first comes Elijah; and he will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come; and
they did not recognize him; and they treated him as they pleased. And they will also make
the Son of Man suffer.”
Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.
Reflect
Though he doesn’t have a book of the Bible named after him, Elijah is one of the greatest
prophets in the history of Israel. He served as a prophet during an especially difficult time
in the kingdom of Israel. The king was no longer faithful to the covenant with the Lord
and worship of false gods, especially Baal, was rampant. Almost all of the prophets of the
Lord had been killed. (To be honest, God always sends his prophets during difficult times.
Prophets rarely show up to say, “Good job, everyone! Stay happy!”) Through God’s power,
Elijah performed astonishing miracles, feeding multitudes and defeating a company of Baal’s
prophets.
Elijah did not die. Instead, he was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. Because of this, many
people believed that he would return to welcome the Messiah. Matthew identifies John the
Baptist with Elijah, as John came to prepare the way for Jesus by preaching conversion and
repentance. What prophets in our day are calling us to follow Jesus more closely?
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