Elijah - born as John the Baptist, killed (beheaded)
Elijah - also appears as Elijah at the Transfiguration, along with Moses (who did die)
There's a pattern here.
Pattern: a blueprint, a plan... that which comes first and is nessessary for the construction and manifestation of said plan.
Matthew 17
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore [future tense] all things.
12 But I say unto you, That Elias 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.
13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Luke 1
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
Zecharias' reason for disbelief:
I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years
The entire nation came forth from Isaac. Abraham was 100, and Sarah was 90. No excuse for ignorance there.
Doctrines have created the Picasso version of Mr. Potato Head:
Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.