Malachi 4:2 Commentary and Bible Study

But although there will be great judgment on the nation, it will not be total destruction. '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.' What a foretaste of the New Testament! How different it is from the kind of religion these apostate Jews had! How entirely different! The Sun of righteousness will arise and beam down righteousness on those who know him. For them it will be the light of day though all around them are in darkness. They will have the light of understanding of God’s purposes, and warmth of God’s favour. A further picture is used. The godly at that time will be like calves which have been reared in the confines of a stall, or kept in all winter to fatten them and keep them out of the rough weather. But now spring has come and it is time to release them, and the stall gate is opened and they are let out into the wide-open field full of fresh spring grass. While they were confined, their movement was limited; now they are free to move anyway they want. Anyone who has seen this know what exuberance the animals display. Even an older animal will behave like a youngster and spring about and skip, throwing its legs to one side and the other in apparent delight at this new found liberty. So will be the godly remnant among the Jews at the dawn of the gospel age. They will be free now from the stall of Judaism with all its tried symbols and pictures. They have lasted long enough, and the time to end them has come. Christ is dwelling among his people, and how much more wonderful he is than any of the symbols which represented him!What a description of the gospel. I am accepted of God, not because I have a righteousness of my own, but because righteousness has been sent down to me from the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus Christ. I stand in his righteousness, it is imputed to me, he has taken my sins, he has imparted to me and credited to my account a righteousness which is not my own. This describes the beginning of the gospel age and what a difference it will make.