Who prophesied the coming of Elijah before the great day of the Lord?

Answer Details

The prophet Malachi prophesied the coming of Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. In Malachi 4:5-6, the final verses of the Old Testament, God declares: "See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents."

This prophecy is significant in the New Testament because Jesus identified John the Baptist as the fulfilment of this Elijah prophecy. In Matthew 11:14, Jesus said of John, "And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come." John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the way for the Messiah (Luke 1:17).

The other prophets, while important, did not make this specific prophecy. Amos prophesied about social justice and the Day of the Lord but did not mention the return of Elijah. Joel prophesied about the outpouring of God's Spirit and the Day of the Lord. Micah prophesied about the birthplace of the Messiah (Bethlehem) and other matters, but not about Elijah's return.