THE RETURN OF ELIJAH -(2)
CHAPTER TWO
ELIJAH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Having then studied the Old Testament references to the return of the prophet Elijah, let us now turn to the New Testament, because this is the only other source of information available to us regarding this subject. Here we find, as previously mentioned, some very interesting comments made not only by the disciples, but by others, including our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
In Matthew chapter 17 we find the account of the Transfiguration. The disciples had just experienced this wonderful vision which Christ, had revealed to them, in which both Elijah and Moses had appeared with Christ in their glorified condition. At this point, it may be advisable to make a comment on this particular incident. Most comments which I have either read or heard regarding the Transfiguration claim that it was an actual incident in which our Lord actually changed His bodily condition, and in which both Elijah and Moses physically and literally appeared with Him. This interpretation has given rise to a great deal of speculation and controversy regarding such questions as to whether Moses had actually died, in which case he would have had to be resurrected from the dead for this appearance, thus pre-empting Christ as the firstfruits of the dead or alternatively tr ying to explain away the clear statement of the Bible to the effect that Moses DID DIE.
In the first two verses of the Book of Joshua we read;
“Now after the DEATH OF MOSES, the servant
of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, ‘MOSES MY SERVANT IS DEAD!’’
Now, I am quite sure that God knew whether Moses had died or whether He, God had translated Moses that he should not see death. If He didn’t, and this is the degree of reliance which we can place on what God says, then we may as well give up our study of God’s Word right here and now. This wresting of God’s Word, in this instance, has been brought about by the necessity of explaining the presence of Moses in person at the Transfiguration.
What appears to have been completely overlooked is the word used by Christ Himself, immediately following the Transfiguration. We read in Matt.17:9;
“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.’’
The Greek word here translated ‘vision’ is the equivalent of the Hebrew word used in numerous instances in the Old Testament where the prophets of God had received ‘visions’ in which God had revealed His Word to them. God did not literally construct the scenes and events in front of them. They were enabled to see a ‘picture’ of these scenes, in the same way that we view a picture on a TV screen. A similar thing happened to John when he received the Revelation from our Lord Jesus Christ. In the few
instances when a few selected people actually DID see what was happening, the circumstances were completely different. For instance, when Moses received a partial view of God, he had to screen his face from the people because of the radiation which emanated from him. Then again, when Saul of Tarsus met with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus, he was blind for days. Why then didn’t something like this happen to the disciples at the Transfiguration if it was an actual event? The answer is obvious. The event was exactly what the Lord said it was. It was a VISION and being such there is absolutely no need for speculation and argument as to the condition of either Moses or Elijah at that time.
When the disciples finally opened their eyes, they saw nobody but the Lord, and with this vision fresh in their minds they asked Him this question;
“Why then say the Scribes that Elijah must first come?” Matt.17:10.
From this question it is obvious that the disciples believed that Elijah was going to return. They were not questioning this fact. They were only questioning the Scribes’ belief as to the TIMING of the event. Let us also remind ourselves that they were not the only ones to hold this belief. On another occasion, as recorded in Luke 9:7-9 we read how Herod was confused as to whom Christ was because of the various prevailing opinions of the people at that time.
“Now Herod the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him. And he was perplexed, because that it was said of some that John the Baptist was raised from the dead; and of some that Elijah had appeared; and of others that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod said, John have I beheaded. But who is this, of whom I hear such things. And he desired to see Him.”
It should be noted that Herod was not necessarily confused as to the fact, or even necessarily interested in the fact of the return of Elijah. His confusion lay mainly in trying to make up his mind as to whether or not Christ was the fulfilment of this fact. These people expected that there was going to be a literal return of the prophet Elijah. The record of their various statements makes this quite clear. They had read the statement of this fact in the Scriptures, a statement made by God Himself, and they believed it. Believing it, they lived in full expectation of the literal fulfilment of what God had said. They did not have the dubious benefit of nearly 2,000 years of theological gymnastics to induce them to question the veracity and sincerity of God and His Word.
If only we today had the same simple, unquestioning faith in what God has promised. Where would we be today if Abraham had twisted what God said, and had spiritualised it into meaning something else. How would God have possibly accounted such an act on Abraham’s part as righteousness? As we read in Romans 4:3;
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him as righteousness.”
Where would we be today if Isaac and Jacob had questioned or doubted God’s promises to them? What if David had questioned the literal fulfilment of God’s promise to him of an everlasting kingship over his people Israel? Where would we be if the angel’s statement to Mary to the effect that her Son Jesus would ‘save His people from their sins,’ had been a dubious promise (Matt.1:21). And what of the faith of Zacharias when under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in Luke 1:68-75 he pronounced these truly magnificent words
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets which have been since the world began.
That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant;
The oath which He sware to our father Abraham.
That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.”
