1. Will Elijah Show Up Soon?
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By J. R. Church
Passover is coming up this year on
Thursday evening April 9, 2009. It offers
a time of historic reflection for the Jew
by commemorating the deliverance of
the children of Israel from the harsh hand
of Pharaoh some 3,500 years ago. At the
same time, it reminds the Chosen People
to look forward to the day when Elijah will
come to declare the advent of the Messiah.
The prospect is so vital, each year a chair
is set at the Passover table for the prophet,
Elijah.
So far, the chair has remained empty.
However, we are told that one day the
prophet will come. Malachi penned that
promise in the last verses of the Old Testa-
ment, “Behold I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5).
Fifty days later, on Friday, May 29, 2009,
Israel will observe Pentecost.
Easter will be celebrated on Sunday,
April 12, 2009. Both Easter and the Chris-
tian Pentecost are always celebrated on
Sunday, and this year, the Christian Pente-
cost lands on Sunday, May 31.
Elijah Should Appear on a Passover
Let’s examine what the Jews believe
about the coming of Elijah, Moses and the
Messiah. Surprisingly, the Talmud, an an-
cient Jewish commentary, has quite a bit
to say about these events. We should note
that many conservative Christian scholars
also believe that both Elijah and Moses
will return during the Tribulation Period Elijah ascended alive in a heavenly chariot. Will he return in the same manner? Or
as the “two witnesses” mentioned in Rev- will he return as a contemporary person, as in the case of John the Baptist?
elation 11. postponed, (and only postponed,) most bands of wickedness shall be destroyed
A few Christian scholars have the opin- certainly: they are reserved for the suffer- and the iron yoke broken, Moses shall go
ion that the two witnesses will be Elijah ing of death, that by their blood they may forth from the wilderness and the King
and Enoch, but Jewish rabbis, long ago, extinguish Antichrist.” What Tertullian did Messiah from Rome. The one shall lead
wrote that Moses and Elijah would be re- not think about was that at the rapture, mul- the way on top of a cloud, and the other
turning before the Messiah comes. There titudes of living Christians will be changed shall lead the way on top of a cloud, and
are no Jewish writings that mention the re- “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” the memrah shall lead the way between
turn of Enoch. But the concept that Enoch and never experience death. Therefore, the two of them. And they shall proceed
will accompany Elijah comes from the Tertullian’s premise has no merit. together. This is the night of the Passover
writings of Tertullian (A.D. 145-220), who In the Jewish Targums, which were orig- of the Lord, awaited and appointed for all
was convinced that death was a payment inally Aramaic paraphrases of the Bible Israel throughout their generations.”
that all men must make. Therefore, the written about the second or third century, According to that passage, Moses will
translations of Enoch and Elijah only post- there is an intriguing comment with regard accompany the Messiah at the time of
poned the inevitable — they must someday to Exodus 12:42. The Targum says: Passover. In another midrash (or rabbinic
die at the hands of the Antichrist: “Enoch “The fourth night when the world shall interpretation) on Exodus entitled “Exo-
no doubt was translated, and so was Eli- have completed its allotted time until the dus Rabbah” (Ch. 18, v. 12), we find the
jah; nor did they experience death: it was end when it should be delivered, when the anticipation of the arrival of Elijah at about
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the same time: “And that night, the anni- overcome them, and kill them.” like and how the Messiah would appear.
versary of the event in Egypt, the Messiah After three and a half days they will be His coming is described in the Targum on
and Elijah will appear.” resurrected and ascend into heaven in the the Pentateuch, which discusses Genesis
Apparently, some Jewish scholars de- sight of men. We should consider that if 49:11:
scribe Elijah and the Messiah coming on Elijah’s reappearance is believed to occur “How beautiful is the King Messiah,
Passover, while other Jewish writings say at the time of the Battle of Gog and Magog, Who is destined to arise from the house of
that Moses and the Messiah will appear then this indicates the possibility that the Judah. He has girded His loins and gone
on Passover. These passages do not con- initial battle could take place at or near the down to battle against His enemies, de-
tradict each other, but rather complement beginning of the Tribulation Period. Upon stroying kings and their power, and there
the Jewish concept that Moses and Elijah their reappearance in Israel, Elijah and Mo- is neither king nor power that can with-
will return to lead Israel through the time ses will serve for three and a half years. stand Him. He reddens the mountains with
of “Jacob’s Trouble.” The Talmud states that part of Elijah’s the blood of their slain. His garments are
mission will be to restore several things saturated with blood like those of Him
John the Baptist that had been lost: the golden Ark of the who presses the grapes.”
