The final admonition given to the post-exilic people of Israel included instructions concerning obedience of the Torah (the Mosaic Law) and to watch for the arrival of the Messiah. While the people of Israel returned from Babylon to rebuild their city, temple, and homes, they get back to life with hope in the promise of YHWH as foretold by His prophets. Even as there were continuing issues surrounding their return involving justice and religious ritualism, the people were on track. Notwithstanding the neglect, obstruction, and delays related to the construction of the second temple, the people of Israel were responsive and worked toward its restoration. Even while the people of God were given mercy, love, and freedom from idolatry, they were aware that the presence of God and His glory had not returned to the temple.
YHWH promised to be with His people as they returned, but the circumstances were different. The prophecies concerning the arrival of the Messiah were pending fulfillment, and the people looked toward His messenger Elijah to proclaim His arrival (Malachi 4:5). However, before that were to occur, YHWH instructs His people to remain in the Torah and watch for His return. They were to practice justice, rebuild their lives, worship YHWH in truth, and fulfill the requirements of the law and the prophets (i.e., Shema). Here in the final admonition (Malachi 4:1-6), we see a new beginning as YHWH’s people have returned. With that new beginning is the hope of the Messiah to come.
With the arrival of Jesus and during the course of His ministry, it became widely recognized that He was the promised Messiah. Yet just prior to His advent, it was John the Baptist who had proclaimed His arrival. He revealed His identity as incarnate God (John 1:36), it was God Himself who revealed to John the Baptist the identity of Jesus as the Messiah. Namely, the Lamb of God (John 1:36), who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). While John the Baptist did not have the literal persona of Elijah as prophesied by Malachi (Malachi 4:5), it was yet the angel of the Lord (Gabriel) and Jesus who both reveal under their authority that John the Baptist carries the spirit of Elijah who testifies of the Messiah’s arrival of (Luke 1:11,18, Matt 11:14). Moreover, it was the prophet Isaiah who foretold of John the Baptist to corroborate the prophecy of Malachi (Isaiah 40:3). Whereas the arrival of John the Baptist is described as a voice calling out, “clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness.”
The sequence of all those who gave an account of the spirit of Elijah’s arrival through John the Baptist provides valid witness to the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5—supported by both Old Testament and New Testament accounts in terms of his identity and activity. What John the Baptist did to fulfill the prophet’s foretelling of his arrival and function was specifically through preparing the way of Christ through repentance. He was calling out to people that the Kingdom of God has arrived through Jesus the Messiah. As John’s baptism was the baptism of repentance through water, Jesus baptizes through the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). Both Jesus and John the Baptist were prophesied through earlier prophets as they were both transformative in spirit and mind. While they were ushered in by the Spirit of God, the prophets Malachi and Isaiah’s messages concerning John the Baptist were fulfilled.
Comments are closed.