Click the link below to learn what you and Elijah have in common:
The First Book of the Kings
1 Kings 17:1 through 2 Kings 2:11
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Lesson
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Story
It is always nice to have you back with us at Daily Bread! We are
going to talk about one of the most powerful prophets in the Bible
and for very good reason. His name is Elijah the prophet of God. This
Biblical Elijah is a VERY important character in God's plan both then
and in the future. The prophet Elijah is also known as what they call
a major prophet. Let's get to know him, shall we?
The story of Elijah the prophet of God has King Ahab and his wife
Jezebel ruling Israel wickedly. They tore down God's altars and put
up altars for false gods. They killed God's prophets too. This once
again angered the Lord so He went and told Elijah the Prophet of God
to go and tell Ahab that it will not rain until Elijah the prophet of
God told him it would. It happened to be a famine of rain of 3½
years.
Imagine that if you would. We consider droughts of rain here for
maybe six months and still there will be light showers during that
time. Imagine 3½ years of nothing. Meanwhile Elijah the
prophet of God went and stayed by a brook where he had water and God
sent ravens to bring him food.
After a while with no rain the brook dried up. God then sent him to a
village and told him to seek a certain widow woman who would feed
him. When he found her he asked her for some food.
She said she was gathering the last of her food for her and her son
to eat and then they would die. Elijah the prophet of God told her to
feed himself first then her and her son and as the Lord lives she
would have plenty. She made him something to eat and then they ate.
Yet the food kept re-supplying itself. She would have food to eat
till the drought ended.
After many days of Elijah the prophet of God staying there, the
woman's son fell sick and died. The woman was very upset and yelled
at Elijah the prophet of God, "Have you come from the Lord to punish
me for my sins?" Elijah the prophet of God, being grieved, took her
son to his room and placed him on his bed.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Truth
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Miracles
He then prayed to the Lord and asked Him why has He done this to the
woman who had shown such kindness for him? He then breathed into the
boy 3 times. The Lord heard Elijah the prophet of God and brought the
boy back to life. Elijah the prophet of God took the boy to his mom
and said see your son lives. The woman then told Elijah the prophet
of God surely you are a man sent from God and the words you speak are
truth.
I would have figured him for a man of God when the barrel of food
never emptied. Yet many times we as believers seem to forget. Maybe
this woman forgot and took it for granted this never ending food
supply while a devastating drought was occurring and need a reminder
that God is God and that He desires our attention and faith in Him.
We all praise God when He does miracles for us whether they be as
small as finding a few dollars we didn't know we had to saving the
life of a family member or a friend.
We should all learn a lesson from this. Elijah the prophet of God was
just doing what God commanded and all of a sudden it was his fault
her son died even though because God chose him to go and stay with
her. They were going to die anyway because of the drought. Now they
were alive and her son was again alive because of God.
After the 3½ years of no rain God called Elijah the prophet of
God to go and meet with King Ahab. During this time the King was
constantly looking for Elijah the prophet of God to kill him. When
Ahab met with Elijah the prophet of God, the King said so this is who
troubles me and my country Israel.
Elijah then went on to tell him that it was Ahab that has walked away
from God and his Commandments and worshiped other gods and caused
Israel to follow in Ahab's wicked ways. For this reason is why God
sent a drought of no rain for 3½ years to punish Ahab and
Israel.
Then Elijah the prophet of God told Ahab to gather the 450 prophets
of Baal (the false god that they had been worshiping) and them that
ate at Queen Jezebel's table to meet him on Mount Carmel and to
gather all of Israel there as well. When they were all assembled
Elijah the prophet of God cried out and said "Today choose which God
you follow. If it is Baal follow him but if it is the Lord God follow
him.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Explanation
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Events
Stop playing both sides, choose one side and stay with it." No one
answered him one word. So Elijah the prophet of God said "I am the
only prophet left of the Lord but Baal prophets are 450. Here is the
deal. Get us two bullocks to sacrifice on the altar. Let them choose
theirs first and lay it on with no fire underneath. I will do the
same and put no fire under. Then let the God who answers by fire on
the sacrifice be the real God and follow him." All the people agreed.
So, this Biblical Elijah the prophet of God let the prophets of Baal
go first. They put the bull on the altar and danced around yelling
and chanting and hollering even cutting their chests with knives but
no answer from their god. So Elijah the prophet of God egged them on
a bit he told them "Hey cry out louder, for he is a god isn't he?
Maybe he is traveling far away or perhaps he is taking a nap. Yell
louder Yell louder." And they did but still no fire from their god.
No reply at all! They carried on like this jumping on and off the
altar yelling and screaming and cutting themselves till blood gushed
from them all from morning to evening.
At the time of the evening sacrifice the Prophet Elijah in the Bible
called all the people to him. He rebuilt the altar of The Lord that
had been broken down. And he built the altar with twelve stones. One
for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. And he dug a trench around
the altar. And he put wood on the altar and sliced the bullock in
pieces and laid it on the wood.
