Through Malachi, God said, “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me” (3:1). The messenger will prepare the way for the day of God’s returning and living with his people. The New Testament tells us that John the Baptist is this messenger who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus, Immanuel (God with us). Jesus is the good news God’s people have been promised since the very beginning! He is the Snake Crusher that was promised to Eve. He is Abraham’s offspring bringing a blessing to all nations. He is the Branch from David’s family tree, who rules as the forever King of the forever kingdom. Jesus is the Passover Lamb, the goat taken outside the camp, and the one who delivered from the fiery furnace.

God’s people didn’t know exactly what to look for when God would return to live with his people. But if they paid attention to the Bible, they knew that their coming Savior would be a teacher greater than Moses, a priest purer than Aaron, and a king wiser than Solomon. They knew he would be born of a virgin, preach good news to the poor, heal the sick, and then suffer and die for his people’s sins. They also knew he would rise from the dead and someday return to judge and save. The Bible was full of pictures to show them what their coming Savior was like. And soon he would appear, not as a mighty king, but as a helpless baby.