THE MIGHTY ELIJAH PART 1

 

 

There was a prolific and significant prophet of the Old Testament whose earthly mission was divided in two time periods, before the first and second advents of Christ. His life warrants a lengthy consideration. 

 

He is known as the ancient prophet who performed many mighty miracles and who had power to control the elements. Approximately 900 years before the birth of Christ, the people of the northern kingdom of Israel had almost entirely forsaken the worship of the true God under the reign of king Ahab and had become worshippers of the Phoenician god Baal.  Enter Elijah the Tishbite who was called to lead Israel back to their forsaken God. He boldly stood up to Ahab and said: “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.” (1 Kings 17:1)

 

And so Elijah sat by the brook Cherith, before Jordan, and he drank of the brook and was fed by the ravens sent by the very God in whose name he proclaimed the draught that lasted three and a half years (1 Kings 17:2-6). When the brook dried up, the Lord led him to Zarephath to be sustained by a widow whose son he raised from the dead (vs 7-24).

 

Elijah's boldness of character would be difficult to replicate. He stands as an example of spiritual confidence of one who knows God on a personal level. Besides the power that he was entrusted with he loved the God of Israel and did everything he could to turn the people’s hearts to Him.

 

Elijah’s difficult life has touched my heart to the core. He sorrowed and he suffered through rejection, persecution and isolation and most of all he longed for heaven. When fleeing Jezebel who sought to take his life, Elijah went into wilderness and sat himself under a juniper tree and requested of God that he might die (1 Kings 19:4). The Lord instead sent him an angel who fed him and led him to mount Horeb.

 

Elijah fasted for forty days during this trip. When he arrived and the Lord asked him what he was doing there, he expressed the root cause of his sorrow: nothing about his personal hardships but that the children of Israel had forsaken the covenant and slain the prophets and that he was the only one left (vs 8-10). And then the assurance and comfort from the God he loved: “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (v 18) In other words: Elijah, you have done some good even though you can’t see it.

 

And then the ultimate show of love and support……the Lord gave him Elisha. Another man of God, who denounced all his wealth and followed Elijah into his ministry. A man who became so great that a dead man cast into his sepulchre came to life again when his body touched the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21). Is this not greatness???

 

How much You must love

Those who serve Thee to the end;

Who speak the words of truth

And proclaim Thy holy name.

These are Thy prophets,

Your everlasting friends:

The strong, the noble,

The devoted who hear and obey.

These are Thine angels who herald

Thy gospel and Thy name ;

To the ends of the earth they speak

And their words forever remain.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Elijah by Djane Daviss)