The Forerunner - Elijah

John the Baptist was a significant figure before Jesus started his ministry, he was a "forerunner" before Christ.

Before his birth , Zacharias had a conversation with an angel ( a messenger) about the destiny of John. Luke 1:5-25.

Part of this conversation is about how John would proceed in his walk.

[Luke 1:16 AMP] “He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God.
[Luke 1:17 AMP] “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”

He was a forerunner before Jesus who acted in the spirit & power of Elijah.
When everyone queried John who he was & why he was preaching & baptizing , he didn't know he was doing it by the spirit of Elijah.

[John 1:21 ESV] And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

This is further cemented by Jesus later in Matt 17:10-12 about John acting by the Spirit of Elijah.

[Matthew 17:10 ESV] And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”

[Matthew 17:11 ESV] He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.

[Matthew 17:12 ESV] But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

"Elijah had already come, but they did to him whatever they pleased. " - The death of John the Baptist , Matt 14:1-12.

[Matthew 17:13 ESV] Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.


In all this John the Baptist always pointed towards 👉 Christ Jesus.

[John 1:22 ESV] So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

[John 1:23 ESV] He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

[John 1:24 ESV] (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)

[John 1:25 ESV] They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

[John 1:26 ESV] John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,

[John 1:27 ESV] even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

[John 1:28 ESV] These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.