Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Must there be a Restoration in preparation for the second coming of Christ?
Answer: "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of RESTITUTION of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." — Acts 3:20-24.
Q. Who is the prophet like unto Moses who shall bring about the restitution of all things?
A. "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." — Matthew 17:11.
Q. To what prophecy was Jesus referring when he said, "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things?"
A. "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." — Malachi 4:5.
Note— The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek, hence we find Elijah in the Old and Elias in the New; the same as the words Noah and Isaiah are written Noe and Esaias in the New Testament.
Q. Was the preparation made by John the Baptist in the wilderness of Judea just “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of The Lord” or is that “day” still in the future?
A. "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come."— Joel 2:31
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:"—Matthew 24: 29, 30.
Q. But didn't an angel of the Lord tell Zacharias that his son whose name should be John would fulfill that prophecy in Malachi 4:5 and 6?
A. Yes, "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." — Luke 1:17.
Q. What other Biblical proof have we that John the Baptist is the Elijah or the Elias which shall restore all things?
A. "And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist." — Matthew 17:10-13.
"And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come." — Matthew 11:14.
"And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at naught. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him." — Mark 9:12, 13.
"And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,... And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shall go before the face of the Lord lo prepare his ways;" — Luke 1:67 and 76.
Q. What proof is here in the Bible that John the Baptist was resurrected, so that he could come the second time to prepare the way for Christ's second coming?
A. "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."— Matthew 27:52, 53.
Q. And what proof is there that he was a saint?
A. "For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:"—Luke 7:28. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:"— Matthew 11:11.
Q. Is there any proof that the one to prepare the way should come as an angel?
A. "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountain of waters."—Revelation 14: 6, 7.
"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory."—Revelation 18:1.
"And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." -- Revelation 22:6-7.
Q. What signs have been given us that we may know when this preparation is taking place?
A. "... the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, and they shall run like the lightnings."—Nahum 2: 3, 4.
"And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts."—Malachi 3:5.
Q. But what does John the Baptist have to offer me that I don't already have?
"... for the hour of his judgment is come:"—Revelation 14:7.
A. "... for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi (ministry), and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years."—Malachi 3:2-4.
"To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (sunrising) from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."—Luke 1: 77-79.
"... having the everlasting gospel (with its restored authority) to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,"—Revelation 14:6.
He is the "servant" sent with your invitation to the "great supper" of Luke 14.
"... then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." — Daniel 8:14.
"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."—Daniel 2:44.
Q. But isn't it sufficient to keep the full gospel law, as given in the Bible? What's the difference if we don't obey the Messages?
A. "... him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."— Acts 3:22, 23.
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."—Deuteronomy 18:19.
Please Contact us today for any questions you might have about The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message.