                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                            The Elijah Company

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By David Wilkerson
June 22, 1987
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          The Old Testament closes with this amazing prophecy of
          Malachi: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
          before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the
          Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
          children, and the heart of the children to their
          fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse"
          (Malachi 4:5,6).

          This prophecy was in great measure fulfilled in the
          ministry of John the Baptist. An angel appeared to
          Zacharias and prophesied that his son John would turn
          many in Israel to the Lord and that "he shall go before
          him in the Spirit and power of Elias (Elijah), 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" (Luke 1:16,17).

          Jesus, speaking to His disciples about John the
          Baptist, said: "And if ye will receive it, this is
          Elias, which was for to come" (Matthew 11:14). He
          added, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (v.
          15). I believe Jesus was asking them to see the
          spiritual significance of John's coming, as prophesied,
          in the spirit and power of Elijah.

          John himself emphatically denied that he was Elijah
          raised from the dead. When the Jews asked him
          pointedly, "Art thou Elias?" John answered, "I am
          not... I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
          Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet
          Esaias" (John 1:21-23). This is why Jesus told His
          disciples that only spiritual eyes and ears would
          understand - that John the Baptist was of the same
          ministry mold as Elijah the prophet. John was a
          preacher of righteousness, as was Elijah, sent to
          awaken a people to a straight and narrow way of
          holiness.

          John, anointed with the same fearless Spirit and power
          which was upon Elijah, thundered against the sins of
          disobedient, greedy, pleasure-loving Jews. Christ was
          soon to appear and this mighty man of truth suddenly
          came on the scene top prepare a people for the Lord.
          This wilderness prophet was sent to turn the hearts of
          the people, which is the truest definition of
          repentance, John preached repentance, restitution,
          purity of heart, justice, and a practical walk of
          holiness to correspond with an open confession of sins.

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                   An Elijah Company in These Last Days

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          I believe the prophet Malachi, as well as other Old
          Testament prophets, speaks of a company of holy people
          who will be raised up just prior Christ's second
          coming, who will also be in the same ministry mold of
          Elijah. That is, they will minister under the very same
          Spirit and power that rested upon Elijah and John the
          Baptist.

          I believe the second coming of Christ is most certainly
          "the great and dreadful day of the Lord," which Malachi
          spoke of. Dreadful in regard to the wrath of God upon
          the wicked and disobedient. The Hebrew root word used
          here is YARE, meaning to frighten, to make afraid.
          There is truly coming a day when the ungodly will cry
          for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them, "to
          hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the
          throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation
          6:16). But before that dreadful day comes, the Holy
          Spirit has a loud and clear voice throughout the earth
          - an Elijah company of holy, consecrated, discerning
          saints who fearlessly warn of sin, righteousness and
          impending judgment.

          This last-day Elijah company of believers will heed the
          prophecy of Isaiah, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy
          voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their
          transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins"
          (Isaiah 58:1). These are the watchmen upon the walls,
          "which shall never hold peace day nor night... and give
          him no rest, till he establish, and till he make
          Jerusalem a praise in the earth" (Isaiah 62:6,7).

          The true Elijah company is not looking for an earthly
          kingdom, for they, like Abraham, are looking for a city
          whose builder and maker is God. They have been born
          into the heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of all
          the truly redeemed. Zion is a holy people made ready as
          a bride adorned. "And they shall call them, The holy
          people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be
          called, sought out, a city not forsaken" (Isaiah
          62:12).

          How blind the religious scribes of our day have become,
          focusing on some kind of reconstructed Jewish temple.
          Our Lord has been building Zion, His true temple, ever
          since He came to earth as God incarnate. Even now the
          Holy City is nearly finished, and soon the gates will
          be closed. No more animal sacrifices, no more earthly
          temple made with hands, no kingdom that is of the
          world. The Elijah company is a holy people, seated
          right now with Christ in heavenly places. Right now
          Christ reigns over them as absolute sovereign and king.
          They are detached from this world and are wholly
          devoted to their Lord.