Then he had them fill four buckets of water and they poured it on the
sacrifice and on the wood. He had them do it two more times at a
total of twelve buckets of water which also filled the trench
surrounding the altar. Then he prayed and said, "God let it be known
this day that you are the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel and that I
am your servant and have done all these things at your command. And
that these people will know that you are the Lord God and have turned
their hearts back to you."
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Discussion
God and the Prophet Elijah in the Bible
At that moment the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt
sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the
water in the trench. When the people saw it they all fell on their
faces and said The Lord He is God, the Lord HE is the God. Elijah the
prophet of God then had the people take all 450 of the Baal prophets
and he took them down to a brook and killed them all.
Wow, you may be thinking that was a bit too harsh of a punishment.
But, remember the law of the Lord was an eye for an eye and that any
false prophet must be killed to remove the evil out of the land of
Israel. During Ahab's wicked reign over Israel he let his wife
Jezebel have the Lords prophets killed. All were taken except for
Elijah the prophet of God. Also there were 100 prophets that God had
hidden in a cave. God had a man named Obadiah who happened to be the
governor for Ahab feed them and bring them water.
After this Biblical Elijah the prophet of God told Ahab to celebrate
for there was a sound of rain coming. Elijah the prophet of God went
back up to the top of Mount Carmel and put his face to the ground. He
told his servant to go to the cliff and tell him what he sees. The
servant came back and said there was nothing. Elijah the prophet of
God had him do it seven times. On the last time the servant said
there is a cloud coming up out of the sea in the shape of a mans
hand. Elijah the prophet of God told his servant to go tell Ahab to
return home now so the rain wouldn't stop him.
The Spirit of the Lord was on the Prophet Elijah and Elijah ran in
front of Ahab and made it back to the king's house before him and he
waited outside at the gates. Ahab when he got home told Jezebel of
the wonders Elijah did and that he killed all 450 of her prophets of
Baal. Jezebel sent a message to Elijah saying surely you will die
like you killed my prophets. Elijah the prophet of God got nervous
and took off into the wilderness to hide. He found a tree to sleep
under and before he fell asleep he prayed to God that He would take
his life now.
I would venture to say that Elijah the prophet of God was a very
powerful prophet. I mean he just called down fire from the Heavens,
slain the prophets of Baal, caused it to not rain for 3½ years
then caused it to rain again, brought a little boy back from the
dead. All of these things he performed at God's command yet a woman
who threatened to have him killed made him run off to the wilderness
asking God to take his life before the Queen found him. There is a
very strong and graceful lesson we all should learn from Elijah the
prophet of God.
I would venture to say that most of us are not like Elijah the
prophet of God as far as able to perform these miraculous deeds. Yet
I would bet we all felt like he did many times. Scared and alone,
just wanting it all to be over with so we can be at peace. The point
is that no matter what Elijah did for the Lord he was still just a
human being who gets scared and lonely and at times may just want to
leave it all behind. Yet that's the whole point of having faith in
the Lord. Jesus knows this for He was a man too. He felt the feelings
we feel. He was scared and alone. He knows what we go through. Let's
see what the Lord does in answer to Elijah the prophet of God's
prayer.
An Angel woke up Elijah the prophet of God and told him to eat for
there was water and cake on the fire. Again for the second time an
angel awoke Elijah and told him to eat again for the journey is too
much for him. Elijah the prophet of God ate again and traveled for
forty days and forty nights to Mt. Horeb all on the strength of the
angel cakes.
When he got there he heard the Lord ask him "What are you doing here
Elijah?" Elijah the prophet of God replied, "I have been very jealous
for the Lord my God for the children of Israel have rebelled against
you and forsaken your covenant and broken down your altars and killed
all of your prophets. Only I remain and they seek to take my life
too." God told him to stand on the mountain before the Lord.
The Lord passed by him and there was a great wind that ripped the
mountain and broke all the rocks and after that there was a great
earthquake and after that a fire but the Lord was not in any of these
things. After the fire there was a still small voice. When Elijah
heard it he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood at the entering
of the cave. The word of the Lord came to him again and told Elijah
to go and anoint a new king for Syria, also to anoint a new king to
take Ahab's place and a new prophet to take the place of Elijah the
prophet of God. The Lord also told Elijah the prophet of God that he
had 7,000 people that had not knelt to Baal and they continued to
serve the Lord.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Research
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Power
Apparently, although Elijah the prophet of God was ready to fold it
up, the Lord had more work for him to do. Many times when we feel
like we have done enough or that we are not worthy to continue on we
must remember that although we feel alone there are others just like
us out there as well. All this time Elijah the prophet of God felt
like he was the only one.
God had 7,000 who had not strayed from the Lord. It is comforting for
us to know like I am sure it was for Elijah the prophet of God to
know that although we feel the whole world is against us there are
others out there struggling just as we are and that the Lord is
always taking care of us as long as we follow his will.
Meanwhile back at the castle, King Ahab wanted this man's vineyard
because it was very close to his home. The mans name was Naboth. Ahab
told Naboth if you give me your vineyard I will give you another one
even greater or I will give you the money that you think it is worth.
Naboth refused because he said the Lord forbids him to give his
family's inheritance to Ahab.
