What did it mean when our King said “Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Matt. 17:11) ?
The word restore, according to our English language dictionary means —
“to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish:to restore order. to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting.” (Dictionary.com)
So once we know the meaning of restore we can see that the final prophet to God’s people “Elijah” will be instrumental in doing restoration or reestablishment of God’s way on earth. “All things” will revert back to how God intended them to be. Let’s look at some of those restored things as said in His word.
1) Marriage
As we are aware, marriage is indeed the first “covenant” God made with mankind –the marriage covenant. No doubt this covenant is VERY important. We read in Mal 2:16 —
“For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”
Therefore the Elijah message deals with this topic, and it sets up the soon to be restoration of the perfect fulfillment, let us read —
“Like every other one of God’s good gifts intrusted to the keeping of humanity, marriage has been perverted by sin, but it is the purpose of the gospel to restore its purity and beauty.—“Mount of Blessings,” p. 100.
Inspiration further says: “And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things.” (Mk. 9:12.) “In the time of the end, every divine institution is to be restored.”—“Prophets and Kings,” p. 678.
The foregoing passages make clear at least three main facts; namely:
1. That the first institution which God ordained and established on earth was that of marriage; and that the second was that of the Sabbath.
2. That God intended that both of these institutions should endure intact, but that Satan has perverted and corrupted them, until today they retain but little of their pristine purity.
3. That consequently, in the time of the end, God will send Elijah the prophet to restore not only both of these, but also all other desecrated, divine institutions.
Hence, as all things must be restored, and as Elijah must effect their restoration, it follows that, as the joint institutions of marriage and the Sabbath were the first to be instituted, and the first to be profaned and debased, they must, therefore, be the first to be restored.
Moreover, as there is no truth where there is no type, the working out of divine design, in ordaining and establishing, on Friday, the sixth day of creation, the marriage institution, and on the seventh day, the Sabbath, thus gave type both to the reestablishing of these institutions, and to the restoring of them to the sanctity and beauty of their first estate. And as we must observe the Sabbath on the seventh day, likewise we ought to solemnize marriage on Friday, the sixth day of the week.
Furthermore, as God foresaw that in the closing hours of probation, the order of events would be singularly anomalous and preternatural, He mercifully thus forewarned us in the following familiar statements:
“Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning.”—“Testimonies to Ministers,” p. 300. Therefore, with the one who is to come in the spirit, and power of Elijah, men will find fault and say, “‘You are too earnest, you do not interpret the Scriptures in the proper way. Let me tell you how to teach your message.’”—Id., pp. 475, 476.
Nevertheless, as representatives of the Elijah message, we are called to lead out by precept and example in the restoration of all things, especially the marriage and the Sabbath institutions, for the one represents the home, and the other the memorial of its creation. Therefore, before “we go forth to proclaim the Sabbath more fully,” we must lift up marriage, the first institution, from the sordid depths to which Satan has plunged it.” (SC, vol. 3, no.2, p.8)
Marriage indeed restored! Right now it appears we are lackadaisical in marriage in timing the day of this holy bond. Friday is the day for the marriage covenant. And as the kingdom restored will soon take place in the Holy Land, it is to be expected that God will bless and sanction many marriages there.
2) Sabbath
We don’t need to get into too much explanation on this. As present truth believers, we well know that this issue will be the final test for mankind. Just as it was the very first trouble/dispute in worship (Cain slaying Abel over proper worship) so too the end-time issue of worship shall determine one is with God or one is not. Sunday worship will be the “mark of the beast” confirmation. For more information on the Sabbath test see our video —
3) Animal instincts
Elijah pointed us to Isaiah 11:6-9 as part of the restoration in God’s pre-millennial kingdom in Israel, and we read —
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 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.”
What a breathtaking sight! A large lion sitting next to a baby sheep. A poisonous snake being handled by a baby. All this will be viewed, in the very soon to come kingdom. TV, reports, films, videos, you name it, all will broadcast this future amazing sight. God’s word says it, we believe it. The only question is –when does this beautiful sight take place?
Well if you are a typical SDA, and swallowed what the pastor or teacher teaches, you’d say it’s the time of the “new earth”. Wrong.
Here is a video showing why it cannot be at that time but much before it —
Next week we’ll conclude with more examples of the restoration that mankind needs and what the Lord will deliver as promised.
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