Again we must ask ourselves, why is it that both Paul and Stephen, in their hours of trial, recounted to their accusers AS A DEFENCE AND JUSTIFICATION OF THEIR FAITH, the covenants and promises made by God to His people Israel, AS RECORDED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?
Is it any wonder then that God inspired the writer to the Hebrews to say,
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them.” Heb.l1:l3.
But unfortunately, the great majority of Christians today do not have this faith. They have been deluded into believing lies and deceits by false shepherds. Most Christians, apart from having a knowledge of personal salvation, a knowledge and acceptance by the way which is undoubtedly of the utmost importance from an individual point of view, know very little, if at all anything, of the splendour and the grandeur and the glor y of God’s overall plans and purposes. Somewhere along the line, all this knowledge and understanding has been reduced to a purely personal and individual level, and in some cases, even to the level of humanitarian love cults. The broader aspects of God’s Word, including those relating to our nation, on a national scale, have been relegated to the position of being ‘extra-Christian’ (whatever that is supposed to mean), and have thus been made, to appear totally irrelevant.
If the reader considers the above to be too harsh, then consider;
Why do so many churches teach that the Law of God is no longer applicable and that all we need is grace?
Why is it that the national application of God’s Word on a national scale has been ignored, and with only few exceptions, replaced by what has become an almost selfish personal application?”
Why is it that prophecy is deliberately excluded from the teachings of so many churches?
Why is it that discussion and teaching relative to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ is so often discouraged, and in some cases even disallowed in some churches, often with the excuse that there are already too many different points of view on the subject, and that further discussion would only lead to more confusion?
Why is it that so many churches and within the western Christian nations belong to God-less and anti- God organisations whose declared and avowed aim is to set up a one-world religion which will ultimately embrace and merge all religions, including Christianity.
The reason for this shocking situation lies ultimately in the fact that a simple and humble belief in the WHOLE COUNCIL OF GOD has been replaced by ‘the traditions of men.’
This principle is amply demonstrated by the subject in question. God made a perfectly simple
statement that He would send the prophet Elijah back to this earth. It was made on the same authority as every other statement and promise which He made. It was made without any qualifications. The disciples, our Lord, and others, BELIEVED IT. They were not expecting or looking for some spiritual or spiritualised fulfilment of this promise. They did not consider for one moment that they themselves, in their own ministry, contributed to, or were the fulfilment of this promise. They never ever questioned the fact that Elijah the prophet was to actually and literally return.
The important thing to note though is that when the disciples questioned the Lord regarding the literal return of Elijah, He did not question or correct the belief which they had expressed. Following the disciples’ question, He replied, as stated in Matthew 17:11;
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come and restore all things.”
It is inconceivable to think that Christ would have made such a statement supporting the return of Elijah if the disciples had been wrong in believing this fact. If they had been wrong in their belief, why did not our Lord correct them and enlighten them as to the true position? Why didn’t He tell them that this is not what He meant when He inspired Malachi to write what he did? Why didn’t He tell them that they were, NOT to expect the actual man Elijah to return? Why didn’t He tell them that someone else was only coming in the spirit and power of Elijah, or that in the last days immediately prior to His second advent there would be groups and individuals carrying out an ‘Elijah-type’ ministry, which was all He meant to imply? He could have said any or all of these things and very easily have corrected the disciples’ apparent misunderstanding of the subject.
He did no such thing!’’
On the contrary, He assured them that Elijah was most certainly to come back, and at some future time, as evidenced by the word ‘shall’ in the future tense.
CHAPTER THREE
JOHN THE BAPTIST
What seems to have confused the issue is the statement recorded in Matthew 17, verses 12 and 13;
“But I say unto you that Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatever they pleased
Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them.
Then the disciples understood that He spake to them of John the Baptist.”
Now let us be very clear in our minds as to what Christ was saying. There is certainly a considerable difference of opinion, and even confusion, regarding the position and ministry of John the Baptist. So before analysing the above Scriptures, and so as to understand what Christ was really saying, let us look at what God’s Word has to say regarding John the Baptist.
When we turn to Luke 1:11-17 we read of the pronouncement by the Archangel Gabriel to Zacharias regarding the birth of John;
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right hand of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said unto him, ‘Fear not Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard. And thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth,
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. And he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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.
The first point to notice is that the Angel did NOT promise that Zacharias’ wife Elizabeth would just bear a son. He said that “thy wife Elizabeth would bear THEE a son.” Let us clearly understand that John the Baptist was THE SON OF ZACHARIAS. He was not born as the result of a special act of conception such as that associated with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the son of Zacharias, and the son of Elizabeth. He had a human mother, and a human father. Thus for John the Baptist to be Elijah, he would need to have been the reincarnation of Elijah. I realise that there are Christians who believe in this theory, but without necessarily meaning to offend such people, I can find nothing in the Bible to support it. From what
I have read to date regarding this theory, it seems to be a conclusion which appears to be the only way of explaining other incidents which the theory ’s exponents cannot explain by any other means. This would appear to me to be a rather nebulous basis for any doctrine. If this theory is correct, then it means that each of us could already have lived separate and very different existences, and with separate and different relationships with God. We would certainly be in trouble assessing our final relationship with God insofar as our personal salvation is concerned, and if I could be so bold to say without intending any irreverence even God could be in trouble working it all out.
