Roger Thrower

AMP
Malachi 4:5-6 - “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance], so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse [of complete destruction].”

Elijah was a prophet sent by God to turn the hearts of his people back to himself during the reign of the most wicked king of Israel’s history, king Ahab.

The essence of Elijah’s purpose was to call the nation to repentance.

When people asked John the Baptist if he was the Christ he said, NO. Then they asked if he was Elijah and he said, NO.
As for as he knew, his marching orders were to be a “voice in the wilderness” “preparing the way of the Messiah”

Yet, his message was, REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND.

THE BULK OF JOHN’S PREACHING WAS REPENTANCE.

Jesus said of John the Baptist
Matthew 11:14 - And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come [before the kingdom].

Let’s look further at the history of REPENTANCE.

When Peter stood before the Pharisees while having been arrested for preaching and performing miracles in Jesus name he pointed out the God had given repentance to Israel.
Acts 5:31 - God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Later when Peter was explaining his experience as Cornelius’ house when the Holy Spirit poured out upon them those listening recognized that God granted repentance to the Gentiles.

Acts 11:18 - When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Later we see that Paul understands that repentance is granted by God. When believers are stuck in their bondage the way out is through the gift of repentance.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 - And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

REPENTANCE IS A GIFT GRANTED BY GOD.
IT INCLUDES FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS AND FORGIVENESS OF THE GENERATIONAL SINS PASSED DOWN TO YOU.
REPENTANCE ALSO INCLUDES THE CAPACITY TO RENOUNCE LEGAL RIGHTS OF SINS TRESPASSES THAT THE DEVIL USES TO HOLD A PLACE IN THE BELIEVERS LIFE

REPENTANCE WHICH MEANS TO CHANGE YOUR MIND IS TWOFOLD:
CHIN UP – FORGIVE ME LORD, SINS FORGIVEN
CHIN DOWN – I RENOUNCE ALL DOORS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED FOR SIN AND THE DEVIL TO ENTER MY LIFE,
LEGAL RIGHTS REMOVED
Renounce means to disown by formal declaration

The amazing insight from this verse is that there is one reason that the land comes under a curse of destruction.
The Lord has one diagnosis of a land.
He has no other diagnosis.
That diagnosis is a broken-relationships.
Very specifically it is the broken relationship between a father and his children. That’s it.

If this broken relationship is not mended and restored the land is stricken with the curse of complete destruction. Everything is destroyed.

The only way to reverse the curse is to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.

THIS TURNING OF THE HEARTS TO ONE ANOTHER IS ONLY EMPOWERED BY FIRST TURNING YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD HIMSELF.
THEN HE EMPOWERS THE HEART TO CHANGE AND RECONCILIATION OF FATHER AND CHILD IS PRODUCED THROUGHT THE GIFT OF REPENTANCE.

THIS DEEP WORK OF REPENTANCE IS A PROCESS THAT leads the father and/or child to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

THE REPENCE PROCESS HEALS THE DEEP WOUNDS OF THE HEART AND CLEANSES US FROM THE POWERS OF DARKNESS.

BITTERNESS IS HEALED AND RESENTMENT IS REMOVED AND LOVE POURS IN AND RESTORATION COMES FROM THE LORD.