We are told that some 2,000 years ago, Covenant; the pot of manna; Aaron’s rod This is a description of the Messiah do-
Elijah appeared in the person of John the that budded; a vessel containing the anoint- ing battle at Armageddon and emerging
Baptist (Matthew 11:14). How does this ing oil from the Temple; and the ashes of victorious. It is remarkably similar to Rev-
correlate with what the rabbis say about the red heifer. It was the opinion of Rabbi elation 19. The Jewish Messiah is predict-
Elijah’s coming? In that regard, there is Yohanon that Elijah would also expound ed to do exactly what we believe Christ
another rabbinic quotation from the Seder the Scripture dealing with temple sacrific- will do. Concerning the millennium in
Olam, a semi-historical book of the talmu- es. These are to be carried out in the future which the Messiah will appear, Rabbi Ka-
dic times (written in the second century). It Temple described in Ezekiel 40-48. tina wrote, “Just as the seventh year is one
contains an absolutely incredible statement: year of release in seven, so is the world.
“In the second year of the reign of Ahaz- The Return of Messiah One thousand years out of seven shall be
iah, Elijah became hidden and was seen no In the Talmud (Sanhedrin, Ch. 98, Sec. fallow as it is written. And the Lord alone
more. When the King Messiah shall come, A) Rabbi Abba, said, “There can be no shall be exalted in that day.”
he will be seen again, then hidden a second more manifest sign of redemption than Basically, he is stating that mankind
time. He will not be seen again until Gog this — that is, what is said, ‘But ye, O will continue on this earth for 6,000 years
and Magog appear on the scene.” mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth corresponding to the six days in a week,
According to the ancient writings of the your branches and yield your fruit to my after which the Messiah will appear and
Talmud, “Elijah disappeared in the days people of Israel, for they are at hand to reign during the seventh millennial day —
of Ahaziah and would appear again when come.’” the Sabbath — the day of rest. The Bible
King Messiah would come,” which he did, Rashi referred to this Talmudic passage agrees with this concept. Moses wrote in
evidently, 2,000 years ago in the person of when he wrote (regarding Ezekiel 36:8), Psalm 90:4:
John the Baptist. Jesus identified him as “When Palestine becomes so very fertile, “For a thousand years in thy sight are
Elijah in Matthew 11:13-14: Messiah’s advent is near, and there can be as but yesterday when it is past, and as a
“For all the prophets and the law proph- no clearer sign than this.” watch in the night.”
esied until John. For 2,000 years Israel was a wasteland. Peter restated it for us in II Peter 3:8:
“And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, But since the Jews returned, the land has “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this
which was for to come.” become a veritable Garden of Eden. Or- one thing, that one day is with the Lord as
According to the Talmud, Elijah would anges grow to the size of grapefruit. There a thousand years, and a thousand years as
make an appearance (as he did at the first are heads of lettuce the size of a bushel one day.”
advent of Christ) then go away the second basket. They have turned the swamps into Again we find Jewish writings corre-
time and be hidden, only to return at the fertile land. sponding with the teachings of New Testa-
Battle of Gog and Magog. That fits quite They are irrigating the deserts and are ment theologians. We are aware that 6,000
nicely with the beliefs held by Christian growing every type of vegetable in the years have transpired since the Creation.
theologians. world today. Over 200 million trees have Therefore, the Messiah should soon ap-
The Jewish people could not see this been planted since 1948. This is an impor- pear and set up the millennial reign.
