“Who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, as in former years.”
Malachi 3:2-4 (NKJV)
The “messenger” or forerunner of the Lord will appear to prepare the way or introduce His coming. Years ago, when Billy Graham came to our state, there was an advance team that came and met with pastors in our area. They handed out literature and recruited people to pray for the salvation of souls and for the entire crusade. They were the “messengers” of the main man.
Someday, the prophet Elijah will appear and he will announce the coming of the “Main Man.” He will prepare the way. He will not be like the advance team for Billy Graham. He will be the fiery prophet of God, but he will not be the “Main Man.”
Who Shall Be Able to Stand?
Malachi asked the question, “Who can endure the day of His coming?” Who will be able to stand in His presence? He is like a refiner’s fire which is so hot that it brings all of the impurities to the top to be discarded. He is like a soap that removes every stain from the priest’s garment. Who shall be able to stand in the presence of the holy God? The Psalmist answered that question in Psalm 24:3-5 when he said:
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
How does one have a pure heart and clean hands? Only through the blood of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. His blood can purge the conscience and the heart of every sin that one has ever committed. The “classic” song of the faith says, “What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus; what can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
Call on the Name of the Lord…
If sin has crept into your life and you find yourself alienated from God, call upon the Name of the Lord, confess your sins and He will cleanse you and make you whole again. When you do you will be blessed. Amen, amen and amen.
