Sunday 4th January
Read Matthew 3:11-12
“‘I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’” (NIVUK)
Yesterday we considered John’s message and reflected on how it fulfilled Isaiah’s vision. Today we will consider Malachi. For the beginning and end of the prophetic message to Israel concerned the arrival of a branch from David’s line (cf Matthew 1:1-17) who would arrive amongst His people with purifying power…
“‘I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,’ says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver…” (Malachi 3:1-3a) (NIVUK)
John’s images of water (launderer’s soap) and fire (refiner’s fire) brought together at the coming of the Lord seeking to purify a people and prepare them for the presence of God. This One is so glorious that John is not even worthy to carry his sandals, let alone wash his feet! Without a purifying baptism no one will be able to stand.
But to go unbaptised is a horrifying thing. Only those grafted, through baptism, onto the branch from David’s line will survive the fire. Those clinging to other branches or seeking to survive in their own strength will never find the healing held out to them by the Lord.
“‘Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays.” (Malachi 4:1-2a) (NIVUK)
