Matthew Poole and continuators on Malachi 4:5

5 ¶ Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet , before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD .

Though the Spirit of Prophesie cease for 400 years, yet at the expiring of those years, you shall have one sent, as great as Elijah, and therefore he is now called Elijah, that shall prepare Messiah's way.

not the same in person, who reproved Idolatrous Israel, who destroyed Baal, though both Iewes and many Christians would gladly have it so▪ in favour of some errours they have adopted and would maintain. But this person here called Elijah, was Iohn Baptist, as is clear from Mat. 17.9. to 13. Elias is come, and they have done to him whatsoever they listed. ver. 12. Then understood the disciples that he spake of Iohn the Baptist. And he was that Elias if they would receive him, Mat. 11.10, 11, 12, 13. Elias was to come when Malachi lived; Elias was come, and the Iewes had ill treated him, and Herod had beheaded him, when Christ here lived; this Elias then was Iohn the Baptist, who came in the Spirit and power of Elijah Luk. 1.17. and therefore bears his name in this Prophesie.

Who foretold Christ the true Me[illegible: 1 letter]siah's sudden manifestation, who indeed was already among them, but had not yet discovered himself, on whom he perswades the Iewes to believe, and receive his person and his Law, Luk. 1.15, 16, 17. and Mar. 1.7, 8. who was greater than a prophet, Mat. 11.9. nor doth Iohn's denying himself to be a Prophet, Joh. 1.21. in their sense contradict this.

This day was great indeed, yet 'tis not the day of the last and great Judgment, though the Jewes perversly affirm it to evade the acknowledgment of Messiahs being already come. But this day of Messiah was great for the alterations he was to make in worship, and Church affairs, taking down the Mosaie Ceremonies and enlarging the Church; great for the Miracles he wrought and empowred others to do; great for the Reconciliation between God and man, for the conquering of Satan, and casting him out of his Throne. It was great too against the Jewes his obstinate Enemies.

It was a time of Vengeance, executed upon a people whose sins were full ripe and such sufferings fell on the Jewes at that time, as, may very well be an emblem of the day of Judgment, and which may be remotely meant hereby. But the first, literal and plain meaning of the words refer to the times of vengeance upon the Jewes from either the Birth, or first Preaching, or Death of Christ to the final desolation of the City and Temple, and irrecoverable overthrow of their Government of which Christ speaks at large, Mat. 24.1. and Mar. 13. to 32. ver. &c. which places point out first the sad and dismal Miseries of the Jewes, and next by accommodation, the end of the World and last Judgment. Such a description of this day, Joel 2.31. by St. Peter interpreted and applyed to this day of Christ. Acts 2.20. more fully clears this.

Jesus Christ preaching to the Iewes, calling them to Repentance, reproving their sins, encouraging their compliance, threatning their impenitence, and labouring to gather the children of Ierusalem toge[illegible: 1 letter]her under his wings, but they would not, Mat. 23.34. to 39. And therefore at last destroying by the Romans these obstinate and incorrigible sinners.

That is immediately before, so he was born six moneths before Christ, and began his preaching but few years before Christ began to exercise his publick office.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span] 11.