John the Baptizer
Lesson 47
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Why Must Elijah
Appear?
Israel’s
religious leader talked openly and
frequently about the coming of
Elijah, although verifying
Elijah’s identity was always the
subject of many discussions. For
example, they wondered how they would
distinguish someone who may be
masquerading as Elijah from the true
Elijah, especially if the false
Elijah performed miracles? Would
Elijah come down from Heaven in a
fiery chariot? Would Elijah appear in
the body of a human being? If Elijah
came as an ordinary man, how could
they positively identify him?
After Peter, James and
John had seen Jesus on the Mount of
transfiguration, they had positive
proof that Jesus was the Messiah, the
Son of God. They were anxious to
share what they had seen, but Jesus
forbade them to reveal this
information until after His
resurrection. He knew these claims
from His disciples would limit His
effectiveness among the Jews.
(Matthew 17:9) But, the
transfiguration of Jesus did raise a
prophetic issue. The disciples
wondered why Elijah had not appeared,
since this is what Malachi predicted.
The disciples knew that John the
Baptist was not Elijah. John had
clearly denied he was Elijah. Trying
to reconcile the transfiguration
experience of Jesus with the prophecy
of Malachi, they asked the Master,
“…’Why then do the
teachers of the law say that Elijah
must come first?’ Jesus replied,
‘To be sure, 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.
In the same way the Son of Man is
going to suffer at their hands.’
Then the disciples understood that he
was talking to them about John the
Baptist.” (Matthew 17:10-12)
These verses contain
more substance than most people
realize. First, Jesus affirms the
validity of Malachi’s prophecy
saying, “To be sure, Elijah
comes and will restore all
things.” Then Jesus said,
“Elijah has already come and
they did not recognize him.”
Even though the disciples understood
that Jesus was speaking about John
the Baptist, they were still puzzled.
They had just seen Moses and Elijah,
yet Jesus was saying that John the
Baptist was Elijah. Here is the
problem:
If You Are Willing to
Accept It….
A few months before
the transfiguration of Jesus
occurred, King Herod had arrested and
imprisoned John the Baptist because
John had offended him. The arrogant
king had taken his brother’s
wife, Herodias, to be his own and
John the Baptist told Herod that he
committed a grievous sin. Of course,
Herod did not want to hear the truth
and Herodias was shamed. Herod was so
furious with John that he wanted John
killed. However, Herod was not
stupid. He knew that people regarded
John as a prophet and Herod did not
want to jeopardize his position as
king by starting another Jewish
uprising that might reach the ears of
Caesar.
So, Herod did the next
best thing and put John in prison.
From the silence of his cell, John
began to reflect on his life’s
mission, his teachings and beliefs.
Yes, Jesus had appeared right on time
and Jesus had begun His ministry just
as John had predicted. Yet, he could
not understand why Jesus had not
declared Himself to be the Messiah,
nor had He done anything to establish
the kingdom of God! In the darkness
of that prison cell, it did not seem
to John like the events were
unfolding as the Scriptures
predicted. Lonely, cold and troubled,
John began to question some of his
beliefs and his ministry. When some
of his disciples came to visit, he
asked them to ask Jesus a pointed
question.
“When John heard
in prison what Christ was doing, he
sent his disciples to ask him,
‘Are you the one who was to
come, or should we expect someone
else?’ Jesus replied, ‘Go
back and report to John what you hear
and see: The blind receive sight, the
lame walk, those who have leprosy are
cured, and deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the good news is preached
to the poor. Blessed is the man who
does not fall away on account of
me.’ (Matthew 11:2-6) Jesus
answered John’s question with
veiled language. He knew John was a
keen student of the Scriptures, and
so Jesus answered John’s
disciples with words from Isaiah 61.
