The Day Our Father Acts
Two futures on the one day our Father acts: the arrogant burn like stubble, while those who fear his name go out leaping like calves let out of a stall. Elijah is promised first — sent to turn the hearts of fathers to children and children to fathers.
4 1Look—a day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every wrongdoer will be stubble; that day will set them ablaze, says the Father of heaven's armies, leaving them neither root nor branch. 2But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you'll go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I act, says the Father of heaven's armies.
4"Remember the instruction of my servant Moses, the statutes and judgments I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.
5See, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of our Father comes. a a v5 Jesus identified John the Baptist as the Elijah promised here, the one who came to prepare hearts for him (Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13). 6He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, so I will not come and strike the land with utter destruction."
