Elijah-Elisha Ministry

By Mark Farquharson

One of the things that is going to happen before Christ returns to the earth, is that Elijah will come. Day of Yahweh is the Day of the Lord, when Christ returns.

Malachi 4:5 'Behold! I will send to you Elijah, the prophet, before the coming of the great and fearful Day of Yahweh. And he shall restore the heart of the fathers to the sons and the heart of the sons to their fathers, lest I shall come and smite the earth to its doom.' CLV

In the above passage we see that Elijah would come back before the return of Christ. However that does not mean Elijah would literally come back before Christ literally returned.

I firmly believe that Elijah is dead, and that he has not be resurrected. Thus I believe that while he was taken up in to heaven, he did return to the earth, and physically die. Also briefly it does not mean he was taken up into the heaven where the angels are, he could have just be taken into the sky, because the sky is one of the heavens. He will be resurrected at the time that all dead believers are resurrected, at the return of Christ. I do believe that there will be a literal coming of Christ.

Matthew 17:11 Now He, answering, said to them that "Elijah is indeed coming, and will be restoring all." CLV

There is no need for a literal return of Elijah, to fulfill the words of Christ in Matthew. This is because another person or group can be a representation of Elijah.

Matthew 17:10-13 And His disciples inquire of Him, saying, 'Why, then, are the scribes saying that Elijah must be coming first? Now He, answering, said to them that "Elijah is indeed coming, and will be restoring all." Yet I am saying to you that Elijah came already, and they did not recognize him, but they do to him whatever they will. Thus the Son of Mankind also is about to be suffering by them." Then the disciples understand that He spoke to them concerning John the baptist. CLV

Thus we see that John the baptist was a type of Elijah, but the scribes did not recognize him. Note that John the baptist was not Elijah, Elijah had not be resurrected.

Luke 1:13-19 Now the messenger said to him, "Fear not, Zechariah, because hearkened to is your petition, and your wife Elizabeth shall be bearing you a son, and you shall be calling his name John." And there will be joy for you, and exultation, and many shall be rejoicing at his birth, for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord. And wine and intoxicant may he under no circumstances be drinking, and with holy spirit shall he be filled while still of his mother's womb." And many of the sons of Israel shall he be turning back to the Lord their God. And he shall be coming before in His sight in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn back the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the stubborn to the prudence of the just, to make ready a people formed for the Lord." And Zechariah said to the messenger, "By what shall I know this? For I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days." And answering, the messenger said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was dispatched to speak to you and to bring you this evangel." CLV

This passage above also confirms that John had the spirit and power of Elijah, but he was not Elijah.

John 1:19-22 And this is the testimony of John when the Jews of Jerusalem dispatch to him priests and Levites that they should be inquiring of him, "Who are you? And he avows and denies not and avows that "I am not the Christ." And they ask him again, "What are you then? Are you Elijah? And he is saying, "I am not." Are you the Prophet? And he answered, "No.” CLV

John himself denied that he was Elijah.

Thus before Christ returns there will be a type of Elijah, however Elijah himself will not come back before Christ returns.

True believers in Christ, are a type of Elijah. These believers will start prophesy in the spirit and power of Elijah before the return of Christ, and this will be know as the Elijah Ministry. The Elijah Ministry will prepare the way for Christ, just like

John the baptist did. However this time it will be preparing for his return.

According to the site God’s Kingdom Ministries, the Elijah Ministry was to start on April 12 2009. Where did this date come from? They did not get this date from study of the scriptures, or from bible codes or anything like that. The date was revealed to them from above. Thus this is the date of passover.

What has now be revealed is that the Elijah Ministry has been delayed until 8-10 May 2009. This is the second passover, a month after the first passover {Numbers 9}. This is when the work should begin.

Note the delay is refer to in “Passover Conference Report”

http://www.gods-kingdom-ministries.org/weblog/WebPosting.cfm?LogID=1512

What has also be revealed is that it is actually an Elisha Ministry. After Elijah, there was Elisha. Here there is a pattern, Elijah coming before the first coming of Christ, and Elisha coming before the second coming of Christ. But did not Christ say Elijah is coming? What happen to just before Elijah was lifted up in the sky?

2Kings 2:9 And it comes to pass, at their passing over, that Elijah has said unto Elisha, `Ask, what do I do for you before I am taken from you?' and Elisha said, `Then let there be, I pray you, a double portion of your spirit unto me;….2:14-15 and he takes the robe of Elijah that fell from off him, and smites the waters, and said, `Where [is] Yahweh, Elohim of Elijah--even He?' and he smites the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and Elisha passes over. And they see him--the sons of the prophets who [are] in Jericho--over-against, and they say, `Rested has the spirit of Elijah on Elisha;' {CLV}

Elisha got the spirit of Elijah. Applying it, you can see that the Elisha Ministry has the spirit and power of Elijah. There are signs in the story of Elisha, and currently those signs are being fulfilled today. Not in the same way, but there is a pattern. Thus each sign that happen in Elisha’s day will be fulfilled in some way. I do not have all the details of how the signs are being fulfilled or will be fulfilled. For more information on the signs refer to Dr Jones Weblog at God’s Kingdom Ministries.

