Who is “ELIJAH”?
Who
is Elijah? Is there more than one Elijah?
Has he already come and gone? Is he
yet to come? When one knows the answer to the
first question, “Who is Elijah?” then that individual will know the answers to the
next three questions.
Let’s
begin the search for Elijah with the word, or name, itself.
Elijah is #452 in Strong’s. Immediately
we find that this word, or name, is a compound word, which means it is made up of two or
more different, smaller words or names. In
this particular case Elijah is made up of two words or names.
The first word is ‘El which is #410, and here it means God.
So we can see right away that this “El” is used as a name and not just a word,
in Elijah. It is interesting to note that
Elohiym (#430) is the prolonged plural form of El.
The second part of Elijah is #3050, which is the name “Yahh”. This Yahh or Jah, as we are more used to seeing it, is a contraction (a shortened form) from #3068, which is Yahweh and has exactly the same meaning: “The Existing One”. Yahweh, in turn, simply comes from #1961, which is similar to our verb, “to be”, and means: to be; become; come to pass; exist; happen; and so forth. Also, interestingly enough, it is this word (#1961), which forms the “I AM” of Exodus 3. So, now we see that the “I AM”, “The Existing One” or Yahweh, and the latter half of Elijah are related or “connected” to each other.
In addition, we should note that all Semitic names are actually a complete sentence. Therefore, when you look Elijah up in Strong’s you will find, in Italics, the short sentence, “God of Jehovah”. As best as we can determine there does not appear to be a certainty concerning the accuracy of the translation of the sentence. It could be, “Jehovah (YHWH) is God”, or possibly even, “My God is Jehovah (YHWH)”. In Young’s Concordance it just says that Elijah is a name of God. This is why we are led to believe that when we find scripture calling a particular human (prophet, or other leader) by a name such as Elijah that this human may very well be carrying out special duties of an “office”. This name might then actually be a “title” for the office he is administering or representing.
From the above we can hopefully see that this term Elijah is much more than just a word, but how much more? In I Kings 17 we are introduced to a man called “Elijah the Tishbite”. Was this Elijah carrying out a commission from God? Yes, but more on that shortly. In Malachi 4:5-6 we read about an “Elijah the prophet” who will come on the scene “before the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Yahweh, or YHWH). And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons (children), and the heart of the sons to their father(s), least I come and smite the earth with a curse.” The ‘Elijah the prophet’ referred to in Malachi 4 certainly appears to be human as he is sent before the Day of the Lord (YHWH), and Yahweh is the God of Israel. So, here we see a human named or designated “Elijah” who would carry out a special and specific task, to a special and specific group of people, for a special and specific purpose before the “Day of the Lord”.
Next, let’s consider Luke chapter 1. Zacharias is visited by an angel of the Lord (YHWH) and is told his wife will bear him a son and that son shall be called “John”. The angel in verses 15-17 explains to Zacharias that his son John “shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. (16) And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. (17) And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE SONS, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Here the name Elijah shows up again, this time as it relates to the commission of John the Baptist. So then, the commission of John the Baptist is firmly linked to the commission of Elijah the Prophet mentioned in Malachi 4:5-6. But, let’s notice carefully what is written in scripture and what is not. This John the Baptist was to go before the Lord in the “spirit and power” of Elijah. This makes it very clear that he is not Elijah, but rather acting on Elijah’s behalf. John the Baptist makes this totally clear himself in the gospel of John chapter 1. In verses 6-8 we read: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) The same came for a witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. Then in verse 15 there is an interesting statement: John bare witness of him and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spoke, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. We can conclude from these verses, here as well as numerous other scriptures, that John the Baptist was speaking of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the Light and the one who would come after John.
Let’s pause and go back to Luke 1 for additional information before we bring this thought to completion. In Luke 1:68 Zacharias began prophesying: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people, (69) And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; (70) As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: (71) That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; (72) To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; (73) The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, (74) That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, (75) In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. (76) And you child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; (77) To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, (78) Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us, (79) To give light to them that sit in darkness and in shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. From this it is apparent that a number of those of Israel and in Palestine at that time were aware of the promise of a coming Messiah and restored kingdom for Israel. This expectation of deliverance from enemies and restoration of the ‘kingdom’ would naturally lead people (Israelites) to wonder if this ‘John the Baptist’ might be either the long awaited ‘Elijah the prophet’, or perhaps even the Messiah of Israel.
