Faithful on Fridays Blog

Should Christians care about ancient, Jewish prophecy? Well, God’s chosen people were promised a Messiah coming to bring freedom by crushing Satan’s head (Gen. 3:15). The resounding question was, “When would He come?” The prophets were given words from God to encourage and comfort with ‘signs’ to watch for. Remember, Advent means coming … His first and second appearances on earth.

“Look! I am sending My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to His Temple. The Messenger of the Covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Malachi 3:1

Suffering persecution under Roman rule, Jewish prophecies gave His people hope of the arrival of their Messiah along with ‘signs’ as evidence. Two messengers, one getting the people ready and the other would seal the deal. John the Baptizer was the first messenger preaching the baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins with Jesus Christ as the second sign and Messenger who would come suddenly, fulfill prophecy, enter the Temple, and finally ratify the New Covenant with His blood. 

Did John and the people recognize these signs? 

“Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Matthew 11:3

Jesus answered John’s question from prison by telling him to recognize the signs of His ministry as proof: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them. Jesus further verified the ancient prophecy of Malachi:

This is he (John) of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Matthew 11:10

“Behold, I send My messenger (John) before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight,’ Mark 1:2b-3 

Prophecies of the first coming of Messiah, the Christ, were confirmed with signs and recorded for us, as Christians, to strengthen our belief that we are also the children of Abraham (Gal. 3:7-9). Paul teaches in Eph. 2:11-22 that Jews and Gentiles are one body in Christ, the Messiah. We are to remember that truth of being ‘one new man’, Jew and Gentile, since we were both reconciled with God by the blood of Christ Jesus. 

Are ancient, Jewish prophecies important to Christians? They should be since they were designed by God to give us hope of His Second Coming as well. The angel Gabriel told John’s father Zechariah, “Every one will be fulfilled in it’s time (Luke 1:20).” That still holds true today as we watch for ‘signs’ of His Return. Malachi also speaks of His Second Coming,

But who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears? Malachi 3:2a

Those who have repented and been forgiven by Christ as John preached.