Page 65 - Christ in You - The Hope of Glory
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Heart of a Son



                  want to draw your attention to the last two verses of Malachi. They are the final verses of
               Ithe Old Testament. Placement is significant in Scriptures. First occurrences and last
                  occurrences alike hold a particular meaning. That which is last speaks of the goal, or the
               end result of a matter. So it is with these words. The Old Testament concludes with that
               which is most upon the heart of God, Who is the Father of mankind. His heart is turned
               toward His sons, and He wants His sons hearts to be turned toward Him.

                       Malachi 4:5-6
                       Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and
                       dreadful day of Yahweh. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the
                       sons, and the hearts of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the
                       earth with a curse.


                     Malachi prophesied that Elijah the prophet would come prior to the great and terrible
               day of Yahweh. Elijah’s entire ministry would be focused upon restoring fathers and sons.
               Although there is certainly an earthly application of this verse, it also stands as a parable
               of the ultimate relationship between Father and sons, between Yahweh and His offspring.
                     For too long the  hearts of Yahweh’s children have been turned away from Him.
               Mankind has occupied himself with many vain pursuits. Even in his religious pursuits man
               has seldom manifested a heart after God’s own. The Davids have been far outnumbered by
               the Sauls.
                     The Old Testament opens with God creating man with the express intent of providing
               God with sons in His own image and likeness. The Old Testament ends with the thought
               uppermost on Yahweh’s mind. He wants His sons’ hearts to be turned toward Him.
                     Next we find the New Testament opening with the story of Yahshua, the firstborn Son
               of God. He was the first son born of woman and born of God. He set the pattern for the sons
               who would follow, for His heart was always set upon His Father. He lived to do the Father’s
               pleasure. His very meat, that which sustained Him and gave Him life, was the opportunity
               to do His Father’s will.

                       John 4:34
                       “My food is to do the pleasure of Him who sent Me and to accomplish
                       His work.”

                       Hebrews 10:7
                       “Then I said, 'Behold, I have come - in the volume of the book it is written of Me -
                       to do Your pleasure, O God.'”


                     Yahshua revealed the kind of heart that endears a son to the Father. Of this firstborn
               Son, the Father declared:

                       Matthew 3:17
                       This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

                     This relationship of the Father’s heart turned to the Son, and the Son’s heart turned
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