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Preparing the Way for Christ
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Malachi 3:1  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) John the Baptist fulfilled this role before Christ's first coming (Matthew 17:12-13). He was "the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD, make His paths straight'" (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; John 1:23). He brought an urgent message of the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God and the need to repent, turn from sin, and change one's entire attitude and way of life. . . . But the repentance had to be real and thorough; the repentant person had to "bear fruits worthy of repentance" (Luke 3:8). . . . It was a stern, fiery, fearless warning of imminent doom from which escape was possible only by prompt and genuine repentance matched by thorough obedience to God's will. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. 2, p. 1109) Richard T. Ritenbaugh New Name - Same Teaching!

Malachi 3:1  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) This prophecy in Malachi applies to preparing the way for both Jesus' first coming nearly 2,000 years ago and to preparing the way before His second coming in power and glory as World Ruler. Malachi 3:2-6 definitely refer to His yet-future second coming. In verse 1, Malachi clearly refers to Christ's first coming, because this prophecy is referred to in Mark 1:1-2: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. . . . I will send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee." What Is the True Gospel?

Malachi 4:5  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: This phrase lures people into interpreting this as occurring just before Christ's second coming. However, the verse does not say "immediately before"—that is an assumption—it only says "before." The apostle John writes that the world was passing away in his day 2,000 years ago (I John 2:17)! In terms of time, verse 18 is even more incredible because John says that by biblical reckoning it was already the last hour (Romans 13:11-12; I Peter 4:7)! It is imperative we learn to consider time as God does rather than men. The last days began with the arrival of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist, the prophesied Elijah, appeared as one epoch ended and the next began. He was the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets, his preaching turned the hearts of the fathers to the children, and he prepared the way for the Messiah. He most certainly came before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. John W. Ritenbaugh Elijah and John the Baptist

Luke 1:15-17  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) John fulfilled Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1 as the messenger who prepared the way for the Messiah. In Luke 1:15-17, by God's estimation, John would be great already. No other prophet was given such an accolade from the Highest Source in the entire universe. John's greatness lay in the office he filled. His greatness lay in the subject he dealt with: repentance and preparing the way for Christ. His greatness lay in the manner in which he did it, that is, in humility, calling no attention to himself, and voluntarily receding into the background when the Messiah appeared (John 3:30). His greatness lay in performing his function with great zeal. His greatness lay in his personal attributes of character as being above reproach in terms of sin, self-denial, and manner of life. He was courageous in the face of opposition. His greatness lay in doing his service for his entire life. His whole life, from the womb, was devoted to God. John was "the crown" of the Old Testament prophets. His greatness lay in the number and the greatness of his sacrifices, including his life in martyrdom. John W. Ritenbaugh Prophets and Prophecy (Part 2)

 

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