And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,
even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,
he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts.--Mal. iii. 1.
The coming of the Messiah was anticipated with much impatience
and pleasure by the Jewish nation, and particularly about the
time Augustus Cæsar was Emperor of Rome, in whose reign, it will
be remembered, Jesus was born. The period according to Daniel's
Prophecy being arrived, the attention of all classes of the people
was so excited by his expected advent, that when John came, "all
men mused in their hearts, if he were the Christ or not." But he
disclaimed all pretensions to being the Messiah, and pointed to
Jesus as the illustrious person, whose coming had been so long
foretold. We find many instances recorded, which prove the Jews
to have been on the look out for their long promised deliverer.
Aged "Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel:" it had been
revealed to him, by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death,
before he had "seen the Lord's Christ:" when the child Jesus was
brought into the temple, the aged prophet took him up in his arms,
and exclaimed, with holy joy, "Lord, now let thy servant depart in
peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation &c., &c." Anna the
prophetess, also, "spake of him to all that looked for redemption in
Israel." Frequently during the life of Jesus do we hear the people
exclaim,--surely this is "the prophet that was for to come." We
find the Priests and Levites, persons, it must be supposed, best
acquainted with the writings of the Old Testament, requesting Jesus
to tell them plainly, if "he were the Christ or not." The Lord whom
they "sought, suddenly came to his temple;" yet when "he came to his
own" nation, "they received him not," for their minds were darkened
by their false notions of a temporal king. This prophecy loudly
proclaims the Godhead of Jesus, for to ascribe a temple to any but
God is idolatry; a sin most strictly forbidden throughout every part
of the word of God. Jesus is also the Messenger of the covenant.
He publicly proclaimed the nature of the covenant ratified in the
Court of Heaven, between the persons of the glorious Trinity, even
the covenant of redemption, which is "well ordered in all things and
sure," and was concluded ere the hills were made, or the mountains
brought forth; when this "earth was without form, and void, and
darkness was upon the face of the deep."[48]
[48] Prov. viii. 22-31.