Yet, as clear as the New Testament is in identifying John as the prophesied Elijah, some claim that Malachi’s prophecy about Elijah pertains primarily to someone other than John.

In fact, John 1:23 indicates that John was aware of his prophesied role. Surely John himself knew that he was the one prophesied to prepare the way for Christ. This must have been John’s meaning, for not only did Jesus say that the Baptist was the prophesied Elijah, but Zacharias (John’s father) knew that his son would fulfill the prophecy concerning the coming Elijah (Luke 1:13-17, 76-79). When John the Baptist denied that he was Elijah (John 1:21,25), he must have been denying that he was Elijah the Tishbite, who had mightily opposed the Baal worshipers on Mount Carmel during the reign of king Ahab (1 Kings 19), and was taken into the sky by a whirlwind after passing his mantle to Elisha, his successor (2 Kings 2). Jesus was speaking of John when He said, “he is Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:14) and, “Elijah has come already” (17:10 cf. The New Testament reveals that the Old Testament prophecy about God’s “messenger” (Malachi 3:1), called “Elijah the prophet” in Malachi 4:5, was fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist. Long ago, God declared, “Behold, I will send youElijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Just who is this “Elijah” whose coming would precede the day of the Lord? Has he come already? Or should we look for him to appear in the future?

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