Malachi 4:5 · Bible study
Malachi 4:5 Commentary: The Promise of Elijah Before the Day of the Lord
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse promises a forerunner before God's final judgment. Explore the debate: John the Baptist or a future Elijah? Grounded in commentary.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God promises a prophetic forerunner like Elijah before the final day of judgment.
- Key words: “Behold I will send” (prophetic perfect, making the future certain); “Elijah the prophet” (a name and office, not necessarily the literal person).
- Main debate: Does “Elijah” refer only to John the Baptist, or does it also anticipate a future literal return of Elijah before the last judgment?
- Theological theme: God never leaves His people without warning before significant visitation; His judgment comes with mercy and preparation.
- Best use: A verse that closes the Old Testament on a note of hope, calling readers to remember the law and look for the messenger.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
KJV King James Version 1769
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Lo, I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Behold, I send unto you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and terrible day of Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Behold, I will send you Elias the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
He aquí, yo os envío á Elías el profeta, antes que venga el día de Jehová grande y terrible.
Eis que eu vos envio o profeta Elias, antes que venha o grande e temível dia do SENHOR.
Voici, je vous enverrai Élie, le prophète,
[3:23] Siehe, ich will euch senden den Propheten Elia, ehe denn da komme der große und schreckliche Tag des HERRN.
Ziet, Ik zende ulieden den profeet Elia, eer dat die grote en die vreselijke dag des HEEREN komen zal.
Ecco, io vi mando Elia, il profeta, prima che venga il giorno dell’Eterno, giorno grande e spaventevole.
Oto, Ja wam poślę Elijasza proroka, pierwej niż przyjdzie on wielki i straszny dzień Pański,
Вот, Я пошлю к вам Илию пророка пред наступлением дня Господня, великого и страшного.
「看哪，耶和華 大 而可畏 之日 未到 以前，我 必差遣 先知 以利亞 到你們那裡去。
See, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the day of the Lord comes, that great day, greatly to be feared.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse promises a prophetic forerunner sent by God before “the great and terrible day of Yahweh” arrives. The Hebrew construction “Behold, I send” (a prophetic perfect) makes the future certain and present in the prophet’s mind (Barnes). All traditions see behind this promise a connection to Malachi 3:1, where God says He will send “my messenger” to prepare the way. The identity of that messenger is where agreement ends, but there is consensus that the figure will operate in the spirit and power of Elijah, as Luke 1:17 makes explicit (Gill, Wesley, Cambridge). The core certainty is that God does not leave His people without warning before judgment. The final verses of the Old Testament thus close on a note of mercy, not merely of threat.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- John the Baptist as exclusive fulfillment: Jesus explicitly says John is Elijah (Matt 11:14; Matt 17:12–13); Luke 1:17 says John went in the spirit and power of Elijah.
- Future literal Elijah before the final judgment: Jewish tradition (still current), Jesus' statement that Elijah indeed comes first and restores all things (Matt 17:11), and the fact that the day described is “great and terrible” beyond the destruction of Jerusalem (Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
- Both: John the Baptist as first fulfillment, a future Elijah as final fulfillment: The Cambridge Bible and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown argue that the prophecy has a first fulfillment in the Baptist and awaits a second, more literal fulfillment before the final day.
What is clear: God promises a prophetic forerunner to prepare His people before the coming day of judgment and salvation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Elijah | The verse predicts a prophetic forerunner who will operate in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). | Some traditions (Presbyterian, Baptist, e.g., Gill, Wesley) identify this exclusively with John the Baptist. Others (Jewish tradition, some Christian lines, Barnabas, Justin Martyr) expect a literal return of Elijah himself. |
| Fulfillment in the first century | Jesus and the Evangelists apply the prophecy to John the Baptist (Matt 11:14; Matt 17:13). John prepared the way for Christ’s first coming. | The question is whether that application exhausts the prophecy or leaves room for a second fulfillment before the final judgment. Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, and Cambridge argue for both a past and a future fulfillment. |
| Nature of the forerunner's ministry | The forerunner turns hearts, fathers to children and children to fathers (Mal 4:6), a ministry of reconciliation and repentance. | Whether this ministry ended with John the Baptist’s call to repentance or continues to be needed in an eschatological sense is a point of difference. |
| The day of the Lord | The verse refers to a coming “great and terrible day of Yahweh,” which involves both judgment and salvation (Mal 4:1, 3). | Some see this day as entirely the final judgment; others see a dual reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the final judgment (Gill, Wesley). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Malachi prophesied in the post-exilic period, likely during Nehemiah’s governorship (c. 430 BC). The community had rebuilt the temple but grown spiritually cold. Priests offered blemished sacrifices; the people withheld tithes; divorce and intermarriage with pagans had eroded covenant identity. God’s response through Malachi is a series of disputes, culminating in a vision of a coming “day of Yahweh” that will burn like a furnace (Mal 4:1).