back then, nor can they see it today. To tant sign. Rabbis agree that the flowering
this day, Jews do not accept Jesus Christ of Israel is the clearest indication of the
Early Date-Setters
as their Messiah. And yet, they are looking advent of their messiah. Surely, we live in Over the past 2,000 years Christian
for Elijah to come at the Battle of Gog and those days. theologians have set dates for the return of
Magog. The Talmud also teaches that the mes- Christ. Perhaps they exercised more zeal
According to the book of Revelation, siah will reign for a thousand years — dur- than knowledge. But, before condemning
Elijah, along with Moses, will have a min- ing the seventh millennium of human oc- them out of hand, let us realize that they
istry of 1260 days, from the first to the cupation on this earth. Although Christian had a desire to see Him, “Whom having
fourth year of the Tribulation Period. At theology holds to the belief that Jesus will not seen ...” they loved. I’m sure they
that time Moses and Elijah will die at the come to set up a kingdom and rule over wanted a world without poverty, without
hands of the Antichrist government. Rev- mankind as King of kings during the sev- hunger, without disease, without war.
elation 11:7 says, “And when they shall enth millennium, it is surprising to learn Hippolytus (A.D. 170-236) seemed to
have finished their testimony, the beast that the Jews hold a similar view. be the earliest Christian theologian to set
that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit In addition, the rabbis have commented a date for the return of Christ. He wrote:
shall make war against them, and shall on what the end-time battle would look “For the first appearance of our Lord in
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the flesh took place in Bethlehem, under Then there was Rashi, who predicted eat, drink, and rejoice, and the Torah will
Augustus, in the year 5500; and He suf- Messiah’s coming in the year 1352. Rashi return to its disciples.
fered in the thirty-third year. And 6,000 calculated the coming of Messiah from the “In the sixth, heavenly sounds or voices
years must needs be accomplished, in or- Exodus. He had it all figured out how the announcing the Messiah’s advent will be
der that the Sabbath may come, the rest, Messiah was to come 2,874 years from the heard.
the holy day “on which God rested from Exodus. “And then in the seventh, wars. At the
all His works.” For the Sabbath is the Abarbanel set his date for the coming conclusion of these seven years, the Mes-
type and emblem of the future kingdom of Messiah 150 years later, in 1503. The siah will come.”
of the saints, when they “shall reign with disappointed rabbi died five years later in Rabbi Joseph bewailed the fact that
Christ,” when He comes from heaven, as 1508 — perhaps of embarrassment. so many sevens (Sabbatical cycles) have
John says in his Apocalypse. Since, then, Maimonides set his date according to passed and He has not yet come. Rabbi
in six days God made all things, it follows the time when Balaam climbed up on Mt. Abiah reminded him, “Yes, but they have
that 6,000 years must be fulfilled. From Nebo and looked down upon the children never happened in this order — in this way
the birth of Christ, then, we must reckon of Israel intending to curse them, and — before.”
the 500 years that remain to make up the blessed them instead. That occasion, says Provided their assessment is correct, we
6000, and thus the end shall be.” the Talmud, was at the midway point of might attempt to compare Jewish writings
Hippolytus was correct to believe that human history. He reasoned that if it were with Christian teachings, in which case,
the six days of Creation were symbolic a given number of years from Creation here’s the way I see it:
of six thousand years, but he was wrong to Balaam, then it would be that many In the first year, according to the Tal-
about the calendar. He missed it by 1,500 more years until the coming of Messiah. mud, there will be rain in some areas, fam-
years. He received the doctrine from his He ended up with a date 4,976 years from ine in other areas — the weather will be
mentor, Irenaeus; who was taught it from Creation to the consummation — the year unpredictably wild during the first year of
his teacher, Polycarp; who, in turn learned 1216. Maimonides writes that one of the the Tribulation Period.
