HIGHLIGHT
Malachi 3:2 (ESV): 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
EXPLAIN
The last book in the Old Testament, Malachi brings complaints from God against his people, and they respond with protests of feigned innocence. God’s complaints especially seem aimed at the priests and Levites.
Malachi looked forward to the day when God would come. But as this highlight verse notes, who can stand when God shows up. God’s holiness, righteousness and truth will burn away all pretense of religion and goodness. When God arrives, Truth prevails.
APPLY
In our postmodern culture, we like to argue for “our truth”. We talk about what seems right to us. We suggest that truth can be variable, when we are in different settings, crowds, or cultures.
But God is Truth. When we measure ourselves by his standard of holiness, everything becomes strikingly, if not embarrassingly, clear.
Thank God for his grace by which we can find forgiveness and cleansing of all sin and unrighteousness! May we be prudent to take advantage of his grace while we can.
RESPOND
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are holy, righteous, and true. Search my heart; cleanse me of any sin. May I live holy before you, blameless by your empowering grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.