The Meaning of Malachi 4:1 Explained

Malachi 4:1

KJV: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

YLT: For, lo, the day hath come, burning as a furnace, And all the proud, and every wicked doer, have been stubble, And burnt them hath the day that came, Said Jehovah of Hosts, That there is not left to them root or branch,

Darby: For behold, the day cometh, burning as a furnace; and all the proud and all that work wickedness shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, so that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

ASV: For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For, behold, the day  cometh,  that shall burn  as an oven;  and all the proud,  yea, and all that do  wickedly,  shall be stubble:  and the day  that cometh  shall burn them up,  saith  the LORD  of hosts,  that it shall leave  them neither root  nor branch. 

What does Malachi 4:1 Mean?

Study Notes

God
Summary of the O.T. revelation of Deity: God is revealed in the O.T. (1) through His names, as follows: ClassEnglish FormHebrew EquivalentPrimaryGodEl, Elah, or Elohim ( Genesis 1:1 )LORDJehovah ( Genesis 2:4 )LordAdon or Adonai ( Genesis 15:2 )Compound (with El = God)Almighty GodEl Shaddai ( Genesis 17:1 )Most High, or most high GodEl Elyon ( Genesis 14:18 )everlasting GodEl Olam ( Genesis 21:33 )Compound (with Jehovah = Lord)LORD GodJehovah Elohim ( Genesis 2:4 )Lord GODAdonai Jehovah ( Genesis 15:2 )LORD of hostsJehovah Sabaoth ( 1 Samuel 1:3 )
The trinity is suggested by the three times repeated groups of threes. This is not an arbitrary arrangement, but inheres in the O.T. itself.
This revelation of God by His name is invariably made in connection with some particular need of His people, and there can be no need of man to which these names do not answer as showing that man's true resource is in God. Even human failure and sin but evoke new and fuller revelations of the divine fulness.
(2) The O.T. Scriptures reveal the existence of a Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe and of man, the Source of all life and of all intelligence, who is to be worshipped and served by men and angels. This Supreme Being is One, but, in some sense not fully revealed in the O.T., is a unity in plurality. This is shown by the plural name, Elohim, by the use of the plural pronoun in the interrelation of deity as evidenced in Genesis 1:26 ; Genesis 3:22 ; Psalms 110:1 ; Isaiah 6:8 . That this plurality is really a Trinity is intimated in the three primary names of Deity, and in the threefold ascription of the Seraphim in Isaiah 6:3 That the interrelation of Deity is that of Father and Son is directly asserted; Psalms 2:7 ; Hebrews 1:5 and the Spirit is distinctly recognized in His personality, and to Him are ascribed all the divine attributes .
(3) The future incarnation is intimated in the theophanies, or appearances of God in human form (e.g. Genesis 18:1 ; Genesis 18:13 ; Genesis 18:17-22 ; Genesis 32:24-30 and distinctly predicted in the promises connected with redemption (e.g. Genesis 3:15 and with the Davidic Covenant Isaiah 7:13-14 ; Isaiah 9:6-7 ; Jeremiah 23:5 ; Jeremiah 23:6 .
The revelation of Deity in the N.T. so illuminates that of the O.T. that the latter is seen to be, from Genesis to Malachi, the foreshadowing of the coming incarnation of God in Jesus the Christ. In promise, covenant, type, and prophecy the O.T. points forward to Him.
(4) The revelation of God to man is one of authority and redemption. He requires righteousness from man, but saves the unrighteous through sacrifice; and in His redemptive dealings with man all the divine persons and attributes are brought into manifestation. The O.T. reveals the justice of God equally with His mercy, but never in opposition to His mercy. The flood, e.g., was an unspeakable mercy to unborn generations. From Genesis to Malachi He is revealed as the seeking God who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and who heaps up before the sinner every possible motive to persuade to faith and obedience.
(5) In the experience of the O.T. men of faith their God inspires reverence but never slavish fear; and they exhaust the resources of language to express their love and adoration in view of His loving-kindness and tender mercy. This adoring love of His saints is the triumphant answer to those who pretend to find the O.T. revelation of God cruel and repellent. It is in harmony, not contrast, with the N.T. revelation of God in Christ.
(6) Those passages which attribute to God bodily parts and human emotions (e.g. Exodus 33:11 ; Exodus 33:20 ; Deuteronomy 29:20 ; 2 Chronicles 16:9 ; Genesis 6:6 ; Genesis 6:7 ; Jeremiah 15:6 ) are metaphorical and mean that in the infinite being of God exists that which answers to these things--eyes, a hand, feet, etc.; and the jealousy and anger attributed to Him are the emotions of perfect Love in view of the havoc of sin.
(7) In the O.T. revelation there is a true sense in which, wholly apart from sin or infirmity, God is like His creature man Genesis 1:27 and the supreme and perfect revelation of God, toward which the O.T. points, is a revelation in and through a perfect Man.
spirit
Summary of the O.T. doctrine of the Holy Spirit:
(1) The personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit appear from the attributes ascribed to Him, and from His works.
(2) He is revealed as sharing the work of creation and therefore omnipotent Genesis 1:2 ; Job 26:13 ; Job 33:4 ; Psalms 104:30 as omnipresent Psalms 139:7 as striving with men Genesis 6:3 as enlightening Job 32:8 enduing with constructive skill; Exodus 28:3 ; Exodus 31:3 giving physical strength Judges 14:6 ; Judges 14:19 executive ability and wisdom; Judges 3:10 ; Judges 6:34 ; Judges 11:29 ; Judges 13:25 enabling men to receive and utter divine revelations; Numbers 11:25 ; 2 Samuel 23:2 and, generally, as empowering the servants of God; Psalms 51:12 ; Joel 2:28 ; Micah 3:8 ; Zechariah 4:6
(3) He is called holy Psalms 51:11 good Psalms 143:10 the Spirit of judgment and burning Isaiah 4:4 of Jehovah, of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, good, knowledge, the fear of the Lord Isaiah 11:2 and of grace and supplications Galatians 3:1-6 .
(4) In the O.T. the Spirit acts in free sovereignty, coming upon men and even upon a dumb beast as He will, nor are the conditions set forth (as in the N.T.) by complying with which any one may receive the Spirit. The indwelling of every believer by the abiding Spirit is a N.T. blessing consequent upon the death and resurrection of Christ John 7:39 ; John 16:7 ; Acts 2:33 ; Zechariah 12:10 .
(5) The O.T. contains prediction of a future pouring out of the Spirit upon Israel Exodus 37:14 ; Exodus 39:29 and upon "all flesh" Joel 2:28 ; Joel 2:29 . The expectation of Israel, therefore, was twofold--of the coming of Messiah-Immanuel, and of such an effusion of the Spirit as the prophets described. See Matthew 1:18 .

