Hi John,
I always thought these verses from Malachi 4:5-6, also in part at least, were prophetic of John the Baptist:
Luk 1:17-18 “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. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years…”
Mat 17:10-13 “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 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. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.”
I’m assuming that Elias in the NT here is Elijah…. and seems that the wording is similar in Luke and Malachi…is that correct?
Gary
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Hi Gary,
Yes, that is true, but John the Baptist was himself a figure of the real Elijah, whom God will send to Israel, along with Moses, immediately before Jesus returns.
Pastor John