In Matthew 17:1-9, Jesus Christ gave Peter, James, and John a vision showing what it will be like when he returns to establish his Father’s kingdom on Earth. The vision was meant to teach some important lessons about Christ’s second coming and to fulfill a previous statement he had made to his disciples (Mk. 9:1; Lk. 9:27).

And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter and Jacob and John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. ²And he was transformed in front of them; and his face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as light. ³And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, speaking together with him. ⁴And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁵While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased. Hear him!” ⁶And the disciples having heard, fell on their faces and were much afraid. ⁷And Jesus came toward them and having touched them, he said, “Arise, and do not fear.” ⁸But lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. ⁹And as they were going down the hillside, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is raised from the dead” (Mt. 17:1-9, RNT).

It is no coincidence that Elijah and Moses were seen with Christ because both fulfilled an important role during their physical lifetimes. Elijah exposed the false religious system extant in the nation of Israel under King Ahab (1Ki. 16:29-33), and he challenged Israel to repent just as John the Immerser had done during Christ’s ministry.

Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?" ¹⁸ And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. ¹⁹ Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." ²⁰ So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. ²¹ And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word (1Ki.18:17-21).

¹And in those days came John the Immerser, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has come near.”

⁵ Then Jerusalem went out toward him, and all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan;

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ “Therefore produce fruit that befits repentance, ⁹ “and do not presume to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’, for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰ “And already the axe is being laid toward the root of the trees. Therefore every tree not producing good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire (Mt. 3:1-2, 5, 7-10, RNT).

As the work of John was very similar to that of Elijah, Christ referred to John as Elijah already having come and said that another one, also like Elijah, would come prior to Christ’s second coming.

but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but they did with him whatever they wanted. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer by them. ¹³Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them about John the Immerser (Mt. 17:12-13, RNT).

And he answered and said, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things” (Mt. 17:11, RNT).

According to what Christ said in Matthew 17:11, the latter type of Elijah will do more than the former because the former did not “restore all things.” In fact, Elijah thought he was the only one in the nation that was living in accordance with God’s laws and commandments (1Ki. 19:10 cf. 19:18), when in fact God was working with 7,000 men who had not followed the trend of the nation in going contrary to God’s laws and commandments (1Ki.19:18).

So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life" (1Ki. 19:10).

Yet I (God) have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (1Ki.19:18).

Consequently, there will be a future type of Elijah that will be responsible for restoring God’s laws and commandments followed by the resurrected Moses who will continue administering them during the 1,000 year reign of Christ (Rev. 20:4-6). Moses is the most qualified, under Christ, to do the job as he proved himself faithful in this task for a period of 40 years during his lifetime (De. 34:10-12).

As a result of the combined work of Christ, Elijah and Moses, the knowledge of God’s laws and commandments will fill the entire world creating true peace, prosperity and happiness for all of mankind.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9).

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).

He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces…(Isa. 25:8).

Your kingdom come, Your will be done also on earth, as in heaven (Mt. 6:10, RNT).

In the meantime, Christ’s prophecy about Elijah coming to “restore all things” is being fulfilled now, and can be witnessed through any individual or group of people who are trying to live by every word of God.

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God' "(Mt. 4:4).

So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD (De. 8:3).

The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever (Ps. 119:160).

Elijah did his work through the power of God’s holy spirit (2Ki. 2: 9-15), and that spirit is available to those who repent of sin (Mt. 3:1-12; Ac. 2:38; 5:32) and begin to live a new life in accordance with God’s word (Rom. 6:4; 7:6). All those individuals are then able to do the work of Elijah. This work will culminate with two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11:1-10.

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." ¹⁰ So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." ¹¹ Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. ¹² And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. ¹³ He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. ¹⁵ Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him (2Ki. 2:9-15).

Unless the work of Elijah is fulfilled before Christ’s return, the population of Earth will become so corrupt that it will have to be destroyed.

And, behold, I will send to you Elijah the prophet, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes; ⁶who shall turn the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbor, lest I come and smite the earth grievously with a ban for destruction (Mal. 4:5-6).

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹² So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. ¹³ And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth (Ge. 6:11-13).

In Sodom and Gomorrah, there were not even 10 people who wanted to do what was right according to Gods laws and commandments. As a result, the few righteous individuals were taken out while the rest were utterly destroyed (Ge.18:20-32).

As God doesn’t change, this judgment of destroying a totally corrupt society will apply worldwide at the time of Christ's return, unless the work of a latter day Elijah has a positive effect in turning people away from the false religious systems that pervade all nations today.

For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob (Mal. 3:6).

To avoid the destruction mentioned in the previous scriptures, parents need to teach God’s truth to their children, instead of the ways of this world and the lies that are an integral part of false religious systems.

Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. ² I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, ³ which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. ⁴ We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. ⁵ For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; ⁶ that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, ⁷ that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; ⁸ and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God (Ps. 78:1-8).

Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, ¹⁰ especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children' (De. 4:9-10).

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (De. 6:7).

Thankfully, Christ’s words to his disciples strongly indicate that the latter Elijah’s work will have a positive effect on more than just 10 people. This work will be done through those who are willing to be unpopular, like Elijah, and stand up for Gods law and commandments.

And he answered and said, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things” (Mt. 17:11, RNT).

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