Malachi 4:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.

NIV: Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,' says the LORD Almighty.

NASB: And you will crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I am preparing,' says the Lord of armies.

CSB: You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing," says the Lord of Armies.

NLT: On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,' says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

KJV: And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

NKJV: You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Taken out of context, this verse might seem to imply that God's followers are empowered to conquer their enemies. In context, though, this passage says exactly the opposite. Verse 1 imagined the judgment of God as a furnace for the wicked. Verse 2 pictured judgment as sunshine for the righteous. Here, in verse 3, the wicked have already been defeated. The wicked are destroyed before the righteous are involved at all, and they are merely walking through the aftermath of the victory. God's people are explicitly told not to take revenge, since God is the one who will make all things right (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).

This verse also provides a powerful response to two of Israel's arrogant, short-sighted questions. In Malachi 2:17, the people more or less blame God for not being more forceful against evil, asking, "Where is the God of justice?" In Malachi 3:14, the people ask what point there is in obeying God. Both are answered, in graphic terms, by Malachi 4:3. The righteous will be spared, and the wicked will be obliterated into ashes. Given that most of Israel, at this point in history, has been unfaithful, this should be taken as a dire warning. Better to walk on ashes than to be ashes walked on.

Malachi 3:13—4:3 shows that even as the nation of Israel has been unfaithful, there are individuals among the people who are faithful. At the very least, they are willing to respond to God's correction. As a result, God promises to protect them from the upcoming wrath. This reckoning is described in dramatic, fiery terms. Part of the purpose of this particular judgment is to distinguish the wicked from the righteous. In this case, those who follow God will be healed and set free. Those who do not will be completely consumed.

Malachi chapter 4 is very short, and serves only to finish off the thoughts begun in chapter 3. The impending judgment of God is described in vivid terms. Those who dishonor God will be consumed in a furnace of judgment. Those who respect Him will be healed and set free. Malachi appeals, on behalf of God, for Israel to be faithful to the covenant God made with Moses. After promising the return of Elijah, to once again appeal to the people, God will be silent for four hundred years. This silence will not be broken until the appearance of John the Baptist.

Malachi's structure is a series of back-and-forth waves. Fittingly, this short chapter brings the entire book of prophecy full circle. The opening verses described the utter destruction of Edom. Chapter 4 warns of a judgment coming in ''the day'' of the Lord, in the end times. This completes the various cycles contained in Malachi. It also marks the conclusion to the Old Testament. There will be no further words from God for four centuries, when John the Baptist announces the arrival of the Messiah.

Malachi is the last message of prophecy given to Israel prior to 400 years of silence. Israel has rebuilt the temple, following the invasions of Babylon, but they are still under foreign oppression. Israel's spiritual condition, however, is dire. Hosea depicted Israel as prone to failure, but repentant. Later, Ezekiel exposed Israel's blatant disobedience. By the time of Malachi, Israel has passed into numbness and apathy. Unlike other Old Testament prophets, Malachi takes the form of a dialogue, where Israel responds to accusations as if unaware that they've occurred. The next prophetic voice from God would not come until the ministry of John the Baptist.