A brief note on Elijah

I was studying today all occurrences of “Elijah” in the Bible and again saw a seeming contradiction that I had encountered before in the past. Never before was I able to harmonize these statements.

The question I want to ask the esteemed reader is: “Was John the Baptist the ‘Elijah’ that was destined to come according to Malachi4?”

“Look! I am sending to YOU people E·li´jah the prophet before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah. ⁶ And he must turn the heart of fathers back toward sons, and the heart of sons back toward fathers; in order that I may not come and actually strike the earth with a devoting [of it] to destruction.. . . (Malachi4)

The answer seems to be direct and outspoken at first if we only consider Jesus’ words in Matthew11…

⁷ While these were on their way, Jesus started to say to the crowds respecting John: “What did YOU go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed being tossed by a wind? ⁸ What, then, did YOU go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Why, those wearing soft garments are in the houses of kings. ⁹ Really, then, why did YOU go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell YOU, and far more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is he concerning whom it is written, ‘Look! I myself am sending forth my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you!’ ¹¹ Truly I say to YOU people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is. ¹² But from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it. ¹³ For all, the Prophets and the Law, prophesied until John; ¹⁴ and if YOU want to accept it, He himself is ‘E·li´jah who is destined to come.’ ¹⁵ Let him that has ears listen. (Matthew11)

This concept is repeated later…

¹⁰ However, the disciples put the question to him: “Why, then, do the scribes say that E·li´jah must come first?” ¹¹ In reply he said: “E·li´jah, indeed, is coming and will restore all things. ¹² However, I say to YOU that E·li´jah has already come and they did not recognize him but did with him the things they wanted. In this way also the Son of man is destined to suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples perceived that he spoke to them about John the Baptist. (Matthew17)

Trouble is that this contradicts the statement by John himself, written down as a holy and true utterance in John1…

¹⁹ Now this is the witness of John when the Jews sent forth priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him to ask him: “Who are you?” ²⁰ And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed: “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ And they asked him: “What, then? Are you E·li´jah?” And he said: “I am not.” “Are you The Prophet?” And he answered: “No!” (John1)

No? Hmmm? I then went back to the prophecy given to Elizabeth about her son John, recorded in Luke1…

¹⁴ And you will have joy and great gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth; ¹⁵ for he will be great before Jehovah. But he must drink no wine and strong drink at all, and he will be filled with holy spirit right from his mother’s womb; ¹⁶ and many of the sons of Israel will he turn back to Jehovah their God. ¹⁷ Also, he will go before him with E·li´jah’s spirit and power, to turn back the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones, to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.” (Luke1)

Without discussing what the concept of “spirit” might mean here, the power of Elijah was surely his power to perform impressive miracles…

They are: (1) shutting off rain from heaven, (2) keeping the flour and oil supply of the widow of Zarephath renewed, (3) resurrecting the widow’s son, (4) having fire fall from heaven in answer to prayer, (5) having rain break the drought in answer to prayer, (6) calling down fire on King Ahaziah’s captain and his 50 men, (7) calling down fire on a second captain and his 50, and (8) parting the Jordan River by smiting it with his official garment.

How many miracles are credited to John the Baptist? None. So it seems this prophecy was not directly fulfilled…

Maybe not until now or until the Great Tribulation? My solution is that the prophecy to Elizabeth was twofold prophecy with a partial application in Jesus’ days and a partial application in our days.

Let’s read the angelic statement again…

¹⁴ And you will have joy and great gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth [during the next 2000 years, those who recognized the significance of John]; ¹⁵ for he will be great before Jehovah [already true in his first appearance]. But he must drink no wine and strong drink at all, and he will be filled with holy spirit right from his mother’s womb [true in her days]; ¹⁶ and many of the sons of Israel will he turn back to Jehovah their God [true in her days]. ¹⁷ Also, he will go before him with E·li´jah’s spirit and power, [a fulfilment yet to come] to turn back the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones, to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.” (Luke1)

How does this harmonize with Jesus’ words?

⁷ While these were on their way, Jesus started to say to the crowds respecting John: “What did YOU go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed being tossed by a wind? ⁸ What, then, did YOU go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Why, those wearing soft garments are in the houses of kings. ⁹ Really, then, why did YOU go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell YOU, and far more than a prophet [because he is prophet who will come again]. ¹⁰ This is he concerning whom it is written, ‘Look! I myself am sending forth my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you!’ [Jesus does not say that John had already fulfilled that, just that he is that one] ¹¹ Truly I say to YOU people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is. ¹² But from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it. ¹³ For all, the Prophets and the Law, prophesied until John; ¹⁴ and if YOU want to accept it, He himself is ‘E·li´jah who is destined to come.’ [destined for a future coming! Not “who was destined to come”] ¹⁵ Let him that has ears listen. (Matthew11)

The last Scripture is the hardest, but those with discernment might be able to see the fine detail of language used which is of great significance…

¹⁰ However, the disciples put the question to him: “Why, then, do the scribes say that E·li´jah must come first?” ¹¹ In reply he said: “E·li´jah, indeed, is coming and will restore [future tense] all things [all things pertaining to true worship, not to restore the Jewish system which was to be done away]. ¹² However, I say to YOU that Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him but did with him the things they wanted. In this way also the Son of man is destined to suffer at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples perceived that he spoke to them about John the Baptist. [He was Elijah in the way that he was destined to come again as an Elijah, maybe with the “spirit” of Elijah”] but with the “body of John the Baptist?] (Matthew17)

Your feedback is appreciated,

Michael

lwoe@gmx.at