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                    They Are a Wilderness People to Whom
                      The Word of the Lord Has Come.

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          I want to shout every time I read these words - "Annas
          and Caiaphas being the high priests, the Word of God
          came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness"
          (Luke 3:2).

          The Holy Spirit bypassed the entire religious systems,
          the rabbinical schools, the educated Pharisees and
          scribes, and even the highest officials of the church -
          and sent the true word to a man of God shut up in the
          wilderness. The word came to John, to a man outside
          every religious body of that day, to a man educated by
          the Holy Spirit alone. The religious big shots, those
          pious church officials, had not a single word from the
          Lord. They could drone on for hours, exhorting dead
          Scriptures - but they had nothing fresh and life-giving
          from the throne of God.

          But John! He was non-materialistic, separated,
          God-consumed, and possessed by a single vision - the
          coming Christ! How his heart must have burned in the
          wilderness as he read of that Old Testament prophet
          Elijah. John was in the wilderness standing before the
          Lord, learning His righteous ways, preparing his heart
          to be unbending against a corrupt and godless society.
          John's ministry is proof that no one should claim to
          speak for God, or denounce sin, unless he truly has the
          word sent from God.

          So it was with Elijah. He suddenly appeared on the
          scene in the midst of Israel's darkest hour of
          wickedness and debauchery. Ahab not only took the
          wicked Jezebel to be his wife, he also "provoked the
          Lord God of Israel to anger more than all the kings of
          Israel that were before him" (1 Kings 16:33).

          Out of the wilderness of Gilead came Elijah the
          Tishbite to confront wicked Ahab and backslidden
          Israel. What a powerful word from God this prophet had
          received. He thundered, "As the Lord God of Israel
          liveth, BEFORE WHOM I STAND, there shall not be dew nor
          rain these years, but according to my word... and the
          word of the Lord came to him" (1 Kings 17:1,2).

          This is the ministry mold of the Elijah company - The
          Lord liveth - before whom I stand! This speaks of a
          people shut up with God in the school of Christ - a
          body of awakened saints who refuse to be tainted and
          warped by the teachings and traditions of unspiritual
          and self-centered teachers and egocentric shepherds.
          These have mostly given up trying to receive a true
          word from the religious hierarchy who are bound by
          narrow denominational doctrines. They found themselves
          in a wilderness of confusion, hungry for a
          soul-satisfying word that would witness in the inner
          man that it was sent from God. So they went directly to
          God's Holy Scripture to seek the truth. What sweet
          relief to turn off all the tapes for a season, lay
          aside all the books and literature and be shut up in
          the Scriptures. They wept, they sought for truth as if
          looking for a priceless pearl. They heard the awesome
          woes of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah and all the other
          prophets - and God's wrath against sin and apostasy was
          revealed to them. They learned something of the
          character of God - His mercy for the repentant and
          obedient and His indignation against hypocrisy and
          mixture with the world. And because they stand before
          God, away from all other clamoring voices, the word of
          the Lord has come to them with force and consuming
          fire.

          Jeremiah belonged to the Elijah company who stood
          before the Lord to receive the true word. God said to
          him, "If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and
          thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the
          precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth...
          and I will make thee unto this people a fenced brass
          wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall
          not prevail... for I am with thee to save thee and
          deliver thee, saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 15:19,20).

          Discernment - precious, needful discernment - that is
          what God pours out upon His Elijah company as they
          stand before Him - outside the camp - showing God's
          people the difference between the precious and the
          vile. The righteous are not proud or arrogant - but
          simply bold as a lion. They are not indulging in secret
          sin, and there is no hidden dark part in them - and
          they walk in the fear of God with the spiritual
          authority of Elijah. They come from the presence of the
          Lord to declare the righteous judgments of a holy God
          upon the sins of leaders and of the idolaters who are
          at ease in Zion. They have acquired a history with the
          Lord, having an exercised spiritual mind, able to
          discern what is of God and what is of flesh.

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                     They Are Called "Troublemakers."

