In this lesson we learn of John the Baptist, a prophet who was compared to Elijah and who helped prepare the people to receive Jesus.  After 400 years recovering from exile, submitting to the rule of multiple conquering nations and experiencing extreme religious persecution and corruption, the people were blessed with a prophet!  This was good news preparing for Good News!

As Matthew reminds us, he was the (partial) fulfillment of Isaiah 40. The video of the pertinent section of Handel's The Messiah that covers this passage is found here.

A reasonably concise review of the intertestamental period is found here.

Study notes are found here.