The Bible is a masterpiece of interconnected truths, woven together by the Spirit of God. One striking thread runs from the final verses of the Old Testament to the mountaintop moment in the New Testament where Jesus is transfigured. This thread is hidden and you never see it…till you do.
Malachi’s Final Words: A Bridge to the New
The Old Testament closes with Malachi’s prophecy, urging God’s people to remember the law of Moses and anticipate the return of Elijah (Malachi 4:4-6). These final verses are a divine call to remembrance and a promise of restoration.
- Moses, representing the Law, embodies the covenant and moral code given to Israel.
- Elijah, the quintessential prophet, symbolizes God’s call for repentance and His unwavering faithfulness to His people.
These figures encapsulate the entirety of the Old Testament, standing as witnesses to God’s Word and His redemptive plan.
Yet Malachi’s prophecy looks forward as much as it looks back. In verses 5-6, we see the promise of Elijah coming to prepare the way for the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.” This sets the stage for a new era, where the Old Testament and New Testament would be intricately linked, finding their fulfillment in Christ.
The Passing of the Baton
These passages seem to foreshadow what we now understand as the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament. In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus declares that He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Then, in Luke 24:27, following His resurrection, Jesus reveals to His disciples all that was written about Him in the Old Testament. This revelation became the lens through which the early church fathers interpreted the Law, seeing it fulfilled in Christ.
Just as ambassadors were historically sent to prepare a nation to receive a new king, John the Baptist is identified in Luke 1:17 as the fulfillment of Malachi’s promise. In the spirit and power of Elijah, John came to prepare the way for Jesus, proclaiming repentance as the King’s terms for His people:
“And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
This call to repentance serves as a spiritual reset. Ambassadors often brought a king’s terms to his subjects, warning against rebellion. Here, the King’s terms are a call for hearts to be restored between children and fathers. It’s not real clear what that means but some possible ideas are:
- Connecting Generations: This could symbolize the unity between the generation under the Law and the generation now under grace.
- Healing Broken Relationships: Malachi’s audience was deeply entrenched in sin, including abandoning their families. God promises healing, beginning with families.
- Israel’s Messiah: Christ, born out of Israel, is a fulfillment of the promise. Yet, as Malachi warns, the hearts of the people must not harden toward Him.
Tragically, many did reject Christ, leading to His crucifixion. And as foretold, their land and temple were destroyed in 70 A.D. This rebellion and its consequences echo into history, and even as we witness ongoing unrest in that land today, we cannot help but wonder how these events tie back to Malachi’s prophecy.
The Transfiguration: Heaven Touches Earth
Fast forward to Matthew 17:1-13, where Moses and Elijah appear together in scripture again, this time on the mount of transfiguration. This moment brings Malachi’s prophecy into focus and highlights the divine continuity of God’s redemptive plan:
- Fulfillment: Jesus, the Word from the beginning, stands with Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets), demonstrating that He is the culmination of both.
- Heaven’s Declaration: God’s voice proclaims, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5).
- Theological Significance: Together, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus affirm that the Old Testament is not obsolete; it is fulfilled in Christ, who brings it to its ultimate purpose.
Living in the Tension
Today, we stand in a place similar to Malachi’s audience. We look back at what God has done through Christ, remembering His faithfulness. Therefore, we anticipate His final return, knowing the story isn’t finished.
This dual perspective calls us to:
- Faithful Obedience: Like Malachi’s audience, we are tempted to lose heart while waiting for His return. We are urged to walk in God’s ways and stay faithful despite God’s apparent silence in our world.
- Hopeful Expectation: Like the disciples on the mountain, we are given a glimpse of the glory that awaits when all things are restored.
Conclusion: A New Chapter Awaits
The transfiguration is not just a heavenly moment; it’s a signpost pointing to the final chapter of God’s redemptive story. It was centuries later that Moses and Elijah joined Jesus in glory, reassuring us that God’s word is can be trusted even if more waiting needs to be done. We are not just waiting, we are called to participate in the restoration of all things (Revelation 21:5).
Malachi 4:4-6 reminds us that God’s story is beautifully unified, spanning generations and culminating in Christ. As we await the final fulfillment of His promises, may our hearts remain tender, our lives marked by transformation, and our hope firmly anchored in the One who was, and is, and is to come.