Elijah Must First Come

Table of Contents

Last Updated on Mon July 22, 2024 @ 12:47 pm

Was John Not Elijah?

For some, the topic of the coming Elijah foretold in Malachi 4:5 brings up the question of whether this Elijah has come already or not. Some know, others don’t, and still others make claims out of either their ignorance or rebellion to God’s word. Some will claim that this Elijah of Malachi 4 is yet to come. This is usually followed by them being this Elijah – or inferring that you should accept them as such.

Their rationale is that John was not Elijah because “THEY did not accept John the Baptizer as Elijah, so he was not the Elijah that scripture foretold” (Malachi 4:5). With this rationale then, who do THEY accept as Elijah today? So with this same rationale, there is no way that anyone will ever be the foretold “Elijah to come” either – will they? What is most wrong with this rationale is that it is in direct contradiction to what Jesus said… We’ll get to that in a moment.

Another rationale for John not being the promised Elijah to come of Malachi 4 is that John did not restore all things. Again, with that rationale, who today has fulfilled this and restored all things? Surly not the deceiver that is using this rationale. And for what means do they use these two rationals? So that they can make themselves that Elijah.

Another excuse used is that John denied he was Elijah when asked. This is another prominent point of the coming Elijah – he will not pronounce himself to be Elijah, he will be proclaimed to be Elijah. As was John by Jesus. If Jesus’ words don’t mean enough to you to believe and accept John as Elijah – as Jesus said he was – then go ahead and believe the lies of these Elijah wannabee decivers.

Was William Branham Elijah?

As stated on Believe The Sign, “His followers (estimated at between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people) believe him [William Marion Branham] to be Elijah the Prophet, the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5.” As seen also in many of his teachings. This is significant as many of the followers of Brother R.G. Stair believe in William Branham also, but Brother Stair teaches that he [Brother Stair] is the Elijah messenger, the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5.

Brother Stair believes he is the Malachi Messenger and teaches that William Branham did not fulfill it. This is contrary to what Wm Branham taught and to what his followers believe. So why does Brother Stair uphold William Branham as a true prophet and yet deny his teachings? [Just like Pastor Rice does with Bro Stair] He does it for the advantage of using his person for his own advantage? (Jude 1:16). [Just like Pastor Rice does with Bro Stair]

The Testimony of Jesus

Jesus told His followers who asked this question about John and Elijah, that John was indeed the Elijah that was to come (Matt 17:11). Why look ye for another? (Matthew 11:3) Because someone told you to – it’s that simple.

For someone to twist Jesus’ words to say that Jesus said “John was not the Elijah to come” on the account that “THEY did not receive him as such” would also disqualify anyone as Elijah today because THEY do not accept today’s Elijah’s as even holy men yet alone some great prophet. THEY at least did receive John as a prophet and a holy man (Matt 14:5). This is not the people’s view of Brother Stair.

Jesus did not say that John was not the Elijah to come on account that THEY did not receive him as such. Jesus made the point that THEY missed out on the Elijah to come because THEY did not receive John as fulfilling that scripture. John didn’t miss out on being Elijah because of their unbelief, THEY that refused to believe that John was the promised Elijah Messanger missed out. Are you one of them? Bro Stair is.

Is that what we have done? Missed out on who Elijah was because some Elijah wannabe does not accept John as “the Elijah to come” and teaches others to do the same so that he can claim the title? Is someone deceiving and misleading you into rejecting Jesus’ revelation of Elijah? (1John 4:1)

The Revelation of Jesus

Jesus clearly declared that John was the Elijah to come (Matt 11:14-15). Jesus further explained that those who did not believe that John was “the Elijah that was to come” missed out on the revelation because “Elijah has indeed come” (Mark 9:13). Jesus tells His disciples, that those who did not accept this truth are therefore the ‘they’ that missed out on it.

They in no way nullified this truth by their unbelief (Rom 3:3). It was their loss, not John’s and not the disciples. Jesus tells us that not only has Elijah come in John but that “they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him” (Mark 9:13). Where is this fulfilled in any “Elijah Messenger” today? What has been done to Wm Branham or Bro Stair that was written of in the Word of God?

But I Tell You

False Elijah’s will tell you what they want you to believe about this. Jesus speaks directly to these false Elijah’s saying, But I [Jesus] tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him (Matt 17:12). Are you of those who don’t recognize John to be the foretold Elijah? Is someone telling you to not recognize John as the Elijah messenger? You’d better run for your life! They are lying on Jesus!

Why are they then twisting the scriptures when Jesus spoke so clearly on this matter? Is it to make themselves out to be some great one (Acts 8:9-11)? For what does it profit the Church today if John was not Elijah and another man is? One thing you can be sure of, anyone claiming that there is an Elijah Messenger to come is not pointing out anyone other than themselves to be this Elijah Messenger. They are blowing their own trumpet to get glory from men (Matt 6:2).

