So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word Psalm 119;142

A grand drama is to be played out on the stage just before the return of Jesus. It'll be Elijah-on-Mt Carmel redivivus complete with the prophets-of-Baal-at-Kidron-the whole 450. The very last words of the Old Testament spell it out: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mal 4:5).

The scribes and Pharisees therefore naturally expected that this stern old man with a white robe and flowing beard must come before the Messiah could show up. Thus when Jesus appeared on the scene He couldn't possibly be the Messiah. There had been no "Elijah" first. Case closed.

Here's where God seems to have an enormous sense of humor. I say "seems to have," because of course it's not a joke that He played on the Jews. Our heavenly Father doesn't like to fool anyone, especially His own covenant people. But think of that wonderful Messiah being born in a stable with the cows and the goats and the chickens, in Bethlehem! The Jews slept through the grandest Birth of all time. For sure, God took them by surprise.

Likewise, the grand appearance of "Elijah the prophet" went right over their heads. It was all done before they knew what was going on. The message of John the Baptist had been "Elijah"! Malachi's prophecy had been fulfilled before their eyes while they were looking the other way. How dumb can God's people be? Even Jesus' disciples "asked Him, saying, 'Why . . . do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?'" His answer caught them napping: 'I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him. Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist." It was his message! (Mt 17:12,13). Could something great happen while wonderful-wise-"we" don't know what goes on? Time to be humble! Time for blurry eyes to get some "eyesalve." "Elijah must come"!

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