It is apparent, furthermore, that certain OT prophecies pointing forward to the coming of the Messiah and to the establishment of His kingdom apply in part to the first advent, and in part to the second. Thus, in His first sermon at Nazareth, Christ quoted
Isa. 61:1-3 as being fulfilled
“this day” (
Luke 4:16-21), yet significantly omitted reference to
“the day of vengeance of our God” (
Isa. 61:2—for the simple reason that the
“day of vengeance” comes only with the second advent. Elijah’s appointed ministry of turning the hearts of Israel to their heavenly Father (
1 Kings 18:36-40) is used by later prophets as a type of the work of John the Baptist (
Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1; 4:5, 6; John 1:23; Matt. 11:9-17; 17:10-13; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 7:24-27). But the prediction of Elijah’s appearance
“before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (
Mal. 4:5) is also to be fulfilled again in our time (3T 62). At Pentecost, Peter pointed to
Joel 2:28-32 as being fulfilled that day (
Acts 2:16-21); but Joel’s words are to find a second fulfillment in our day (EW 142; AA 54, 55). Similarly, certain of the predictions of Matt. 24 pointed forward both to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and to the end of time (DA 628; GC 22, 25).