THE RETURN OF ELIJAH
May 16, 1999
Don Hawley
Often final words are particularly important, and that’s true of the last text in the Old Testament. The Lord Almighty is speaking. After warning of a coming day ofjudgment, when the wicked will burn like straw, he says:
Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse. Mal. 4:5, 6.
Here God is speaking not only to those living in the first century, but especially to those alive at the very end of human history. I believe the generation now living is the one that will see the Second Coming of our Lord. For that reason I consider the text in Malachi to be a special note to us, right from the throne of God.
And how are people, especially Christians, reacting to this celestial telegram? Are they even aware of it? I fear the general reaction is similar to that of those living just prior to the earth being destroyed by water. Our Lord knew what to expect:
When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the Flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Matt. 24:37.
The "great and dreadful day of the Lord" is right upon us, and in mercy God says he is sending Elijah back to wake us up. Wisdom demands that we take a fresh look at the ministry of this great Old Testament prophet.
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS
We divide the prophets of the Old Testament into "major" and"minor," but all of them came with an important message from the throne.
When the war trumpet blares, shouldn’t the people be alarmed? When disaster comes to a city, isn’t it because the Lord planned it?
But always, first of all, I warn you through my servants the prophets. I, the Sovereign Lord, have now done this. Amos 3:6, 7.
The welfare of the people depended on how well they embraced the message of the prophets.
Where there is no vision, the people perish. Prov. 29:18.
If you’ve read your Old Testament, you know that the people did a lot of "perishing." The prophets were among the least popular persons in the land. When the people weren’t ignoring or bad-mouthing the prophets, they were killing them.
Because conditions among his people were so bad, a merciful Lord had no choice but to send them messages of stern warning. But that wasn’t what they wanted to hear.
For these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay any attention to the Lord’s instructions.
They tell the prophets, "Shut up! We don’t want any more of your reports." They say, "Don’t tell us the truth. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom." Is. 30:9-11.
Much of the time the prophet was in a very difficult position. He had the choice of either displeasing the people or angering God. Usually the prophet made the right decision.
The lion has roared—tremble in fear! The Sovereign Lord has spoken—I dare not refuse to proclaim his message! Amos 3:8.
That’s a brief overview of how the activity of the prophet played out in Old Testament times. But Christ has admonished us to pay particular attention to the ministry of Elijah.
ELIJAH THE PROPHET
We each would do well to read once again the entire record of Elijah’s ministry. I’ve just done that, and noted the following aspects of the man and his service forGod.
Bold, even to challenging kings
Asked much of the people (remember the widow and her last bit of meal?)
Sometimes questioned God (when the widow’s son died)
Was used to raise the dead
Proved his ministry with signs and wonders
Was the target of ungodly men
Stood against the false prophets
Called for a showdown with those who dared oppose God
Repaired the altar of the Lord
Warred for God, even to killing the false prophets
Saw powerful answers to prayer
Prophesied the future accurately
Persevered (seven times he prayed for rain)
Exercised great faith (saw in a tiny cloud a massive storm)
Did prodigious feats in the strength of the Lord (outran horses)
Was intimidated by a wicked woman (Jezebel)
Could be discouraged ("I’ve had enough, Lord")
Knew loneliness
Anointed kings
No dandy (rough clothing with a leather belt)
Could call fire down from heaven
Received instructions directly from God
Tested Elisha, his replacement
Was translated in a fiery chariot without seeing death
Obviously Elijah was one of the giants of the Word of God. He was on the mount when Christ was transfigured, and we should not be surprised that he figures in end-time events. We must never dismiss him as "just one of the Old Testament prophets."
JOHN THE BAPTIST
The next giant of the Bible we need to take into account is John the Baptist. Often he’s been referred to, quite properly, as "the last of the Old Testament prophets." Speaking of him Jesus said, "I assure you, of all who’ve ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist." In reviewing his ministry I made the following observations.
Received his name from an angel of the Lord
Filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb
Brought up as a Nazarite
Was a cousin of Jesus
Lived in the wilderness until ready for his ministry
Was a man of austere, indeed almost unsocial, habits
Simple dresser (camel’s hair and leather belt)
Powerful preacher
Performed no miracles
Baptized many in the River Jordon
Not self seeking ("He must increase, but I must decrease")
Fearlessly reproved corrupt leaders
Could experience doubt ("Are you really the Messiah?")
Imprisoned for his faith and beheaded
His major role was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry.
Even before his birth an angel made it clear that John would be another Elijah.
He will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or hard liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom. Luke 1:15-17.
Jesus personally testified that an Elijah mantle had been passed along to John.
I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist . . . And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! Matt. 11:11, 14, 15.
The Jews were wrong in thinking that Elijah would return in the flesh. Instead John the Baptist came with the same spirit and power that Elijah demonstrated in his ministry.
ELIJAH IN OUR OWN DAY
Since Elijah was to have another ministry just prior to the "great and dreadful day of the Lord," we must expect him in our own day. It’s vital that we understand how this is to be realized.
