The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum John the Baptist

Hi all,
While having a discussion with my Dispensational friend about JtB, I mentioned that the last prophecy in the OT concerned him. He disagreed and said that Malachi 3 concerns JtB but not chapter 4. The best I can tell from my sources is that the first couple of verses in chapter 3 and the last couple in chapter 4 point to JtB being the forerunner of the Messiah. When I asked him for an answer as to who he thought it may be he gave me a list including Elijah reincarnated, Elisah or someone else in the power of Elijah saying that he would withhold his answer until he and I meet again.
This being the best place I know to get help, I submit this question.

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mat. 11:11-15 [NKJ])

Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist. (Mat. 17:9-13 [NKJ])

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Lk. 1:13-17 [NKJ])

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

It is clear in Malachi 3:1 that there is a messenger of preparation. There is, also, a messenger of the covenant who is the Lord himself.

Mark draws attention to this in the opening verses of his Gospel Account. He draws attention, first, not to the greater Prophet, Isaiah, who also has precedence, but to the lesser and later prophet Malachi. Thus he emphasises the 'beginning of the gospel' as being the preparatory ministry of John the Baptist.

I can see no reason whatsoever to think that Malachi 4 relates to another than John. The sending of the prophet and the day of burning, in that chapter, relate both to the first coming of Messiah and to the second coming of Christ, the two events merging in the vision of Malachi as they are both distant in the future and both merge into almost one, from his perspective in time and in progressive revelation.