From this we can now go back to the gospel of John (chapter 1) and pick up the story beginning with verse 19. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? (20) And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. (21) And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. John the Baptist said and testified that he was not Elijah. He did say in verse 23, I am THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, which is quoted from Isaiah 40:3. So, while John was not Elijah, he was a prophet whose commission included the preparation of a people for the arrival of Jesus the Christ. And that people was the people of Israel. And that preparation was “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Lk. 3:3). It seems odd to note at this point that as up front as John the Baptist was about just who he was and was not, many people today want to apply one of the very two labels that he firmly denied. John the Baptist is often called a ‘type’ of ‘Elijah’, yet he, himself, disclaimed any possibility of assuming this role. Why should anyone consider him to be a ‘type’ of something he denies? The reasoning goes something like this, “Well, I know that he said he wasn’t, BUT …”, and any of several justifications follow the ‘but’.
Consider now, three distinct prophecies that are all connected through the commission of John the Baptist. The prophesies are Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1; Malachi 4:5-6. We will take a look at the relationship of these scriptures shortly, but one more thing has to be covered first. Just what was or is the “Work” of Elijah? In I Kings 18 we find the answer. It is contained in the prayer of Elijah the prophet beginning in verse 36: And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Eternal (YHWH) God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. (37) Hear me, O Eternal, hear me, that this people may know that you are the Lord God, and that you have turned their heart back again. This is the same as Elijah the prophet’s commission in Malachi 4:5-6; to turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons and the heart of the sons to their father(s).
Who is the “father” of Malachi 4? Look at Exodus 4:22: And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord (YHWH), Israel is my son, even my first-born: (23) And I (YHWH) say unto you, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your first-born. The final plague upon Egypt was the loss of their first-born. God is tough, eye for eye; first-born for first-born. Yahweh (YHWH) is the Father of Israel. The Yahweh is the Father in Malachi 4:5-6. Can we be absolutely certain of this? Yes! Turn to Jeremiah 31:9 for more proof. This chapter discusses the restoration of Israel after the Great Tribulation during the time frame of the “day of the Lord” (Yahweh) spoken of in Malachi 4. Now to Jeremiah 31:9; They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I (YHWH) lead them (Israel): I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born (Please note that the expression, “and Ephraim is my first-born” is a figure of speech called “Synecdoche” where, in this case, one particular tribe is used to represent the entire House of Israel. Yahweh has not “changed” Ex. 4:22. He has simply made the same statement in Jer. 31 as in Ex. 4, just in a slightly different way, but with exactly the same meaning, purpose, and result.). Yahweh loved Israel when he brought them out of Egypt and He loves them when he brings them out of the Assyrian captivity, and He will love them in the Kingdom. Why? They are his son, His first-born! No wonder God will bring about the fulfillment of the very prophecy he gave to Malachi; the very commission given to Elijah the prophet in I Kings, that of loving His very own son and that son loving his very own Father.
Did you notice that Israel will be led in a “straight way”? Do you see why? Because there will have been a man who comes and completes a much expanded version of the original commission given to John the Baptist. Someone like the prophet John the Baptist will have to perform Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 40, and Malachi 4. Someone like the prophet John the Baptist; someone called Elijah the prophet will have a commission to complete so that Israel is prepared to be reunited with their Father. Then their Father, Yahweh, will already have made the way straight so that He can lead His son back to Zion and Jerusalem for the last time.
Let’s now ask the question again. Who is Elijah? It cannot be the one who prepared the way for Jesus. John the Baptist denied that it was he and he fulfilled his role of preparing the way for Jesus Christ the first time. The one who prepares the way the second time must, because of scriptures already presented, perform his duties/ commission in the “spirit and power” of Elijah, just as did John the Baptist. Therefore, “Elijah the prophet” cannot be “the” Elijah since “Elijah the prophet” is a human just like his earlier namesake in I Kings, and neither one of them can generate his own “spirit and power”. Even Jesus Christ said; I can of my own self do nothing. So, what was the “spirit and power” of the Elijah the prophet mentioned in I Kings? Go back to I Kings 18:36. ...and Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel.... There is the key to understanding! The time has now come for Israel to learn who is their God. It is the God of Elijah! In verse 36 the “Lord” is #3068. Jah, #3050 is a contraction of #3068 and has exactly the same meaning. God is #430, which is Elohiym; the plural prolonged form of ‘El’ #410. By combining these two shortened names for Lord God we end up with “EL-JAH”. Therefore, Elijah simply means God is Yahweh, or My God is Yahweh. Is it any wonder that the name Israel (#3478, in Strong’s) is given to mean “he will rule as God”, or more simply stated: “God (El) rules” or “God (El) is ruler”?