Why Look Ye For Another?

Jesus said, “Elijah has indeed come” (Mark 9:13). Why then are some looking for another (Matt 11:3)? Or teaching you to look for another? Because some wish to deceive you and be some great one (Acts 8:9-10), an Elijah, to be the Sign to the world or to the body of Christ. This is the common Messianic Complex that brings us many Elijah’s, Moses’, and Jesus’ today, and most of them end up in Israel, specifically Jerusalem. The same destination that Brother Stair has his sights on.

It is termed the Jerusalem Syndrome because of this. Brother Stair still preaches to this day that, “Elijah must first come”. He further says “I’m not going to argue with you believing that I am Elijah” (2014). You will not hear Brother Stair quote Jesus’ words that “Elijah has indeed come” (Mark 9:13), because Brother Stair is not one of those who will receive it from Jesus – Brother Stair does not have ears to hear what Jesus said (Matt 11:14-15). He has denied Christ. Perhaps this is because he claims to be greater than Christ.

The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord

Another rationale is that Malachi says THIS Elijah comes before the “great and dreadful day of the LORD” and that Jesus’ first coming was not the “great and dreadful day of the LORD”. Even if you want to believe that, and that this Day was some future Day, that does not stop the fact that John (as Elijah) came before this “great and dreadful day of the LORD”.

The Elijah of Malachi 4:5 turns hearts to repentance, so that when Christ comes He will not smite the earth with a curse. That would not be His last coming when He returns to do just that. Malachi 4:5 is clear that it is not talking about an Elijah in the End Times just before the great and dreadful day of the LORD (Mal 4:1). The Elijah of the last verse is in contrast to the Day of Judgment of the first verse. Read it!

Malachi was speaking this to a people in expectation of the great and dreadful day of the LORD coming, as such, Malachi is saying before that happens – long before in this case – that there will be a day of restoration by Elijah. Malachi is not saying that this Elijah is coming JUST before the final great and dreadful day of the LORD. That error is what the deceivers want you to think – so that they can step into the new Elijah position that they just created (Lk 21:8; Mk 13:5; Mt 24:4-5).

The Elijah Messenger

The Jews still await their Messiah because they missed out on the “Elijah messenger” – John. They still set a place for this Elijah to come at Passover awaiting his coming. They are without their Messiah because they still look for His forerunner, Elijah. Beware if this is the teaching that you are hearing especially if it’s one you are following! It puts you outside of the covenant of Christ, without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, awaiting the coming of an Anointed One to lead and guide you – the Elijah Messenger. You’ve missed the boat. Elijah has already come, and [you] did not recognize him (Matt 17:12).

Do not be fooled, or of those who missed his coming because they would not receive John as Elijah (Matt 11:14-15). “Elijah has already come” (Mark 9:13; Matt 17:12). Receive and believe the Word of God on the matter – or side with the unbelievers who still look for Elijah to come. Your belief in the matter may determine your destiny. What you believe is very important. Why look ye for another?

A Pointer To Christ’s Return?

What did Jesus ask His followers to be looking for? The question asked of those who stand “looking for the coming of Jesus” is, “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” (Acts 1:11) As honorable as awaiting Christ’s return may seem, it is a deadly distraction used by almost all cults and leads to impotence in the present truth.

Related: Reprobate Concerning The Faith

This same Jesus does not ask His followers to be “looking up” awaiting His return, or turning to another to lead and guide them. Scriptures tell us that Jesus’ return is not marked by Messengers, Elijah’s, or prophets, but that He “shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Without all the fanfare of men seeking greatness to announce it. Or to give Jesus back His title of Son of Man from one that claims to be greater than Jesus.

Anyone telling you any different than the scripture is seeking their own glory – not Christ’s. They may (and usually do) emphasize the soon coming of Christ or that they are His special messenger, but all they are really doing is focusing you upon themselves. They are seeking their own glory, using Christ as a means to achieve it. They point only to themselves while using Christ as an excuse to do so. “They use My Name in vain”, “In vain do they worship Me” (Ex 20:7).

The Elijah of Malachi 4:5 turns hearts to repentance, so that when Christ comes He will not smite the earth with a curse. If this were talking about an Elijah who comes at the End Times when Christ returns to smite the earth with a curse (the great and dreadful day of the LORD) then there is no use in sending him to turn hearts. It’s too late at that point. Thus any teaching that makes the Elijah of Malachi 4:5 out to be some End Time Elijah and discredites John whom Jesus declared to be this Elijah – is a false teaching (Matt 11:14-15).

Look Up?

Not according to the true Messengers of His departing are we to be looking up (Acts 1:11). Jesus made it clear that His followers are to be about His business of preaching the gospel unto the world, and that they would still be doing that when He returned – not waiting for Him (read Matt 10:23). Jesus also told His followers that they would not be taken by surprise at His return, that that day should not overtake them as a thief for they are not in darkness (1Thes 5:4-5).