about it from the Apostle John, writer of thirteen principles of faith for the Jewish In the second year, however, there will
the book of Revelation. People is the belief in the coming of the be no rain at all. The Bible talks about Eli-
Jerome (fourth century) agreed with the Messiah: “I believe with complete faith jah shutting up heaven that it rain not for
concept that Christ would come at the close in the coming of the Messiah, and even three and a half years.
of six millennia — at the beginning of the though he may delay, nevertheless I antici- Famine will come in the third year, ty-
seventh. He said, “for being in bondage pate every day that he will come” [Com- ing in perfectly with Elijah’s ministry.
during the six days of this world, on the mentary to Mishna Sanhedrin, chapter 10]. Then in the fourth year the Antichrist
seventh day, the true and eternal Sabbath, In 1204 Maimonides died, still expecting will step in to control food distribution
we shall be free.” the Messiah to come soon. with the mark of the beast in the right hand
Joachim, the 12th century Abbot of Certainly all of these who have tried to or forehead. His efforts will meet with
Flores, selected the year 1260 for the com- set dates — to pinpoint the coming of Mes- some success, because in the fourth year
ing of Christ. siah — have, in the past, all been very dis- there is said to be partial plenty.
Nostradamus, a 15th century astrologist appointed, I’m sure. But the main reason During this time 144,000 believing
set the date for 1999, and, of course, Wil- they set those dates is because they were Jews will flee to the mountain stronghold
liam Miller of the last century, set the year of anxious to see the wickedness and the sins of Petra to escape the persecution of the
the coming of Christ first in 1843 and then of this world changed into the glories of Antichrist — as it is stated that the Torah,
1844. But as we shall see, Christians have the world to come. At least we can hardly having been taken away early in the Tribu-
had the company of a lot of Jewish writers blame them for that desire. lation Period, now returns to its disciples.
with an even greater zeal for date-setting. In the fifth year, great plenty is predicted
Nachmonides (A.D. 1194 to 1270) Tribulation to Come as, finally, the Antichrist gets things mov-
stated that Messiah Ben Joseph (the son Today, men still desire a world with- ing with his economic bailout plan. But
of Joseph) would come in 1403, wipe out out war, disease, and poverty. But before it will not last long because in the sixth
idolatry, gather in Israel, lead them to the that goal can be realized, seven dreadful year are great sounds, the heavenly sounds
Holy Land and be killed in the Battle of years must be unleashed. We call them the — when God begins to pour out His wrath
Gog and Magog. “These tasks,” wrote the Tribulation Period — the time of Jacob’s upon the earth.
rabbi, “would require 40 years. At the end trouble. In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97, Sec. This brings us to the seventh year and
of that period Messiah Ben David will ar- A) Hebrew sages gave their summation the war of Armageddon, followed by the
rive, wage war with Gog, and subject Is- of each of those seven years, at the end of coming of the Messiah.
rael to a final test of loyalty, which would which, the Messiah would come. It all fits, and one of these days, the last
take five years. Then he would set up His “In the first year it states, I will cause seven years will begin to unfold—the com-
kingdom.” it to rain upon one city and cause it to not ing of Elijah, the coming of Moses, the rise
So, according to Nachmonides, from rain upon another city. of the Antichrist, and the return of Mes-
the regathering of Israel to the setting up “In the second year the arrows of hunger siah. Both Jews and Christians agree the
of the kingdom would be 45 years. Oops! will be sent forth. time is very near. For the Jews, those sev-
Something is wrong with his calculation. “In the third, a great famine in the course en years will constitute their greatest trial.
It has already been 60 years and counting. of which men, women, and children, pious Moreover, unsaved Gentiles will share in
Sagei Gaon had the Messiah coming in men and saints will die and the Torah will their calamity. But for today’s Christians,
the year 965. But his death in 942 prevent- be forgotten by its students. those same seven years will see limitless
ed his being around to face his contempo- “In the fourth, partial plenty. joy as we are caught up into heaven to be
raries when his prediction proved wrong. “In the fifth, great plenty when men will with our Savior. u
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