Malachi 4:5

Elijah the prophet The reading of the LXX., "Elijah the Tishbite" (τὸν Θεσβίτην), has been thought to indicate their belief that the actual return of Elijah to earth is here foretold. Some have traced the same belief in the appropriation by the Son of Sirach to the literal Elijah of Malachi's description of the work of the coming prophet (Malachi 4:6) (Sir 48:10); though it may well be doubted whether the passage proves anything more than his acquaintance with our prophecy. The belief, however, was certainly current among the Jews in our Lord's time (Matthew 17:10; Mark 9:11; John 1:21). Nor does it follow that the belief was unfounded, because He Himself distinctly claims the prophecy for John the Baptist, identifying him at the same time with the "messenger" foretold by Malachi (Matthew 11:10; Matthew 11:14; Matthew 17:12-13). The prophecy had a firstfulfilment in the Baptist, who went before the face of the Lord "in the spirit and power of Elijah", to do the work here described (Luke 1:17). In one sense he was "Elias which was for to come"; but in another sense, and on his own confession (John 1:21), he was not. For the prophecy awaits a second and (as some believe) more literal fulfilment; and as the typical Elijah came before Christ's first Advent, and "they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they listed", so before His second Advent shall another Elijah come "and shall restore all things." (Matthew 17:10-13).