The “spirit and power” of Elijah the prophet in I Kings 18 came from Yahweh, the God of Israel who consumed the offering. The “spirit and power” of John the Baptist came from Elijah. Elijah is Yahweh God! Yahweh God is Elijah! Does it make any sense at all for the inspired scriptures to tell us that someone would come in the “spirit and power” of Elijah and then have Elijah be anything other than God? Furthermore, does it make any sense to come in the authority of this Elijah (“in the spirit and power”) and then prepare the way for anyone other than the one whose very authority had been used to make this preparation? If one comes in the “spirit and power” of El-jah then it only makes sense that it was El-Jah who sent him. Why or even how could someone use this “spirit and power” to prepare the way for anyone else other than the One it came from in the first place? So, for God to be Elijah is no real surprise, even Young’s Concordance says that. But, this is not really the Elijah that everyone is concerned with, is it? The fact that Elijah is one of God’s names is nice to know, but what about those prophecies and scriptures that speak of an Elijah who came and of one to come? Even though Yahweh God bears the name Elijah, what about the humans in the Bible who have borne this name as a personal name, a title or an office? Isn’t that what we all really want to know? Well, the biggest surprise is yet ahead. There was an ‘Elijah’ who has walked this earth besides Elijah the Tishbite, and he was not John the Baptist! But you say, “Of course John the Baptist was ‘an’ Elijah’, doesn’t everyone know that? What about all those things that Jesus the Christ said about him in the Greek scriptures (New Testament)?
Now, what about all those Greek scriptures? Don’t they “prove” that John the Baptist was Elijah or at least contradict the Greek and Hebrew scriptures already mentioned? Not surprisingly, no! And now we will look at them very closely to see why not.
As an aside, many Jews to this day teach, believe and expect Elijah the Tishbite/prophet to fulfill Malachi 4:5-6. They think he is still alive because the chariot of God took him alive “somewhere”.
Let’s look closely at Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 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. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. On the heels of the transfiguration the disciples asked Christ why the scribes said that Elijah (from I Kings and the prophet from Malachi 4:5-6) must first come (please note previous paragraph). Why do we think that Jesus Christ was referring to John the Baptist in verse 12? Christ is confirming that there is “an” Elijah who will come to restore all things before the Kingdom is reestablished (or established, if you will). Yet, in the next breath Christ tells his disciples that Elijah has already come. How can this be? Who would not be confused? The disciples used all of their carnal human reasoning (which they did often prior to Pentecost 31 AD, or 30 AD) and concluded, in verse 13, that Christ was referring to John the Baptist. They knew who other men thought Christ was, and they also knew, or had at least known of, John the Baptist and had read his press clippings, so to speak. It was only natural for these, thus far, unconverted human disciples of Christ to conclude as they did “at that time” that Christ was speaking of John the Baptist. “At that time” is exactly what the first word “Then” of verse 13 means. The Greek word translated to ‘then’ does not mean, ‘another time’, or ‘some other time’, it specifically means right at that moment in time. ‘Then they understood’ (made the mental connection) that Christ meant John the Baptist. It doesn’t mean that they made the ‘right’ connection!
To show that in verse
12 Christ was referring to himself as “the” Elijah we need to look a little closer at
the Greek text and grammar. The verbs, is come; knew;
have done, are all in the Greek “Aorist” tense. Herein lie the problem and
the solution. According to the Online Bible, the “Aorist tense is characterized by its
emphasis on punctilliar action, that is, the concept of the verb is considered without
regard for Past, Present, or Future time. There is NO direct or clear English equivalent
for this tense, though it is generally rendered as a simple past tense in most
translations (of the verb).” That is exactly what the translators did here. They thought
that the disciples were right so they used the standard past tense for these verbs. It
would appear they didn’t even consider the possibility that the disciples, as was almost
always the case, did not understand what Christ was saying to them. Verse 12 could be
translated something like this: But I say unto you, That Elijah is come (or, has arrived)
and they know him not, but will do/ are doing/ to him whatsoever they desire. Thus shall
even the Son of man suffer of them.
Remember that John the Baptist knew and testified that he was not any Elijah. Remember that the “Day of the Lord” has not arrived even to this day; therefore, John could not have fulfilled the Elijah of Malachi 4. Thus, was Jesus Christ trying to confuse the disciples, or were they confused on their own because they just continually did not “get it”? One could say, Well, OK, but then why isn’t there some kind of added or inserted comment from Matthew when he wrote the Gospel account to explain that the disciples had it wrong then? We might as well ask in response to this question, why might it be needed? Isn’t that the purpose of what Matthew wrote in the first place, that “at that time” (therefore, not now or since then) they “understood” (incorrectly) that John was Elijah? There is actually no indication that after Pentecost (31 AD) the apostles thought that John was Elijah. Therefore, in light of the information presented here, doesn’t this approach make more sense? Remember, too, that John never performed any recorded miracles.