Verse Meaning

The Lord now elaborated on the day to which He had just referred ( Malachi 3:17). There is no chapter division in the Hebrew Bible; all of chapter4appears as the end of chapter3. This day of the Lord would be a day of judgment. The Lord compared it to a fiery furnace in which all the arrogant and every evildoer (a hendiadys meaning every arrogant evildoer) would burn like chaff (or stubble; cf. Malachi 3:2-3; Malachi 3:15). Fire language is common in connection with divine judgment and anger (e.g, Genesis 19:24-28; Psalm 2:12; Psalm 89:46; Isaiah 30:27; Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 21:12; Amos 1:4; Amos 1:7; Amos 1:10; Amos 1:12; Amos 1:14; Amos 2:2; Amos 2:5). That day would set them ablaze in that the Lord would set them ablaze in that day. He would so thoroughly purge them that they would be entirely consumed, like a shrub thrown into a hot fire is totally burned up, from root to branch (a merism of totality). The judgment of wicked unbelievers is in view (cf. Matthew 25:46). Later revelation clarified the time of this judgment, namely, the end of the Millennium ( Revelation 20:11-15). Because God would deal with the unsaved wicked so severely, His people needed to repent remembering that He will deal with all sinners severely.
"This verse gives no basis for the error of annihilationism. It describes physical death, not the state of the soul after death. The unsaved are in conscious eternal woe ( Revelation 14:10-11; Revelation 20:11-15), as the saved are in conscious eternal bliss ( Revelation 21:1-7)." [1]

Context Summary

Malachi 4:1-6 - Wickedness And Pride Shall Find Judgment
The day cometh! either in the fall of Jerusalem or in some terrible catastrophe yet future. Whenever it comes may we be reckoned as God's peculiar treasure, preserved as a woman preserves her jewels in the day of calamity, Malachi 3:17. Sorrow and disaster are perpetually befalling the proud, or those that do wickedly; while on those who fear God's name the dawn of the sun of righteousness is forever breaking and growing to the perfect day. In the beams of the sun there are not only light and color, but rays which bear health and vitality to the world and to men; so in Jesus there is power to salvation. Notice how the Old Testament ends with the word curse, while the Christ's proclamation opens with Blessed.
[source]

Chapter Summary: Malachi 4

1  God's judgment on the wicked;
2  and his blessing on the good
4  He exhorts to the study of the law;
5  and tells of Elijah's coming and office

What do the individual words in Malachi 4:1 mean?

For behold the day is coming Burning like an oven and all the presumptuous and yes all who do wickedly will be stubble and shall burn up them the day which is coming says Yahweh of hosts that neither will leave them root nor branch
כִּֽי־ הִנֵּ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ בָּ֔א בֹּעֵ֖ר כַּתַּנּ֑וּר וְהָי֨וּ כָל־ זֵדִ֜ים וְכָל־ עֹשֵׂ֤ה רִשְׁעָה֙ קַ֔שׁ וְלִהַ֨ט אֹתָ֜ם הַיּ֣וֹם הַבָּ֗א אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־ יַעֲזֹ֥ב לָהֶ֖ם שֹׁ֥רֶשׁ וְעָנָֽף

הִנֵּ֤ה  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הַיּוֹם֙  the  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בָּ֔א  is  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בֹּעֵ֖ר  Burning 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּעַר 
Sense: to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled.
כַּתַּנּ֑וּר  like  an  oven 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: תַּנּוּר  
Sense: furnace, oven, fire-pot, (portable) stove.
זֵדִ֜ים  the  presumptuous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זֵד  
Sense: arrogant, proud, insolent, presumptuous.
וְכָל־  and  yes  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֹשֵׂ֤ה  who  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
רִשְׁעָה֙  wickedly 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִשְׁעָה  
Sense: wickedness, guilt.
קַ֔שׁ  will  be  stubble 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַשׁ  
Sense: stubble, chaff.
וְלִהַ֨ט  and  shall  burn  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָהַט 
Sense: to burn, blaze, scorch, kindle, blaze up, flame.
הַיּ֣וֹם  the  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַבָּ֗א  which  is  coming 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אָמַר֙  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֲשֶׁ֛ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹא־  neither 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲזֹ֥ב  will  leave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
שֹׁ֥רֶשׁ  root 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁרֶשׁ  
Sense: root.
וְעָנָֽף  nor  branch 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָנָף  
Sense: bough, branch.