Malachi 4:6 (KJV)
And he shall turn 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.
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Bible Commentary
Malachi 4:6 is a Bible verse from the Old Testament that speaks to the deepest yearning of our hearts—to have the love of our Father’s heart.
There is something very raw and real about man’s inherent need to have our earthly father’s love and approval. It has been the plot of many books and movies throughout the ages.
This innate need was woven into us by our Heavenly Father. He created us to need Him. Our earthly father should be an example of our Heavenly Father but sadly, the leader/father figure of the family has either been torn down or rejected by much of modern-day society.
There is a chilling result of the world’s rejection of God’s intended order and design for the family. Malachi 4:6 states it quite clearly, “…lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
As we go about our daily lives, we don’t even recognize the gradual degeneration of the family unit, which is directly attributed to the absence of a strong, godly father. God, our Heavenly Father, is our ultimate source of strength and love, and God created man in His image so he could follow His characteristics as a loving husband and father.
Our enemy, the devil, has been very effective at dismantling the man as the leader and godly example for his family. In too many cases, the father is unknown or absent, and if he is present, many times his heart is callous and he is distant, remote or uninvolved.
In Matthew 13:15, Jesus said the prophecy of Isaiah was being fulfilled, which says,
“For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’
Romans 11:8 says, “…God gave them a spirit of stupor…” The word “stupor” is defined as: a state in which the mind and senses are dulled. Between the curse of God and the devil’s powerful tools of destruction, it seems as though we are fighting a losing battle.
But wait; remember the cross!
Unlocking the Truth-Heart of the Father
Jesus Christ came to defeat the works of the devil and to become the curse for us. He overcame the world and willingly gave His life as a ransom for us, which means we as believers, have also won.
Because Jesus’ body on the cross absorbed the curse for us, we have access to all of the promises of God beyond the curse. Malachi 4:6 says, “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers…”
It’s easy to be disheartened by observing the moral decay of our modern-day culture and how far we’ve unknowingly lingered from God’s intended order for the family. But take heart. God promises to restore the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.
When the heart of a man is restored with the love of God the Father, amazing things happen in families. They are mended, repaired and restored. It might take place gradually, or suddenly. Either way, we welcome God’s healing touch.
Likewise, amazing things happen when the love of God the Father restores the hearts of children toward their fathers. An adoration and respect surfaces and replenishes the empty places left by the ashes of disrespect and dishonor.
More than any of these wonderful occurrences is the restoration of our Heavenly Father’s heart toward us, His children. This is the ultimate father/child relationship. As He reveals the love of a Father’s heart to us personally, our hearts are easily turned away from the false gods of the world and back to Him.
Watch for it, expecting. Ask for eyes to see it, to see Him. He answers prayers. Study the Bible verse of Malachi 4:6, and rejoice in the love of the Father.
