Sun of Righteousness
Partial Outline: FULL PDF
Malachi 4:1-3
The book of Malachi is one of the darkest books in all the Bible. The prophet catalogs the sins of Israel from the people to the priest. There are twenty-one indictments that God brings against them.
- — They desecrated God’s table and despised God’s holy name.
- — They departed from God and “married the daughter of a strange god” (2:11).
- — They perverted judgment and robbed God of His tithes and offerings.
— They broke God’s covenant… broke God’s law… and broke God’s heart.
The days of Malachi were much like the days we are living in today. Totally corrupt… wickedness abounding… days of spiritual indifference. There is a curse at the beginning of the book (2:2)… in the middle (3:9)… and the book ends with the word “curse” (4:6). Darkness had settled in.
But just before the light goes out and the curtain comes down on the Old Testament, God raises up the prophet Malachi who gives this great promise—“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness [Jesus] arise with healing in his wings…” The book of Malachi is God’s message in times of darkness.
I. The PICTURE represented in this title.
The Sun is a picture of God. “The Lord God is a sun and shield” (Ps. 84:11).
A. The COMPOSITION of the sun.
B. The COMPONENTS of sun light—Three kinds of sun rays
C. The sun is the source of joy.
II. The PRINCIPLE represented in this title.
It magnifies the pure and righteous character of the Son of God. Using the sun as a picture of Christ’s righteousness, we see…
A. Jesus is INDEPENDENTLY righteous. The sun borrows no brilliance from any heavenly body. It has a glory all of it’s own.
B. Jesus is INFINITELY righteous.
C. Jesus is IMMUTABLY righteous.
III. The PROVISIONAL aspect of this title.
The sun furnishes directly or indirectly all the energy supporting life on earth. All foods and fuels are derived ultimately from plants using the energy of sunlight.
Partial Outline: FULL PDF
