Just who is the Elijah-to-come

Just who is the Elijah-to-come?
(A Preterist’s View)

By MS Cheo., Singapore

Almost every Christian believer, Preterists and futurists alike, believe that John the Baptist is that Elijah-to-come, at least in his spirit and power. This is a no-brainer. However, many “futurist” believers also think that the actual prophesied Elijah will appear in the near future, before the yet-to-happen second coming of Jesus Christ, as they see it. The only group I know of who does not consider John the Baptist to be the Elijah-to-come are the Jews – then and now. Every year during the Jewish Passover, by tradition, an empty chair is set for Elijah - a yearning for a type they never got to see for the past 2,000 years!

But has Elijah already come 2,000 years ago? Was that in the person of John the Baptist? Is there yet to be another Elijah to come in the future? Strangely, John the Baptist asked a similar question almost 2,000 years ago – “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?”

An alternative answer to this “no-brainer” title question came suddenly to me while I was studying a totally unrelated doctrine. It came in a flash! Further studies and investigation, foregoing all preconceived notions, showed that this “new” alternative answer was a real possibility – but not without overcoming some difficulties. I strongly doubt that I am the first or only one to arrive at this possibility – there might be others (in the last 2,000 years) who might have also stumbled upon this conclusion. However, in my years of studying and readings, I have not come across any reference to this same “new” conclusion reached (except, now, I realized it was all the while in the Bible, hence it is not “new”!).

Indeed, this biblical person fits squarely the criteria to be the prophesied Elijah-to-come before that great and dreadful day of the LORD. And Jesus Himself attested to it -- if we are to believe His plain words.

I am sure many readers would agree that it is very difficult to unlearn a “truth” that has been held for many years, especially one that is commonly accepted as a ‘no-brainer’. How long does it take you before you accepted the teachings of Preterism? Perhaps, you still have yet to! Misunderstood doctrines or teachings taught over these many centuries take a long time to undo.

As each teaching is make clear, God willing, it further reinforces the Bible as truly inerrant and infallible Word of God. If there was a veil, it is probably put there by men (willingly or unknowingly, and God permits it to be such [for a reason]). Whatever the case, please bear with me and share with me your thoughts (below), reasons and arguments if you think I am going baloney and have not considered some other critical scriptures.

I believe we all have been made to accept John the Baptist as the Elijah-to-come since we were babes in Christ. After all, most of us started with readings of the four Gospels. Often, the description of John having “his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey” makes him look like the Elijah of old. But really, other than the “leathern girdle about his loins” (perhaps a common outfit then?), I see no similarity with the Elijah of old. There is no mention of any “coat of camel's hair” in the whole of the Old Testament at all.

2Ki 1:8 And they answered him, [He was] an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It [is] Elijah the Tishbite.

While it was not revealed what Elijah had for his daily stable, for three and a half years of famine, a period longer than the ministry of John the Baptist, Elijah was fed with bread and flesh by ravens, and thereafter by a widow with cooked meals (and sustained by a miracle) – but never with locusts and honey.

1Ki 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. …

1Ki 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which [belongeth] to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

While Elijah performed many miracles that were unheard of in his time, John performed no miracles! There is no major similarity, whether works or personality, between John the Baptist and Elijah at all! John the Baptist simply does not fit the requirement to be that prophesied Elijah-to-come!

I believe the crux of the problem in identifying this prophesied Elijah is that we had been taught (or led) to associate the Messenger of Mal 3:1 and the Elijah-to-come of Mal 4:5 to be one and the same person! In the flash of a moment, it occurred to me that they could be two distinct persons. Further studies show me that these two distinct persons did come and faithfully complete their missions during the lifetime of Jesus!

Let look at these two verses.

Mal 3:1 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.

Mal 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 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.

Note in Mal 4:5, the Elijah is to appear before “the great and dreadful day” – an event. But in Mal 3:1 that the messenger is to prepare the way “before Me”, a Person, - before the Lord, who shall come suddenly to His temple. And did the Lord appear? Right on time! Jesus did come to the temple many times that was then still standing in all its glory. And I am sure no one will have any problem in agreeing that this messenger is John the Baptist. Even John the Baptist acknowledged his calling:

John 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias (referring to Isa 40:3).

John knew he was “in the last days” - as he shouted to the Pharisees and Sadducees, “who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” John knew who he was, and for what purpose he was born into the world to do – and did it! And he knew who he is NOT.

