It is not uncommon for us to have moments of discouragement on life’s journey. Sometimes, it is even worse when we’re doing right by God’s standards. If that’s your current state – there’s hope. If not, help share God’s hope. How? Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Malachi 4:2 CEVDCI
[2] But for you that honor my name, victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays, and you will jump around like calves at play.
Malachi 4:2 NIV
[2] But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.
Radiant Victory
Malachi, God’s messenger, is often presented as the last of the prophets in Hebrew Scriptures. His messages included sharp warnings to Israel about ‘lukewarm faith’ and a call to repentance. He prophesied about the arrival of John the Baptist, God’s punishment (judgement) of God’s chosen people who wilfully sin, as well as of Y’shua’s coming. Y’shua’s coming (i.e., the day of the Lord), is presented as both judgement and comfort. Judgement as God’s cleansing fire burns all that isn’t connected to the vine; and comfort, because Y’shua will vindicate the righteous. It is worth remembering that Malachi refers to Y’shua as the Sun of Righteousness (transliterated as our radiant victory), hence those who yield to His authority would be counted as righteous.
Self-Check
Are we willing to experience God’s hope by yielding to the Sun of Righteousness?
Digging Deeper
As God’s elect, the Day of the Lord is reason for hope, as we know that we have been redeemed from God’s judgement.
One of the interesting things I find in our Nougat is the link between the the Sun of Righteousness (victory that shines like the sun) and healing. It invites us to see righteousness not only as living according to God’s will, but also as a state of being. In that sense, righteousness tsedeq is our source of victory over all that ails us: worry, fear, disease, and even death. Hence, when we experience the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, we are transported into joyfulness.
Siblings, no matter what state we are in presently, we can hold firmly to the hope we have in Christ. He is our victory. He has already proven Himself by conquering Death on our behalf. We recall that in Numbers 21, the sin of the Children of Israel was punished by snakebite. In response, Moses crafted and elevated a bronze serpent it and those who looked at it were healed. That’s the serpent referred to by Y’shua in John 3:14. And through that reminder, Y’shua confirmed prophecy, for He assures victory to those who look to Him.
Christ is our radiant victory. He is our Sun of Righteousness. In Him is our eternal healing, our victory over death and condemnation. Whatever ails us now is therefore our light momentary affliction, which has already been overcome through Christ (see 2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Let us fix our eyes on Him.
Points to Ponder
Christ is our radiant victory, are we reflecting His joyous presence? Since He’s also the Sun of Righteousness, is our righteousness radiating His healing to others? – Are we sharing this joyful hope with others?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
