Proof Jesus IS Messiah!

Apologia Studios

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Well, when we look at the Old Testament, we have to pay attention to something very, very important, and that's that as Christians, we oftentimes as Christians understand the element of the

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Old Testament promises of Messiah that involved salvation. So it's true, many

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Christians are very, very good at actually going to the Old Testament and saying, this is the

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Messiah's work. He's going to save his people from their sins. He's going to be pierced through for our transgressions. The Lord's going to be pleased to crush him.

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And they know those texts about justifying the many as he bears their iniquities, pierced through for our transgressions, hands and feet pierced, his heart like wax melted within him.

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They understand what the Bible says about the salvific work of the Messiah, redemption for all the nations coming to God, all that stuff.

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But oftentimes we miss the other aspect of the Messiah's work that's promised in the

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Old Testament, and that's judgment, salvation and judgment. The Messiah's coming was predicted, prophesied to come with salvation and judgment.

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And so here's one of the texts I want to point you to, and just, it's easy to access. It's right before the

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New Testament starts. It's in the book of Malachi, Malachi chapter three, Malachi chapter three, it says, behold,

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I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.

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The Lord is coming to his temple. So this is the Lord. This is the

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Lord's temple. And it says the messenger comes first and then the Lord comes to his temple.

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And the messenger of the covenant whom you delight, behold, he's coming says the Lord of hosts, but who can endure the day of his coming and who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiner's fire and like Fuller's soap.

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He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver.

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And they will bring offerings and righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the

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Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. So what do you have there? Think about this in a timeline, brothers and sisters.

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You've got a promise in Malachi in the Old Testament, long before the coming of Christ, that first the messenger comes, he prepares the way before the

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Lord. And then the Lord whom you seek is coming to his temple, his temple. What's the first aspect of his coming that's discussed in this text?

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One, salvation. He purifies his people. He has them now bringing offerings and righteousness.

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So that's the salvific aspect of the Messiah and his work. But then right after that, right after it, verse five is this, then

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I will draw near to you for judgment. I'll be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, remember that, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker and his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner and do not fear me, says the

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Lord of hosts. By the way, all I would encourage you to do is look at Deuteronomy chapter 28. That's the blessings and cursing section of scripture.

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We have the curses of the covenants and read Isaiah chapters one and two. And you'll see that this is the kind of language that God uses against his covenant people.

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These are the things that he condemns them for, for not doing. So again, read those passages.

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You'll see that this is very Jewish context. So here's the point. Malachi says the messenger comes first and then the

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Lord comes to his temple. One, he brings salvation, purification. Two, he brings judgment and that's a clear promise.

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The next thing is right here in the same book, Malachi chapter four, it says, for behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven.

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When all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble, the day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the

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Lord of hosts. So I'll leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the son of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.

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You shall go out leaping like cows from the stall and you shall tread down the wicked for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when

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I act, says the Lord of hosts. Remember the law of my servant, Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all

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Israel. See very Jewish context. What is God saying? Here is this judgment coming. Listen to the language that God uses here.

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Listen to the dramatic prophetic hyperbole that is common throughout the

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Old Testament. Burning like an oven stubble. You have the day is coming, sets them ablaze, not a root nor branch leaping like calves from the stalls, tread the wicked.

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There'll be ashes under the soles of your feet. Remember the law of my servant, Moses. Here it is. Behold, I will send you

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Elijah, the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of children to their fathers as I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.

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Here's what I want to point out. When Jesus enters into the story, Matthew chapters three and four, first Matthew three,

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John the Baptist comes and John the Baptist, the very first words out of his mouth in Matthew chapter three are repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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Very important thing here. Kingdom of heaven in the scriptures. Read this. You can look at this is synonymous with kingdom of God in the gospels.

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Synonymous kingdom of heaven was another way of saying kingdom of God, the rule of God, the rule of the

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Messiah is at hand. So John the Baptist comes as the messenger calling

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Israel to repentance, preparing the way before the Lord. Jesus said

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John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come. He was calling Israel to repentance.

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The ministry of Elijah, the prophet of repentance, John the Baptist is that fulfillment.

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Jesus says that he called Israel to repentance. Now that is amazing because when you think about the ministry of Jesus, John the

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Baptist comes first, prepares the way for Jesus. Then the Lord comes and literally the

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Lord comes to his temple. Literally the Lord comes to his temple. And then what does Jesus do? He comes and he brings salvation and judgment on the covenant breakers, the first century generation.