Malachi 3:1 ESV
Matthew 3:11-12 ESV
Matthew 3:13 (Jesus baptized by John)
Matthew 11:7-11 ESV
John 7:14 (Jesus taught in the Temple)
John 8:2-10 (The woman caught in Adultery)
John 8:7 ESV
John 8:10 (Jesus asked where they went)
John 8:11 ESV
Matthew 11:3-5 ESV
Luke 2:25-38 ESV
Luke 19:10 (Jesus came)
He is Coming is a multi-layered statement.
In Malachi 3:1 the prophet wrote, “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.”
Here, the prophet Malachi spoke of the messenger who would come to prepare the way. That messenger was John the Baptist who was related to Jesus. Jesus’ mother, Mary was a cousin to John’s mother Elizabeth.
John the Baptist is known as the forerunner to Jesus. John had disciples who followed him and in Matthew 3:11-12 we learn, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Jesus went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John (Matthew 3:13).
In Matthew 11:7-11 we learn, “As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
John came to go out into the wilderness.
John came to shake things up.
John came to prophecy.
John came to serve as a messenger telling them Jesus was coming.
John came to prepare the way…
Malachi also spoke of the Lord who would come but it was a coming and a coming. The prophet spoke of the one coming twice (coming and the second coming).
We know from John 7:14 that Jesus came to teach in the Temple.
In John 8:2 He was teaching in the Temple when the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Him. The Pharisees were testing Jesus quoting the law of Moses and they asked if she should be stoned. Jesus wrote on the ground with His finger and in John 8:7 we read, “as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Slowly each one walked away. In John 8:10 Jesus asked her where they went? And who remains to accuse her? John 8:11, “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Jesus came to forgive and offer redemption.
In Matthew 11:3-5 from prison John sent word to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
Jesus came to heal.
Jesus came to cleanse.
Jesus came to give life.
Jesus came to give the message of Good News to all men rich and poor.
The people of God waited and prayed for those coming for 400 years. There were people who prayed for their coming all the days of their lives.
In Luke 2:25-38 we read about Simeon who waited to see the “one” coming and Anna the Prophetess who prayed day and night for the “one” coming, “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Both Simeon and Anna prayed and waited and instantly when they saw Jesus the baby they knew He was “the one” who came.
They knew He was coming…and He came!
He came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).
Spiritual Practice: They Came
John came to prepare the way for Jesus and Jesus came to show you the WAY. He did come for you.
In God, Deborah
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