I think that the End Time Army in Joel 2 and the Elijah before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord are speaking of the same thing.
Some would say that the Elijah in Malachi 4 was only John the Baptist, but it says that he is before the ‘Great and Terrible Day of the Lord’ which is His 2nd Coming. When Jesus came the first time He came as a lamb to the slaughter, it wasn’t the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
John indeed was a type of Elijah before the 1st Coming but Jesus infers there will still be another.
“Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.” Matthew 17:12-13
Jesus said that there was still an Elijah to come who would restore all things, and John never did that. Peter said after John’s ministry and Pentecost that the ‘Restoration of all things’ was still to come. In hindsight, we have seen in these End Times a restoring of all that has been stolen from the Church.
“And that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Act 3:20-21
Jesus said that John was to die at the hands of men just like Him, for John was a type of Jesus. The Elijah to come will also be like the Coming Jesus, a victorious King. We read of a victorious Church in Malachi 4:2-3
“To you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.”
This people will tread the wicked forces under their feet for they know who they are in Christ and do the greater works. John 14:12. Ephesians 1:18-21. Malachi then goes on to speak of the Elijah before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord who turns hearts to God.
The original Elijah was far from weak for he called down fire from Heaven and then slew the Prophets of Baal, which triggered a Revival in Israel, and here we see it happening again.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6
This End time Elijah is none other than the Spirit Filled Church that has the spirit and power of Elijah. The word given by the Angel concerning John the Baptist said that He would go before the Lord in the Spirit and Power of Elijah, but we saw no power or miracles in John’s ministry. This word was to be fulfilled in the End Time Elijah the Church who will do the greater works that Jesus did.
“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of 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.” John 1:16-17
Just as John was called to prepare people for the 1st Coming, so will God’s Spirit Filled Church prepare people for His 2nd Coming. “If you can receive it, this is the Elijah that is to come.” Matthew 11:14
In Ezekiel 37 we read of God raising up His Great End time Army and there is a lot of clues as to how we can help it all happen. This portion of scripture is about the Valley of Dry Bones. The significant key to this happening is by use of prophecy. We may say, “What do I prophecy?”
“The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Ezekiel 37:1-3
The major thing to notice about this prophecy was that it was outside in a Valley and not only that, no one was listening. There was only God and Ezekiel and these very dead dry bones. Many would have a problem with prophesying like this. It would seem pointless because no one is listening, yet this prophecy produced an amazing miracle. Through a lack of faith and the need to be noticed, we lose amazing opportunities to minister prophetically. The end result of Ezekiel’s obedience was the raising up of this great army.
“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Notice that Ezekiel’s prophecy wasn’t spontaneous. In other words he didn’t speak out not knowing what he was going to say next. He was given the words to say and told to read them out. It was like, “Repeat after me.” Ezekiel was obedient and the miracle took place of a great Army being raised up.
The world around us is in a mess, with chaos abounding. The curse is increasing over the earth, but we see that Spirit filled Church is the answer. The curse can be pushed back by prophecy. It speaks in Malachi 4 of Elijah coming before the return of the Lord. I don't believe that it is the literal reincarnation of Elijah but the Spirit of Elijah accompanied by miracles on His Church, His Army. A Prophetic people who have God’s word in their mouths can stop the curse.
“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:5-6
God is looking for a prophetic people, and not just a prophet in these perilous times. Joel 2 says that the Spirit will be on upon our sons and daughters, and just ordinary folk.
“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.” Joel 2:28-32
The use of prophecy will help to bring this all about and its not just be on Sundays in Church but 24/7. Its not just in the building either, but outside in the workplace and in the wildernesses of life. We have been given the ammunition and it is the word of God that we can speak out. We are called to put the word into our hearts and minds so that we end up believing it. As we do this our faith grows and we then speak out what is written over the dry bones. God says He will raise up a great End Time Army and our speaking out God’s word as we pray will bring it all about.