Malachi teaches us that the day of the Lord is coming. It is a day when the wicked will be completely destroyed, but the children of the Lord will receive full salvation.

Firstly, Malachi speaks about the wicked. They will be completely destroyed on that day. They will be burnt up, just like stubble is burnt. Nothing will be left of them.

Malachi says that there won’t even be a root or a branch left. You know that the root of a plant is where it gets its life from. If you want to get rid of a plant while you are weeding the garden, you will need to take out its roots, otherwise it may grow back. But if you remove the roots there is no chance of it growing back. It is this picture that is used to show what will happen to those who don’t repent. They will be completely destroyed. There will be no chance for them to come back.

Does this message about God completely destroying the wicked make you scared? If you love your sins and want to keep on sinning and don’t love the Lord, then you should be scared. But if you love the Lord and are sorry for your sins and want to live in thankfulness to the Lord, then you don’t need to be scared at all.

Then the day of the Lord is a day of great rejoicing. Just like a calf that has been cramped in a small stall for many days will leap with joy when it is let out of the stall, so we will rejoice on the day of the Lord. On that day, when the wicked are destroyed, we will receive full salvation. On that day all our sin will be totally destroyed and God himself will give us new life with him. We will be free of our sins and will be able to serve and praise God continually.

Reflection with your child:

Why don’t you need to be scared of the day of the Lord?