“When the messengers returned to him he said to them, ‘Why have you returned?’ They said to him, ‘A man came up to meet us and said to us, “Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.”‘”‘ He said to them, ‘What kind of man was he who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?’ They answered him, ‘He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins.’ And he said, ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite'” (2 Kings 1:5-8).
In this passage, the king of Israel positively identifies Elijah by the unique clothing his is wearing. Because of the hair and leather girdle, King Ahaziah immediately knew this man was “Elijah the Tishbite” (v. 8). And because Elijah didn’t die but was taken up by flaming chariots (2 Kings 2:11-12), the prophet Malachi said that Elijah would return to announce the coming of the Messiah (see Mal 4:5-6 [3:23-24]). For this reason, I was told to open the door every year during our Passover seder, hoping for the privilege of hosting the prophet Elijah.
But how are we supposed to recognize Elijah when he comes? The same way King Ahaziah recognized him: using his unique garments. Without the necessary biblical context, the description of John the Baptist’s garments appears to be only a trivial detail. But for those who have meditated on the prophecies of the Hebrew Bible, these garments are essential, not only for positively identifying John the Baptist as the Prophet Elijah but also for identifying Yeshua as the promised Messiah!
“Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey” (Matt 3:4).
“As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.’ … And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear'” (Matt 11:7-9, 14-15).
