Elijah Has Come - Mark 9:13

Mark wrote how Jesus “charged” Peter, James and John, “that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily comes first, and restores all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought”, and in chapter nine and verse thirteen of his book, Mark shared how Jesus told His disciples, “Elias is indeed come” where we read:

But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come,

and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

The verse reads, “But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, ...” Mark began with the words, “But I say unto you” which means “moreover and Jesus utters, declares and proclaims to His disciples”, “That Elias” or “that Elijah who was a prophet born at Thisbe and the unflinching champion of the theocracy in the reigns of the idolatrous kings Ahab and Ahaziah” “is indeed come” which means “has also and even arrived and appeared”. Mark shared how Jesus told Peter, James and John that Elijah had already arrived.

The verse goes on to say, “... and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.” Mark continued with the words, “and they have done” which means “and those in opposition to him have performed, made read and produced” “unto him” or “to Elijah” “whatsoever” which means “whatever and how much” “they listed” or “those in opposition to Elijah had in mind, intended, resolved, purposed and intended”, “as it is written of him” which means “in the way and manner it is delineated or formed in letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material”. Mark shared how the people who were in opposition to “Elijah” did as they pleased to him because it was prophesied that they would do so.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus referred to “John the Baptist” as “Elijah” in this verse. John the Baptist was the “fore-runner” of Jesus, and he presented the message to “reconstitute everything to it's former state”. God loves people, and He sent John the Baptist (Elijah) before His Son Jesus who is the Messiah to “save” the world from “sin” and bring people back into a relationship with Him. Those who “believe and trust” in Jesus shall be receive forgiveness for their sins and inherit everlasting life. Though people opposed and did as they desired to “Elijah”, “John the Baptist”, God's plan still continued, and He is reaching out to “whosoever will” today.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus, “saw a great multitude” around His disciples, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".