玛拉基书最后的几节经文,提醒我们整卷书的主要内容是什么,这些经文同时也是新约圣经的预表。
玛拉基以神对祂儿女的爱来作这卷书的开场白。以色列民远离了神,神便差遣玛拉基(他的名字的意思是“我的使者”)告诫以色列民。现在神应许差遣以利亚(他的名字的意思是“我的神是耶和华”)来恢复他们与神的关系。这些先知的名字很重要——神的信息(玛拉基)导致耶和华再次成为祂的子民的神(以利亚)。
这些话语奇妙地预表了新约圣经,也预表拿撒勒人耶稣的好消息——祂正是神所赐的弥赛亚。当日,施洗约翰宣告基督将要降临,应验了玛拉基关于以利亚的预言(参看马太福音 11:7-15)。藉着约翰,百姓悔改归向神;后来耶稣受洗时,神说:“你是我的爱子,我喜悦你。”(马可福音1:11)这句话叫我们想起玛拉基书 4:6所说的。约翰认识到耶稣就是道,这道就是神的信息,成就了玛拉基的使命。
玛拉基书是旧约圣经最后一卷先知书,神在这卷书中说:“我爱你们。”在新约圣经中,神又向我们显明祂多么爱我们:祂差遣祂的独生子,又差遣祂的圣灵,带领我们到祂那里。神就是如此的爱你!
亲爱的主,是祢,叫我们的心回转归向祢!感谢祢让我们成为祢宝贝的儿女,求祢帮助我们永远爱祢和服事祢。奉耶稣名祈求,阿们。
玛拉基书 4:4-6
4“你们当记念我仆人摩西的律法,就是我在何烈山为以色列众人所吩咐他的律例典章。"I will send the prophet Elijah to you. . . . He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents. . . ." — Malachi 4:5-6
The closing verses of Malachi remind us what the whole book has been about. They also point ahead to the New Testament.
Malachi began by stating God's love for his children. Israel had become distant from God. But God sent Malachi (whose name means "my messenger") to show Israel how they had wandered from God. Now God promises that Elijah (whose name means "my God is Yahweh") will restore the relationship. The names of these prophets are important—the message from God (Malachi) results in the LORD again being the God of his people (Elijah).
These words point powerfully to the New Testament and the good news of Jesus of Nazareth, who is God's Messiah. John the Baptist proclaimed Christ's coming, fulfilling Malachi's prophecy about Elijah (see Matthew 11:7-15). Through John, the people turn to God in repentance, and then Jesus' baptism recalls Malachi 4:6: "You are my Son, whom I love" (Mark 1:11). John recognizes Jesus as the Word—the very message of God—fulfilling the purpose of Malachi.
In this last Old Testament prophetic book, God says, "I love you." And in the New Testament God shows how much he loves us: he sent his only Son, and he sent his Holy Spirit to bring us to himself. This is how much God loves you!
Dear Lord, you turn our hearts back to you. Thank you for making us your treasured children. Help us to love and serve you always. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