Introduction to: John the Baptist also referred to as Elijah

A question came up among the disciples about how Elijah was supposed to come before the coming of Jesus the Christ. The question about Elijah coming before Jesus was from this scripture verse, “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.” Malachi 4:5-6

Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist, and an angel of the Lord assured Zacharias that John was indeed the fulfillment of the scripture in Malachi 4:5-6. John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah. These are the words that the angel spoke to Zacharias, “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘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 1:15-17

This is what our Lord Jesus said to His disciples who asked, “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.” Matthew 17:10-13

Christ Jesus plainly said, “And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.” Matthew 11:14

Even the Pharisees associated John the Baptist with Elijah, or the Christ, or a Prophet. The Pharisees sent their people to ask John if he was Elijah, the Christ, or some other Prophet, “Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John 1:24-25

The best way to show the spirit and power of Elijah is to review the entire recorded life of Elijah from 1 Kings 17:1 through 2 Kings 2:18. This has been done as shown in the last paragraph of this post. There is a lot there to describe Elijah’s spirit and power, which matches the spirit and power of John the Baptist.

For a smidgen of background about the environment Elijah was ministering in, read 1 Kings 16:29-33. Elijah was active when Ahab was king over Israel and Ahab’s wife was Jezebel who murdered all the true prophets of God. This is the same as John the Baptist being a true prophet, filled with the Holy Spirit, during the days of Herod and the Roman Empire. Herod beheaded John

Below are the twelve notable acts of Elijah that match with the spirit and power of John the Baptist. In the coming days, posts will be made on each of the twelve acts of Elijah to show how John the Baptist was indeed who Jesus said he was, Elijah….”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.” Matthew 17:10-13

While Elijah’s acts are literal to present spiritual truths of God to be revealed in the times of Jesus Christ, the acts of John the Baptist are in the Spirit and in the same spirit and power of Elijah. Many were not able to grasp the teaching of the Spirit that Jesus Christ brought, such as being born again, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” John 3:4 In that light, Jesus said this about John the Baptist, “And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.” Matthew 11:14

1. 1 Kings 17:1-7 Elijah and John the Baptist both ministered when a drought was sent on the land
2. 1 Kings 17:8-16 Elijah and John the Baptist both provided the bread of life for those without means
3. 1 Kings 17:17-24 Elijah and John the Baptist both raised people to life to live for God
4. 1 Kings 18:1-19 Elijah and John the Baptist both confronted spiritual corruption face-to-face
5. 1 Kings 18:20-40 Elijah and John the Baptist both challenged false worship to exalt the Living God
6. 1 Kings 18:41-46 Elijah and John the Baptist both lived to see the hand of God send the rain and end the drought
7. 1 Kings 19:1-10 Elijah and John the Baptist were both marked for death and they found refuge in the wilderness
8. 1 Kings 19:11-18 Elijah and John the Baptist both heard the voice of God and were zealous for Him
9. 1 Kings 19:19-21 Elijah and John the Baptist were both leaders with a prominent replacement
10. 1 Kings 21:17-29 Elijah and John the Baptist both condemned the corrupt leaders of Israel
11. 2 Kings 1 Elijah and John the Baptist knew the destruction coming to the leaders and worshippers of a false god.
    
    The verses below give some background on Elijah’s prophecy against the leaders and followers of Baal-Zebub.
    
    Ahab, husband of Jezebel, dies in battle, “Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!” 1 Kings 22:34-36
    
    Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel becomes king, “Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done. 1 Kings 22:51-53
    
12. 2 Kings 2:1-18 Elijah and John the Baptist both were taken early in their ministry and their successor received a double spirit of what they had.