The closing words of the Old Testament leave us with a tantalising prophecy. As the curtain falls on Malachi’s prophecy, God makes a remarkable promise (Malachi 4:5-6).

This final prophetic utterance—before four centuries of divine silence—serves as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments. They point forward to a dramatic return of one of Israel’s greatest prophets before the Day of the Lord. But who exactly is this promised Elijah? Has he already come in the person of John the Baptist? Or should we still expect the literal Elijah to return before Christ’s second coming?

 

THE PROMISED ELIJAH: PROPHECY IN CONTEXT

Malachi ministered at a difficult time in Israel’s history, around 450-400 BC. The temple had been rebuilt, but the glorious restoration many hoped for hadn’t materialised. Religious observance had become perfunctory, and moral standards had declined. Against this backdrop, Malachi delivered God’s final recorded Old Testament message.

The prophecy about Elijah forms the climactic conclusion to Malachi’s book. The “great and awesome day of the LORD” referred to a coming divine intervention—a day of judgement and salvation deeply embedded in prophetic literature. In passages such as Joel 2:31 and Zephaniah 1:14-18, this “Day of the Lord” represented God’s decisive action to judge evil and vindicate the righteous.

Elijah wasn’t a random choice. As Israel’s perhaps most dramatic prophet—who confronted false prophets at Mount Carmel and was taken to heaven in a whirlwind (1 Kings 18, 2 Kings 2)—Elijah represented the epitome of prophetic ministry. Jewish tradition gave his prophecy special significance, even reserving a cup for Elijah during Passover celebrations in anticipation of his return.

 

THE PROMISED ELIJAH: FULFILLMENT IN JOHN THE BAPTIST

When we turn to the New Testament, we find something remarkable—Jesus explicitly identifies John the Baptist as the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy (Matthew 11:13-14).  Later, after the Transfiguration where the disciples saw Elijah, Jesus reaffirmed this connection (Matthew 17:12-13).

Even before John’s birth, an angel had announced to Zechariah that his son would “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God… in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:16-17).

The parallel with Malachi’s words, then, is unmistakable. John embodied the prophetic ministry of Elijah—calling people to repentance, speaking truth to power, and preparing the way for the Lord’s coming. Yet a puzzle remains. When directly asked if he was Elijah, John the Baptist denied it (John 1:21).

How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction? The key lies in understanding the difference between being Elijah literally and fulfilling the prophetic role of Elijah. John came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17), not as the reincarnation or literal return of the historical prophet.

 

THE PROMISED ELIJAH: REFORMED INTERPRETATIONS

Reformed theology has generally embraced Jesus’ identification of John the Baptist as the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy. After all, prophecy often finds its fulfillment in a nuanced way.

John Calvin, in his commentary on Malachi, wrote: “John the Baptist was Elijah, as he was a true successor to Elijah, and endowed with the same Spirit.” Calvin emphasised we should look beyond literal fulfillment to understand how God accomplishes His purposes through typological patterns.

Reformed interpreters typically approach the prophecy through several key principles:

• Typological fulfillment: John wasn’t literally Elijah, but fulfilled the prophetic pattern Elijah established.
• Christ-centred interpretation: The ultimate purpose of the prophecy was to prepare for Christ’s coming.
• Covenant focus: The reconciliation of “fathers to children” relates to covenant renewal and restoration.
• Divine sovereignty: God fulfilled His promise in ways that transcended human expectations, demonstrating His perfect wisdom.

Most Reformed scholars see John the Baptist as the primary fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy, specifically regarding Christ’s first coming. The “great and awesome day of the LORD” in this interpretation relates primarily to the judgement and the great salvation accomplished through Christ’s earthly ministry, death, and resurrection.

 

THE HEART OF THE PROPHECY: RECONCILIATION

Central to Malachi’s prophecy is the work of reconciliation—”he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.” This powerful image speaks to restoration within the covenant community.

In the immediate context of Malachi, this likely referred to reconnecting the people with their covenant ancestors—restoring fidelity to the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob rather than continuing in apostasy. It represented a spiritual renewal that would prevent judgment (“lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction”).

John’s ministry fulfilled this by calling people to repentance and renewal of covenant faithfulness in preparation for the Messiah. His baptism of repentance created a restored community ready to receive Christ.

As Jesus said of John, “he is Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:14), accomplishing the preparatory work Malachi foretold. John’s ministry bridged the old and new covenants, fulfilling his role as the final prophet of the old order and herald of the new.

 

THE PROMISED ELIJAH: DO WE EXPECT A RETURN?

A question remains: Was Malachi’s prophecy completely fulfilled in John the Baptist, or should we expect another “Elijah” before Christ’s second coming?

