2 Kings 2:11 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.
Matthew 11
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 17
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 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.
John 1
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
Elijah, taken up to heaven alive in a whirlwind.
Elijah, appearing at the Transfiguration.
Elijah who was John, was born many centruries after Elijah who was taken up into heaven.
John said he wasn't Elijah.
Jesus said that John was Elijah.
There'a a pattern here.
The son of man... what's in a name, or how someone is addressed? "Son of man" is an idiom to denote any human being ("ben Adam", son of Adam). Kind of like Ploni Almoni, John Doe, Max Mustermann, lit. meaning the max paragon ("example"). It's even paradoxical to use a definite article in front of a generic catch all. Like saying "the" John Doe, or "the" Anytown, USA. Well if it were a specific person or place, it wouldn't be "John Doe", or "Anytown". Heh.
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
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus...
John was Elijah. Same guy; different name. Elijah named as Elijah, appeared at the Transfiguration along with Moses, to discuss Jesus' exodus from Jerusalem. Yet he also came back as a new baby, whose birth narrative is documented. That is to say, when Elijah returned as the man named John, he returned from the ground... up.
Gotta be a reason for that sort of weirdness.
Fascinating, the details that just sit around waiting to be observed by noone in particular.
Hebrew tochnit (תוכנית) - fem. n. plan, program, project
What Solomon said:
1 Kings 8
17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
Indeed! Thanks for the Ping! It's something that deserves a thorough evaluation and cataloged as one of the many possibilities, though I still lean toward the heavens being rolled back theory... :)