school eagerly studied the Scriptures about the Promised King. It was about four hundred years be tween the time of the writing of the last Old Testament book and the coming of God’s Son to the earth. Many strange and ungodly things took place during these years—things that made it difficult for most of the Jews to receive the Lord Jesus as the promised Messiah when at last He did come. Shortly before Jesus was born, John the Baptist, His cousin, was born. Zaeh- arias, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and praised God for the promised Deliverer who was to be born within a few months. John was to be the messenger to prepare the people for Jesus’ coming. Zacharias praised God for choosing his son to prepare the way for the Messiah. His heart was also joy ful because the days of waiting for the Messiah were almost over. When God’s Son did come, a few of the Jews who had eagerly waited for Him received Him as their Messiah and Saviour. But more of them continued to wait for their King, for they expected Him to have a wealthy and powerful earthly kingdom. They did not realize that His kingdom was not an earthly one.
June 27, 1948 JEWISH HISTORY BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS Mai. 3:1-5; 4:1, 2, 5, 6; Luke 1:76-79 Pointers on the Lesson
of judgment is mentioned. As it is often darkest just before dawn, so following the dark night of earth’s greatest sor row will come the sunrise (v. 2). When Christ comes the second time, even as when He came first, He will engage in a “healing” ministry. Even nature itself will feel the effects of that ministry (cf. Rom. 8:19-21). It appears also that prior to Messiah’s Second Advent there will be a flaming witness who will stand for God in the midst of the spiritual darkness. God always preserves His wit ness in the earth. Compare Rev. 11:3-12. Prophecy is Fulfilled Luke 1:76-79 The forerunner was born. He came to point men to Christ. John’s attitude and ministry exemplifies for us what should be that of every follower of God’s Lamb. Thus, as the prediction which those of Malachi’s day possessed concerning John the Baptist were fulfilled literally, so we may be sure that every prediction relat ing to the future coming of Christ will be fulfilled. Helps ior the Children The Years before Jesus Came Daniel 8:15-27; Malachi 4: 5, 6; Luke 1:67-79 Memory Verse: “He loved us, and sent his Son” (1 John 4:10). Last week we learned that for many hundreds of years God had promised to send a Messiah or a Deliverer to the Jewish people. Every Jewish mother hoped that her first-born son would be that Messiah. Boys in the synagogue
With the message of the book of Mal- achi in hand, we stand upon the threshold of approximately 400 years of prophetic silence, for the Old Testament phase of inspiration closes with Mala- chi’s utterance. The centuries must wait for the coming of Him who is to fulfill, all prophecy. Hence the importance of this utterance. It brings the preparation for Messiah’s coming to a climax. It seeks to get God’s people in readiness for that event. The name Malachi means My Messenger. Little or nothing is known about this prophet personally. His message is the important thing. God is concerned that His people shall be in a proper state of heart so that when the Messiah comes they will be ready to meet Him. The book of Malachi is intensely prac tical. If one will heed its message, he will be in readiness to receive great blessing from the Lord. It is God’s mes sage to His people for any age, show ing them how t o . be ready to “meet” His Son. “ Between the Testaments,” what hope and promise did God’s people have? Let the words of our lesson supply the answer. They had the Promise of the Lord’s Coming Mai. 3:1-5 Surely all of the Me.ssianic promises would be fulfilled. At the beginning of this section, our attention is called to the forerunner who would prepare the way for Messiah’s ministry, John the Baptist, was God’s advance agent to make ready for “ the Lamb o f' God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Compare Matthew 3:3. The text then proceeds to tell of Messiah’s actual coming. It is quite evident that the whole ministry of Christ in both advents is being considered in this passage. The passage shows Jesus coming to His temple: some will delight in Him, others will quake before Him as He judges their sin. And so in the passage we see the Lord who is both Saviour and Judge. This fact needs to be stressed in Bible teaching. If people refuse Christ as Saviour, they must stand be fore Him as their Judge. Like Israel of old, we today have the promise of His coming. It should delight our hearts and energize our service. They had a Divine Forecast of Coming Events Mai. 4:1, 2, 5, 6 Evidently in these verses the inspired writer looks onward to the time of the Second Advent of Christ. Before His coming there will be a time of great tribulation (v. 1). In the book of Reve lation (e.g. 7:14), as well as in many passages of God’s Word, this awful day M A Y , 1 9 4 8
Today there are still many of God’s chosen people who are waiting for the Messiah to come. Some Christians have gone as missionaries to these Jews. Our prayer for God’s chosen people should be that many of them will realize that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is their Messiah and the Saviour of the world. With Christians everywhere, their hearts will rejoice because they too, believe that “He loved us, and sent his Son.” VACAT ION BIBLE SCHOOL COURSES
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