These Elijah wannabes are therefore telling you that you are in darkness and that you will not know the times without them. These are liars foretold of old that should come – believe them not (Jude 1:14-16). They are fulfilling scripture, but not the parts you want to have any part of.

You were told to abide in Christ (John 15) as Christ has given you an anointing and “the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him” (1John 2:27).

We are not to abide in an Elijah or some special messenger, or even a prophet. We are to abide in Christ alone (John 15:1-27; 1John 2:27). It’s when we get away from doing this that we open ourselves to other voices that present themselves to be the signs that we must heed or we will not know what God is doing for this time. That is the lie of the deceiver. It keeps you focused on him and not on Christ, in Whom dwells all the fullness, you are complete in him (Col 2:8-10). Is that somehow not enough for you that you sought another?

This lie is much like what the Serpent told Eve in the Garden. Assuring her that God was not enough – you need a man to lead you. Like how some ‘messangers‘ pervert Acts 8:31 with Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch to get you to believe and say “How can I [understand] except some man should guide me?”. That Ethiopian eunuch was not saved at that point and when he got saved Philip was taken from him – because he no longer needed a man to guide him (Acts 8:31, 39; 1Jn 2:27). If you’re saved you have God’s anointing on you through His Spirit in you (1John 2:27). Flee from these liars trying to sell you on their Elijah anointing. You have a better one. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth (1Jn 2:20, 27 NIV).

Look Out!

This issue of abiding in Christ – the true Vine (John 15:1-16) brings up another false teaching, supported by a scripture, Keep yourselves in the love of God. This is often used out of context from the intent of Jude 1:21. The context as seen in the next verse is not applied by these false teachers, Be merciful to those who doubt (Jude 1:22 NIV).

These same proponents of YOU keeping yourself in the love of God (which they will define for you what exactly that means and what they expect from you) show no mercy or compassion on those who doubt their words. In fact, these men are defined three verses prior, These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit (Jude 1:19 NASB).

The error of misquoting Jude 1:21 by only spouting Keep yourselves in the love of God is ignoring why and from what we are to be keeping ourselves from: Mockers in the Last Time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit (Jude 1:18-19). These immediately preceding verses identify these shysters in detail. We have to keep ourselves in the love of God to keep away from such men.

Jude starts identifying these certain men as having ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and that they speak harsh things against Him (God and His people) (Jude 1:15). Jude drills down further to show us just who he’s talking about here, that are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage (Jude 1:16). Sound familiar?

This list of attributes (fruits) narrows the field of who he’s speaking of. We covered all of them and Peter’s parallel in the articles Test the Spirits and The Advantage of Admiring Persons.

All these things characterize (are the character of, the fruit of, the works of) many of those claiming to be the Elijah messenger today. Still, we find one of these Elijah wannabees quoting several words out of the midst of this, Keep yourselves in the love of God. Why is this? To what advantage does this give them? (Jude 1:16)

Flee!

These certain men have crept in unawares, they profess to us they are godly men but in their works, they deny this with their abominable works, disobedience to God’s holiness, and unto every good work reprobate (Jude 1:4; Titus 1:16). To the pure all things are pure (Titus 1:15). But these perverts use that verse against us because they tell us that if we were pure we would see their wickedness as pure. Yet it is their defiled mind and conscience that has nothing pure in it that perverts even purity (Titus 1:15).

They are not pure because then all things would be pure to them and they would not do or say impure things. The reason (that they don’t understand) that all things are pure to pure people is that pure people walk in purity – these certain men do not. Titus is not saying (as these perverts say) that if you’re pure then even wickedness will be seen as purity. This is Satanic heresy! Propogated by sexual perverts so they can justify a grace for them to continue in their sins (Rom 6:1-2).

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace,
with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart
(2Timothy 2:22)
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body;
but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body
(1Corinthians 6:18)
That He might present it to Himself a glorious church,
not having spot, or wrinkle, or anysuchthing;
but that it should be holy and without blemish
(Ephesians 5:27)
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works
(2Timothy 3:17)

The Malachi Message

If you’re looking for the Message from Malachi that is befitting of the Overcomer Ministry, you’ll find it in chapter one. The Witness has spoken!

And if his descendants should say, ‘We will rebuild the ruins,’ then the Lord Almighty will say, ‘Try to if you like, but I will destroy it again,’ for their country is named ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people are called ‘Those Whom God Does Not Forgive.’” (Malachi 1:4 TLB)

Last Day Prophets of God

If What I Have Preached is Not True, I’m a Liar

Would God Send You To A False Prophet?

If I Die Before My Time – You’re Gonna Go to Hell

Christianity Will Not Endure After My Death

Brother Stair is God in Your Midst

Last Day Prophets of God-3

Not A Vision of a Man that Speaks It

In the Days of the Voice of the Seventh Angel

Seven Deadly Thunders

Son of Man Today

Greater than Jesus