Malachi 4:5: Difference between revisions

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Malachi 4:5 says that Elijah will come before:
Malachi 4:5 says that Elijah will come before:


*''“the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”'' (KJV)
*''...Before the coming of '''the great and dreadful day''' of the LORD:'' (KJV)<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mal 4:5.</ref>
*''“the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.'' (Young’s Literal Translation)
*''...before that '''great and dreadful day''' of the LORD comes.'' (NIV)<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mal 4:5.</ref>
*''“the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.'' (ESV)
*''...before '''the great and awesome day''' of the LORD comes.'' (ESV)<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mal 4:5.</ref>


The Hebrew word translated as "dreadful" in the KJV includes the meanings "to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe; or, to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe.”
The Hebrew word translated as "dreadful" in the KJV includes the meanings "to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe; or, to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe.”
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However, if the true meaning is “awesome” rather than “dreadful, then this verse is not stating that Elijah will come before judgement.  It is stating that he will come prior to the first coming of Jesus.  Malachi 4:6 then goes on to say that God will strike the earth if Elijah never comes.
However, if the true meaning is “awesome” rather than “dreadful, then this verse is not stating that Elijah will come before judgement.  It is stating that he will come prior to the first coming of Jesus.  Malachi 4:6 then goes on to say that God will strike the earth if Elijah never comes.
Further proof of this is found in Joel 2:31 and Acgs 2:16-21.  Note that Joel 2:31 reads almost identical to Malachi 4:5 in referring to the great and dreadful day:
*''The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before '''the great and the terrible day of the LORD''' come. (KJV)<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Joe 2:31.</ref>
*''The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of '''the great and dreadful day of the LORD'''. (NIV)<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Joe 2:31.</ref>
*''The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before '''the great and awesome day of the LORD''' comes. (ESV)<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Joe 2:31.</ref>
We read in Acts 2:16 that the outpouring of the Holy spirit was that "which was spoken by the prophet Joel<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ac 2:16.</ref>and then Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32.  It is important to compare Joel 2:31 above to Peter's quotation of the same verse which is found in Acts 2:20:
*''The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that '''great and notable day of the Lord''' come:'' (KJV)<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ac 2:20.</ref>
*''The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of '''the great and glorious day of the Lord'''. (NIV)<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ac 2:20.</ref>
*''...the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before '''the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.''' (ESV)<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ac 2:20.</ref>
As a result, it can be seen that William Branham's interpretation of "the great and dreadful day of the Lord" does not agree with that of the apostle Peter.


===Another possible interpretation===
===Another possible interpretation===