Information Related to "The Transition from the Prophets to the Gospels"
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These two parts of God's Word join seamlessly to provide God's complete revelation to mankind. Even though the period between the testaments was more than 400 years, the writings of the Hebrew prophets precede the apostolic writings in a manner that emphasizes their basic unity.
Consider how the closing words of the Old Testament prophets flow smoothly into those that open the New Testament. Malachi, generally considered to be the last of the Hebrew prophets, foretells an "Elijah who is to come"—John the Baptist (Matthew 11:13-14; Malachi 4:5-6).
Mark, considered by many to have been the first of the Gospel writers, begins right where Malachi left off—citing prophecies from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 of a messenger who would precede the Messiah. Then John the Baptist (the Elijah to come prophesied by Malachi) is introduced as the appointed forerunner of Jesus Christ, establishing the way for His first coming. (It is interesting to note that the context of the final chapter of Malachi also implies the appearance of still another prophet "in the spirit and power of Elijah" who will precede Christ's second coming.)
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