Luke 1:17

“And he will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”

For Zacharias' promised son John is to be the Elijah who was promised by Malachi 4:5, walking in the spirit and power of Elijah, walking before the face of God, to bring unity and love in Israel, to reconcile fathers and sons, and to make those who are disobeying God and His word, walk in the wise way proclaimed by just men, whether of the present or of the past. Elijah was a prophet very much connected with the Spirit, and his ‘spirit' was passed on to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9; 2 Kings 2:15). Now again it would be passed on to another, to the son of Zacharias. ‘The wisdom of the just' might very much have in mind such words as those of the wisdom books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and also include the words of the prophets. And the final purpose in all this will be to produce a people whose hearts are prepared to be ready to receive the Lord. He will ‘make ready a people prepared for Him', as Malachi had declared.

The idea of ‘turning the hearts of the fathers to the children' in Malachi seems to mean reconciliation between fathers and sons, in other words the restoration of harmony in Israel (compare the references in Acts to the harmony of God's new people), but it might also include the idea that the ancient fathers, who would be despairing of what their children had now become, would now be reconciled to them because of the change that would take place in their lives. Compare Isaiah 63:16, where the people cried ‘Israel (Jacob) does not know us'. But now as a result of the work of John ‘Israel' (Jacob) would once more know them. This would then see ‘the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just' as a reverse parallel, the disobedient being the children and the just the ancient fathers, including the prophets. The children would once more walk as their fathers had walked, as receptive and open to God and all His ways.

It will be noted that at this point there is no definite reference to the Messiah, but that is probably because the description is based on Malachi 4:5 where also there is no reference to the Messiah. The stress therefore is on the fact that John will be the expected Elijah. But as he was to come before ‘the great and terrible Day of the Lord' the connection with the Messiah can hardly be doubted. In his later prophecy (Luke 1:67) the connection of John with the Messiah is made very clear.