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          They are troublers who infuriate backslidden religious
          leaders and corrupt Christians. They are hated as was
          Jesus when he testified against them that "their deeds
          were evil" (John 7:7).

          Ahab went out to meet Elijah at an appointed time and
          sneeringly asked, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?"
          (1 Kings 18:17). Imagine this corrupted mate of Jezebel
          accusing this holy prophet of causing division, trouble
          and strife among God's people. He was too blinded by
          his sins to recognize the prophetic voice of God - to
          him Elijah was nothing more than a troublemaker.

          Elijah would not cower before this spirit of rebellion
          and stubbornness. He boldly looked Ahab in the eye and
          answered, "I have not troubled Israel: but thou... in
          that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and
          thou has followed Baalim" (1 Kings 18:18).

          Who are the real troublemakers, the real division
          mongers in the house of God today? It is not the Elijah
          company who sigh and cry over the abominations of the
          church. It is not those who expose sin and testify
          against the wicked deeds of religious leaders and those
          at ease in Zion. All division is caused by compromise!
          All trouble in God's house is the result of apostasy
          and the forsaking of the Lord's commandments. "For
          where envying and strife is, there is disorder and
          every evil work" (James 3:16).

          Paul warns the brethren to "mark them which cause
          divisions... and avoid them" (Romans 16:17). But who
          were these who "caused offenses contrary to the
          doctrine taught?" They were none other that a
          self-centered, backslidden group among them who "served
          their own belly" (v.18). This proves that division is
          caused by the proud, arrogant catering to
          self-interests. Paul said, "By their smooth and
          flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the
          unsuspecting" (v. 18 NAS). Those preachers who are soft
          on sin, overlooking the evil deeds in God's house and
          crying unity, are the real divisionists. They are
          leading many into a false love trap. The true body of
          Christ has never been nor ever will be divided. Those
          in holy union with Christ are already united to each
          other. Sin is the divider!

          Paul and Silas were brought before the magistrates of
          the city of Philippi, having been accused with
          "exceedingly troubling" their city (Acts 16:20). They
          were beaten and cast into prison as a result of the
          TROUBLE they had caused. What was this exceeding great
          trouble? Paul and Silas had cast a fortune-telling
          spirit out of a damsel who had "brought her masters
          much gain by soothsaying... and when her masters saw
          that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul
          and Silas" (Acts 16:16-19).

          When self-interest is threatened in any way, the cry
          goes up, "TROUBLEMAKERS! DIVISION! THREAT TO UNITY!"
          Paul and Silas had uncovered a religious con game - a
          demonic deception under the guise of religion. It was a
          very profitable scheme for a select few who knew how to
          manipulate undiscerning crowds. What raised the cry,
          "Division"? It was a revival of cleansing. Those who
          accused Paul and Silas with causing dissension had
          ulterior motives and they refused the call to repent
          and walk in holiness.

          God, give us more troublers of Israel who are not
          afraid to stand up against religious hypocrisy and
          disobedience! The Elijah company has nothing to lose
          because they have already "taken joyfully the spoiling
          of their goods." It is a despised way - a path of
          rejection, loneliness and deep godly sorrow. Day by day
          the Holy Spirit reveals more and more of God's
          heartbreak over the sins of His people. It seems as if
          Christ Himself weeps through your eyes over the lack of
          holiness, truth and discernment in the church. And the
          more time that is spent standing before the Lord, the
          clearer the word that comes, until it is a fire burning
          in your spiritual bones and "woe is me if I keep
          silent."

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                             A Word of Caution

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          The true Elijah company is not a wrecking crew going
          about cursing and threatening those who do not measure
          up to their concept of holiness and purity. Much damage
          is being done in churches today by pseudo-prophets who
          go about castigating and lecturing ministers and laymen
          over what is called "a revelation from God about
          something in your life." I am deluged at times with
          such revelations and prophecies. One such "prophetess"
          warned that my life was in danger if I went to New York
          City to minister. I kindly told her that I was already
          dead to this world, and that it would be an honor if it
          should be so. I have been cursed, threatened, corrected
          and judged by many sincere, over-zealous self-acclaimed
          prophets and prophetesses. I receive reams of
          prophecies - all of them beginning with "Thus saith the
          Lord." Some of them witness to my heart that God has
          truly spoken, but much of it is meaningless.

