Elijah to Forerunner of Jesus

Before He comes, there will be a forerunner. He will testify of the Messiah and not only be the  forerunner to the Messiah, the Christ, but also to the end-times. The end-times being when the judgement of evil takes place upon the earth and evil is totally eliminated. The forerunner will bring God’s ministry of reconciliation. That is reconciliation to God and each other. According to Old Testament prophecy, he is Elijah. As you listen be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus name.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

Throughout God’s love story the Bible, there has been references and prophecies about the coming to earth of the Messiah, the Christ. The Messiah, the Christ would be the one who will bring in a new covenant. He would be rejected and forsaken, die and rise again, heal the broken hearted and set the captives free. From the lineage of David, the king of Ancient Israel, the Messiah will come.

Before He comes, their will be a forerunner. He will testify of the Messiah and not only be the  forerunner to the Messiah, the Christ, but also to the end-times. The end-times being when the judgement of evil takes place upon the earth and evil is totally eliminated. The forerunner will bring God’s ministry of reconciliation. That is reconciliation to God and each other. According to Old Testament prophecy, he is Elijah. 

So in a moment in human history, the voice of the one crying in the wilderness came. He came in the spirit of Elijah and testified of the Messiah, the Christ. His name was John the Baptist. He brought God’s ministry of reconciliation in the Messiah, the Christ, to the people. John the Baptist testified Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, who fulfils all prophecies. Jesus testifies that John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah and in essence, Jesus was giving the meaning of the prophecy.

Yet whilst the expectations and focus was on Elijah being the forerunner to the Messiah, the Christ, in various prophecies concerning this, Moses also was mentioned. Let is look at one such prophecy. 

Malachi 4:4-6 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” 

The word that has been translated as law in this scripture means something prescribed. It is first mentioned in the Bible in the context of a prophecy of the Messiah, the Christ, coming from the lineage of Abraham. This prophecy was passed on down to Isaac, who was Abraham’s child of the promise. 

Let us go way back to that time, when God spoke to Isaac about the promise of the Messiah, the Christ. Genesis 26:3-6 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.

So through the lineage of Abraham the messiah, the Christ would come. He is the only one who is prescribed to be the saviour of the world. Abraham believed and received God’s prescription of salvation as He believed and received God and His right to rule and reign. 

For from the lineage of Abraham, the Messiah, the Christ will bring God’s salvation to both those of Jewish lineage and those of non Jewish lineage. He will do it intimately and personally. 

So Jesus the Messiah, the Christ did come. From the lineage of Abraham, the lineage of Dave, born of the Holy Spirit, Jesus lived a human life, He died, was risen from the dead and ascended on high. Jesus fulfilled the laws and prophecies in His life, death, resurrection and ascension. Both Moses and Elijah testify as the true witness of God, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the saviour of the world. 

Before Jesus laid down His human body on the cross, there was a glorious moment when both Moses and Elijah appeared in a visible form and were talking with Jesus. Three of Jesus’ disciples were there on the mountain and they testified of this glorious moment in history. 

Let us go to that moment in time. 

Matthew 17:1-13 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

It is not clear in what form Moses and Elijah appeared, as they had both left this earth many centuries before Jesus. What is clear however is that by their appearance they testify that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. Only Jesus is transfigured. 

Being transfigured, God gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ divinity, His glory, His majesty. With the appearance of Moses and Elijah, the two true witnesses from the Old Testament, one representing the law and one representing prophecy, affirms Jesus. For they are the forerunner to the Messiah, the Christ.  

Jesus being transfigured gives us a glimpse into His eternal glory and the eternal glory of the new covenant. As Moses and Elijah fade away from the view to the disciples, so too does the old covenant. For it has been fulfilled in Jesus’ coming. 

Then there is the most special moment. The voice of the Father in heaven is heard clearly. He testifies that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ. Then as the disciples lift up their eyes, everything else fades away and they see only Jesus. 

In Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is the new covenant. 

Yet the Messiah, the Christ was supposed to not only bring the new covenant but also bring the judgement and elimination of evil. For without the elimination of evil, the ultimate fulfilment of God’s new covenant is incomplete. Which includes a new heaven and a new earth, where evil has no place. Where together with God we will live in a renewed world of love, peace and no evil. 

This is what is yet to take place. 

There is another reference of Moses and Elijah as the true witnesses and forerunner to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ. This is in a vision God gave to the Apostle John when he was on the isle of Patmos for the sake of his testimony. Let us go to that vision and look into the pages of time.  

Revelation 11:1-13 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

In this vision given to the Apostle John there is the contrast between the Old Testament covenant and the New Testament covenant. In both their are true witnesses of God. 

The old covenant true witnesses are symbolically represented as the two olive trees. In the Old Testament there is a direct reference to those of Jewish lineage who chose to turn away from other gods and turn to the one true God being like an olive tree. They are those of Jewish lineage who have received the prophecy of the Messiah, the Christ and have received God and His right to rule and reign.  

This decision to turn to God comes out of a revelation of who God is. So God continually pursues humanity in love and reveals Himself is so many different ways. 

The new covenant true witnesses are symbolically represented by the two lampstands. These are all those who have received Jesus, received God and His right to rule and reign. The true witness of the new covenant are from every tribe, tongue and nation. Having received Jesus, received God, testify of Him. 

Both the two olive trees and two lampstands are standing before the God of the earth. Having been purchased by the lamb to become kings and priests are destined to rule and reign on earth. The two witnesses come in the power of Moses and Elijah, as an effective witness.

They are dressed in sackcloth which represents mourning. This could be in mourning over those who have been killed for their testimony of the gospel. However it is more likely they are mourning over those who knowingly reject Jesus, reject God.

For a period of time they will prophecy, that is testify of Jesus’ coming. This time of grace and favour in the testimony of the gospel is followed by a period of intense persecution.  

The truth of the gospel torments those who have knowingly rejected God, rejected Jesus. As a result have effectively aligned themselves with evil. 

In such dramatic imagery, the two witnesses are killed. However the breath of the life of God entered the body of the two witnesses. This is a powerful moment. Even tho they’re have been those who have been martyred for their testimony, the breath of the life of God lives on in everyone who has said yes to Jesus, yes to God. From generation to generation, until Jesus returns we are as the two witnesses. We testify of Jesus and as such are forerunners to His coming, yes His second coming. 

Until then God is waits for all who will come to Him to come. Then Jesus will return and with Him divine judgement and the total elimination of evil. So until then, all who have received Him testify. As the of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus, as Elijah and Moses, we are the forerunner to Jesus’ second coming. For He is faithful and true.

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!