The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Prophecy and dual fulfillment

This prophesy was fulfilled in John the Baptist as he came "in the spirit of Elijah" (Lk 1:17). As you know, Elijah wasn't prophesied to come back from the dead, which view some have believed to be true. In fact, in Luke 1:76f, John's ministry is said to be that which was prophesied in Isaiah 40:3-5. He was to be the forerunner of the Messiah who was to come. Thus we can say with confidence, that what was prophesied in Malachi was fulfilled BEFORE the actual, official ministry of Christ, which began when John the Baptist baptized Him and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.

There are some commentators, e.g., T.V. Moore who believe that although the Malachi prophesy was fulfilled in John the Baptist, it continued to be fulfilled through history in those great "heroes of the faith", e.g., Martin Luther, John Calvin, Knox, etc. as the announced the great sovereign reformation of the Church. They also believe that there will be others also, who in like manner will herald the coming of further great outpourings of grace, in reformation and revival before Christ actually returns. I'll leave the possibility of this being a right application of the prophesy to your own thinking. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In His Grace,