If you are willing to receive it??

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Omegatime

Guest
#21
For the rest of the story: Yes, Elijah is to come before the Great and Terrible/Glorious Day of the Lord during the Tribulation. He will be one of the two witnesses. Just as John the Baptist was the fore-runner for the Lord, Elijah will be also to announce his coming
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
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#22
...is John contradicting Jesus by saying this?
No, John is not contradicting Jesus, but Jesus was confirming what Gabriel had said to Zacharias: And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias [Elijah], to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:17)

This is what was also said about Elijah in Malachi. But the real Elijah is yet to come.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#23
No, John is not contradicting Jesus, but Jesus was confirming what Gabriel had said to Zacharias: And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias [Elijah], to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:17)

This is what was also said about Elijah in Malachi. But the real Elijah is yet to come.
So why does John deny it?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#24
And most importantly, why does Jesus say "if you will receive"?

He never says this about other truths, even very difficult ones - for example His flesh and blood being real food and drink. That was apparently very hard to receive, because many disciples left when He said this ((John 6:66)), but still He didn't qualify His statement with anything like "if you will believe" - as far as I know He only said such a thing about John & Elijah.

Why?
 
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Omegatime

Guest
#25
Same as saying---Will you accept
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
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#26
Can it be read, "And if (you) the subject of this statement) wish (2309/thelo is commonly used of the LORD extending His "best-offer" to the believer) to accept it, the same (as the subject) is Elijah who is to come," since we should be proclaiming the Day of the Lord His if we expect it anytime?
 

justbyfaith

Well-known member
Sep 16, 2021
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#27
that's only true of liars.
John denied not, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."

But when he said he was not Elijah, it does not say there that this was a confession.

Because John was the Elijah who was to come.

As it is written, "Let God be true but every man a liar.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#28
John denied not, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."

when he said he was not Elijah, it does not say there that this was a confession.

Because John was the Elijah who was to come.

i feel like you're calling John the Baptist a liar. . ?


In psychology, if something is denied, it is usually the truth.

So, when JTB denied that he was Elijah, it indicates that it was the truth that he was Elijah.

and i get the sense you are suggesting i should understand everyone in the Bible to be lying?




why does the Holy Spirit put John 1:21? to prove to us to disbelieve anything John the Baptist says? to call him a liar?
is that the apostle John's intent in putting this in the beginning of his book?

'
the Word is God, there was a clueless lying prophet named John who didn't even know who he was, water into wine, Nicodemus, a Gentile woman at a well, etc etc..'
-- is this your take on the narrative of the John's gospel?
 

justbyfaith

Well-known member
Sep 16, 2021
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#29
i feel like you're calling John the Baptist a liar. . ?





and i get the sense you are suggesting i should understand everyone in the Bible to be lying?




why does the Holy Spirit put John 1:21? to prove to us to disbelieve anything John the Baptist says? to call him a liar?
is that the apostle John's intent in putting this in the beginning of his book?


'the Word is God, there was a clueless lying prophet named John who didn't even know who he was, water into wine, Nicodemus, a Gentile woman at a well, etc etc..'
-- is this your take on the narrative of the John's gospel?
So, you believe that JTB was not the Elijah who was to come?

I believe that in saying this, you are calling Jesus a liar.
 

justbyfaith

Well-known member
Sep 16, 2021
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#30
If it is a choice between Jesus or John the Baptist being a liar, I am going to pick John the Baptist.

Rom 3:4, God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
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#31
If it is a choice between Jesus or John the Baptist being a liar, I am going to pick John the Baptist.

Rom 3:4, God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Do you see no possible scenario where neither one is lying?
 

justbyfaith

Well-known member
Sep 16, 2021
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#32
Do you see no possible scenario where neither one is lying?
Sure...maybe John the Baptist didn't know that he was Elijah.

However, the Lord made it clear to Zacharias (John's father) that his son would be coming in the power and spirit of Elijah.

So, Zacharias would have had to have not passed this information down to his son for that to be the case.

It may be that the principle in psychology that I mentioned was known even back then; and that therefore in denying that he was Elijah, he was actually confessing that that is who he was.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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#33
For the rest of the story: Yes, Elijah is to come before the Great and Terrible/Glorious Day of the Lord during the Tribulation. He will be one of the two witnesses. Just as John the Baptist was the fore-runner for the Lord, Elijah will be also to announce his coming
the last verse or the prophets

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

the word of birth of John

“But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. …And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”‭‭

Luke‬ ‭1:13, 17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:13-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Remember this part ?

“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

well they beheaded John , then crucified the messiah and the curse came upon the earth beginning at Jerusalem it’s why we need salvation from the curse

“But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:37-43‬ ‭KJV‬‬
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#34
Sure...maybe John the Baptist didn't know that he was Elijah.
That seems ridiculous. How about looking at who was asking John, and what they were specifically asking, and compare that with what Jesus prefaces His remark with, 'if you will receive'

I for one believe the Bible is full of deep truths we are to dig out, rather than shallow lies and human error. This is God's word, after all. God is not simple; it is to His glory to hide a thing, and ours to search it out.

