Matthew 17:11,12,13 “Jesus replied, ” To be sure Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands. 13. Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them of John the Baptist.” What are they actually saying here?

It is interesting that this episode in the Bible is put right after the transfiguration of Jesus on the Mount, where Elijah and Moses appeared to Him. This impressed Jesus’ disciples so much that they were still talking about it and asking questions about it. (See Matt 17:10 “The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” NIV)

Jesus answered them: Matt 17:11-12: “Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.” For once, the teachers of the law were correct. Elijah was to appear before the Messiah. It was not the actual Elijah from the Old Testament, but it was Elijah in the spiritual sense.

The angel appearing to Zachariah, John the Baptist’s father, shedding light on this. Luke 1:16-17 “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” God is referring to John the Baptist as Elijah! Let’s take a closer look at this:

1. “He will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah.” Yes, John the Baptist was bold and his spirit attracted many people to God’s kingdom. Just like Elijah was considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, John the Baptist is referred to by Jesus Himself as the greatest prophet. Matt 11:11: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.”

2. “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.” Just like Elijah, John the Baptist turned the heart of his people back to God.

The disciples understood what Jesus said. Matt 17:13 “Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.” But the important message of this passage is not that John the Baptist is referred to as Elijah, but that “they (the teachers of the law) did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished . . .” (Remember? He was beheaded!) Matt 17:12.

The same was true about Jesus, the Messiah. Matt 17:12 “In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Just as John was rejected by the teachers of the law, Jesus was also rejected by his people. And just as John was put to death by his people, Jesus was also going to be put to death by the teachers of the law.

Religion does not save, my friends. Religion condemns people. Only Jesus saves! Only Jesus reaches out in love to you and invites you in His kingdom. Will you accept His offer? It is not too late, my friend. He wants you to be where He is. Don’t do the same mistake that the teachers of the law did in Jesus’ days on this earth. They were so puffed up and blinded by “knowledge”, that they were unable to recognize the Messiah of the world. They wanted truth to be crucified. They wanted it out of the way.

You have a choice to make. Do you want truth or do you want to follow some man-made fantasy that leads right to death? The choice is yours. Will you accept Jesus now in your life? If you do, please answer the Saviour’s Call today!
Rob Chaffart

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RESPONSE:

11. This will be fulfilled at the time of the great tribulation, when Elijah will be one of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3-4), as prophesied in Mal. 4:5-6.

12 – 13. These refer to John the Baptist (v. 13), who came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:13-17) and was rejected (11:18) and beheaded (14:3-12).

However, are you preparing to meet him? Remember the scripture declares:

“Here I am! I stand at the door (the door of your heart) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

It is important for you to search your life and repent if their be any sins there. The great tribulation is not a joke. It is a time where there will separation between the chaff and the substance. You cannot withstand the terror of the enemy if you are caught unawares. It is important that you decide and accept the Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

The Conclusion of the Matter

Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one Shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole ‘duty’ of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

God bless you!

Rev Debo Adeyemo

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There is a prophecy that tells of the prophet Elijah coming to prepare the way of the Lord.

Malachi 4:5-AV Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Malachi 4:6-AV And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Luke 1:17-AV And he shall 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.

This prophecy obviously has application prior to the second coming. In the verses above Jesus tells His disciples that Elijah also came to prepare the way for His first coming. This Elijah was referred to as John the Baptist.

Malachi 3:1-AV Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 40:3-AV The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

These verses have reference to the first coming of the Lord where John the Baptist prepared the way before Him. It seems therefore that the ‘Spirit of Elijah’, prepares the way of the Lord prior to both the first and second comings. Just as John the Baptist was not ‘actually’ Elijah, but a man doing similar work with similar power, so too will the ‘end times Elijah’ be someone not known as ‘Elijah’ but doing this preparatory work. In fact, many believe that the ‘Spirt of Elijah’ that is to come prior to the second coming will not be a single man, but the remnant people who take the last great message of evangelization to the world while being persecuted for refusing to wear the ‘mark of the beast’. Whether there will be an outstanding individual that can be identified as ‘Elijah’, just as John the Baptist was, at the head of the remnant, or whether it will in fact be the remnant group themselves, remains to be seen. There will be a work of preparation done in accordance with these prophecies, of that we can be sure.

We are fast approaching this time when these prophecies will have application. Many are looking to this time and wondering if they will be able to stand, if their faith will be strong enough to carry them through. However, it is not just the impending coming of the Lord to gather His own that we must be prepared for, none of us knows which heartbeat will be our last, and when that last beat happens, for us, it is all over. If we have not accepted Jesus by the time of our passing it is too late. Dear reader, if you still need to accept Jesus as your Savior, or if you are not sure, answer ‘The Savior’s Call’ in this newsletter.

Lance Wearmouth

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I think the passage explains itself if we let it. John the Baptist took the Elijah message of repentance to Israel in Jesus day. John the Baptist fulfilled the old testament prophecy that Elijah would come before the Messiah.

Ruth deGraaff

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This is a very interesting question. First we must ask who was Elijah, and what did he do that was special enough to the Lord to want it done again. Elijah first appears in history when he boldly walks into King Ahabs throne room and tells him that it is not going to rain for 3.5 years, because of the his sins and the sins of Isreal, turns around and walks out and prays for no more rain. and then he disappears into wilderness until the time is up. And then he challenges all the prophets of Jezebel and Baal, about 850, to put their gods to the test. Your lifeless gods agaist my God.

Lets see who is the real God. He says to the people of Israel Choose this day who you will serve if Baal is god choose Baal but If God be God choose Him. The Lord of Heaven shows his power, Baal fails to show any thing, Elijah kills all the false prophets prays for rain and turns the hearts of the people back to the only real God. Please note here that this was not the Elijahs’ evangelistic team, it was just ONE man, ONE man filled with the Spirit of God. Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Mal.4:5 I have heard some say that they believe that Elijah will return in person or that he will be reincarnated if you can believe such a thing as that.. But I personally believe that it is the work of Elijah and the Portion of Gods Spirit it will take to do that work that is spoken of in the above verse. which brings us to John the Baptist.

Johns father Zacharias prophesied of John, “Thou child shalt be called the prophet of the Highest. For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord and prepare His way.” Luke 1:76 And He did. He call the people to repentance, the same as Elijah. He said of himself, I am, the voice of ONE crying in the wilderness crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord, as said by the prophet Esaias. [Isa 40:3] Again ONE man filled with the Spirit of God turned a wayward people toward their Maker. He bucked the religious leaders, and reproved the king. {for which he was put in prison and beheaded} It takes a special kind of person for The Lord to use in this way. A person who loves God more than life. A person willing to be used of God. and I also believe that this is what Jesus was talking about. The Spirit of Elijah came in the person of John the Baptist, but it has also came in the person of many others such as Martin Luther, for example, ONE man who stood alone for God to turn the hearts of the people back to Him. and there will be more before the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Libby Knight