cross, in His suffering and death our sins were purged, for through baptism, we are baptized into His death - purged and cleansed of all sin. We are raised with Him to a new life, holy and perfect, without any impurities.

You and I are the sons of Levi by faith, we are a holy priesthood, purified in the blood of the Lamb - the Refiner’s fire - the forgiveness of sins.

It is in this forgiving Lord that we delight as our text tells us. For it is this Son of God come down that first Advent by which we are purified and made able to endure the day of His coming.

You are I are purified in the refiner’s fire - in Christ. Your sins have been purged away. On the cross Christ took your impurities from within you and by His Word, His Body, and His blood, has purged and cleansed you. As He took your sins upon Himself, you are forgiven - purified - cleansed - like gold coming forth from the refiner’s fire, without spot or blemish.

Because of the work of this Messiah to whom the prophet Malachi pointed, you are made ready and able to endure the day of His coming. His first Advent has set you free to face His second Advent with hope and confidence. Christ has made you ready to stand in His presence, for He has clothed you with His own righteousness and perfection. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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