John 1:19-21 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

As far as the Jews in the first century are concerned, there were 3 other personalities prophesied to appear that have yet to appear (beside the Messenger in which John the Baptist had laid claim to). Unfortunately, these three personalities they asked of in their question to John – the Christ, Elijah and “that Prophet” – are still being sought by the Jews today. The answers are in our New Testament, but then the Jews do not accept New Testament as part of their scriptures. “That Prophet” was prophesied by Moses in Deut 18:18.

Deu 18:18-19 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee [Moses], and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.

The Jews understood that “That Prophet” would be like Moses, who would institute new Laws and Commandments. But he has not appeared since Moses’ death – as none of any preceding prophets had claimed to be one.

John the Baptist confessed that he was not the Christ, nor the Prophet, nor is he the Elijah-to-come. He should be the best person to know who he himself was. After all, John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15). He knew his own mission and he knew what he was talking about.

Perhaps, we better look elsewhere for another person, as John the Baptist himself also seek to then. It makes better sense why John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus whether He is the one prophesied to come (as John knew himself is not the one):

Mat 11:2-4 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: …

Which of the three personalities was John asking Jesus about - the Christ, the Prophet or the Elijah-to-come? John already knew Jesus to be the Christ – he was the one who baptized Jesus and saw the Spirit of God descending onto Jesus, and who proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God (John 1:34) – the Messiah Christ who “taketh away the sins of the world”. It makes no sense for him to ask if Jesus is the Christ! So it could either be asking of the Prophet or the Elijah-to-come.

John knew that he was not the Elijah-to-come and had denied it point blank. (It is us who refuse to accept his outright answer!) But he knew he was that messenger who was to prepare the way before the Lord, whose shoe's latchet he was not worthy to unloose. Thus, John must be aware that the Elijah-to-come is someone else. It is possible also that the Prophet and the Elijah are two distinct persons, or is one and the same person. But with the answer given by Jesus, who basically affirm that He is the “he that should come” using the series of miracles the He performed, the disciples of John got their answer and left. In short, Jesus was claiming to be the Elijah-to-come. Elijah was well known for his miracles. References to the Prophet (which are few) have no association with miracles. (However, of a truth, Jesus is also “that Prophet”, who did institute a New Covenant, but that was not the intent of His answer to John’s question.)

I bet John went peacefully with his eyes closed when he was beheaded not long after – knowing who the Christ and the Elijah-to-come were, and that he had accomplished his own mission on earth! He had proclaimed the message of “Repent ye, for the Kingdom of God is at hand”. He had geared up an atmosphere where the people were eagerly looking the Messiah-Lord to come as in Mal 3:1. He had baptized Jesus to set Him ready for His ministry.

Unfortunately, the people then did not recognize this “Lord” when He came suddenly to His temple and His people – “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11). They did not realize that the Lord-to-come [in Mal 3:1] is also the Elijah-to-come! [in Mal 4:6] They were looking for two distinct persons! (What irony. For the past many centuries, Christians had thought that the Messenger and the Elijah-to-come is one same person – when they are not.)

Wait a minute – are there not verses that said John the Baptist is that Elijah-to-come? Even Jesus seems to say so. Yes, unfortunately, it does seem so (as we fail to see from another perspective). If since the first century, people had been mistaken about John the Baptist and Elijah, this same confusion had continued thereby blurring the (translation of the) Words of God. But the Truth will prevail and set us free.

Let go back to Matt 11 again and examine Jesus’ replies to John’s question.

Mat 11:3-6 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Mat 11:7-10 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft [clothing] are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

Mat 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Jesus did not give a direct affirmative answer to the disciples of John, but answered with the miracles and accomplishments of His own ministry to prove the case – proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord, as in Luke 4:18,19 and in Isa 61:1,2. In verse Matt 11:10, Jesus confirmed to the masses that John was that messenger who prepared the way for the Lord.

What about Matt 11:14 – did Jesus say that John is that Elijah? Did He? Let see.

Mat 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Mat 11:14 And if ye will receive [it], this is Elias, which was for to come.

