Time Out

Malachi 3:1 "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the Lord of hosts. 2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.

One of the modern forms of discipline for an unruly child is known of as a ‘time out.’ The loving parent places their misbehaving child in a quiet corner by themselves, and there they remain alone and without communication until a time known only to the parent has expired.

How similar this is to the quiet time which existed between the Old and New Testaments. God was dealing with an unruly people – His people – and He just set them aside to wait in a 400 year period of preparation. (The blank page in your Bible between the Old and New Testaments represents this period.)

What had happened? God had been dealing with His children for about 2,000 years, (since the time of Abraham.) They had continued in cycle after cycle of rescue, wealth, distraction, estrangement, idol worship, rebellion, downfall, repentance and finally - rescue - to begin a new cycle. These cycles seemed dependent on the leaders the people chose, which in fact were a reflection of where the people were in the cycle when they chose their leaders. God would respond accordingly with a desire to draw the people, His people, back to Himself.

Now, upon nearing the appointed time for the coming of the promised Messiah, God set His people in a sort of “Time Out.” They were placed in a corner by themselves, and God drew very quiet. Silent, in fact. For hundreds of years the Lord had provided direction, correction, and comfort by the words of His prophets. Now, the last prophet (Malachi) speaks with the sole intent of preparing the hearts of the people for the season. The season? The season of the coming of Christ. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

As we approach the time we set aside in our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ, (the literal coming of God into the world He created,) we are provided the opportunity to witness the things God desires we hold in our hearts as the birth of Christ draws near. Those things are not parties, presents, family visits, foods, candies and desserts - but holiness and purity. And here and now we are given a ‘time out’ to think about that. (‘Tis the season!)

In their case the ‘time out’ lasted 400 years before the Messenger (John the Baptist) spoke.

- Pastor Bill