He also knew that His affirming
response would give John the
assurance he needed to believe that
Jesus was the Messiah. Other people
who were present had no idea that
Jesus response was affirming that He
was the Messiah. Jesus knew it was
not time to make this public
disclosure. In fact, it was
Jesus’ desire to keep this fact
hidden until He was resurrected,
knowing that premature promotion of
His identity would thwart His
mission. (Matthew 17:9)
“As John’s
disciples were leaving, Jesus began
to speak to the crowd about John:
‘What did you go out into the
desert to see? A reed swayed by the
wind? If not, what did you go out to
see? A man dressed in fine clothes?
No, those who wear fine clothes are
in king’s palaces. Then what did
you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I
tell you, and more than a prophet. This
is the one about whom it is written:
“I will send my messenger ahead
of you, who will prepare your ways
before you.” I tell you the
truth: Among those born of women
there has not risen anyone greater
than John the Baptist; yet he who is
least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he. From the days of
John the Baptist until now, the
kingdom of heaven has been forcefully
advancing, and forceful men lay hold
of it. For all the Prophets and the
Law [the Scriptures] prophesied until
[about the appearing of] John. And if
you are willing to accept it, he is
the Elijah who was to
come.’” (Matthew 11:7-14,
insertions and italics mine)
In response to
John’s request, Jesus quoted
Malachi 3:1. In this passage, it
indicates that god would send a
messenger to announce the appearing
of Messiah, and Jesus was assuring
John the Baptist that he was that
messenger. Jesus clearly told the
crowd that John was “the Elijah
to come.” However, Jesus phrased
His declaration in an interesting
way, “If you are willing to
accept it…” Why did Jesus
say it this way? Jesus had been on
Earth long enough to know that
“the great day of the Lord”
mentioned in Malachi 4 was not going
to happen during His lifetime on
Earth. In fact, Jesus knew that
establishing His kingdom on Earth
would not be possible. Said another
way, Jesus was saying to His
disciples, if you can accept this
by faith, John the Baptist would have
been the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5,6
if the nation of Israel had been
faithful to the terms and conditions
set forth in Daniel 9!
“Plan A”
– “Plan B”
The fulfillment of
Malachi 4:5,6 is inseparably
connected to “the great day of
the Lord.” Since “the great
day of the Lord” has not
happened, some people believe Malachi
4:5,6 still awaits fulfillment. I do
not believe this is the case. If you
can accept the following two
statements, there is a simple
explanation for the prophecy of
Malachi 4:5,6.
1.
Israel knew the redemptive conditions
outlined in the 70 weeks prophecy of
Daniel 9. If they had met these
conditions, the plan of salvation and
“the great day of the Lord”
would have been completed long ago.
All of the Old Testament prophecies
given by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel,
Amos, Ezekiel, Malachi and others
would have been fulfilled just as
they were written. “The
great day of the Lord” would
have happened shortly after the end
of the seventeenth week if Israel had
met the conditions God set forth in
Daniel 9. In other words, if Israel
had satisfied these conditions, John
the Baptist would have fulfilled the
prophecy of Malachi 4 to the letter
and that would have been the end of
the story.
2.
Since Israel failed, God’s plan
for Israel and the establishment of
His kingdom on Earth was not
implemented at the end of the
seventieth week – simply put,
Israel rejected the Messiah. This is
a profound point: A person must have
a Messiah’s heart to accept the
teachings and truths taught by the
Messiah. For this reason, we must be
born again. Most of the people in
Israel rejected and crucified the
Messiah because they did not have a
Messiah’s heart. The character
and principles of the Messiah’s
kingdom were foreign to the people of
Israel and they rejected Him. Because
of God’s original plan could not
be fulfilled, the prophecies of the
Old Testament (“Plan A”)
were made null and void. To keep His
promise and the covenant He made with
Abraham, god made several changes.
First, He redefined Israel. Everyone
who now receives Christ is an heir of
Abraham. In Christ, racial origin has
no meaning. (Galatians 3:28,29)
Second, Jesus rose up the trustees of
the gospel. These trustees became
known as Christians. (Matthew
28:19,20; Acts 11:26) Third, God
established a new prophetic schematic
that is found in the book of
Revelation. I call this a new course
of action “Plan B.” There
are man parallels between “Plan
A” and “Plan B,” but
these parallels are separate and
distinct. One cannot merge “Plan
A” events into a “Plan
B” schematic. For
example, under “Plan A,”
Messiah would have governed His
kingdom from the city of David,
Jerusalem. Under “Plan B”
Jesus will govern His kingdom from
His throne in New Jerusalem.