The Wedding Feast

It is thought that the time of the Elijah Ministry is also the time of the wedding feast, also know as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, or the Wedding dinner of the Lambkin. This is because it is thought that the feast was before the wedding in terms of a Jewish wedding back at the time of Christ’s first coming and had only the groom and the friends of the groom there. The Bride was not there, because she was getting herself ready. However that conflicts with the view that it was not before the wedding, but was part of the wedding celebration. With both the bride and groom there along with their friends.

Just encase you do not know, there will be a grand wedding after the return of Christ at the end of this eon/age. Christ the bridegroom will marry his bride. This bride does not include everyone who is Christian, it only includes those who are the chosen body of true followers of Christ. While now there is a spiritual union between believers and Christ, there will be a greater spiritual union in the future. For more on the wedding read the article: The Wedding of Christ and His Bride. What I am about to say is also covered in that article.

However I do not want to get too side tracked here, getting back to the feast. John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ’s first coming, and is a friend of the bridegroom, but is also part of the bride.

John 3:28-29 You yourselves are testifying to me that I said, 'Not I am the Christ,' but that 'Dispatched am I in front of Him.'" He Who has the bride is the Bridegroom. Yet the friend of the Bridegroom, who stands and is hearing Him, is rejoicing with joy because of the Bridegroom's voice. This, my joy, then, has been fulfilled." CLV

John here is saying that he is the friend of the Bridegroom. He has been dispatched in front of him. The Elijah Ministry have been dispatched in front of Christ, before he comes a second time. John of course will be raised when Christ comes, and go to the wedding, he will be part of the bride, fulfilling two roles.

The Elijah Ministry are the friends of the bridegroom. Thus while true believers are friends of the bridegroom in their role in the Elijah Ministry, they are also the bride which is making herself ready.

Now during Christ’s presence is among the Elijah Ministry to help them perform the tasks. Thus you have the friends and the groom together. However this does not mean this is the time of the feast. It has been compared to what happen at the time of Samson’s wedding, Judges 14. Samson went to her town, and prepared a feast there. It is thought that He did not claim here at the end and that she was getting ready during the time of the feast. However it does not say she was still getting ready at the time of the feast, or that she was not at the feast. You have to be careful with assumptions. He did leave her behind but that does not mean she was getting ready the whole time of the feast. It says before the start of the feast that, he came to get her. That is he went to get her then while in town had the feast, but then got angry and left her behind.

While it is true that Christ’s presence is here among the Elijah Ministry, his presence has not just arrived ahead of his physical coming.

Revelation 1:12-13 And I turn about to look for the voice which spoke with me. And, turning about, I perceived seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like a son of mankind, dressed in a garment reaching to the feet, and girded about at the breasts with a golden girdle."....1:20 the secret of the seven stars which you perceived in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are messengers of the seven ecclesias, and the seven lampstands are seven ecclesias." {CLV}

The lampstands are seven ecclesias, and Christ’s presence is among them, He is the one in there midst.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are, gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them." {CLV}

Where two are three brethren are gathered in the name of Christ, He is there in the midst of them. His presence has not just recently returned to be in the midst of the Elijah ministry, His presence has been here since he left, when even two or three are gathered, his presence is there. I believe there has to be an actual return, for there to be the feast, which has not happened.

If you study the virgins parable Matthew 25:1-13, you will see that the bride which are represent in the parable by the virgins had to be ready for she did not know when the bridegroom was coming. However if there is a seven day feast beforehand she would know when he was coming. The whole point is that she does not know when he is come and therefore must be ready. The groom had not already come, and was having a feast. There is no time to get ready when He comes, because he takes those who are ready, the virgins who are not ready miss out.

Now Samson’s wedding in Judges indicates that the feast is to be on earth, however that does not have to be the case. The seven day ceremonial feast does not have to be on earth. It was usually at the town hall or at the groom’s father’s house, not at the bride’s house.

The parables on the wedding indicate that it is at the Father’s house.

Matthew 22:2 “Likened was the kingdom of the heavens to a man, a king, who makes wedding festivities for his son.”…..8 "Then he is saying to his slaves, 'The wedding, indeed, is ready, yet those invited were not worthy.9 Go, then, to the exits of the roads and whosoever you may be finding, call to the wedding festivities.' {CLV}

Luke 14:16 Now He said to him, "A certain man made a great dinner, and invites many….23 And the lord said to the slave, 'Come out into the roads and stone dikes, and compel them to enter, that my house may be crammed. {CLV}

The wedding is being prepared at the Father’s house, and the guests are invited to the wedding at the Father’s house.

That being the case there will be no week long great tribulation on the earth while the wedding takes place. The book of Revelation is not a future prophecy of a coming tribulation. It is in fact large a prophecy of the then future events of the time between the two comings of Christ. That is at the time it was written it was a prophecy of future events, however now almost 2000 years later, most of these events have already occurred. Some events are still future like the come of Christ and the Judgement.

For a different take on the feast: God’s Kingdom Ministries Weblog: Elijah and the Foolish Virgins

Dr Jones: Weblog

Back to Articles