Bible Study Seattle

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.”  Malachi 4:5

“And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  Matthew 11:14-15

“And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things.”  Matthew 17:11

“but I say to you that Elijah already came.”  Matthew 17:12

“They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.”  John 1:21

So which is it?!  These verses show us why context is so crucial.  John the Baptist was a sort of Elijah who came before the Messiah.  But he was not The Elijah, back from the dead, restoring the hearts of the children to the fathers before the Messiah comes on Yom Kippur.