Eyewitness Bible Series is pleased to present the Christmas Series. This series is a collection of ten new episodes designed to be watched on the three Sundays prior to Christmas week, plus the seven days of Christmas week, ending on Christmas day.
The Third Sunday Before Christmas Week: Episode One is narrated by the prophet, Isaiah. He explains how the prophets of the Old Testament foretold the coming of mankind’s savior, Jesus, long before he was born.
The Second Sunday Before Christmas Week: Episode Two is narrated by a Magi, a wise man from the East. He explains why the wise men of Babylon have been looking for a new king of the Jews for the previous several hundred years.
The Seventh Day before Christmas: Episode Three is narrated by Elizabeth, a close relative of Mary. Elizabeth miraculously conceived of John the Baptist, so she was completely prepared for Mary to have a miraculous birth, too.
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There were at least three prophecies concerning John the Baptist in the Old Testament. About seven centuries before his birth, the prophet Isaiah wrote about a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord (Isaiah 40:3-5). We know this prophecy was specifically about John the Baptist because Matthew confirmed it in Matthew 3:1-3, while John confirmed it about himself, recorded in John 1:20-23.
About four centuries before John’s birth, the prophet Malachi also wrote about him. In Malachi 3:1, he wrote that a messenger would prepare the way for the Lord. We know that prophecy was specifically about John the Baptist because Jesus said so in Matthew 11:7-10.
Malachi also wrote that Elijah the prophet would be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5). We can determine he was metaphorically speaking of John the Baptist because of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 11:13-14. Luke also alludes to this in Luke 1:17.
The details of the birth of John the Baptist are given in Luke 1, information so specific that it seems likely to have come from a participant in the story. Perhaps Elizabeth or Mary gave Luke the information he needed to write this chapter! In Luke 1:2, Luke stated that he talked to eyewitnesses before writing his account.
