Elijah and John the Baptist

St. Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and they wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. (16) And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. (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.

So in these verses, Elijah was not the Elijah that went to heaven on a chariot. It was John the Baptist that would come in the spirit and power of Elijah.

Mal. 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: (6) 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.

In the fifth verse, it seems to be talking about the real Elijah the prophet coming back before judgement day. The fifth verse mentions Elijah the prophet. It did not mention the spirit and power of Elijah. The verse did not say that it would be another man. It seems to be saying that Elijah would come before the day of the Lord.

St. Matt. 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.

Again, it seems that Jesus was speaking of John the Baptist. Some people seem to think that Jesus will be the Elijah that will come before the dreadful day of the Lord.

St. Matt. 16: 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do ye men say that I the Son of man am? (14) And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elisas; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. (15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
(17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

St. Matt. 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, (2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (3) And , behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him. (4) Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make  here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

As you can see, Jesus is himself. He is Christ the son of God. Elijah is himself.

(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.

To me, this means the Elijah the prophet will come before the dreadful day of the Lord, but Elijah in spirit and power which was John the baptist has already came. To others, this might mean something else.