Finally, Matt. 11:14 is a very similar situation. Matt.11:14 states: And if you will receive it, this is Elijah, which was to come. This has always been taken to be that John the Baptist was the Elijah. John the Baptist was the first of two who would fulfill Malachi 3:1, and Christ said so in Matt.11:10, “For this is he, of whom it is written, BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER BEFORE THY FACE, WHICH SHALL PREPARE THE WAY BEFORE THEE, but is that the subject of this chapter? The subject of this entire chapter is established in verses 2 and 3. Verse 2 begins, Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him (in other words, John’s disciples asked Christ on behalf of John), Are you he that should come, or do we look for another? John, who was not Elijah (the prophet), but was one who came in the “spirit and power” of Elijah; John, who was to prepare the way for the Messiah, the Son of God; John through two of his very own disciples, asked Christ if he was the Messiah of Israel, the one for whom John had prepared the way. What did Christ tell them to tell John? In Matt. 11:4 it begins, Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which you do hear and see: (5) The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (6) And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. Christ made it perfectly clear to the two disciples of John that he (Christ) was fulfilling this well known prophecy (actually several prophecies). Let’s not overlook that this is exactly what Yahweh (YHWH) God will do for Israel when he brings them out of the next captivity. And since John knew he was not Elijah, John would then know that Christ was fulfilling the role of Elijah. Christ was the one who came after John. By this John would then know that Jesus Christ would fulfill the prophecy of Zecharias (John’s father) in Luke 1:67-79. Christ knew that John knew someone would follow him (John) who would redeem Israel, who would be their Joshua (English translation from the Hebrew, and is the same as the translation to Jesus from the Greek, literally, “Yahweh is Salvation”) or deliverer, and John’s disciples knew also, of course, being told by John. But to clarify the matter for the others (the multitudes), which were present and heard the question from John’s disciples and Christ’s answer to John’s disciples, Christ continued. Christ told the multitudes that what was written in Malachi 3:1 was about John the Baptist. Then Christ went on to say that there are none born of women greater than John the Baptist. In verse 12 (Mat. 11) Christ linked John to himself by excluding the time before John’s ministry. Why exclude the past prophets when discussing violence being done to the kingdom of heaven? What is the difference between John the Baptist and all the other prophets of God who had prophesied before John? Only the difference of the Messiah! John was the immediate predecessor of the one who was to come, the one whom John was looking for. John was a contemporary of the “one who is to come”, Jesus Christ. John was already cast in prison and it would be a short time from then that he would suffer the violence of being beheaded. Then it would be just a short time after that when the “one who is to come” would be crucified.
Then in verse 13, Christ put everything in complete perspective. Christ said, For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. Here Christ reemphasized that all the prophets pointed to the same thing. All the prophets, including John spoke of a time to come, of a kingdom to come, and of a “one to come.” Then in verse 14 Christ made it perfectly clear to all present that he, Christ, was the one to come, he (Christ) was Elijah, the one who was to follow John. Christ, the ‘Anointed One”, the Son of El-jah, the Messiah from the God of Israel, the Son of the Father of Israel, was also ‘Elijah’. So, Jesus the Christ, as the Son of the Living God, was also commissioned to perform the office of Elijah. But, at that moment, no one else understood that either he (Elijah the Christ) or His Father, the God of Israel, was going to set up the kingdom then (at that time).
The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
So, now let’s answer
the opening questions.
“Who is Elijah?”
Elijah is God, and Jesus the Christ received that name and office from His Father. So,
Jesus Christ was (an) Elijah when He came in the flesh.
“Is there more than
one Elijah?” There is only one God, but there are a number of people who have been or
will be called or named ‘Elijah’ as they represent “The Elijah” God.
“Has he already come
and gone?” Yes.
“Is he yet to come?” Yes!
I leave it for you to consider how these last two might be answered ‘yes’.
At the end of days what has happened before will happen again. The pattern continues. One will come in the “spirit and power” of Elijah and will prepare the way for the Elijah, and will turn the hearts of the father (YHWH) to the son (Israel) and the son to the father, and then at last, His son Israel will repent in captivity and Elijah will come and redeem his son from that captivity and restore him to be the highest of nations on the earth. Israel will finally become the nation of nations, the nation that all other nations will look to for their example, and they will then look to the God of that then great nation of Israel, the great Yahweh Elohiym, Elijah.
Richard L. Fix
Revised November 2002