Chapter 67
Elijah the Prophet
Before the day of the lord, who was to be sent to the world?
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." Mal. 4:5.
In whom was this prophecy partially fulfilled?
"For all the Prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to
come." Matt. 11:13, 14.
NOTE: Elias is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Elijah.
What objection was raised by the scribes to Christ's mission?
"And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?" Matt. 17:10.
What answer was made to this?
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 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. Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist." Matt. 17:11-13.
What was John's Testimony of himself?
"And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No." John 1:21.
How is this apparent discrepancy explained?
"And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:17.
When was this spirit and power to be manifested?
"Before 'the great and dreadful' day of the Lord." Mal. 4:5.
What else was to take place before that "terrible" day?
"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31.
Was that day still future in Peter's time?
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise." 2 Peter 3:10.
What did the spirit of Elijah lead him to do?
"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him." 1 Kings 18:21.
NOTE: The Israelites had at that time forsaken God, and turned to worship Baal. In this they had departed from God's commandments, and the work of Elijah was to brave their anger, by crying out against their worship of Baal, and appealing to them to return to the commandments of God.
After boldly declaring the truth, what was Elijah compelled to do?
"Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba." 1 Kings 19:2, 3.
What charge was brought against Elijah?
"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" 1 Kings 18:17.
How did Elijah feel?
"And said, It is enough; now, a Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." 1 Kings 19:4.
What did the Lord do for Elijah?
"Behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." 2 Kings 2:11.
What will the last message before the Lord comes demand of the faithful?
"And the third angel followed them, saying in a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation... Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:9-12.
NOTE: It will be seen that this message is a counterpart of that proclaimed by Elijah, inasmuch as it calls for people to decide between the worship of the beast and the worship of God. This will call for those who have the boldness to cry out against the practices of the people, and appeal to them to return to God by keeping His commandments.
How will the remnant church be generally regarded for thus keeping God's commandments?
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.
How far may we expect this persecution to be carried against those who will not yield to the power of the beast?
"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." Rev. 13:15.
If faithful, what will be done for these persecuted ones?
"And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." Rev. 15:2.
NOTE: The song of Moses was the song of the Israelites when delivered at the Red Sea, from the power of their persecutors, the Egyptians. This triumph did not resemble the usual triumphs of nation over nation. This was an individual deliverance, whose commemoration all could join in singing. So it will be in the final triumph; the persecutors will feel the vengeance of God, and His people will be saved alive to rejoice in their wonderful deliverance through the interposition of the Lord Jesus Christ.
How will the Lord gather His faithful ones in the last great struggle?
"And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 24:31.
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