Our investigation of the purpose and timing of the Day of the Lord begins in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel. The following discourse between Jesus and the disciples marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry.

Our investigation of the purpose and timing of the Day of the Lord begins in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew’sgospel. The following discourse between Jesus and the disciples marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry.

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah ; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of the living God [note that the Son of God is the Messiah].”

17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” [Note that Peter received knowledge of the truth by way of revelation.] (Matthew 16:13-17)

The disciples had received the truth of the identity of Jesus. Following this, they would see Him in His glory.

1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son [the Messiah], with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

[The command to listen to Jesus applies today as He speaks to us directly through the Holy Spirit.]

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.

7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”

8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. (Matthew 17:1-8)

The disciples surely marveled at this experience, but they were also perplexed, and the reason had to do with a prophecy about Elijah. We continue in Matthew 17 with the three disciples (Peter, James and John) asking Jesus a very interesting question.

10 “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

[Not only is this question interesting, since it seems to have come out of the blue, but so is Jesus’ response.]

11 And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things;

12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”

[Equally outstanding is the conclusion of the disciples.]

13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13)

This is an astounding discourse because it takes place as Jesus and the disciples are coming down the mountain following what we call ‘the transfiguration.’ The disciples had just seen Jesus in His risen glory and heard the voice of the Father. Surely there was no doubt in their minds that Jesus was the Messiah … the anointed one … the Promised One who would establish a new kingdom on earth. However, the prophecy that declared Elijah would be sent ahead of the Messiah raised a question for the disciples. They wondered, “Here is the Messiah, but where is Elijah?” So following the transfiguration, as they descend the mountain and Jesus asks them not to tell anyone of the vision, they ask the question about Elijah. At this point, we must ask two questions of our own: where did the disciples’ question come from, and what is it about?

The origin of the disciples’ question is found in the book of the prophet Malachi. And it is there that we discover a connection between the coming of Elijah, the coming of the Messiah and the Day of the Lord. Let’s look at the passage in Malachi.

1 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger [John the Baptist], and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord [Jesus Christ, the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant [Jesus], in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.

2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

[Note that the day of Jesus’ coming is expressed with language that sounds like that used by Joel for the Day of the Lord: “The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it? (Joel 2:11).]

3 “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may  present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:1-3)

Verse one tells us that God is going to send a messenger ahead of the Messiah to prepare the way for Him. Jesus confirms that the messenger is John the Baptist.

7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John [the Baptist], “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

8 “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces!

9 “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.

10 “This is the one about whom it is written,

‘BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,

WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:7-11)

Following the revelation of the coming of John the Baptist, Malachi 3:1 next foretells of the appearance of Jesus Christ, the Lord, the Messiah.

1 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger [John the Baptist], and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord [Jesus Christ, the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant [Jesus], in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1)

It is interesting to note that Jesus, the Messiah, is referred to as the Messenger of the Covenant. This would be God’s covenant with Abraham which was fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Malachi 3:2-5 describe the Day of the Lord and portrays Jesus as the righteous judge of mankind.

2 “But who can endure the day of His [Jesus] coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

3 “He [Jesus] will sit [kings sit to judge] as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.”

4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:2-5)

So far, we have discovered four important prophetic messages from the prophecy of Malachi. They are:

1. A messenger, John the Baptist, was to come who would prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
2. Following the arrival of John the Baptist, Jesus is to appear bringing judgment like a refiner’s fire and fullers’ soap.
3. The time of judgment is described in terms that bring the Day of the Lord to mind. Later, in chapter 4 Malachi confirms that he is talking about the Day of the Lord as you will see below.
4. The coming of Elijah, the coming of the Messiah and the coming of the Day of the Lord are presented in Malachi’s prophecy as sequential events that are linked together like a chain, not as three events that take place at different times, even separated by a span of thousands of years.

Continuing on with the prophecy of Malachi, we now see a definite link to John the Baptist, Jesus and the Day of the Lord.

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5)

The prophetic word that came through Malachi is that Elijah would come before the Day of the Lord. But the disciples’ question that Elijah was to come before the Messiah is evidence of what they saw as an inconsistency with the Scriptures. Jesus answered their question by saying that the prophesied coming of Elijah had in fact already taken place, and that it was John the Baptist who was actually Elijah. But the coming of Elijah is also linked to the Day of the Lord in Malachi’s prophecy. Therefore, we can rightly conclude that there is a relationship between the coming of Elijah, the Messiah and the Day of the Lord.

Neither the disciples nor Jesus use the phrase, ‘the Day of the Lord,’ but Malachi did. However, the Day of the Lord is what is behind the disciples’ question. Also, note that the disciples ask Jesus a question about the Day of the Lord immediately after seeing Him as the resurrected Christ, the Messiah.

When the disciples saw Jesus as the risen Messiah, they understood that He was the one who would establish a new kingdom on earth, i.e., the Day of the Lord. However, they became confused because they also understood that if Jesus was the Messiah, then Elijah must have already come, but they were not aware of this happening. Hence, their question about Elijah. After Jesus tells them Elijah had already come, they understood he was talking about John the Baptist. By asking Jesus about the coming of Elijah, they linked the Messiah, Jesus, with the Day of the Lord. Notice that Jesus did not correct them.

There is additional proof of John the Baptist’s true identity. Before John was conceived, an angel appeared to his father, Zacharias, and said to him:

“And it is he [John the Baptist] who will go as a forerunner before Him [the Lord Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children [see Malachi 4:6], and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)

Even more conclusively, Jesus made the following declaration about John the Baptist:

“And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.” (Matthew 11:14)

You clearly see, if you have opened your spiritual eyes of understanding, that Jesus’ straightforward instruction is that John the Baptist was indeed Elijah who was to come before the Day of the Lord.

Clearly, John the Baptist is Elijah who was to come before the Day of the Lord. I am willing to accept it. Are you? You will, too, if you are hearing with spiritual ears. This is what Jesus meant when He added the following to the above declaration.

“He who has ears to hear [he who has spiritual ears that receive the Holy Spirit’s revelations of truth], let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15