JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

July 1987

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your recent question as to whether Malachi 4:5-6 means that the prophet Elijah will reappear on earth before Christ's Second Coming.

This prophecy is dual -- it has two fulfillments! It was first fulfilled by the man who prepared the way for Christ's human ministry, John the Baptist (Matt. 17:10-13).

The angel who announced his coming birth applied the passage from Malachi directly to John: "And he [John the Baptist] shall go before him [Christ] IN THE SPIRIT AND POWER of Elias [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 1:17).

Clearly, John was not Elijah reincarnated (the Bible nowhere teaches reincarnation). But, John was given Elijah's office -- he performed a similar ministry. Elijah, of course, was the man who, with power from God, witnessed to a rebellious nation and commanded the people, "If the Lord be God, follow him" (I Kings 18:21).

When John began preaching repentance and baptizing in the wilderness, the priests and Levites came from Jerusalem and asked him if he were Elijah. John answered, "I am not" (John 1:19-23). But, Jesus Himself said that John was in fact the prophesied "Elijah" of that day (Matt. 11:7-15).

The second stage of this prophecy was to be fulfilled in the last days -- "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5). At the close of this present evil age, the message of "Elijah" is again to be thundered to disobedient Israel as a witness and to prepare a people for Christ's Second Coming.

The Worldwide Church of God is doing this through the "open door" of the mass media; it is proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in every part of the world in power and in love on television, by the printed word, and by personal example (please see Matthew 5:13-16; 24:14 and Revelation 3:8).

If you would like to receive a copy of our booklet WHAT IS THE TRUE GOSPEL?, please feel welcome to request it. We would be happy to send you a copy free upon your request.

We appreciate this opportunity to be of service.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT