What does "Elijah is coming" teach about God's faithfulness to His promises? Key Verse Matthew 17:11 – “Jesus replied, ‘Elijah is coming and will restore all things.’” Elijah Foretold: God’s Promise in Malachi 4:5–6 • “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.” • First spoken about 430 years before Christ, the prophecy set a firm marker on God’s calendar. • The promise was specific (Elijah by name), purposeful (heart-turning, restoration), and unconditional (God alone would bring it to pass). Jesus Restates the Promise • Matthew 17:11; Mark 9:12 – Jesus repeats, “Elijah is coming.” • By restating it, the Son affirms the Father’s original word and ties His own mission to its fulfillment. • Jesus anchors the disciples’ hope not in circumstances but in the reliability of God’s spoken word. Partial Fulfillment in John the Baptist • Matthew 17:12–13 – “Elijah has already come… Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.” • Luke 1:17 – John came “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” • God kept His promise in precise detail: – Same wilderness setting (cf. 2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:1–4). – Same confrontational call to repentance. – Same goal: turning hearts back to God. • John’s ministry proves God’s timing is perfect, even when centuries pass. Future Dimension: Complete Fulfillment Still Ahead • Malachi links Elijah’s coming to “the great and awesome day of the LORD,” a time yet future. • Revelation 11:3–6 hints at two prophetic witnesses with Elijah-like powers (shutting the sky, calling down fire). • God’s faithfulness guarantees the final, literal appearance that will precede Christ’s visible return. What “Elijah Is Coming” Reveals About God’s Faithfulness • He speaks plainly and means exactly what He says (Numbers 23:19). • Time does not weaken His promise; delay only displays His patience (2 Peter 3:9). • He weaves partial and final fulfillments together without contradiction; every detail matters (Isaiah 55:11). • All His promises converge in Christ, the ultimate “Yes” and “Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). • Because He kept the Elijah promise once, believers can rest assured He will keep it—and every other promise—again. Living in Light of the Promise-Keeping God • Embrace Scripture with confidence; what God has promised, He will perform. • Cultivate expectant readiness; fulfilled prophecy assures future fulfillment. • Celebrate God’s consistent character; the God who sent Elijah will also complete every word regarding redemption, judgment, and glory. |
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