Re: The Third Jewish Temple

Paul;

First of all, what a delight to hear from you. I ask Micah about you and he says your are busy -- which I can certainly understand. You will be like this atleast till the kids reach 18. Best wishes. I am well and wish you the same.

 

Second, the rabbi is correct.Elijah will come before "the day of the L-RD". This IS the Messianic Age, or the "Second Coming" in christian terms. See Passage Below from Malachi.*

 

Jesus said that JdB was Elijah. John DID announce the coming  of the Lord (i.e. Jesus, hte Messiah). Remember, we learn from prophecy that there are multiple "fulfillments". But these "fullfilments" are signs, not the actual event.The "actual" event occurs only once. BTW, Jesus was the Messiah ... you can only know this by the Holy Spirit, who does not reveal THAT to everyone.

 

Jesus came, as announced by the Prophets. He WAS Messiah Ben Joseph, (son of Joseph). Later He comes as Messiah Ben David  --  the conqueror, fullfilling the Messianic Age. Unbelievers teach Two Messiahs, not one. BUT, He is one in the same.

 

So, Elijah (the real one) does come. And his coming is anticipated (the empty chair).

*

Mal 4:1 (3:19) For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them ablaze, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. [I.E. THIS IS THE END OF THE WORLD, JUDGMENT DAY]

Mal 4:2 (3:20) But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall.

Mal 4:3 (3:21) And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I do make, saith the LORD of hosts.

Mal 4:4 (3:22) Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.

Mal 4:5 (3:23) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. [N.B. TO THE UNBELIEVER, HE HAS NEVER SEEN MESSIAH [[YESHUA BEN JOSEPH]] BEFORE]

Mal 4:6 (3:24) 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 land with utter destruction.

Let me know if this helps, Paul.

 

Yours,

Danny
"Great peace have they which love thy law
and nothing shall offend them." Psalms 119:165
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-- Paul <pdial@earthlink.net> wrote:
Hi Danny,

I hope all is well!

Hey I recently attended a Jewish friend's son's Brit milah, and  before the rabbi performed the cutting, he gave some background about the ceremony.  One thing I found interesting was that an empty chair is made available for the prophet Elijah - as there is a prayer that is recited that invites Elijah to the ceremony (Elijah didn't die).  According to Jewish interpretation of Malachi 4:5, Elijah will return right before the Messianic Age (or the Messiah, I guess it depends on one's view.)
So I've been struggling with this over the last week or so..... are there other legitimate interpretations of Mal 4:5? I know that some say that John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy - but I have difficulty with that.... what are your thoughts?

-Paul