The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord: Judgment and Fire

Malachi 4:5

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

The great and dreadful day of the Lord, as referenced in Malachi 4:5 is the prophesied time of ultimate divine judgment, vengeance, and the complete destruction of the wicked at the second coming of Christ ✨. This tremendous event marks the final end of earthly governments and wickedness, ushering in the everlasting kingdom of GodARSH February 23, 1864, page 100.1+2.

1. The Nature of the Day of Judgment

This momentous time is characterized by fierce anger, wrath, and recompense upon all unrighteousnessARSH September 4, 1856, page 138.4+2.

• It is identified as the day which "shall burn as an oven," where the proud and all who do wickedly will become stubble and be burned up, leaving them neither root nor branch Malachi 4:1ARSH February 23, 1864, page 100.1+1.

• The day of the Lord is universally described in prophecy as a day of wrath, wasteness, desolation, trouble, distress, darkness, and gloominessARSH February 23, 1864, page 100.1+3.

• It is the time when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8ARSH September 4, 1856, page 138.4+2.

• This judgment day is so awful that it is referred to as the time when God will overturn, overturn, overturn earthly dominion until He comes whose right it is to receive the kingdom Ezekiel 21:27SITI August 5, 1886, page 470.5.

• The severity of sin can only be truly judged in light of Calvary, and the realities of that judgment day must be met and experienced by the impenitentPTUK May 17, 1894, page 307.1.

2. Physical and Global Destruction

The "great and dreadful day" is associated with catastrophic physical upheavals and global military overthrowARSH September 4, 1856, page 138.4.

• Prophets spoke of this scene as the Lord coming with fire and chariots like a whirlwind, rendering His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fireARSH February 23, 1864, page 100.1.

• God will send lightnings from heaven in His wrath, which will unite with fires in the earth1SP 84.4+1.

• The mountains will burn like a furnace, pouring forth terrible streams of lava, destroying cities and villages; the earth will be convulsed with dreadful eruptions and earthquakes everywhere1SP 84.4+1.

• Utter destruction will fall upon all nations and all their armiesARSH September 4, 1856, page 138.4. The mountains shall be melted with blood, and the host of heaven shall be dissolved Isaiah 34:1-4ARSH September 4, 1856, page 138.4.

• The earth itself is reserved unto fire against this day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men 2 Peter 3:7ARSH August 14, 1856, page 115.4+1.

3. The Response of the Wicked

For those who are unprepared, the arrival of this day is sudden and terrifying, fulfilling the warnings given concerning false peace and safetyHST July 31, 1844, page 206.2.

• The day of the Lord comes upon those in darkness "as a thief in the night" 1 Thessalonians 5:2ARSH January 29, 1861, page 84.3. Many will be living in excess and worldly cares, causing that day to come upon them unawares Luke 21:34SITI March 16, 1891, page 74.7.

• Just before sudden destruction comes, those rejecting the truth will be united in the cry of "peace and safety" 1 Thessalonians 5:3ST1853 106.1+1.

• In that time, the world’s great men, chief captains, and mighty men will hide themselves in the dens and rocks Revelation 6:15PTUK January 26, 1899, page 52.2.

• They will cry to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Revelation 6:16-17ARSH February 23, 1864, page 100.1+2.

• Those who prayed for Christ’s blood to be on them and their children will receive the answer to their prayer, knowing who and what they have been warring againstDA 739.3.

4. Final Warning and Preparation

Before this great and terrible day arrives, God sends a special message to prepare people to stand before the Son of man Luke 21:36SITI November 3, 1887, page 663.2.

• The Lord promised, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" Malachi 4:5PTUK December 7, 1899, page 771.3. This work involves turning "the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" Malachi 4:6BDOC 55.84+1.

• In preparation for the cleansing of the earth by fire, people are commanded to "Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments" Malachi 4:4PTUK October 29, 1896, page 690.9+2.

• The final warning message (the Third Angel's Message) cautions against receiving the mark of the beast under the dreadful penalty of having to drink the wine of the wrath of God Revelation 14:9-10SITI September 23, 1886, page 584.2+1.

• The faithful are preserved in the midst of these dreadful commotions, just as Noah was preserved in the ark during the flood Genesis 7:231SP 84.4. Those who stand before the Son of man will have peace and safety in Christ, while the wicked receive bitter destructionARSH December 17, 1861, page 22.10.