(Revelation 22:3) The point is that
the appearing of Elijah, predicted in
Malachi 3 and 4, was connected to
“the great day of the Lord”
which was supposed to happen soon
after the first advent of Messiah.
However, after the Jews rejected
Christ, God scrapped “Plan
A” due to Israel’s failure
to meet the conditions placed upon
them in Daniel 9. However, a parallel
of Malachi’s prophecy remains.
The parallel (“Plan B”) is
found in Revelation 7. The heralds
that will appear before “the
great day of the Lord” will be
the 144,000 servants of God!
The Spirit and Power
of Elijah
Notice what the angel
said about John the Baptist before
his birth. “But the angel said
to him: ‘Do not be afraid,
Zechariah; your prayer has been
heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear
you a son, and you are to give him
the name John. He will be a joy and
delight to you, and many will rejoice
because of his birth, for he will be
great in the sight of the Lord. He
is never to take wine or other
fermented drink, and he will be
filled with the Holy Spirit even from
birth. 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.’” (Luke 1:13-17,
italics mine) It is interesting that
God forbade this all-important herald
of Jesus from drinking anything that
would alter his mind. God’s
servants must be filled with the Holy
Spirit, not a bottle of spirits.
God gave John the
spirit and power of Elijah so he
could turn the hearts of
fathers toward their children and the
disobedient toward the wisdom of the
righteous – to make a group of
people ready for the Lord’s
coming. How did John do this?
John’s message explained
God’s love for sinners, but
simultaneously called sin by its
right name. John condemned fathers
for bringing children into the world,
only to shirk their God-given
responsibility to be a loving father
and a noble mentor for their
children. John also condemned fathers
and mothers for their spiritual
neglect. John uses Israel’s
history of apostasy to prove how
nations degenerate rapidly,
especially if parents do not teach
and demonstrate to their children the
importance of loving and obeying God.
Fathers had been lax about being
spiritual role models and they had
neglected to maintain the families
alter. Furthermore, they had
abdicated their parental
responsibilities to religious schools
and others. The Holy Spirit’s
powerful conviction fell upon those
who listened. Many fathers repented
of their sins, transformed their ways
and were baptized! Remember, John was
not conducting a baptismal campaign
and counting heads. He was preaching
a life-transforming gospel that bore
fruit and baptism by John was a
pledge of allegiance.
John did not neglect
to speak to the youth, either. After
all, John was a single young man
himself – only 30 years of age.
As young people listened, the
boldness and penetration of his
message impressed them. John minced
no words when he pointed out that
most youth were unfit to participate
in the coming kingdom of God. Their
rebellion against their parents and
teachers made them essentially
worthless for the purposes of God.
John was firm, but kind. John used
the circumstances surrounding his own
birth to impress young people that
God had a purpose for each life, but
that purpose could be fulfilled only
when god had dominion in the heart.
He reminded the youth that God did
not agree with their focus on
pleasure and the acquisition of
money. John’s abstemious life in
the desert reflected a high calling,
and I am sure he asked, “Where
are those willing to forsake the
world and serve God?”
Malachi 4 and
Revelation 7
The parallel between
the promise of Elijah (“Plan
A”) and the appearing of the
144,000 (“Plan B”) awaits
fulfillment. Revelation reveals the
identity of Elijah for our
generation! Revelation reveals there
will be 144,000 servants of God who
will have the spirit and power of
Elijah. This is the next
prophetic event. Revelation also
tells us that God is holding back the
four winds of His wrath until His
Elijah servants are prepared and
ready to do their work. Revelation
also reveals that god will empower
the Elijah messengers for 1,260 days.