In the Old Testament we had the major and minor prophets. But now that we’re in the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, there’s another facet to the prophetic ministry. Peter spoke about this in his Pentecost sermon.
What you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
"In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. Acts 2:16-18.
So in our day we expect a phenomenon not evident in Old Testament times—individual members of the Body of Christ exercising a gift of prophecy. Young and old will experience dreams and visions. Those who are aware know that there has been just such a proliferation, especially over the Internet.
While this new area of gifting is a blessing to the Body, we mustn’t forget that in these New Testament times we still have major and minor prophets. To lose sight of that fact would be to cut ourselves off from important messages from Jehovah God. Again, those who are knowledgeable are aware of major prophetic voices speaking to us today. Others will join their ranks, and they will be the voice of Elijah to this final generation.
HOW WILL ELIJAH SOUND AND LOOK TODAY?
We’ve no reason to assume Elijah will sound much different than he did in the days of King Ahab. Or when his spirit was found in John the Baptist. It would be dangerous for us to suppose that the spirit of Elijah will differ in our own day. With that in mind, what should we look for in today’s major prophetic voices?
I’d like to suggest that those speaking with the spirit of Elijah today will:
Speak boldly with godly authority
Minister in the power of the Holy Spirit
Not be self-seeking, but live to advance the Kingdom of God
Often be unpopular, even within the Body
Be the target of ungodly men
Call the people to sincere repentance and a high standard of holiness
Be urged, unsuccessfully, to teach smooth things
Stand against the many false prophets of our day
Be men or women of faith
Often experience loneliness
Fearlessly reprove corrupt leaders
Prepare the way for the coming King
Sometimes call for a showdown with the forces of darkness
HOW WILL SATAN SEEK TO HINDER ELIJAH?
We need to read again the dramatic story of Elijah, King Ahab, and the false prophets atop Mount Carmel. That was a battle zone, and hundreds of false prophets ended up dead.
Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the ditch! And when the people saw it, they fell on their faces and cried out, "The Lord is God! The Lord is God!"
Then Elijah commanded, "Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!" So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there. 1 Kings 18:38-40.
Elijah was a mighty warrior for God. Although we have no record of John the Baptist taking up a physical sword, he certainly warred against the religious apparatus of his day.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed. "Who warned you to flee God’s coming judgment? . . . Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. Matt. 3:7.
That’s not exactly the kind of speech to make if you’re running for public office. Those were warring words.
THE PEACE AND SAFETY PROGRAM
The devil can’t handle a full-fledged, Spirit-empowered confrontation with the Body of Christ. Therefore he has to lull Christians into a stupor that leaves him in control of most of the battlefield. He knows that if the Body ever truly becomes the army of the Lord, his reign is over.
Evil prophets deceive my people by saying, "All is peaceful!" when there is no peace at all! It’s as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to hold it together by covering it with whitewash! Tell these whitewashers that their wall will soon fall down. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down. And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, "Where is the whitewash you applied?"
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will sweep away your whitewashed wall with a storm of indignation, with a great flood of anger, and with hailstones of fury. I will break down your wall right to the foundation, and when it falls, it will crush you. Then you will know that I am the Lord! At last my anger against the wall and those who covered it with whitewash will be satisfied. Then I will say to you: "the wall and those who whitewashed it are both gone. They were lying prophets who claimed peace would come to Jerusalem when there was no peace. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!" Ez. 13:10-16.
Millions of people died in World War II! That number could have been greatly reduced if Hitler and Tojo had been confronted when they were easily stoppable. Unfortunately, most of the West was locked into a frantic peace movement. Rational people don’t like war, but they also know that it’s sometimes unavoidable. The cry of the late‘30s was, "Peace at any price!" No one dreamed of just how high the price would prove to be.
President Franklin Roosevelt, along with certain European leaders, knew that war was inevitable, but the people of the United States weren’t having any. It wasn’t until the Japanese dropped bombs on Pearl Harbor, killing young American men and women, that they rallied against the forces of totalitarianism. By that time a long, bloody war was the only way out.
Today there’s a peace and safety cry throughout much of the church. Even some of the professed prophets are calling for a benign and quiet attitude in the ranks. It won’t be until satanic forces drop some unprecedented "bombs" on our heads that most will awaken. Note the following interesting text.
Jeremiah responded to Hananiah as they stood in front of all the priests and people at the Temple. He said, "Amen! May your prophecies come true! I hope the Lord does everything you say. I hope he does bring back from Babylon the treasures of this Temple and all our loved ones. But listen now to the solemn words I speak to you in the presence of all these people. The ancient prophets who preceded you and me spoke against many nations, always warning of war, famine, and disease. So a prophet who predicts peace must carry the burden of proof. Only when his predictions come true can it be known that he is really from the Lord." Jer. 28:5-9.
