The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Creation

Denny,

I would dispute the idea that Malachi 4:2 "spiritualizes" the phrase, "Sun of righteousness", again on hermeneutical and exegetical grounds. For your edification, here is a quote from T.V. Moore (1818-1871), a Presbyterian pastor. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Southern Presbyterian Church in 1867. The quote is from his commentary on Zechariah, Haggai & Malachi, Banner of Truth, 1958.

Wings are attributed to the sun, poetically, in allusion to his apparent motion, just as we read of “the wings of the morning,” in Psa. 139: 9. The image of the sun seems to have been suggested by the expression “day,” used in the preceding verse, in order to make the contrast more striking between the day of terror to the wicked, and of gladness to the righteous. The phrase “Sun of Righteousness” is generally applied to Christ in popular language, and if the ultimate ground of this future gladness and righteousness is brought in view, the phrase is undoubtedly applicable to him. But we cannot think that the prophet here meant to predict Christ personally by this phrase, or indeed to look at the ground of this righteousness at all. His object was to show the contrast that this future day would present to the righteous, from the aspect it would present to the wicked; and while it is true that the foundation of this contrast rests on Christ, yet it is the contrast itself, in its bright and joyous character, rather than the foundation that is here contemplated by the prophet. To leap as a young animal, which after confinement exults in the joyousness of freedom, is a striking image of the joy that the righteous shall feel after being kept so long waiting for deliverance.

In His Grace,