John’s coming was prophesied four hundred years before he was born. Malachi 4:5 Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. 6 His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.[1]
In this prophecy, God supernaturally spoke to Malachi so he could tell others. A prophet, such as the Old Testament Prophet Malachi, was a person God used to communicate His message to the world. God’s prophets were required to deliver God’s message correctly. The prophet Micaiah writes in 1 Kings 22:14As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say. [2]
Communication From God Gives Us Insight and Hope
As the people reflected on the prophecy given by Malachi, they knew that sometime in the future, the Lord would send an extraordinary man who would be a great preacher. His preaching would be so powerful that it would change the hearts of the fathers and children. As the fathers’ hearts changed, they would turn to God in a way they had not done before.
Something happens in our hearts when we know that God has not forgotten about us and has plans for our future. Each day, we can awaken by thinking about what God is doing in our lives and what He will do in the future. Zechariah, a priest and the future father of John the Baptist, was familiar with the passage. He had no idea God had chosen him to be the father of this special man.
The Angel Gabriel Spoke to Zechariah
One day, as Zechariah was carrying out his duties in the Temple in Jerusalem, the angel Gabriel visited and communicated with him verbally. Although God can use angels to communicate with us, it is not typical. Gabriel told Zechariah that he and his wife would have a son; they were to name him John.
Gabriel went on to give other details about his future son. Luke 1:15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly. [3]
Think how this supernatural communication from the angel Gabriel changed the life of Zechariah. How many people would this child impact? Malachi had foretold the birth of this child, and now it was time for him to be born. The words of the prophet Malachi would come true because the Lord is faithful to His word.
To learn how John’s coming was prophesied, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/an-angel-surprise
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.