The Final Word of the Old Testament is About Family

When you consider how the narrative of the Old Testament begins and how the story continues, it should come as no surprise that God concludes the writings under the Old Covenant with a warning about division that would come between families.

Adam is considered the son of God (see Luke 3:38). He populated the earth with many sons and daughters and a righteous line that stretched through Noah to Abraham to David to Christ. Fathers and sons change the world. 

Malachi 4:4–6 (ESV) “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

The purpose of Elijah was to precede the arrival of the Lord. The New Testament makes it clear that this figure is John the Baptist. 

Luke 1:17 (ESV) and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

A Father's influence on the faith of the next generation is heralded in history and research. A 2026 study found that adults who reported a very good relationship with their father had:
    * 58% higher odds of weekly church attendance
    * 45% higher odds of daily prayer
    * 73% higher odds of believing in God

The scripture is true: if the father serves the Lord, the children will more than likely serve the Lord. And it is imperative to notice that it is not simply a father's faith, but engagement with the children. Malachi says, "the hearts of the fathers" will be turned "to their children." What does that look like? Let's consider John the Baptist's ministry. He called men to repent publicly and be baptized, to confess faith before others, and to return to the Lord. He called on men to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. A father's faith must go deeper than simply believing in God; the father must exemplify an attitude of contrition for sin, a willingness to be publicly identified with Christ, and a commitment to lead his family in the faith. THEN, Malachi stipulates, the "hearts of children" will be turned "to their fathers". The father must take the lead in creating intergenerational harmony through public faith in the Lord. 

Fast forward to the time of Christ, and we find the religious hypocrites are both despising their parents by breaking the law and refusing to help them, citing their ridiculous principle of "dedicating" their goods to God. And children are shewed away from Christ by the disciples as they are brought to be blessed by Him. Christ corrected both errors and fulfilled the purposes of an obedient son, immersed in the perfect love of His Father. 

In all of Scripture, God uses the household to accomplish His priorities. A family was planted in the Garden of Eden, a family sailed through the global flood, a family was chosen to be a holy nation, and a family was given the responsibility of raising the Christ. 

We must get the point! If we want to save society, we must save the family. It starts with fathers. It always has and it always will. Our heavenly Father partnered in perfect love with His only Son to make it possible. Let us receive Him and follow His lead.

Amen. 

(This is my final post of walking chapter by chapter through the Bible. I started in January 2013 and covered the New Testament, Psalms, and Genesis - Malachi in that order. I prayerfully consider where I will go from here as this journey has been life-changing and life-giving. Praise His Name.)


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