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.
The Prophet sets this threat against God's enemies to answer those who slander Him, claiming He has stopped being Judge. The ungodly will be like stubble in a furnace, a common Scripture image, and the day of the Lord will consume them entirely, leaving neither root nor branch. The demonstrative 'Behold' marks certainty.
AI summary
Commenting on Malachi 4:1-6
That day burns like an oven for those who rebel against Christ, yet shines bright for His faithful followers. All the proud in heart and all who wickedly persist in sin shall be fuel for this fire. Their words have been stout against God, their necks stiff; they will not bend to His yoke or Christ's reign.
AI summary
Commenting on Malachi 4:1-3
The righteous shall tread down the wicked as grapes in the winepress, for they will become ashes underfoot. This refers to their burning in the fire, and may be literally fulfilled when Jerusalem was rebuilt and Christian converts stood on the very ground where their persecutors had been consumed by flames.
AI summary