By Malachi’s time, the prophetic voice had become rare. The book closes not only his own prophecy but the entire Old Testament canon. After Malachi, no prophet spoke in Israel for about four hundred years, until John the Baptist. The final verses (Mal 4:4, 6) serve as a conclusion: remember the law of Moses (v. 4), and look for a coming messenger like Elijah (v. 5, 6). This pairing, law and prophet, summarizes the heritage of Israel.
The “great and terrible day of Yahweh” echoes earlier prophets such as Joel (Joel 2:31). For the original audience, this day was both near (the judgment coming on their unfaithfulness) and ultimate (the final eschatological judgment). The forerunner, whether John or a future Elijah, would prepare the people so that the land would not be struck with a curse (Mal 4:6). This closing promise thus holds out hope that the same God who judges also provides a way of preparation and reconciliation.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Malachi 4:5. The Septuagint reads “Elijah the Tishbite” (τὸν Θεσβίτην) instead of “Elijah the prophet,” which some scholars interpret as evidence that the Greek translators understood the verse to refer to the historical Elijah returned. The Masoretic Text consistently reads “Elijah the prophet.”
Reception History
Jewish tradition has consistently understood Malachi 4:5 as a promise that the actual prophet Elijah will return before the coming of the Messiah. This belief was widespread in the New Testament period, as seen when the scribes argued that Elijah must come first (Matt 17:10). The Mishnah and Talmud assume that Elijah will solve disputed questions. In early Christianity, Justin Martyr (c. AD 155) argued that the prophecy refers to Elijah as the forerunner of Christ’s second coming. The transfiguration (Matt 17:3) showed Elijah and Moses speaking with Jesus, which many Church Fathers (e.g., Irenaeus, Origen) saw as a confirmation that Elijah would appear again. The majority Reformation tradition (Calvin, the Geneva Bible) applied the verse to John the Baptist, while later Protestant commentators (Barnes, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) allowed for both a past and a future fulfillment. Roman Catholic teaching, following the Catechism (CCC 523), likewise sees John the Baptist as Elijah “in the spirit and power” of Elijah, but also leaves room for an eschatological role.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The promise of a forerunner. God initiates the sending. The language “Behold, I will send” (Mal 4:5) echoes Malachi 3:1, where God says He will send His messenger to prepare the way. The forerunner is God’s gift, not a human plan.
- The identity of the messenger. The name “Elijah” recalls the prophet who confronted Ahab, performed miracles, and did not die. The New Testament applies this to John the Baptist (Matt 11:14; Matt 17:12, 13), who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). Some traditions expect a future literal Elijah before the final judgment (Justin Martyr, Barnes). Both readings underscore that God prepares His people before great moments of visitation.
- The purpose: to turn hearts. Malachi 4:6 describes the forerunner’s work: turning fathers to children and children to fathers. This is a ministry of reconciliation. Without it, the earth would be struck with a curse. The forerunner’s task is to mend relationships, first with God, then with one another.
Five-point outline
- God’s final word before silence: He will send Elijah.
- “The great and terrible day of Yahweh”, a day of both judgment and healing (Mal 4:2).
- The forerunner’s message: “Prepare the way” (Isa 40:3; Mal 3:1).
- John the Baptist as Elijah: he denied being the literal Elijah (John 1:21) but Jesus said he was Elijah “if you are willing to receive it” (Matt 11:14).
- A future hope: before the final day, God will again send a prophetic voice to call for repentance.
