THe sprit of Elijah

[psalms109:31]

Malachi 4:5

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

2 Kings 2:9
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.


2 Kings 2:15
The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.


Luke 1:17
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

I for one don't believe in reincarnation.

Is the spirit of Elijah himself reincarnated in John the Baptist or is it the Holy Spirit that is in Elijah filling John the Baptist?

 

[Jedi Knight]

The "spirit" was the Holy Spirit "with power" was the anointing of the Holy Spirit and not Elijah's spirit. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mothers womb even. Now with that said Elijah did make a personal appearance with Moses in the New Testement....Matthew 17:1-9 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

 

[Pastor Larry]

The "spirit" was the Holy Spirit "with power" was the anointing of the Holy Spirit and not Elijah's spirit.

No, it speaks of the kind of ministry, that there would be one with the kind of ministry that Elijah had. In other words, John the Baptist would be like Elijah in in his ministry and preaching.

 

[Allan]

No, it speaks of the kind of ministry, that there would be one with the kind of ministry that Elijah had. In other words, John the Baptist would be like Elijah in in his ministry and preaching.

I would agree. My main reason for this, in contrast to Jediknight's view, is that scripturally we do not have the Holy Spirit ever being called as the spirit of any man.

 

[Scarlett O.]

There's also two other passages.

Matthew 17:10-13
"The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus replied, 'To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.' Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist."

Matthew 11:11-15
"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear."

I believe that John the Baptist has the same job as Elijah - bringing the people to God.

Here's a good commentary that explains what I believe, but says it better than I can.

(from gotquestions.org)

John did for Jesus what Elijah was to have done for the coming of the Lord, but he was not Elijah reincarnated. Jesus identified John the Baptist in his role as Elijah, while John the Baptist rejected the identification when it came to the religious leaders. How do we reconcile these two teachings? There is a key phrase in Jesus’ identification of John the Baptist with Elijah in the text above that must not be overlooked. He says, “if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah.” In other words, John the Baptist’s identification as Elijah was not predicated upon him being Elijah, but rather upon people’s responses to his role. To those who were willing to believe in Jesus, John the Baptist functioned as Elijah, for they believed in Jesus as Lord. To the religious leaders who rejected Jesus, John the Baptist did not perform this function.

 

[kyredneck]

.... in the spirit and power of Elijah......

.....i.e. 'in like manner', IMO.

Similarities (and I'm sure there's more):

Both Elijah and John had rustic lifestyles and dress (2 Kgs. 1:8; Matt. 1:21);

Both preached judgment (1 Kgs. 17:1; Matt. 3:7 – 10);

Both denounced a king (1 Kgs. 21:19; Matt. 14:4);

Both were brought down by a woman;

Both prophets experienced great success at one point in their work.

Both became discouraged (1 Kgs. 19:4, 10; Matt. 11:2 – 3);

Both were followed by a greater prophet—Elijah by Elisha and John by Jesus (1 Kgs. 19:9; Matt. 3:11 – 12).

http://www.wilmettechurchofchrist.org/bulletin/2009/2009 03 08.pdf

Contrasts:

Elijah never died - he was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot – whereas John was martyred by Herod.

Elijah performed many remarkable miracles. John, as far as we know, performed no miracles at all.

http://revdhj.wordpress.com/2008/07/26/the-spirit-and-power-of-elijah/

 

[Jedi Knight]

opps double posted

 

[Jedi Knight]

I would agree. My main reason for this, in contrast to Jediknight's view, is that scripturally we do not have the Holy Spirit ever being called as the spirit of any man.

Allen the point was that he had the ministry of the Holy Spirit not just somebody talking stuff. Today there are those who are STILL waiting for Elijah to show up because they think it ment HIS "Elijah's" spirit "or person" and missed the point of the text similarly as what you are doing. John the Baptist had the same spirit and power "ministry" on his life...... they we just passing the baton.

 

[Jedi Knight]

No, it speaks of the kind of ministry, that there would be one with the kind of ministry that Elijah had. In other words, John the Baptist would be like Elijah in in his ministry and preaching.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is just that "teaching" as 1 John points out. That is the ministy of the holy spirit and we preach what He"the spirit" teaches us.

 

[psalms109:31]

Forerunner

Malachi 3

1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

Malachi 4:5-6 (New International Version)

5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

Is Elijah promised as a forerunner for the first or second coming or both?