There are six aspects of the biblical figure Elijah that you might not be aware of
One of the most interesting people in the Bible is Elijah, who was a prophet. His life was interesting. God used him at a very important point in Israel’s history to stand up to a bad king and bring the people back to life. Elijah’s life was hard, just like the lives of many other people in the Bible. His life was full of ups and downs. He was sometimes brave and sure of himself, but he also had times when he was afraid and unsure. He also showed how to win and lose, then get back on your feet. He knew that God was powerful, but he also knew what it was like to be very sad. He worked his whole life to bring back true worship in Israel. In the end, Elijah told the people of ancient Israel to stop sinning and turn back to the true God. His message is just as important for us today as it was then. Elijah’s advice that God’s people should serve Him faithfully and with all their hearts is just as important today as it was when he was alive. Here are six Bible facts about Elijah that you might not know.
Elijah was the one God chose
God works through ordinary people to do amazing things. Elijah, like many of the Bible’s prophets, didn’t set out to be one of God’s messengers. Instead, God picked him for the job himself. Elijah didn’t hesitate when he was called to do his job, even though it looked like the evil king would try to kill him. Elijah left right away for Samaria, the capital city, to tell King Ahab about the news. Then God sent Elijah into hiding as the drought dried up the rivers and killed the crops of the nation (1 Kings 17:7-15; 1 Kings 18:1). Elijah was chosen to talk to the people who followed Baal because he was close to God. He also faced the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and did many miracles, like giving a widow an endless supply of flour and bringing a dead boy back to life.
Not much is known about his past
Elijah means “the Lord is my God.” He was from the town of Tishbeh in Gilead, but not much is known about his birth or family. Elijah was not introduced in the Bible with information about his family history, as is the case with many of the other prophets. This shows that God chose him for a reason. He came out of nowhere to do something amazing at a time when it was so important to have him there. Only God has that power.
We don’t know much about his life, but we do know a lot about who he is and how he acts. Elijah paid attention to God’s voice and did what His Word said. Elijah found hope, a reward, and victory through this. He had flaws like any other person, but God still did great things through him. Our Heavenly Father also uses us to do these things.
Prayer was his main plan.
Elijah prayed to God vehemently. His prayers were brave, and he asked God to do things that seemed impossible. His requests were not small. He prayed for a drought in the land, prayed for the widow’s son to come back to life, and called down fire from heaven to burn the offering on Mount Carmel. The Bible says, “When it was time for the evening sacrifice, Elijah, the prophet, went up to the altar and prayed, ‘Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, show today that you are God in Israel and that I am Your servant. Show that I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me. Right away, the Lord’s fire shot down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. Even the water in the trench was licked up by it!” (1 Kings 18:36,38). Elijah’s life shows us how powerful prayer can be. His life shows us that if we pray with faith in God, it will make a big difference.
He went through depression.
Depression is often caused by things that happen in life, and it can really drag you down. Depression is talked about a lot in the Bible. Even though they were good servants of God, the Bible talks about the struggles of people who had depression. These men didn’t mostly suffer because they were bad people. They suffered because they were people and could be hurt by hard things.
Elijah became sad when he was told to stop doing something just as he was about to win. His high hopes were dashed, and he felt sick to his stomach. Up until now, Elijah had been the perfect example of spiritual bravery. Now, when Israel needs him to lead the most, he gives up, runs away, and kills himself, possibly missing the chance for the whole country to change. He had spiritual depression, which is a type of depression that has to do with being devoted to God. Elijah’s depression, as well as the depression of many other biblical characters, shows us that being devoted to God doesn’t always keep us from being sad.
He was in danger of dying
Jezebel, King Ahab’s evil wife, put Elijah’s life in danger after the false prophets of Baal died. As queen of Israel, she made sure that her god, Baal, was worshipped. This led King Ahab to worship Baal and set up idols in Israel (1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 21:25-26). Prophets of God who bring warnings are often hated and blamed for all the bad things that happen. Jezebel and the false prophets of Baal did everything they could to catch Elijah because they hated him. Elijah was very sad at a time when people tend to be weak. But it wasn’t long before God reassured Elijah and sent him back to talk to King Ahab. Elijah was sent to tell Ahab and Jezebel that they would both die in shame because of all the bad things they did and refused to change (1 Kings 21:20-24).
“The Spirit and Power of Elijah” was what made John the Baptist’s work stand out.
By looking at what John the Baptist was sent to do, we can find out what message the last Elijah will bring. Gabriel told the people that God had sent a prophet to tell them that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the Christ. John the Baptist was the prophet, and Jesus said John was like Elijah and also one who would come later (Matthew 11:14; Matthew 17:12). An angel said that John’s job would be to bring many Israelites back to the Lord, their God. He will also go before Him [Jesus] 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 righteous, to prepare a people ready for the Lord (Luke 1:16-17). Malachi 4:5-6 says that John the Baptist’s ministry would be marked by “the spirit and power of Elijah.” This came true in the end. In James 5:17-18, Elijah is used as an example of how to pray. He says, “Elijah was a person, just like us. He prayed for it not to rain, and it didn’t.” Then he prayed for rain, which came. This shows us that the power of prayer comes from God, not from ourselves.
People often think that prophets were better than us morally or spiritually, and it’s easy to think of Elijah in this way. The truth is, though, that he wasn’t. Like us, Elijah needed to be told what was wrong, given hope, and know that other believers were also standing up to Baal. Elijah wasn’t more spiritual or better than most people. He was just like everyone else. But what made Elijah special was that he did everything God told him to do. Elijah gave everything he had so that everyone could know that there is only one true God. God does amazing things with everyday things.
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