I didn't make this thread thinking it was an easy question =]
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
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#35
Sure...maybe John the Baptist didn't know that he was Elijah.

However, the Lord made it clear to Zacharias (John's father) that his son would be coming in the power and spirit of Elijah.

So, Zacharias would have had to have not passed this information down to his son for that to be the case.

It may be that the principle in psychology that I mentioned was known even back then; and that therefore in denying that he was Elijah, he was actually confessing that that is who he was.
Perhaps, rather, he answered them with the awareness of the nature in which they asked. Even now, Jews leave an empty place setting in expectation of Elijah's arrival.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#36
It may be that the principle in psychology that I mentioned was known even back then; and that therefore in denying that he was Elijah, he was actually confessing that that is who he was.
It is only true of liars that they deny the truth. A son of Belial, a servant of Satan.

In the narrative of scripture, John isn't an example of a liar who doesn't know the truth. He is the servant of God, born by prophecy and full of the Holy Spirit, who believes and proclaims the truth.

This isn't easily dismissed by calling him ignorant or a servant of Satan. The Book doesn't support that view.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#37
and the curse came upon the earth
I was thinking about that this afternoon, thank you!

What exactly is that curse? The earth has lost Israel - who was supposed to bless the whole world.
Is that it?
And will He not in His grace and faithfulness lift it? He has said over and over He will never utterly forsake His people, but preserve and restore a remnant
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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#38
I was thinking about that this afternoon, thank you!

What exactly is that curse? The earth has lost Israel - who was supposed to bless the whole world.
Is that it?
And will He not in His grace and faithfulness lift it? He has said over and over He will never utterly forsake His people, but preserve and restore a remnant
“What exactly is that curse? The earth has lost Israel - who was supposed to bless the whole world.
Is that it?”

the curse comes from thier covenant being broken , he had come to restore them after John came with the baptism of repentance but they refused him as they always did and killed their own messiah.

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭24:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

see there covenant could be a blessing or a curse based on what they did from the start .

There was a believing remnant ( the early church was all Israelites ) who carried the gospel to all nations which is how they blessed the whole world and this was actually Abraham’s promise

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So israel did bless the earth

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭

In fact our scriptire in the Bible comes from Israelite believers . They became a curse by their covenant breaking the first and also a blessing by the remnant who accepted Christ and were sent out with salvation to all the world preaching the gospel ( Abraham’s promise ) so the children of Abraham are not those born of his blood but those born of Christs blood whether jew or gentile


“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:27-29‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So it’s not that israel is bad or a curse it’s that they continually broke thier covenant so the curses written in it came to pass and spread through the earth but thankfully the remnant believed and carried forth the blessing of the gospel to the world

they early church is the remnant who was to be spared and be a blessing , but the ot covenant was broken and the curses written and promised in it were also fulfilled when Christ came and they accused him of blasphemy and crucified him

Israel is in heaven now being restored and is made of all believers who come to Christ. In the end he will return israel to ear to and all those born again folk will fill his earth and he will dwell
Among us and be our God like the promise always was

That’s just my own take
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#39
So, you believe that JTB was not the Elijah who was to come?

I believe that in saying this, you are calling Jesus a liar.
let's not be silly. in principle i agree with @Mem on that point; both what Christ said in Matthew 11 & what John said in John 1 are true.
not to say i have this worked out -- hence, the thread ;)

but you are clearly suggesting John the baptist lied, either because he was wicked or because he was stupid. i disagree with that; i think the scripture indicates he is neither ignorant nor a liar. i find your position intractable & unsupportable.
we don't have to be enemies because we disagree; but in wisdom we should sort things out about what the real case is
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#40
I think it relates to having” ears to hear “

“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah , which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:13-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

if a person knows the Old Testament it prepares them to hear ( understand) the revelations of the New Testament

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:13, 15, 17‬ ‭KJV‬‬


it’s true throughout the New Testament much of what Jesus said we are prepared to hear by hearing the prophets so even just remaining on the subject of John

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”
‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. … John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:1-2, 4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. …And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:3, 5-8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

…. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:3-4, 14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:23-25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John was always foretold to appear just before the messiah was to come and deliver the new covenant that had been promised whos word would stand forever

I think it relates to having the ears prepared by prophecy

John is in a lot of prophecy always appearing before Christ was to come I find this interesting also this figure of Elijah in John

“And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬


“And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

I hope it made sense I think if we have heard the ot and retained any of it ot let’s us hear the gospel better and understand how it is fulfillment of those prior things

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:39‬ ‭KJV‬‬
but the scribes & pharisees & sadducees had the OT, and knew it better than most Christians today...
yet they would not receive - they could not receive, per John 12:38-40 ((???))

"
the hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both" -- Proverbs something-or-other =]

understanding doesn't arise simply from having knowledge; it is the gift of God