Elijah is coming. John the Baptist said he was not Elijah. Jesus is said to be both a prophet and the only begotten son of God. Elijah did many miracles by the power of God as did Moses. Yet the power was not Elijah's or Moses to use by themselves, it took the will of God. Jesus had authority and power to do the miracles in which he did, but it authority by God the Father. Father God has one role that is different then the Holy Spirit and Christ. The one role of knowing time and time table. God thoughts do not become the word until spoken, or before the Spirit moves those words forth in operation. Christ knew that he would die for our sins. He began to prophecize his death from the beginning of his three year ministry. Yet Christ had the authority to sit at the right hand of God, he had the authority to be our advocator not an arbitrator before the throne. Arbitrator one like a judge, advocator is being a personal lawyer.

Who is the prophet Elijah but Christ, a savior and protector of faith as Jesus the Son of God is. He is a worker of miracles, a healer and defeater of the enemy. Elijah killed the prophets of Baal. Jesus will finish the job of locking the devil away for eternity, the devil time is short. What then do we see in Malachi about the time of destruction when God will destroy the whole earth by fire. A fire not by man, but by God. The idea of the earth inflamed is no mystery to science world. In fact global warming being as it been as cause conservation to go and plant trees in all kinds of places that never had plants and trees before. God sending his Son is much like global warming, knowledge of God being spread once more upon the earth by the disciples and followers of his Son. The way the fire spreads is by the Holy Spirit within the heart of man upon receiving Christ as Lord and Savior.

There is a ways to slow down global warming but no way to quench the fire of the Holy Spirit. Christ will come again before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Then Christ will reign on the throne for a thousand years. Yet first his coming must be through birth, the prophetic king, The everlasting Father, The prince of peace, the King of Old. Must come as prophecied in the Manger. Prophecy in Daniel 9 giving the rebuilding of the temple. What temple the temple of God, not a temple of human hands as sometimes thought, but the rebuilding of the spiritual body of believers. With the prophesy of the Old Testament it can get quite confusing, even I have to stop regroup, reread commentaries and even retake notes. Why is this, because the Bible is a large book and though my brain might contain many facts, there are many facts of faith in scripture that can not retained other then by the Holy Spirit, so if error is made take it has God whispering to you to do some research. Yet if I go to Isaiah 60 the Christmas story is laid out as far as his coming.

This passage is important though in Malachi because it is the last word of the Old Testament to the believers of faith. There are some other books called the Apocrypha during the time frame of Old and New Testament but accuracy of history is king of a mystery to some. Why it left out of some Bibles is some Scholars did not line up with other scripture passages, though it had value. Yet does it have a historical base, I believe it does. Truth this time period though seem like a missed time period most do not realize it unless told of it. There is more to the history of the Jewish people then what in our Bible. Catholics have the apocrypha in theirs and even preach from it. I have read and study some of it, but not all of it.

It is only fitting that we look at the last passage in scripture before we go to the birth of Christ. Some may think this is taking to long, but it important to know more then just four Sundays of Scripture about Christ birth, and once these devotions are daily, I add it in for the purpose of education which can be at time interesting and boring all at once because it to much reruning of facts covered, but it gives a solid base for the coming of the Messiah. As a Christian I believe it our duty to know what we believe. If I say I believe the Bible is true, why is it true to me. Why is prophecy true and revelant to my beliefs. Does prophecy have revelance of the return of Christ. The answer is yes, because it declares the Messiah will come before the great and terrible day of the Lord. It declares a hope to the people. And in New Testament where we covered half of the before Christ passages and prophecy, we will continue with the fullfillment of the prophecy of Christ birth.

Dear Heavenly Father with the last passage of scripture in the Old Testament in your Holy Book we understand the declaration of the coming of your Son is told, as well as the destruction. Let the testimony of prophecy of old be the one prophecy that enables our faith to abound more in Christ return. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: Daniel 9:21-27 KJV
21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.