Most (if not all) of the 144,000 will
be martyrs for Christ, just as John
the Baptist became a martyr for the
cause of Christ. The martyrdom of
John brings up a good point. Notice
the txt:
“Now Herod had
arrested John and bound him and put
him in prison because of Herodias,
his brother Philip’s wife, for
John had been saying to him: ‘It
is not lawful for you to have
her.’ Herod wanted to kill John,
but was afraid of the people, because
they considered him a prophet. On
Herod’s birthday the daughter of
Herodias danced for them and pleased
Herod so much that he promised with
an oath to give her whatever she
asked. Prompted by her mother, she
said, ‘Give me on a platter the
head of John the Baptist.’ The
king was distressed, but because of
his oaths and the dinner guests, he
ordered that her request be granted
and had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter
and given to the girl, who carried it
to her mother.” (Matthew
14:3-11)
Through the years,
several people have asked why God did
not rescue John the Baptist from
prison like He rescued Peter.
(Remember, an angel came and released
Peter from chains while the guards
slept. Acts 12) why did God allow the
wicked Herodias and the even more
detestable Herod to kill one of the
greatest prophets? The best answer I
can offer is this: When Israel
apparently would not accept Jesus as
the Messiah and it became impossible
for Jesus to establish His kingdom on
Earth, the Father allowed John the
Baptist to be killed, rather than
suffer the humiliation and ridicule
of being called a false prophet. If
John the Baptist had lived to be as
old as Methuselah (969 years), the
things he predicted at the Jordan
River would not have happened. This
is the year 2003 and still these
events have not occurred, nor will
they ever come to pass! The
provisions given under “Plan
A” are dead. John was not a
false prophet. The truth he preached
was conditional. Israel rejected
“Plan A” and God abandoned
them. The good news is that
“Plan B” is unconditional.
All that God has said will happen at
the appointed time. (Revelation
9:15 shows one example of this.) The
Second Coming and the establishment
of God’s kingdom (“Plan
B”) is not dependant upon human
cooperation.
During the Great
Tribulation, the 144,000 will
accomplish their mission. “And
this gospel of the kingdom will be
preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all nations, and then
the end will come.” (Matthew
24:14) The gospel will be preached to
everyone before the end of the world
comes, but most of the 144,000 will
perish for speaking God’s truth
before the Second Coming occurs!
(Revelation 11:7) John the Baptist
was murdered for condemning sin,
Jesus was murdered for condemning
sin, and the 144,000 will suffer the
same fate. Is the servant greater
than the Master? Understand the
powers of good and evil: Those who
love sin hate the truth, and they
will do everything they can to
eliminate the condemnation of sin except
to repent! People who love truth
will do everything they can to be
loyal to it, even if allegiance
brings death. Jesus warned, “Everyone
who does evil hates the light, and
will not come into the light for fear
that his deeds will be exposed. But
whoever lives by the truth comes into
the light, so that it may be seen
plainly that what he has done has
been through God.” (John
3:20,21)
The Highest Authority
There is one last
point in this study that I would like
you to consider. When Jesus stood
before Pilate, He gave a powerful
revelation to Pilate. Consider these
words, “Once more Pilate came
out and said to the Jews, ‘Look,
I am bringing him out to you to let
you know that I find no basis for a
charge against him.’ When Jesus
came out wearing the crown of thorns
and the purple robe, Pilate said to
them, ‘Here is the man!’ As
soon as the chief priests and their
officials saw him, they shouted,
‘Crucify! Crucify!’ But
Pilate answered, ‘you take him
and crucify him. As for me, I find no
basis for a charge against him.’
The Jews insisted, ‘We have a
law, and according to that law he
must die, because he claimed to be
the Son of God.’ When Pilate
heard this, he was even more afraid,
and he went back inside the palace.
‘Where do you come from?’
he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave no
answer. ‘Do you realize I have
the power either to free you or to
crucify you?’ Jesus answered,
‘you would have no power over me
if it were not given to you from
above. Therefore the one who handed
me over to you is guilty of a greater
sin.” (John 19:4-11)
Reread the word of
Jesus in the last two sentences
again. Jesus told Pilate something
very shocking. The Father handed
Jesus over to Pilate; otherwise,
Pilate would have no power over Him!
