Malachi 4:1

Malachi 4:1 says, For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.  God said His day of judgment was coming, and it still is.  In that day, everything that goes against God's word will be burned up, and those that do not put their faith in Jesus Christ will be sent away to the everlasting fires of hell.  It is up to each individual to decide where they will spend eternity.  He or she can choose everlasting life with God through faith in Jesus Christ, or everlasting punishment through rejecting Him.  Those are the only two choices.  Verse two adds, But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.  God then offered the opportunity of everlasting life through Jesus Christ.  Once more, each individual must make the choice of accepting salvation through Jesus Christ or rejecting His salvation.  If we accept Him, we have God's promise that He will keep us safe forever.  Verse three continues, And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.  God said that His people by His power under His guidance would tread down the wicked in the day that God prescribed.  We have no reason to fear the wicked of the world, because God has already secured the victory through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Verse four states, Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  God's people were instructed to remember God's law given to Moses.  It had not changed then nor has it changed since then.  Though our sins are forgiven by faith in Christ and we cannot be saved by the law, we are not exempted from obeying God's law as followers of Christ.  Verse five adds, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:  The prophetic age was coming to an end, but there would come on more great prophet with the same spirit that Elijah had, and that was John the Baptist.  He came to call on the people of Israel to make ready for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  After Jesus came, there was no need for a prophet.  For those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, when He returns it will be a great and dreadful day of the LORD.  Verse six continues, 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 withheld a curse. THE END OF THE PROPHETS.  Jesus does indeed unite those who put their faith in Him in love.  Those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ God will smite with a curse.  Again, it is up to each individual which he or she will choose.