Dear Friends of “Dial Daily Bread,”
When the "Elijah message" comes, what will it do? How can we recognize it, so we don't treat it as the Jews treated John the Baptist? (see Matt. 17:10-13).
It will not be a revival of legalism, harsh, vindictive, condemnatory. Just the opposite: "He ["Elijah"] shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Mal 4:6, King James Version). A message of reconciliation! And that means "atonement"--the cosmic Day of Atonement ministry centered in the sanctuary's Most Holy Apartment.
Elijah had no patience with the "prophets of Baal," but he had enormous patience and tenderness for the people. The people were sheep who had been led astray by their shepherds who had been supported from the national treasury. (Anyone who gains his livelihood administered from the sacred tithe should tremble before God.) Elijah's indignation was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It was the "righteous indignation" God expresses in Jeremiah 23 and Ezekiel 22 and 34 where He says "Woe to the shepherds [pastors] … who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?" (Ezek. 34:2). Self-worship disguised as the worship, the ministry, of Christ! That is the essence of Baal worship. God hates it.
But His heart yearns toward the people who are led astray, especially the youth and the children. "Elijah's" message will heal alienated hearts. Hardness will be melted. Through "the grace of God," not through harsh legalism, buried "roots of bitterness" will be exposed for what they are and a people will realize a precious oneness with Jesus (see Zech 13:1; Heb 12:15).
And, of course therefore, a precious oneness with one another! "Elijah's" message will do for God's people what it did for him--it prepared him for translation. Don't kid yourself: Satan will oppose that message hell-bound. But "the grace of God" will be much more abounding. God's people will respond to their High Priest.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 18, 2002.
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