Elijah's Return
Excerpt from Sunday Chat Line 06/03/01
Today many people are still looking for the manifestation of the prophecy that was prophesied by Malachi. There is a belief that when this prophecy comes to pass we will see the return of Christ.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5,6
Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. II King 2:11
We know that a chariot of fire appeared and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. He did not die but was preserved the same as Moses, escaping death. Later we find Moses and Elijah appearing, one on each side of Jesus, at the Mt. of Transfiguration; therefore, neither was left to decay in the grave.
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" Matthew 17:1-5
There are also passages in the book of Revelation that reveal symbolic acts that identify Moses and Elijah as appearing during the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. (Ref. Matthew 24 & Luke 21)
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.” Revelation 11:3-6
Before any of these things could take place Elijah first had to return and prepare the hearts of the children to turn back to their fathers. You may find this shocking, but Elijah has already appeared. I do not say this out of my own knowledge; I merely quote the words of our Master.
“And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that ELIJAH HAS COME ALREADY, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.” Matthew 17:10-13
To confirm that John the Baptist is the one prophesied about in Malachi we will look at the verses of scripture that tells us more about his calling. In chapter I of Luke in verse 11 we see that an angel appeared before John's father as he was praying at the altar. The angel spoke to Zacharias and told him of the things that John was not to do and the things that he would do;
"...Will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:16,17