Illustration hooks
- An advance team. Before a head of state visits a region, a team comes to prepare, coordinate security, address concerns, announce the itinerary. Malachi 4:5 describes God’s own advance team before the ultimate arrival.
- The herald’s trumpet. In ancient towns, a herald would sound a trumpet before a king’s arrival, warning people to get ready. John the Baptist was that trumpet; the question is whether a final trumpet still awaits.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is Malachi 4:5 fulfilled in the past through John the Baptist, or is it still future?
- What does “the great and terrible day of the Lord” mean for us today, should we fear it or hope for it?
- If God promised to send a messenger before judgment, how do we prepare for that day now?
Leading a Discussion
Malachi 4:5 sits at the very end of the Old Testament. God’s final promise before four hundred years of silence is that He will send “Elijah the prophet” before the great day of the Lord. This passage invites us to consider how God prepares a people for His coming. The small group discussion below will help your group explore the text, wrestle with its interpretive questions, and apply its call to readiness.
Discussion questions
- Read Malachi 4:5 aloud. What stands out to you about the way God describes this sending, “Behold, I will send”?
- The verse mentions “Elijah the prophet.” Why do you think God chose Elijah, specifically, as the model for the forerunner? How does Elijah’s story (1 Kings 17, 19) fit this role?
- How does Malachi 4:5 connect to Malachi 3:1? What does it teach about God’s pattern of sending messengers before judgment?
- The New Testament identifies John the Baptist as Elijah (Matt 11:14; Matt 17:12, 13). Yet John denied being Elijah (John 1:21). How do you reconcile these statements?
- Some Christians believe a future Elijah (or a prophet like him) will come before the final judgment. What biblical evidence supports that view? What evidence supports John the Baptist as the complete fulfillment?
- “The great and terrible day of the Lord”, in what sense is this day “terrible” in Malachi? In what sense does it bring healing (Mal 4:2)?
- If you lived in Malachi’s time, what would this promise have meant to you? How does it speak to you today about hope and readiness?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 40:3 | The voice of one who calls out, “Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God. |
| Joel 2:31 | The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. |
| Malachi 3:1 | “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me! The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Behold, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming!” says Yahweh of Armies. |
| Malachi 4:1 | “For behold, the day comes, burning like a furnace, when all the proud and all who work wickedness will be stubble. The day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. |
| Matthew 11:13 | For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. |
| Matthew 11:14 | If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. |
| Matthew 17:10 | His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” |
| Matthew 17:13 | Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the phrase about sending Elijah refers only to John the Baptist. He explains this based on a reference in Luke chapter one verse seventeen. This view holds that John came with Elijah’s spirit and power.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees this prophecy pointing to a double fulfillment. John the Baptist came in Elijah's spirit and power before Christ's first coming, but Elijah himself will return in person before the second coming and the day of judgment, as the early church consistently expected.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes the word behold signals certainty that God’s coming day is near. He explains this present tense describes a future event so close it feels immediate.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold that view see John the Baptist as the first literal fulfillment of Malachi 4:5. They also believe another Elijah will appear before Christ’s second coming to restore all things.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that the Lord will send the prophet Elijah before the final day arrives. This messenger will prepare people for that time.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists the promised Elijah is not the original prophet in person but John the Baptist, who came in Elijah's power and spirit. He further argues that the great and dreadful day refers to Christ's first coming and the destruction of Jerusalem, not the final judgment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that Elijah represents the prophets as a whole rather than just a single person. He also believes there will be another future forerunner who appears with power along with those who uphold the law.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that Elijah in this verse is not the literal Tishbite returning from heaven, but a prophet who will come with Elijah's spirit and power, just as the promised David in other prophets is a king in David's character. The "fathers" are the godly ancestors and the "sons" the degenerate descendants; Elijah's work is to restore their hearts to shared devotion to God, averting the curse.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the prophet will send Elijah to change parents and children’s attitudes toward each
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Elijah will return before the Lord’s final day to make fathers love their children and children love their fathers. He believes this prophecy marks the end of new divine revelation so that the law of Moses remains the only Scripture until the gospel comes.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the prophecy mentions a messenger as great as Elijah sent at the end of four hundred years. He also explains that this messenger is John the Baptist who came in Elijah’s spirit and power.