Because many preachers, scholars and the unlearned do not know that the ministry of Elijah comes five times before the world goes into annihilation, they erroneously attribute every scripture regarding Elijah to only Elijah the Tishbite, and John the Baptist.

ELIJAH'S FIRST COMING
Elijah the Tishbite, first appears in the 17th Chapter of 1st Kings (1st Kings 17) and what God did through him in that ministry is well known to all Bible students.

He called for drought during the reign of King Ahab. He raised the son of the widow of Zarephath from death. He had a show-down with the 450 false prophets of Baal and proved that the God of Israel was the only true God. His miraculous ministry continues.

ELIJAH'S SECOND COMING
Elijah's second Ministry began in another prophet called Elisha. 2nd Kings 2:11-15 states, "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bow themselves to the ground before him."

The anointing that was upon the ministry of Elisha was the anointing of Elijah. The sons of the prophets confirmed that in verse 15 of the above scriptures. The ministry of Elisha therefore was the second coming of Elijah's ministry.

ELIJAH'S THIRD COMING
The Lord Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 17:12 "But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them."

In verse 13, the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist. So the ministry of John the Baptist was the third coming of Elijah's ministry. But take note, in verse 11 the Lord Jesus had already said, "Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things." Then in verse 12, He said, "Elijah is come already."

Clearly, the Lord Jesus was talking about two separate ministries of the same Elijah's anointing: one in the future and one that had already past. If the Lord was talking about one and the same ministry, he wouldn't have said "he shall first come, and restore all things" and "...is already come".

The Lord knew that Elijah's ministry that will restore all things was in the future and that it did not pertain to the disciples. He therefore redirected His sermon to the ministry of John the Baptist, which pertained to the disciples. He began to say "Elijah is come already."

John the Baptist did not restore all things. If John had restored all things, the rapture would have taken place in John's time and Paul wouldn't have come after John to reveal scriptures John did not reveal. The restoration of all things before Christ comes the second time, as also spoken of in Acts 3:20-21, did not pertain to John. What pertained to John is Matthew 17:12,13; Luke 1:17 and Malachi 3:1.

ELIJAH'S FOURTH COMING
As stated earlier, Matthew 17:11 is not John the Baptist (the third ministry of Elijah). Matthew 17:11 is the fourth ministry of Elijah in another prophet which restores all things (reveals the mystery of the entire Bible) before the second coming of Christ.

This Elijah who appears on the scene before the second coming of Jesus Christ, fulfills Malachi 4:5,6b; Matthew 17:11; Luke 17:30; Revelation 10:7; Revelation 3:14; Acts 3:20,21; Zachariah 14:7 and a dozen of other scriptures.

Without a shadow of doubt, the fourth Ministry of Elijah was fulfilled in the humble ministry of Prophet William Marrion Branham, though he himself never said that. It is abundantly evident that brother Branham lifted the Lord Jesus Christ higher than any man has, in the history of man. His ministry was a proof that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. His sermons correct errors that have been preached in all denominations during seven church ages and restores the original faith that was preached before the church went into apostate state. His sermons reveal all the mysteries of God as spoken of in Revelation10:7, and restores the heart of the children to their fathers (i.e. the faith of the early Bride returns to the end-time Bride). This prophet prepares a Gentile Bride for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ by restoring to her the pure unadulterated Word of God.

Please refer to the 'End-Time Prophet' on this website for a detailed exposition on this end-time ministry.

ELIJAH'S FIFTH COMING
The fifth ministry of Elijah is not to the Gentile Bride but to the Jews. This ministry fulfills Revelation 11:4-6. Because Elijah is not a prophet to the Jews, God will give him a Jewish prophet, Moses to go with him to open the eyes (the understanding) of 144,000 Jews by their ministry. Now, Israel is in blindness, denying their Messiah.

Elijah and Moses appear in Rev. 11:4 as the two olive trees and two candlesticks. In Rev.11:6, these prophets have power to shut the heaven, that it rain not and the power to turn water into blood. This is the return of Elijah and Moses. Moses turned water into blood in his ministry in Egypt and Elijah shut the heaven from raining during his ministry.

Elijah did not taste death because he has not finished his ministry. When the Lord Jesus was showing the rehearsal of His coming on mount transfiguration, these same prophets – Elijah and Moses appeared with Him (Mathew 17:1-7)

In a message entitled 'Trying To Do God A Service Without It Being God's Will', preached in 1965 in Shreveport, LA, brother Branham said, "...all theologians believe that; that, in the last day, the Spirit of Elijah is to come too. It has to come five times, God uses that Spirit: Elisha, Elijah, John the Baptist, and for the Gentile church, and then for the Jews of Revelations the 11th chapter. That's God's g-r-a-c-e, f-a-i-t-h, J-e-s-u-s, Jesus,-- the letter five. Can't stop at four; it has to go to five. See?"