In the book of Malachi, there was a prophecy that God would send the prophet Elijah before the Last Judgment. In the last days, it is essential for salvation to know who the prophet Elijah is and what He does. Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong fulfilled the mission of Elijah as prophesied in the Bible. He restored the Feasts of the New Covenant that disappeared into history and testified about God the Mother, the Savior who would appear after Him.
Prophecy About the Appearing of Elijah
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. . . . Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” Mal 4:1–5
In the book of Malachi, it was prophesied that Elijah would appear before the “great and dreadful day of the LORD.” Since the book of Malachi was written long after Elijah ascended to Heaven, this “Elijah” is not the prophet from the Old Testament. Most Christians think that this prophecy was fulfilled by John the Baptist because Elijah in Malachi 4 is connected with the “messenger of God” in Malachi 3.
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. Mal 3:1
It was written that the messenger of God would come and prepare the way before the LORD. This prophecy was partially fulfilled by John the Baptist. Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah (Mt 11:7–10; 17:10–13).
“For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.” Mt 11:13–14
Elijah’s Mission to Testify About the Savior
According to the prophecy, when the prophet Elijah appeared, the core mission He would carry out was to testify about the Savior who would come after him. The prophet Malachi prophesied about Elijah who was to come, as God’s messenger who would prepare the way for the LORD (Mal 3:1). The same prophecy is also found in the book of Isaiah.
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” . . . say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him… He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isa 40:3, 9–11
It was written that the LORD God would come as a shepherd to tend and lead the flock, and that before this took place, there would be a voice of one calling to prepare the way for Him, saying, “Here is your God!” This was fulfilled by Jesus and John the Baptist.
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” Mt 3:1–3
“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” . . . The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Jn 1:26–27, 29–31
John the Baptist said that the reason he came to baptize people was that Jesus, the One to come after him, might be revealed. Therefore, as prophesied in Isaiah 40, John the Baptist came as the prophet Elijah and prepared the way for the Savior who came after him.
Second Coming Christ Appears as Elijah in the Last Days
Two thousand years ago, John the Baptist did not completely fulfill the prophecy about Elijah. In the book of Malachi, Elijah appears right before the great and dreadful day of the LORD (i.e., the Last Judgment Day) (Mal 4:1), which does not correspond with the time John the Baptist appeared. In addition, God said that we should remember the laws and decrees He gave to Moses when Elijah appeared (Mal 4:4), but John the Baptist did not emphasize the law of Moses; rather, he gave baptisms of repentance, which are not in the law of Moses.
Every prophecy in the Bible must be fulfilled. John the Baptist partially fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi 4; therefore, the prophet Elijah must appear again in the last days to fulfill the prophecy of Elijah completely. Jesus prophesied that Christ would come a second time when eternal redemption, the Kingdom of Heaven, is near (Lk 21:27–28). In regard to the time when the Last Judgment is near, Malachi prophesied that the prophet Elijah would be sent, and Jesus prophesied that Christ would come a second time. Therefore, by comparing these two prophecies, we can understand that Elijah in Malachi 4 is Second Coming Christ; thus, Second Coming Christ will come as the prophet Elijah in the last days.
Among many biblical figures, why did the Bible prophesy Second Coming Christ as Elijah? This is because Second Coming Christ and Elijah from the Old Testament have things in common. The work of Elijah in the Old Testament times was a shadow showing what Second Coming Christ would do.
Elijah in the Old Testament was a prophet who fought against the Baal prophets alone in Israel where Baal worship was prevalent. He restored the ruined altar of God and turned the hearts of the Israelites back to God. Likewise, Second Coming Christ will come to the world where false doctrines are prevalent and there is no faith worthy of salvation (Lk 18:8). and He will turn the hearts of the saints to God by fighting against the false prophets alone to restore the truth (Jn 10:16; Eze 34:11–16; Rev 5:1–5).
In addition to this, the greatest mission of Elijah that Second Coming Christ must fulfill is to testify about the Savior. As John the Baptist testified about Jesus who would come after Him, Second Coming Christ should also testify about the Savior who will appear after Him and accomplish the work of salvation.
Christ Ahnsahnghong Carried Out the Mission of Elijah
Christ Ahnsahnghong fulfilled the mission of Elijah in this age. Christ Ahnsahnghong restored the truths of the New Covenant such as the Sabbath day and the Passover, which disappeared into history during the Dark Ages, and testified about God the Mother, the Savior who would come after Him.
From the beginning of His public life, Christ Ahnsahnghong foretold that there was another Savior who would come after Him. In the preface of His first Truth Book, Unsealing the Seven Thunders, written in 1955, He wrote, “It was only our Lord Jesus Christ who shone the light on me . . . finally it was shone on me. And there is one more person. She is still a child. She is to appear after me. When the time comes, she will appear.”
Also, in His other book, The Mystery of God and the Spring of the Water of Life, published in 1980, He revealed that God the Mother, the Bride, would appear together with God the Father at the end the work of redemption. According to the prophecy of King David’s throne, Christ Ahnsahnghong revealed God the Mother on the last Passover held on April 15, 1984, before completing His 37-year gospel ministry.
Heavenly Mother is the Savior who gives mankind the water of life (Rev 22:17). Christ Ahnsahnghong, who came as the prophet Elijah, opened the way to eternal life for mankind by preaching about Heavenly Mother. The World Mission Society Church of God believes in Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong and God the Mother, whom the Bible testifies about.