For John the Baptist to be the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, there can be no way by, which he could be the reincarnation of Elijah because Elijah HAD NOT EVEN DlED.
And this leads us to the next point. We have already studied the Scriptures relating to the translation of Elijah. We have seen that the Hebrew word for ‘taken’ in II Kings 2:9 is the same word used’ for ‘took’ in Gen 5:24 in reference to Enoch, which in turn is quoted in Hebrews 11:5 as;
“Enoch was translated, THAT HE SHOULD NOT SEE DEATH.”
Now there can be no doubt but that both Enoch and Elijah must have experienced some dramatic change to their bodies in order to enter into the presence of God without experiencing death and resurrection. There can also be little doubt that this change would have paralleled the change which we will experience at our translation, when as Paul says in I Cor.15:51-52;
“We shall not all sleep, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.”
The word ‘moment’ used above is translated from the Greek word ‘atomos’, and means ‘that which cannot be cut or divided.’ It is the word from which we derive our English word ‘atomic.’ It applies not only to the speed at which the event will occur, but also to the change in our atomic structure, which cannot be cut or divided. It is this change which made it possible for our Lord Jesus Christ to pass through solid walls and just appear as if from nowhere in a perfectly solid body. This is what will make it possible for those of us who qualify to appear in a split second of time anywhere in God’s universe, merely at will. We will be changed in our atomic structure in the twinkling of an eye.
Elijah entered into this situation in one of the greatest blazes of glory and power recorded in the Bible.
The Bible does not record any change or variation to this principle. Any other theory is mere speculation. We will be changed in a similar blaze of glory and power.
The point I make is this. Having experienced this virtually unbelievable metamorphis; this supernatural change to the very atomic structure and nature of our body, being obviously the new body in which we will be clothed; having been made NOT SUBJECT TO DEATH; having been made immortal; are we to understand that at some time in the future we could be required to surrender all this and become again subject to death? I think not! But if John the Baptist was Elijah, then this is what must have happened. In the face of these facts, there would appear to be no other conclusion but that John the Baptist was nothing more than the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth as stated in God’s Word, and NOT the reincarnation of the prophet Elijah.
Let us then return to our reading in Luke 1:17 where the angel goes on to say;
“And he shall go forth before Him, (that is, Jesus Christ), in the spirit and power of Elijah.”
Surely, if God wanted us to understand that John the Baptist was Elijah, He would have merely stated that John would be Elijah. He said no such thing. He clearly and deliberately said that John would minister in the “spirit and power of Elijah.”
As stated earlier, this phrase is used of Elisha when as recorded in II Kings 2:14-15, the other prophets acknowledged that “the spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.”
Turning now to John 1:19, we find the account of the questioning of John the Baptist by the priests;
“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 Elijah?’ And he said ‘I AM NOT’
So John the Baptist denied quite emphatically that he was Elijah, whilst on the other hand, the angel declared not that he would BE Elijah, but that he would come in the spirit and power of Elijah.
It must be recognised that John the Baptist had a very important role. He described himself as ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness, preparing the way of the Lord.’ The great prophet Isaiah referred to this very event. We read in Isa.40:3;
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
John the Baptist was the messenger of the First Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the one appointed to announce the coming of “THE ANOINTED OF GOD” – the Messiah – and to identify Him to the remnant of Israel remaining in the land at that time.
This he accomplished when he pronounced that glorious statement;
“BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD”
He was the one who identified the man known as Jesus, the son of Mary, and supposedly the son of Joseph the carpenter, as THE MESSIAH – THE CHRIST
– THE LAMB OF GOD. And in doing this, he completed the task to which he was born and appointed.
He proclaimed the arrival, the reality, and the message of the First Advent.
Then we find that our Lord Himself is described as a messenger. In Malachi 3:1 He is referred to as “The Messenger of the Covenant.” This aspect of Christ’s ministry is referred to in several passages in the New Testament. For example, in Luke 1:54-55 we read;
“He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of His mercy, according to the promise He made to our ancestors of His mercy to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (Jerusalem Bible)
In Luke 1:72-73, again using the Jerusalem Bible,
“Thus He shows mercy to our ancestors.Thus He remembers His Holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham.”
Again, in Romans 15:8 we read in the Authorised Version;
“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, TO CONFIRM THE PROMISES MADE UNTO THE FATHERS.”
End of part Two
