Prophecies of Jesus-14

1. Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner.

   
   

   Old Testament Scripture. Mal. 3:1

   
   

   New Testament Fulfillment. Mat. 11:10

Mal. 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

The 4th prophecy in Malachi (Mal. 3:1-5; 3:1 fulfilled; Mal. 3:2-5 unfulfilled). Next, Mal. 3:17.

Three Predictions—Fulfilled:

1. I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me (Mal. 3:1).

2. The Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in.

3. He shall come, saith the Lord.

Behold,...

הנּה

hinnêh

Definition:

1) behold, lo, see, if

Part of Speech: demonstrative particle

I (God) will send...

שׁלח

shâlach

Definition:

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled

1e) (Hiphil) to send

Part of Speech: verb

my messenger (John the Baptist),...

מלאך

mal'âk

Definition:

1) messenger, representative

1a) messenger

1b) angel

1c) the theophanic angel

Part of Speech: noun masculine

and he shall prepare...

פּנה

pânâh

Definition:

1) to turn

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to turn toward or from or away

1a2) to turn and do

1a3) to turn, decline (of day)

1a4) to turn toward, approach (of evening)

1a5) to turn and look, look, look back or at or after or for

1b) (Piel) to turn away, put out of the way, make clear, clear away

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to turn

1c2) to make a turn, show signs of turning, turn back

1d) (Hophal) to be turned back

Part of Speech: verb

the way...

דּרך

derek

Definition:

1) way, road, distance, journey, manner

1a) road, way, path

1b) journey

1c) direction

1d) manner, habit, way

1e) of course of life (figuratively)

1f) of moral character (figuratively)

Part of Speech: noun masculine

before...

פּנה / פּנים

pânı̂ym / pâneh

Definition:

1) face

1a) face, faces

1b) presence, person

1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)

1d) face (of animals)

1e) face, surface (of ground)

1f) as adverb of loc/temp

1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before

1g) with preposition

1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

Part of Speech: noun masculine

Reflect the general expectation of the Lord’s coming, as predicted by many other prophets.

Five Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. He shall sit as a refiner of silver (Mal. 3:3).

2. He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness.

3. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and in former years (Mal. 3:4).

4. I will come near to you for judgment (Mal. 3:5).

5. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers, the swearers, and those that oppress the hireling in his wages, and who oppress the widow and the fatherless; and a witness against those that turn aside the stranger from his right, and do not fear Me.

me: and the Lord (Jesus),...

אדן / אדון

'âdôn / 'âdôn

Definition:

1) firm, strong, lord, master

1a) lord, master

1a1) reference to men

1a1a) superintendent of household,of affairs

1a1b) master

1a1c) king

1a2) reference to God

1a2a) the Lord God

1a2b) Lord of the whole earth

1b) lords, kings

1b1) reference to men

1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria

1b1b) master

1b1c) husband

1b1d) prophet

1b1e) governor

1b1f) prince

1b1g) king

1b2) reference to God

1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = “thy husband, Yahweh”)

1c) my lord, my master

1c1) reference to men

1c1a) master

1c1b) husband

1c1c) prophet

1c1d) prince

1c1e) king

1c1f) father

1c1g) Moses

1c1h) priest

1c1i) theophanic angel

1c1j) captain

1c1k) general recognition of superiority

1c2) reference to God

1c2a) my Lord,my Lord and my God

1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)

Part of Speech: noun masculine

whom...

אשׁר

'ăsher

Definition:

1) (relative participle)

1a) which, who

1b) that which

2) (conjunction)

2a) that (in object clause)

2b) when

2c) since

2d) as

2e) conditional if

Part of Speech: relative particle

conjunction

ye...

אתּה / אתּנּה / אתּנה / אתּן / אתּם / אתּי / את / אתּ

'attâh / 'attâ / 'ath / 'attı̂y / 'attem / 'atten / 'attênâh / 'attênnâh

Definition:

1) you (second person singular masculine)

Part of Speech: personal pronoun

seek,...

בּקשׁ

bâqash

BDB Definition:

1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to seek to find

1a2) to seek to secure

1a3) to seek the face

1a4) to desire, demand

1a5) to require, exact

1a6) to ask, request

1b) (Pual) to be sought

Part of Speech: verb

The coming of the Lord in His day is a much-discussed theme among the prophets. Zechariah said He will come to Zion and dwell there (Zec. 8:3). Ezekiel predicted the return of the glory of God to the temple (Ezk. 43:1-5). Malachi’s two preceding oracles identified serious problems in the practice of temple worship, so the coming of the Lord to His temple would answer the questions about His justice (Mal. 2:17) and would have an ominous significance for the priests.

shall suddenly...

