PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 9:9-13
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Elijah does come first, and restores all things.” (Mark 9:12)
The Jews expected a Day of judgment, when all would be made right (Malachi 4).
But first the prophet Elijah would come (Malachi 4:5-6) to prepare the peoples’ hearts.
Jesus sees himself as the promised Son of Man, who accomplishes God’s redemption.
And John the Baptist is the Elijah, who works to “restore all things” among God’s people.
Well that was the plan anyway; but the hearts of God’s people were hardened.
Elijah comes as ‘restorer’, but he suffers, is rejected and killed.
Similarly, Jesus comes as ‘redeemer’, but he suffers, is rejected and killed (Mark 4:12).
To us this sounds like the failure of the mission, but it is “just as it is written” (Mark 9:13).
That is, God anticipated human stubbornness and chose to fulfill his mission through it.
What this tells me is that the success of our mission does not mean we will always succeed.
We too will struggle, suffer and be rejected… but God works through this.
God softens hardened hearts through the self-sacrifice of his Son, and his followers.
As we work and struggle to “restore all things”, God is at work restoring all things.
Not everyone will accept it, but that won’t stop God from accomplishing it!
PRAYER
Lord, my struggle is not the failure of the mission; it is how you restore and redeem all things among a hard-hearted people. It won’t be easy, but God’s mission will be accomplished!
I can certainly relate to the disciples confusion – yet it will all make sense to the disciples as Jesus completes his mission and returns to the Father the first time. We benefit as we see that their confusion is genuine – but Jesus is being prophetic and telling them what will happen before it does – these affirmations help us to believe and trust Jesus – that is alive and is the Son of God/son of man. I can be confused today as well – wondering how God is working things out – yet when I look back I see – and I give thanks!!
Remember how the queen and king wanted to kill Elijah? The killed John the Baptist. They killed Jesus. Yet the work of the Lord continues. He lives and because He lives we can do more than just talk but walk the walk. Jesus showed the Way. Then as today not all accept His Way because we are hard hearted. His will be done. Help me daily to live for Jesus. His Kingdom will come.
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain:
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.