This principle reveals that God is
intimately involved in the affairs on
Earth From this statement; I conclude
the Father also handed John the
Baptist over to Herod. I am not
endorsing fatalism – “what
will be - will be.”
Rather, I am saying that when a
person surrenders his or her wills to
God – as John and Jesus did
– God uses that person to
accomplish His intricate purposes.
When that purpose is complete, God
often allows His loyal soldiers to
rest in death until the day comes for
life eternal. I am highlighting this
point because the Great Tribulation
is soon to begin and God’s
people have nothing to fear as long
as they submit to the higher
authority of the King of kings.
Revelation says, “If anyone is
to go into captivity, into captivity
he will go. If anyone is to be killed
with the sword, with the sword he
will be killed. This calls for
patient endurance and faithfulness on
the part of the saints.”
(Revelation 13:10, italics mine) God
has a plan for His saints. He already
knows where we will end up. The
question before each of us is this:
“Are we willing to allow God to
use us so that He can fulfill the
purpose for which we were born?”
Jesus also told
Pilate, “Therefore, the one who
handed me over to you is guilty of a
greater sin.” Jesus was speaking
about Lucifer and his demons that
were present in Pilate’s
judgment hall. Ultimately, Lucifer
and his unseen demons instigated the
mob to hand Jesus over to Pilate. The
Jew rejected Messiah and they handed
Jesus over for destruction. Later,
their punishment was total
destruction in A.D. 70. Lucifer has
been and still remains the instigator
of hatred against Christ from the
beginning. Lucifer is the original
Antichrist. Lucifer is the father of
sin and Lucifer will bear his guilt.
At the appointed time, Lucifer and
his demons will provide full
restitution for their deeds. God will
see to it.
144,000 Streets of
Gold?
Ultimately, John the
Baptist and Jesus met the same fate.
God did not establish His kingdom in
John’s day. These cousins died
for the same reason: They spoke the
truth and the world could not bear to
hear it. Is it any different today?
No. When the 144,000 appear and begin
to proclaim God’s truth, the
results will be the same. The 144,000
will be harassed and tortured and
most, if not all, will perish as a
result of their ministry.
Nevertheless, the story does not stop
there. God will resurrect and reward
every one of them like Elijah! The
Bible says the 144,000 will wear the
names of the Father and the Son on
their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1;
22:4) They will be Jesus’
personal attendants in God’s
kingdom. The Bible says the New
Jerusalem has twelve gates named
after the twelve tribes of Israel,
and the city’s twelve
foundations are named after the
twelve disciples of Jesus. I wonder
if the holy city has 144,000 streets
of gold – each bearing the name
of God’s loyal servants.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if
those who received salvation during
the Great Tribulation lived on a
street named after the servant of God
who invited them to receive Jesus?
Jesus said,
“Among those born of women there
has not risen anyone greater than
John the Baptist; yet he who is least
in the kingdom of heaven is greater
than he.” This brings our study
to a close. John the Baptist was not
the greatest prophet to live on Earth
because of who he was. John the
Baptist was the greatest prophet
because he preached the greatest
message ever told. If announcing the
first advent was the highest honor
that god could bestow upon one
person, what honor will be given to
those who stand firm against the same
rejection to herald the second and
more glorious coming of Jesus?
Quiz:
- After reading
this study, would you be
ready for a mighty work for
the Lord?
- Have you ever
wondered what it would be
like to be filled with the
Holy Spirit?
- Do you have to
be baptized in a particular
faith to be saved in
God’s eternal kingdom?
- Do you think
you could be one of the
144,000 servants of God? If
Yes! Why?
- Do you think
God has a time and place for
everyone to learn this gospel
message?
- Are you
willing to accept new truths
from this lesson and why?
- Do you
understand the difference
between “Plan A”
and “Plan B” in
this lesson?
Notes:
