Malachi 4:2 But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth… I. WHO IS THIS SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS? 1. Jesus Christ, who is spoken of as "a light to lighten the Gentiles." 2. Light, a frequent Scrip ture symbol. The sun possesses some excellent properties above other luminaries. 3. The sun possesses the property of communicating light to all the other heavenly bodies. All men are indebted to the "light of the world " for everything that is good. Good men are called lights of the world. The Sun of Righteousness is the great source of light and heat to the soul. 4. Similar effects are produced on the moral world on the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, as are produced on the face of the earth by the rising of the natural sun. Darkness is dispersed, and mists and vapour give way before his powerful rays. When Christ, the true light, shines, moral darkness is dissipated, and in proportion as the true light is received, superstition, error, and ignorance die away. II. WHEN MAY THIS "SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS" BE SAID TO "ARISE"? 1. When the prophet says "shall arise," we are not to infer that He had never arisen before, but that a more abundant outbeaming of His light should be reflected upon the faithful. 2. "In the fulness of time, God sent forth His Son." 3. He arose from the dead. 4. He may be said to arise when He visits any place by His Gospel. 5. When He visits the souls of the children of men by His Spirit. III. THE MANNER IN WHICH HE IS SAID TO ARISE. "With healing in His wings." 1. Only upon those who fear the Lord: by penitents, and by His own children. 2. Penitents fear God, and seek His face. They shall be made whole, and saved from the guilt and power of sin. 3. The Lord's children serve Him with reverence and godly fear, and they too shall be saved from the pollution and indwelling of sin. (B. Bailey.) Parallel Verses KJV: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. |
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