Mat 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

There are 2 ways to view Matt 11:14. In verse 10, Jesus confirmed John to be that messenger. But the way Jesus put it in verse 14 does not say explicitly that John is Elijah – but more of like "if you are willing or want to, you could see him that way" (after all, it was still before the Great and dreadful Day of the Lord.) And the other view? Note that Jesus did not say “He (John) is the Elias”, but “this is Elias”. He was now giving the direct affirmative answer to the question asked by John’s disciples – “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” John the Baptist did not perform any major miracles (or at least it was not recorded), but Jesus had just given a list of it – a list that supercedes that of Elijah. And no one should take offence for Him to claim “This is Elias who was for to come” (perhaps pointing to the ground He was standing on then). Perhaps also, let was why it was added – “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

What about Matt 17:9-13? Did not the Jesus’ disciples understand that John the Baptist to be that Elijah?

Mat 17:9-10 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Indeed they understood, but I think they had understood incorrectly (then)! There were other instances that the disciples did not understand, misunderstand or were unaware of the meanings and implications of Jesus’ sayings or doings – until the Spirit arrived to lead them into the truth.

John 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and [that] they had done these things unto him.

Just read closely what Jesus had just told them and its implication - “That Elias is come already, and THEY KNEW HIM NOT” (compare John 1:10,11), “but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.” In short, the Son of man shall suffer whatever they listed and they knew Him not.

We know John was a popular figure with the populace (Matt 3:5), and even with some groups of Pharisees and Sadducees who seek to be baptized. They knew who John was – the messenger, a voice crying in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord. There is just no good record that they “have done unto him whatsoever they listed.” If John the Baptist was that Elijah, was he severely persecuted? Stoned? Ridiculed? etc. Jesus was. We know John was jailed by Herod the tetrarch. He was beheaded by Herod. While in prison, he seems to have some liberty to be visited by his disciples. He was, in a way, respected by Herod! (Mar 6:20) Being such, I doubt that Herod would put John to much maltreatment, if any, while in prison. Herod even regretted having John beheaded. (Matt 14:9) So, what exactly had they “done unto him whatsoever they listed.”? Who are “they”? Even if there is such a “list” of sufferings, it cannot be longer than those for Jesus! If “have done unto him whatsoever they listed” applies to John, and likewise Jesus was to also “suffer of them”, was Jesus ever thrown in jail and be confined? Was Jesus beheaded? NO!

Jesus was not referring to John the Baptist, He was referring to Himself as the Elijah already come, who they knew not, who they would have done unto him whatsoever they listed – so, Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them (that is, whatever that they listed or desired).”

Let examine the parallel account as recorded in Mark 9.

Mar 9:11-12 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

Did John the Baptist “restoreth all things”? Not that I can find in my Bible. Note carefully the 2 sentences – “and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.” How plain must Jesus said to make His point? – it is written that He must suffer, and that Elijah has come and indeed also suffered”. While there is a long list of sufferings that Jesus must be subjected to (for example, Isa 53) and how He suffered under ‘them’, is there ever one for John the Baptist (of persecution other than his imprisonment and beheading)?

But did Jesus “restoreth all things”? Yes, according to my understanding of my Bible, He did in A.D. 70, as recorded by Luke in Acts:

Act 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Act 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Note again - He shall send Jesus Christ, … Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things…”. Jesus Christ is to return when the restitution (or restoration, or refreshing) of all things is completed. To a Preterist, of which I am one, that was in A.D. 70.

His disciple, John later clarified their initial misunderstanding of John the Baptist and the Elijah-to-come (as recorded in Matt 17:13) in the first chapter of his later gospel:

John 1:6-9 There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe. He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light. [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 1:10-11 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

John 1:19-21 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

John 1:22-23 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I [am] the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

John 1:24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John 1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

OK, but surely the Angel Gabriel can't be wrong when he proclaimed that John the Baptist “shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias”.

Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Luke 1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

Yes, this is a more difficult one to clarify. Again, I offer 2 alternative views to this “dilemma”.

1) John did conduct his ministry in the spirit and power of Elijah (but not in the person of Elijah-to-come). His ministry was a forceful and powerful one (though not in miracles) in order to command a great following, such that even factions of Pharisee and Sadducee seek his service. He did manage to have many of the children of Israel turn to their God (Luke 1:16), thus preparing the way for the appearance of Jesus.

But I prefer the more “unorthodox” explanation below. But before doing so, let compare the original prophecy of the Elijah-to-come in Malachi to that uttered by Gabriel as recorded in Luke.

Mal 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 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 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

As far as I am concerned, this is the angelic interpretation of Mal 4:6. And especially for one who “stand in the presence of God (Luke 1:19), it should be far superior to any other interpretations by any man (short of the original inspired Apostles).

