The following Bible text was quoted in another thread:Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
What Elijah the prophet is this referring to?
I'm glad you brought up the discussion Daryl. I still have many other discussion to reply and I don't have the time right now to type what I currently understand by pulling out all scriptures.
But to quickly sum it up...Mal 4:5 is referring to John the Baptist for the first coming of Christ. Elijah was for the first coming, and Elisha who had the double portion of the Spirit of Elijah, comes for the second coming of Christ. Elijah's ministry was interrupted and not completed and was replaced and completed by Elisha. This typifies what is to be fulfilled. John the Baptist work was also sharply interrupted and not completed to fulfill "
he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,"(Mal 4:6). So we are currently waiting for Elisha, who comes with the double portion of the Spirit of Elijah and will complete the work prophecied in Mal 4:6.
Christ work was also sharply interrupted by His death, and now we awaits for His 2nd coming by which in His second work will complete the fulfillment of scriptures of entering "Canaan" and "smite" the nations with His sword-words.
Elijah and Elisha represents two TYPES of the two preperation of Christ's two comings. Just like Moses and Joshua represents two TYPES of Christ and His work. The first typified by Moses representing the Passover work by which Moses died and did not enter the promise land. Moses work was interrupted and taken over by Joshua.
The Lord repeats TYPES so in it He gives us a 2nd witness with more information to recognize His handy work when He fulfills all scriptures.
Joshua was the one that typified the second coming of Christ of entering into the promise land and "
out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron:"(Rev 19:15) . Joshua literally showed this very type when they entered Canaan and smite the nation with the sword. However, the fulfillment of this Type will be a spiritual conquering of the nations not with a physical sword but with the "
sword of the Spirit" that will fulfill Mal 4:6.
So we have the Elisha(=144k -- the firstfruit barley company = the body) & Joshua (=Jesus -- the head) Type that will complete the work of
he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,"(Mal 4:6) at His 2nd coming.