The Day of Judgment

"The day of judgment is coming, blazing like a furnace, when all the arrogant and the evildoers will be stubble." Malachi 3:20 or 4:1

I do not think about hell much, but today there is this verse in the readings about the day of judgment and burning. Most people want to believe that a loving God, a compassionate God would not put even the most horrible people in a blazing furnace for eternity. The best future I imagine is for these hopelessly wicked people to burn up and disappear like straw. 

The Book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament, and after the prophet Malachi, God did not speak to the Jews for 400 years. But Malachi's prophecy ends with the promise for those who fear God's name. "The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings, and you will go free, leaping with joy." The Jews always needed the prophets to remind them to turn away from their evil ways, and obey God. Over and over again, the Israelites saw that God kept His promises and what the prophets said came to pass. 

As adopted sons and daughters of God, we too need to take His words seriously. We need to read and study the book He left us so we can understand it. If we do our best to obey, God will do the rest. As a matter of fact, He already did it when He carried our sins on the cross. We can be confident that He who has started the good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6). If we do that, I have no doubt we will be able to enter our Father's house, and not be thrown into the holocaust!!!