          Elijah's hatred for the sins of Israel sprang out of
          his very strong love for God's people. He was not a
          people-hater - only a sin-hater. He was not a man of
          revenge, but rather a man whose heart yearned for
          Israel's return to the Lord. To understand the Spirit
          and power that was upon Elijah, you must hear his
          heartbroken cry on Mount Carmel, "Hear me, O Lord, hear
          me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord
          God, and that thou hast turned their heart back
          again... Then the fire fell,... and when all the people
          saw it, they fell on their faces..." (1 Kings
          18:37-39).

          Elijah was not at all interested in being validated as
          a prophet. He wanted only to see the honor of God
          restored and the backslidden in heart "returned to the
          Lord." True prophets, though they may sound so hard
          against sin, are at heart merciful, kind and patient.
          And when they see real biblical repentance, they are
          builders and restorers of breaches.

          I want to go on record that I believe there exists
          today an Elijah company of true shepherds. Not all
          preachers are backslidden or self-serving. I am hearing
          from a growing number of holy shepherds who have been
          wounded and rejected by uncaring sheep. Some are being
          literally driven out of their churches for preaching
          holy standards. But cruelest of all are the so-called
          prophecies and denunciations from harsh "prophetic
          voices" that have no mercy or redemptive quality to
          them.

          If you should ever hear a "prophet" pronouncing curses
          on anyone - you can be sure he is not walking in the
          Spirit of Christ. He is often a proud, self-proclaimed
          Elijah, full of arrogance and lust. The Word says
          clearly, "Bless, and curse not" (Romans 12:14). Those
          who go about speaking of cursing ought to shudder at
          these warnings: "As he loved cursing, so let it come
          unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be
          far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing like
          as with a garment, so let it come into his bowels like
          water, and like oil into his bones" (Psalm 109:17,18).

          In light of this, if one who considers himself to be a
          prophet tries to curse you, do as Jesus commanded and
          "bless them that curse you" (Matthew 5:44). Smile and
          go your way without fear, because their curses are
          harmless but to themselves.

          The Elijah company is a weeping people - and any
          prophetic word that comes forth from their lips is
          bathed in tears. They have caught a glimpse of the
          awesome holiness of Christ and their own past sins have
          crushed them. Now, in brokenness and godly sorrow, they
          walk in repentance - they preach it and will never back
          away from showing God's people their backslidings. They
          refuse to wink at sin and they fear no man or devil
          when it comes to standing up for the honor of Christ.

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                The Word That Comes To the Elijah Company Is
                             Christ-Centered!

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          Jesus took Peter, James and John up to a high mountain
          and was transfigured before them. Suddenly Elijah and
          Moses appeared and they were "talking with Jesus" (Mark
          9:2-4). Luke tells us they "spake of his decease which
          he should accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31).

          Peter, just awakened from sleep and "not knowing what
          he said," blurted out, "Master, let us make three
          tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one
          for Elias" (Luke 9:33). And even while he spoke these
          words they were overshadowed by a cloud, causing them
          to tremble. "And there came a voice out of the cloud
          saying, This is my beloved Son; hear him. And when the
          voice was past, Jesus was found alone..." (Luke
          9:35,36).

          God made a statement to His church which must not be
          misinterpreted. He was saying to Peter and to all who
          have ears to hear, "No more Jewish temple with its
          walls of partition, no more distinction between Jew and
          Gentile, no more shedding of the blood of bulls and
          goats - it is all of Christ now! No more going back to
          types and shadows; Christ the reality has come! No more
          buildings made with hands, no more of an earthly
          kingdom and an earthly Jerusalem, no more building upon
          Moses - the house now belongs to Christ! No more of
          futurism - the kingdom is now - not some Jewish
          millennial age, but now Christ is King. Now He rules
          and reigns in the hearts of His bondservants. Elijah's
          prophecies have been fulfilled; My Son is the builder
          of the house of David that has fallen down. The kingdom
          has come; Christ Jesus is the temple; He is even now
          building His holy city - hear Him!"