פּתאם / פּתאום

pith'ôm

Definition:

1) suddenly, surprisingly (adverb)

2) suddenness (substantive)

Part of Speech: see above in Definition

come...

בּוא

bô'

Definition:

1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to enter, come in

1a2) to come

1a2a) to come with

1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)

1a2c) to come to pass

1a3) to attain to

1a4) to be enumerated

1a5) to go

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lead in

1b2) to carry in

1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon

1b4) to bring to pass

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought, brought in

1c2) to be introduced, be put

Part of Speech: verb

to...

אל

l'e / 'êl / 'el

Definition:

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one’s presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Part of Speech: preposition

his temple,...

היכל

hêykâl

Definition:

1) palace, temple, nave, sanctuary

1a) palace

1b) temple (palace of God as king)

1c) hall, nave (of Ezekiel’s temple)

1d) temple (of heavenly temple)

Part of Speech: noun masculine

This individual is not the same as “My messenger” in Mal. 3:1, for the messenger of the covenant comes after the earlier messenger. Most likely the messenger here should be identified with the Lord Himself. The word “messenger” can be translated “angel,” and the Angel of the Lord, a manifestation of God Himself, had been quite active in Israel’s earlier history (cf. Gen. 16:10; 22:15-18; Exo. 3:2; 33:14 with Isa. 63:9; and Jdg. 13:21-22).

even the messenger... see my messenger above.

of the covenant,...

בּרית

berı̂yth

Definition:

1) covenant, alliance, pledge

1a) between men

1a1) treaty, alliance, league (man to man)

1a2) constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects)

1a3) agreement, pledge (man to man)

1a4) alliance (of friendship)

1a5) alliance (of marriage)

1b) between God and man

1b1) alliance (of friendship)

1b2) covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges)

2) (phrases)

2a) covenant making

2b) covenant keeping

2c) covenant violation

Part of Speech: noun feminine

in: behold,... see Behold, above.

He (Jesus) shall come,... see come above.

saith...

אמר

'âmar

Definition:

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one’s heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Part of Speech: verb

the Lord (Father)...

יהוה

yehôvâh

Definition:

Jehovah = “the existing One”

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of the Lord

Part of Speech: noun proper deity

of hosts...

צבאה / צבא

tsâbâ' / tsebâ'âh

Definition:

1) that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host

1a) army, host

1a1) host (of organized army)

1a2) host (of angels)

1a3) of sun, moon, and stars

1a4) of whole creation

1b) war, warfare, service, go out to war

1c) service

Part of Speech: noun masculine

Mat. 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

The 9th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Matthew (Mat. 11:10; Mal. 3:1). Next, Mat. 12:17.

Jesus’ Discourse

John’s question prompted Jesus to give a discourse to the crowd. Perhaps some began to wonder about John’s commitment to the Messiah in light of his question. So Jesus explained that John was not weak and vacillating. He was not a papyrus reed that could be shaken by every breeze that blew. Nor was he a man dressed in fine clothes, the kind worn in kings’ palaces. In fact John the Baptist wore the opposite (Mat. 3:4). John was a true prophet who proclaimed the message that God demanded repentance. In fact he was even more than a prophet, for he, in fulfillment of Mal. 3:1, was Jesus’ own messenger or forerunner. Mark in his Gospel (Mark 1:2-3) combined this prophecy from Mal. 3:1 with Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa. 40:3) concerning the one who would prepare Jesus’ way. Jesus added that of all men who had lived on earth, none was greater than John the Baptist. And yet one who is least in the kingdom will be greater than John. The privileges of Jesus’ disciples sharing in the kingdom will be far greater than anything anyone could experience on earth.

But the kingdom had been subject to violence and evil men were trying to take it by force (Mat. 11:12). The religious leaders of Jesus’ day (forceful men) were resisting the movement introduced by John, Jesus, and the apostles. Forcefully advancing (biazetai) could be rendered in the passive, “is violently treated.” (The verb lay hold of [harpazousin] means “to grasp” in the sense of resisting or laying claim to it on their own). Those leaders wanted a kingdom, but not the kind Jesus was offering. So they were resisting the message and attempting to establish their own rule. But John’s message was true, and if the nation would accept it, and consequently accept Jesus, John would fulfill the prophecies of Elijah. Only if they accepted the message would John the Baptist be the Elijah who was to come (cf. Mal. 4:5). Because the nation rejected the Messiah, Elijah’s coming is still future (cf. Mal. 4:6 with Acts 3:21).