Angel Gabriel gave the interpretation of “[to turn] the heart of the children to their fathers” in Mal 4:6 as “[to turn] the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” in Luke 1:17. So, “Disobedient is to children as wise is to the fathers”. Make good sense to me. But how shall we interpret “turn the heart of the fathers to the children”? Surely, it makes no sense that the Elijah-to-come will turn the wisdom of the just into disobedient. (I can accept if it is ‘the proud’, but here, it is “of the just”.) So, how would one interpret “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children”, and yet be along the line of Gabriel’s interpretation? Since we are talking about hearts and wisdom, some of Jesus’ sayings would provide the more plausible interpretation.

Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

I would thus interpret that the Elijah-to-come (who is none other than Jesus Himself), will convert many “fathers” (grown men) into children (believers)! Note how Jesus addressed His disciples on the night before His crucifixion:

John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you….

Yes, eleven grown men, some perhaps might be older than Jesus Himself by a few years, were addressed as “little children”, a double emphasis with the word ‘little’ - almost like “babes”.

While John the Baptist did had many of the children of Israel turn to their God (Luke 1:16), his ministry did not convert (nor have the power to convert) any one into a believer – a born-again Christian – only Jesus can! That is to say, John the Baptist does not have the power to “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just”! That being the case, perhaps Gabriel is saying something that the translation might have convey clearly? Could it be as below (which is consistent with the missions of John and Jesus)?

Luke 1:17 And he shall go before Him [who] in the spirit and power of Elias [shall] 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.

Is it possible that “The spirit and power of Elias” refers to “Him” and not “he” in the front clause of Luke 1:17? (Based on the other arguments I have put forth, this seems possible. But I am no Greek or Aramaic expert. Perhaps some one better versed in this area can comment whether such association of syntax is possible.)

Many have always believed that the ministry of John the Baptist, supposedly the Elijah-to-come, was a ministry to restore family unity, to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (as if there were great family disharmony in the first century). Let face it, if John the Baptist’s ministry was to restore family unity and harmony, then why did Jesus in His own ministry following not long after John’s death, undo all that of John’s? It just does not sound right!

Luke 12:51-52 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

Luke 12:53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Instead of turning the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their father, Jesus said that He is come to divide the father against the son and the son against the father, and more! Jesus’ first coming and His preaching caused family division. Yet, it is one preaching that can enable grown men to be born again as children, and turning disobedience into righteousness (through the forgiving of sins)!

The message of Malachi is about repentant. It is a message of “return unto Me” (Mal 3:7). It is about the wrath to come, and the Salvation that the Elijah-to-come were to offer – to be born again, to be justified, “lest I come and smite the earth with a curse”. It is definitely not about restoration of family unity.

John the Baptist was the messenger who prepared the way for the Lord. John only prepared the way, but Jesus is The Way. Just like Elijah, who ascended into the earthly heaven when his ministry on earth was done, Jesus ascended into the Heaven to the Father after His earthly ministry. And like Elijah, whose mantle (“the spirit of Elijah” - 2Ki 2:15) fell onto Elisha, who went on to perform even greater miracles, the mantle of Jesus (the Spirit of God) fell onto His disciples during Pentecost, who also went on to perform greater works and miracles

(John 14:12 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater work than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.)

Jesus was the Elijah, the Prophet, the Christ. He did come to fulfill the Laws and the Prophet, didn’t He? (Mat 5:17 - the Old Testament scriptures). He came on time as the Prophet to institute the New Covenant of Love. And as the Elijah-to-come, He arrived one generation before that dreadful day. He appeared to turn grown men into newborn babes, to desire the sincere milk of the word (1Pe 2:2), and turning disobedient sinners into justified believers. And exactly as He had said, “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom” – which was also the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD as prophesied in Mal 4:6 – He did return in A.D. 70 in that same generation.

As such, if Jesus was the Elijah-to-come, is there any further need for another Elijah-to-come in the future? Who could have better credentials?

PS: The above observations and conclusion are solely based my own personal investigation and view. I hope the above analysis will bring forth further harmony of the Bible, and (finally) identify the real prophesied Elijah-to-come. Though I am a Preterist, it may not necessary reflect the view and belief of other Preterists. Nevertheless, please share with me your thoughts, reasons and arguments if you think I am going onto a loony path.

(MS Cheo, Singapore [mscheo@mindexsoft.com])