Reformed theology offers several perspectives on this question:

1. Complete fulfillment view: Some scholars consider the prophecy to be entirely fulfilled in John the Baptist. They point to Jesus’ clear statements identifying John as “Elijah who was to come” (Matthew 11:14) and explaining that “Elijah has already come” (Matthew 17:12). This view sees no biblical basis for expecting another Elijah-like figure before the Second Coming.
2. Partial fulfillment view: Some suggest John the Baptist fulfilled part of the prophecy related to Christ’s first coming, but another Elijah-like prophet may precede His second coming. Proponents cite the “already/not yet” pattern common in biblical prophecy and note Revelation mentions two witnesses (often identified as Moses and Elijah) who will prophesy during the end times (Revelation 11:3-12).
3. Multiple fulfilment view: Others propose the prophecy may have multiple applications throughout redemptive history. John fulfilled it for his generation, but God may raise up “Elijah-like” ministers before Christ’s return who call people to repentance and covenant renewal.

The appearance of Elijah (along with Moses) at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) adds another dimension to this question. Some interpret this as affirming Elijah’s continuing role in God’s redemptive plan, while others see it as symbolically connecting the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) to their fulfillment in Christ.

Most Reformed teachers emphasise that whether or not there will be another individual fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy, the church continues the ministry of reconciliation and preparation that Malachi described.

 

CONCLUSION: THE PROMISED ELIJAH

Malachi’s prophecy about Elijah finds its primary fulfillment in John the Baptist, who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” to prepare the way for Christ’s first coming. Jesus Himself confirms this interpretation. John’s insistence that he wasn’t Elijah suggests he wasn’t literally the prophet himself but rather a spiritual successor.

The heart of the prophecy—reconciliation and covenant renewal—was powerfully realised through John’s ministry of repentance and baptism. He successfully prepared a people to receive their Messiah, fulfilling Malachi’s words and bridging the Old and New Testaments.

Whether we should expect another Elijah-like figure before Christ’s return remains a matter of theological discussion among Reformed interpreters. What’s certain is that the ultimate fulfillment of all prophecy is found in Christ Himself, who accomplishes the final reconciliation between God and humanity.

 

THE PROMISED ELIJAH: RELATED FAQs

Why did ancient Jews place such importance on the return of Elijah? In Jewish tradition, Elijah never died but was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11), making his potential return uniquely plausible. Beyond Malachi’s prophecy, Elijah became associated with key messianic expectations, and rabbinical literature suggested he would resolve difficult religious disputes, restore the tribes of Israel, and anoint the Messiah. This special status explains why the Passover Seder includes an empty chair and cup for Elijah, symbolising the anticipation of redemption.

How did Jesus’ Transfiguration, where Elijah appeared, relate to Malachi’s prophecy? The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) occurred shortly after Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ and directly preceded a conversation about Elijah’s return. Elijah’s appearance alongside Moses represented the Law and the Prophets bearing witness to Jesus as the fulfillment of both. This event confirmed Jesus’ messianic identity. The disciples’ question about Elijah’s coming allowed Jesus to clarify John the Baptist had already fulfilled that prophetic role.

Why did John the Baptist dress and live like Elijah if he denied being him? John’s clothing of camel’s hair and leather belt (Matthew 3:4) intentionally mirrored Elijah’s appearance (2 Kings 1:8), creating a visual connection for first-century Jews familiar with these descriptions. His wilderness lifestyle and confrontational message to authorities also paralleled Elijah’s ministry. These similarities were likely deliberate prophetic symbolism rather than personal identification—John understood his role was to fulfil the prophetic function of Elijah while maintaining that he was not literally the returned historical prophet.

How have dispensationalist interpretations differed from Reformed views on Malachi’s prophecy? Dispensationalist theologians typically argue for a future literal fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy in addition to its partial fulfillment in John the Baptist. Many dispensationalists identify Elijah as one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 who will minister during the Tribulation period. This differs from the traditional Reformed view, which generally sees John the Baptist as the complete fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy for the gospel age, emphasizing typological rather than strictly literal prophetic fulfillment.

What does “turning the hearts of fathers to their children” mean in practical terms? In practical terms, this phrase speaks to reconciliation across generational divides within the covenant community. It implies restoring family relationships broken by sin and idolatry, re-establishing proper spiritual leadership in households, and renewing intergenerational transmission of faith. The gospel accomplishes this reconciliation by bringing people of all ages into right relationship with God our Father, healing family fractures, and establishing a new community where spiritual legacies are faithfully passed from one generation to the next.

How did early Church Fathers interpret Malachi’s Elijah prophecy? Many early Church Fathers, including Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen, accepted John the Baptist as the fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy based on Jesus’ explicit statements. However, some patristic writers, notably Hippolytus and Augustine, suggested a dual fulfillment—acknowledging John’s role while anticipating Elijah’s literal return before Christ’s second coming. These early interpretations reveal that Christians have long wrestled with the tension between John as the functional Elijah and expectations of the historical prophet’s future appearance.

How does Malachi’s prophecy connect to the broader theme of “forerunners” in Scripture? Throughout Scripture, God often sends messengers to prepare the way for significant divine interventions—Noah before the flood, Moses before the Exodus, and prophets before judgement. Malachi’s Elijah prophecy fits this pattern of divine forerunners who call for repentance and preparation. This pattern culminates in John the Baptist preparing for Christ’s first coming and potentially extends to the church as forerunner of Christ’s return, proclaiming repentance and reconciliation before the final Day of the Lord.

 

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