The fact that Jesus said Elijah had come in Mat 17:10 and that Elihjah will come in the future in Mark 9:11-12 should have alerted you to the fact that John and Elijah have something in common as opposed John being the fulfillment of Mal.4:5-6. It is also a no brainer to discern that the terrible day of the Lord has not occurred yet, which is the foremost and easiest to understand concept about Mal. 4:5-6 that should have caused you to toss your thoughts about John the Baptist fulfilling Mal. 4:5-6 in the trash and start all over.Well, I am certainly no intellectual and I’m certainly not butchering anything.
In his humanity, John did NOT understand that the spirit and power constituted A return of Elijah. We know he was Elijah, because Jesus told us he was Elijah. John did not lie when he said he was Not Elijah. He simply did Not understand. Either that or he lied, which I strongly doubt.
John 1:21
And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
However, Jesus, being God explains that John was in fact Elijah.
Matthew 11:14
14And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who [l]was to come.
For those who are willing to accept it. Even today, it appears that on this thread, that there are still some unwilling to accept that John was Elijah. But see above Jesus says he was Elijah.
Spirit and power= return of Elijah.
Therefore, when Jesus says in
Matthew 17:11
That Elijah will restore all things (future), Jesus is telling us in Matthew 17:12 that he will come again, just as John was Elijah. In spirit and in power of Elijah. For God, the spirit and power of Elijah, is A return of Elijah.
Mat 17:10-12) And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" {11} And He answered and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things; {12} but I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands."
(Mark 9:11-12) And they asked Him, saying, "Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" {12} And He said to them, "Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?
Mal 4:5-6 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. 6 "And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse."
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