Will we have the prophet Elijah sent before the Tribulation begins or the great tribulation begins?

[myinnuendo999]

Mal 4:5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes."

I'm not sure how to take this verse? Does this mean that if we have not been raptured yet that we might see the prophet Elijah just before the Tribulation begins and if it does mean we will see the prophet Elijah, then we know that the rapture is at any moment since the rapture according to Scripture is before the Tribulation?


thank you

[acceptedinthebeloved]

Mal 4:5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes."

I'm not sure how to take this verse? Does this mean that if we have not been raptured yet that we might see the prophet Elijah just before the Tribulation begins and if it does mean we will see the prophet Elijah, then we know that the rapture is at any moment since the rapture according to Scripture is before the Tribulation?


thank you

As I understand it, the basic phrase "the day of the Lord" can refer to any of the following (depending on the context): the entire 7-yr tribulation period, the second half of the trib, the end of the trib (and in some cases, I believe, even to the Millennial Kingdom).

The phrase "the great and terrible [dreadful] day of the Lord," on the other hand, is (I believe) referring to the second half of the tribulation period (at any rate, it is not referring to the BEGINNING of the 7-yr tribulation period), so therefore, Malachi 4:5 is not about the beginning of the trib, but some point future to that (either at approx. mid-trib, or at some point during the second half of the trib... I tend to believe "the great and terrible [dreadful] day of the Lord" is referring to the second half of the trib).

See also, Joel 2:11, Joel 2:31, Acts 2:20, Matthew 24:21, Jeremiah 30:7, Zephaniah 1:14, and then also Zephaniah 2:3 for context along with that last one... ["It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger" - Zeph 2:3] which I believe refers to the Remnant of Israel being "hidden [protected]" during the second half of the tribulation period (1260 days - Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14).

So, it is my understanding that "Elijah" will come to them at some point during the middle of the tribulation period (which, IMO, may occur at the time of some future Passover, about 1260 days after the beginning of the tribulation period).

Here's a brief quote from Hebcal, regarding Elijah and the Passover meal:
"The third cup of wine is poured, and birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is recited. This is similar to the grace that would be said on any Shabbat. At the end, a blessing is said over the third cup and it is drunk. The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Pesach to do this. The door is opened for a while at this point (supposedly for Elijah..."). See also, the Lord's 7 "I will's" in Exodus 6:6, 7, 8, 9; Malachi 4:4, 5, 6 (the verses before and after Malachi 4:5).



It seems to line up well with Daniel's day-amounts, IMO.

That's how I see it.
Hope that helps.
.

[myinnuendo999]

Thank you acceptedinthebeloved
that helps a lot and makes more sense.

Honestly, I didn't think we would see Elijah because we are in a dispensation of Grace and seeing Elijah were like seeing all the miracles that will happen during the tribulation which doesn't fit our time of grace. things will be kinda like it was in the Old Testament with calling down fire from heaven and rain etc., etc.

sounds like it does happen maybe in the middle or last 3 and 1/2 years

I did get excited though about "if" it happened where we saw him. You know kinda lke the best man just before we see our groom Jesus er sumthing? I'm just excited to see Jesus

[Robert]

As I understand it, the basic phrase "the day of the Lord" can refer to any of the following (depending on the context): the entire 7-yr tribulation period, the second half of the trib, the end of the trib (and in some cases, I believe, even to the Millennial Kingdom).

The phrase "the great and terrible [dreadful] day of the Lord," on the other hand, is (I believe) referring to the second half of the tribulation period (at any rate, it is not referring to the BEGINNING of the 7-yr tribulation period), so therefore, Malachi 4:5 is not about the beginning of the trib, but some point future to that (either at approx. mid-trib, or at some point during the second half of the trib... I tend to believe "the great and terrible [dreadful] day of the Lord" is referring to the second half of the trib).

See also, Joel 2:11, Joel 2:31, Acts 2:20, Matthew 24:21, Jeremiah 30:7, Zephaniah 1:14, and then also Zephaniah 2:3 for context along with that last one... ["It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger" - Zeph 2:3] which I believe refers to the Remnant of Israel being "hidden [protected]" during the second half of the tribulation period (1260 days - Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14).

So, it is my understanding that "Elijah" will come to them at some point during the middle of the tribulation period (which, IMO, may occur at the time of some future Passover, about 1260 days after the beginning of the tribulation period).

Here's a brief quote from Hebcal, regarding Elijah and the Passover meal:
"The third cup of wine is poured, and birkat ha-mazon (grace after meals) is recited. This is similar to the grace that would be said on any Shabbat. At the end, a blessing is said over the third cup and it is drunk. The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Pesach to do this. The door is opened for a while at this point (supposedly for Elijah..."). See also, the Lord's 7 "I will's" in Exodus 6:6, 7, 8, 9; Malachi 4:4, 5, 6 (the verses before and after Malachi 4:5).



It seems to line up well with Daniel's day-amounts, IMO.

That's how I see it.
Hope that helps.
.

Meg and I discussed this verse and the entirety of Malachi chapter 4, and came up with the same conclusion.

[myinnuendo999]

Meg and I discussed this verse and the entirety of Malachi chapter 4, and came up with the same conclusion.

thank you Robert and Meg along with acceptedinthebeloved for your confirmation. to have 3 people agree and come to the same conclusion has protected me from falling into some kind of error. Thank you all

[acceptedinthebeloved]

Robert (and Meg), glad to know that others have come to the same conclusion.

Myinnuendo999, good question... I'm glad you asked it!

[FaithInChrist]

I did get excited though about "if" it happened where we saw him. You know kinda lke the best man just before we see our groom Jesus er sumthing? I'm just excited to see Jesus

ME TOO!! Hallelujah, praise the Lord! We will see him soon.

[Elijah's Mantle]

I reached the same conclusion

I find it interesting that John the baptist once before come in the (spirit)
of Elijah yet in the passage of Mal it is speaking specifically about the prophet Elijah which was actually interestingly enough translated about 5oo years before the time of Malachi and Elijah gets sent back to the earth by the Lord
in the midst of the coming great tribulations we can also read about Elijah and Enoch in Revelations 11:3 they will be used mightily by God in Jerusalem

These two will prepare the way for the second coming of Christ just as John prepared the first Advent of Christ It will be a great day for God's people and yet a terrible day for God's enemies

acceptedinthebeloved good point about the second half

Its the last prophecy to Judah ahactually