          What a picture! Moses and Elijah disappear and there
          stands Jesus alone! And God's mandate was ringing in
          their ears, "Hear Him!" What does that mean to the
          Elijah company of these last days?

          I believe this is the distinguishing mark of the Elijah
          company today: They have eyes to see - ears to hear -
          and a pure heart to obey all that the Lord has spoken.
          There is a holy people arising now who are hearing the
          claims of Christ, they are laying hold of His precious
          commandments, and their delight is in the Law of the
          Lord.

          All the prophets saw this day and prophesied of the
          gathering of a separated holy people who would have
          great understanding in the Word of the Lord. Daniel
          heard great things from God but "understood not"
          (Daniel 12:8). But he saw a day coming when a purified,
          tried and tested remnant would understand. It is a
          last-day company who has wisdom and discernment in the
          things of God. "Many shall be purified and made white,
          and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none
          of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
          understand" (Daniel 12:10).

          Isaiah deplored the spiritual blindness of backslidden
          Israel. He said, "...they are out of the way... they
          err in vision, they stumble in judgment" (Isaiah 28:7).
          What little discernment they once had was destroyed by
          their lusts. But Isaiah prophesied of a day in which
          "the deaf shall hear the words... the eyes of the blind
          shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness... they
          shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of
          Jacob (Christ), and shall fear the God of Israel. They
          also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
          and they that rebelled shall learn doctrine" (Isaiah
          29:18-24).

          I believe the last-day revival so many preach about is
          a revival of cleansing. If the work of the Holy Spirit
          is to convict the world of sin, righteousness and
          judgment - then it is certain that in a great Holy
          Ghost outpouring upon mankind there will be powerful
          waves of conviction and a careless, indulgent church
          will be shaken and forced to face her sins.

          While multitudes of Christians chase after signs and
          miracles - and heap to themselves teachers of success
          and prosperityn - and others flock to hear the soothing
          sermons of the crowd pleasers - God has been calling
          out a "wilderness people" who have come out of Babylon
          and are consumed with hunger for more of Christ. They
          can no longer walk with the uncommitted, the
          pleasure-loving and the slumbering. While the blind
          lead the blind, these have a single eye focused on
          Christ and their whole body is full of light - which is
          Holy Ghost discernment.

          Oh yes - there is right now a glorious Elijah company
          coming forth in the land! I hear from many of them
          daily - and how they bless my heart. One day God just
          began to stir their hearts. They became disillusioned
          with all the hypocrisy and shame. They got into the
          Word of God and saw for themselves what His ultimate
          purposes are, they quit their idolatry and
          half-heartedness, they crucified the deeds of the
          flesh. They put on Christ's robe of righteousness by
          faith, they submitted to the claims of Christ, they
          decided to walk alone if necessary to be wholly
          obedient to Him. They became loathers of sin and full
          of the Lord's zeal against wickedness. They set
          themselves to hear and understand what the Lord's will
          is. They began to see things in the Spirit and were
          made to understand that the end of all things is at
          hand. To these, the Word of the Lord has come!

          And that word is being proclaimed loud and clear -
          "Christ is coming! Christ must have a pure and spotless
          bride, prepared and adorned! Repent, for the day of the
          Lord is near! Lay aside every besetting sin and set
          your affection on things above! Flee from Babylon! Come
          out from among the compromisers - have no part with
          them. Don't support the towers of Babel! Don't be
          partakers in the empires and dreams of men. Forsake it
          all and go out to meet Him. It's midnight - behold He
          cometh!"

          The Elijah company will go forth with sufficient oil -
          the oil of devotion to Christ! Their lamps will be
          brightly burning, lighting their way and exposing all
          that hinders.

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771 USA.

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