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FORERUNNER*
Scout sent in advance of troops, or a herald who precedes a high official to announce his coming. The term is used to describe the man who ran ahead of Joseph when he was vice-regent of Egypt (Gn 41:43), and to refer to the first grapes of the season in the land of Canaan (Nm 13:20). In the Apocrypha, hornets are said to be sent as forerunners of the Israelite army, who were to bring judgment on the people of Canaan (Wisd of Sol 12:8).
Although John the Baptist is commonly viewed as the forerunner of Jesus Christ, the term is not used in the Bible with reference to him. The word occurs only once in the NT, where Christ himself is described as our forerunner (Heb 6:20). Under the old covenant, the people never accompanied the high priest into the most sacred place of the temple. The book of Hebrews, in discussing the new covenant, describes Jesus as a high priest who has entered heaven—the Holy Place—ahead of those who believe in him (cf. 2:17–3:2; 5:1-9).