John the Baptist is connected to the Elijah prophecy as the promised forerunner of Israel's King, while Malachi's Elijah still looks ahead to the day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:5-6 promises that Elijah will be sent before the great and dreadful day of the LORD. Les Feldick shows John the Baptist was the God-promised messenger who announced the King and the kingdom, but Israel rejected the King and the kingdom. Jesus' words in Matthew 11:14 tie John to Elijah conditionally: 'And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.' Because Israel did not receive the King, the Elijah prophecy remains connected to the future day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:5-6 — The Old Testament promise that Elijah would come before the day of the LORD, which anchors the whole question.
Matthew 11:14 — Jesus directly identifies John as the Elijah who was to come, but only 'if ye will receive it.'
In Malachi 4:5-6, the LORD promises, 'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.' Malachi 3:1 also declares, 'Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.' Luke 1:74-76 describes John the Baptist as the child who 'shalt be called the prophet of the Highest' and who would 'go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.'
Les Feldick draws the connection between John the Baptist and the Elijah prophecy from Malachi 4:5-6. He then turns to Matthew 11, where Jesus speaks about John the Baptist during His earthly ministry. Les emphasizes that John was the promised messenger who announced the King and the kingdom of heaven — the King was in Israel's midst, so the kingdom was at hand. However, Israel rejected the King and the kingdom, and Jesus was crucified and taken back to glory. For Les, that rejection keeps the Elijah prophecy open: Malachi's Elijah is still connected to the future great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:5-6 says God will send Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the LORD, and Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to their fathers, lest God smite the earth with a curse. Les reads this as a plain promise that Elijah will come before that day.
Les teaches that the 'messenger of the covenant' in Malachi 3:1 was John the Baptist, promised to announce the King. John's ministry called Israel to repent and be baptized because the kingdom of heaven was at hand — the King was standing in their midst. John also said the one coming after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
While in prison, John heard of Christ's works and sent disciples to ask, 'Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?' Jesus answered by pointing to the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, lepers being cleansed, the deaf hearing, the dead being raised, and the poor hearing the gospel — a direct confirmation of His identity.
Les teaches that John announced the kingdom was at hand because the King was present. But Israel rejected the King and the kingdom and crucified Jesus. Jesus was then called back up to glory and seated at the Father's right hand. The kingdom offer was set aside, and the promised King and kingdom did not come at that time.
Because Malachi says Elijah will come before the great and dreadful day of the LORD, and because Israel did not receive the King, Les points to Elijah still to come before the day of the Lord. This is why the Elijah prophecy remains connected with end-time events rather than being completely fulfilled in John the Baptist.
Malachi's Elijah and Matthew 11
Les reads Malachi 4:5-6 as a plain promise that Elijah will come before the day of the Lord, then moves to Matthew 11 where Jesus speaks about John the Baptist.
Israel's Rejection of the King and Kingdom
Les shows John the Baptist announced the kingdom of heaven because the King was in Israel's midst, but Israel rejected the King and kingdom and crucified Him.
John as the Promised Messenger
Les identifies John the Baptist as the promised messenger who would announce the King, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant.
John's Baptism and the Coming One
Les notes that John, addressing Jews, said he baptized with water but the coming One would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Why God Chooses the Weak: Lessons from Moses and the Cross
Now, when John, that is, John the Baptist, had heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto him, that is, through the disciples, he said to Jesus, Art thou he that should come? Or do we look for another? Now, can you imagine a man like John the Baptist, having fulfilled the ministry that he had, comes to the place where he questions, but he does.
John's Question from Prison
Les projects into John's situation: after announcing the King and seeing Christ's baptism, John wonders from prison why Jesus, if truly the Christ, does not set him free.
John as the Forerunner of the Highest
Les shows from Luke 1 that John was appointed to be the prophet and forerunner of the Highest, announcing deliverance to Israel.
Jesus Confirms His Works to John
Jesus answers John's disciples by pointing to the miracles — blind receive sight, lame walk, lepers cleansed, deaf hear, dead raised, and poor hear the gospel — confirming He is the Christ.
Malachi 4:5: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
This is the foundational prophecy about Elijah's coming before the day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:6: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
This describes Elijah's restorative ministry before the day of the Lord.
Malachi 3:1: Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Les identifies this messenger with John the Baptist, who came to announce the King.
Matthew 3:2: And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
John's message announced that the kingdom was near because the King was present.
Matthew 3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
John distinguished his water baptism from the Spirit baptism the coming Messiah would bring.
Matthew 11:4-5: Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Jesus answered John's question by pointing to the miracles and preaching that confirmed His identity.
Matthew 11:11: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Jesus gives John the Baptist high honor while pointing to the future kingdom.
Matthew 11:14: And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Jesus ties John the Baptist to the promised Elijah, but with the condition 'if ye will receive it.'
Luke 1:76: And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
This identifies John's role as the forerunner who would prepare the way for the Lord.
Yes, in Matthew 11:14 Jesus said, 'And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.' The phrase 'if ye will receive it' shows the connection was conditional on Israel's response to the offered King and kingdom.
Les Feldick teaches that because Israel rejected the King, the kingdom was postponed, and Malachi's prophecy of Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD remains unfulfilled. This is why Elijah is still expected in end-time events.
Les teaches that the 'messenger of the covenant' in Malachi 3:1 was John the Baptist, promised to announce the King. John fulfilled that role through his ministry of repentance and baptism.
Watch the Teaching: Who Are the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11?