Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets. For four hundred years, during the intertestamental period after Malachi, God had sent them no prophet.
Where is Nazareth? It was never mentioned before. It isn’t in the Old Testament, it is not on the map of the Scripture, as it were. It isn’t there. It is such an obscure place in Galilee – nobody in the Old Testament mentions it once. Jesus came from Nazareth. This is going to be the beginning of his being revealed publicly and embarking upon his work. He has been kept secret up until now by and large. Judaea has never heard of him. Jerusalem hasn’t seen anything of him from the age of young boyhood. The Saviour of the world, a kind of secret until it is time for his revelation. He has grown up, he has worked as a carpenter, he has lived a perfect life and now is the time, the beginning of the Gospel mission and age, for him to be revealed.