The Bible clearly states there’s a time for peace, and a time for war. It’s now time for war, the final battle of spiritual Armageddon. The army of God is being recruited from among those who are willing to serve, and those responding are donning the full armor of God. They’re also taking up their offensive weapon, the Sword of the Lord. Jesus Christ, the Commander of the Host, is about to take his troops into battle. This is the time when his people need an anointing for warfare.
LISTEN TO ELIJAH
The voice of Elijah is sounding now to prepare God’s people for battle. To those who aren’t in tune with the Spirit it will sound like a lot of "gloom and doom." But don’t look to Elijah for smooth reports to tickle one’s ears. The messages of the true prophets will be as intense and pointed as were those of Elijah of old, and of John the Baptist.
About a year ago major prophetic voices began telling the Body that the worldwide Renewal was taking a new course. The first such warning I recall was that of Mark Dupont, who encouraged us to
"Travel with my Son into the wilderness for a season of fasting and prayer. It can be lonely there. You will miss the parties, the laughter and the drunkenness. But I say to you, if you embrace this death and do not trust in your own resources and actions, I will give you new ministries and a deeper anointing. I will give you the treasure of the secret places rather than the joy of the parties. I want to do these things not because I am against you, but because I love you so deeply, my children, and I desire for my joy to be even stronger within you. When you experience that joy you will have a strength for ministry you have never known before."
Actually, had we acted on such admonitions, we would by this time be ready to leave the desert retreat for the battle lines. Ready or not, our spiritual Pearl Harbor will suddenly be upon us. Then we will have to play catch up, as the U.S. did in World War II.
Wars are not won by partying.
"BUT I’M NOT IN A FIGHTING MOOD!"
Since the fruit of the Spirit is love, it’s sometimes difficult for Christians to prepare for battle. But Jesus, our perfect role model, had a head-to-head public confrontation with the Scribes and the Pharisees. He called them hypocrites, filthy, greedy, wicked, fools, and murderers. Hardly complimentary. Was Jesus angry when he spoke these words? Yes, very. But it was a righteous anger.
How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering. Luke 11:52.
Jesus would give his life on the cross for the people, but these self-righteous leaders were blocking the way to the Kingdom. Yes, the Lord was angry.
Do you see anything around you to day to produce righteous anger? What about the following?
There are more Christians being persecuted today than at any other time in history. In the Sudan Christians have been crucified.
Loved ones suffer continuous pain due to chronic illness.
Christians using their computer for ministry have to begin by erasing the day’s quota of unasked-for porn sites.
Parents fear their child may be the next one gunned down while trying to get an education.
A popular rapper recently old his teenage fans, "By the way, when you see my dad, tell him I slit his throat in this dream I just had."
A new video game, Kingpin, promises "multi-player gang bang death match for up to 16 thugs! Target specific body parts and actually see the damage done including exit wounds."
The movies coming out of Hollywood are so filled with sex, violence, and foul language, that there are very few offerings a Christian can attend with comfort.
The idiotic, and highly popular, sit-coms on TV take the place of intelligent communication.
Even our nation’s leaders have proven to be so lacking in moral fiber that they no longer enjoy the confidence of the electorate.
The list could go on and on, but you’re already aware of the rot that permeates our society. Does it make you angry? If not, you need to ask yourself why. We need to be sure we’ve been sensitized by the Spirit, and not desensitized by the world. I agree with Billy Graham that if God doesn’t do something about this mess soon, he will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.
DECISION TIME
We’ve come to the time when each professed Christian must make a distinct decision as to which kingdom he belongs. There can be no more double mindedness, no more Laodicean fence sitting. We need the kind of commitment that Abraham made.
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. Heb. 11:8-10
Have you settled down in a comfortable routine, or are you too looking for a city that is not of this world?
Many will be saved in their ignorance because they trust in Christ for salvation, but another smaller group will be aware of both the movements of God and the movements of the enemy. We not only need Abrahams today, we also need a select group of Issachars.
From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. 1 Chron. 12:32.
So few really understand the temper of our times, but we do have watchmen on the wall. We must listen carefully to what these sentinels report to the Body. Of course prophets are watchmen, and the Elijahs will be sharing vital information with the waiting church.
The prophet Joel was given a dramatic vision of the end-time army of the Lord God Almighty, now being assembled.
Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem! Sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the LORD is upon us. It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a mighty army appears! How great and powerful they are! The likes of them have not been seen before and never will be seen again.
Fire burns in front of them and follows them in every direction! Ahead of them the land lies as fair as the Garden of Eden in all its beauty. Behind them is nothing but desolation; not one thing escapes. They look like tiny horses, and they run as fast. Look at them as they leap along the mountaintops! Listen to the noise they make—like the rumbling of chariots, like the roar of a fire sweeping across a field, or like a mighty army moving into battle.
Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with fright. The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like trained soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank. They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right place. They lunge through the gaps, and no weapon can stop them. They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.
The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord leads them with a shout! This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can endure it? Joel 2:1-11
Does that quicken your heartbeat? Would you like to be a part of that victorious host? Enlistments are being taken now.
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