This made Ahab very sad so he went home and pouted. He wouldn't eat
or anything. Jezebel saw this and figured a way to make her husband
happy again. She got two evil men to lie and say that they heard
Naboth blaspheme the Lord and the King. When the people heard all
this they took Naboth out and stoned him to death. Now Ahab could get
his vineyard without any worry.
The word of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to go to Ahab in his
new vineyard. Elijah the prophet of God told Ahab, "The Lord says,
have you killed and also taken possession of this vineyard? Therefore
Ahab, the dogs shall lick your blood in the same place where they
licked the blood of Naboth.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Warning
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Stories
I will bring evil upon you and take away your power and Jezebel for
the evil she has done will be eaten by dogs by the wall of the city.
All of those of Ahab's house that die in the city shall be eaten by
dogs and those that die in the fields shall be eaten by the birds."
The Bible says within the Prophet Elijah in the Bible story that
there was none like Ahab who sold himself to wickedness and caused
Israel to sin. His wife Jezebel was the one who stirred all the
wickedness up by worshiping idols and false gods. Yet when Ahab heard
what Elijah the prophet of God told him he humbled himself.
He fasted and wore sackcloth and groveled on the ground repenting of
his evil deeds. The Lord told Elijah the prophet of God "You see how
Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he did this I will not
bring the evil upon him in his days but will wait till he is dead and
bring it down on his son's house."
Once again we see the grace and mercy of the Lord. After all that
Ahab did, according to the Bible he was one of a kind in doing
wickedness yet he repented and God had mercy upon him. He would still
die in the way he was told but the evil that would have ripped his
world apart would be kept back until after he was gone. Ahab was
killed in battle against the Syrians and when they cleaned the blood
out of his chariot back home there were the dogs licking up his blood
just as Elijah the prophet of God had prophesied.
Later on, after Jehu whom Elijah the prophet of God anointed king had
taken back Israel from the house of Ahab, Jezebel ended up just as
Elijah the prophet of God prophesied she would. Jehu had her thrown
out of a window in the city and there she was eaten by dogs up
against the wall.
From the Second Book of the Kings
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Prophecy
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Wrath
Ahab's son Ahaziah reigned in place of his dad. Ahaziah did evil just
like his dad and his mom Jezebel. He worshipped Baal and once again
made the Lord angry. One day he fell through the ceiling of his home
and became very sick. He called his servants and told them to go and
inquire of Baal to see if he would recover of this disease.
Meanwhile the Angel of the Lord spoke to Elijah the prophet of God
and told him to go and meet the messengers from the King of Israel
and ask them "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that you
go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of another country?
The Lord says that you will never arise again from your bed and you
shall surely die there." When the messengers heard this they went
back to tell their king. The king asked who told them this. They told
them he was a hairy man clothed in leather. The king knew it was
Elijah the prophet of God.
In his anger Ahaziah sent a captain of his army along with 50 men.
They met with Elijah and told him "The king has said Come down of
that hill man of God." Elijah replied. "If I be a man of God then let
fire come down from heaven and devour all of you." And the fire came
down and killed them all. Ahaziah sent another 50 and the same result
happened. He sent another 50.
This time the captain begged Elijah the prophet of God to spare their
lives so that they would not end up like the previous men. The Angel
of the Lord spoke to Elijah and told him to not be afraid and to go
down with them.
Elijah the prophet of God told Ahaziah his fate and so it happened as
the Lord said it would for Ahaziah did not go and ask of the Lord God
of Israel about his sickness but instead wished to ask the false god
Baal like his mother and father did.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Righteousness
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Fire From the Sky
Once again we see that Elijah the prophet of God was a very powerful
prophet which the Lord protected when people were seeking to kill
him. We should learn another lesson from Elijah the prophet of God
story. That no matter what the odds are against us God will protect
us from the wicked while we are following His word and living as
Jesus taught us to live.
In the Book of Luke
9:51-56 as Jesus and the Apostles were traveling to Jerusalem the
two brothers, James and John, were offended by the villagers in a
Samaritan village because they did not receive them hospitably. The
brothers asked Jesus should they command fire to come down from
heaven and devour them just like Elijah did. Jesus rebuked them and
told them that they do not know what kind of spirit they possess and
that He did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.
Since Jesus came and sacrificed Himself for ALL mankind the Old
Covenant was broken by God and a New Covenant was formed with Jesus
being the Lord of the Covenant. Though the Holy
Spirit inside us has the power to bring down fire upon our
enemies we are not to destroy our enemies but save them with love and
forgiveness like Jesus did.
It was nearing time for the Prophet Elijah in the Bible who was the
prophet of God to depart from this world. The prophet Elisha who was
anointed to be next in line after Elijah was traveling with him.
Elijah the prophet of God told him on three occasions to wait at a
certain place while he went on alone. Elisha would not leave the side
of Elijah the prophet of God though.
As they were about to cross the Jordan River Elijah took off his
mantle and struck the river with it, the water parted and they both
walked across on dry land. Elijah the prophet of God asked Elisha
what he wanted from him before he leaves. Elisha answered that he
wanted a double portion of his spirit be placed on him.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet and the Holy Spirit
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Miracles
Elijah said that if you see how I leave this world then it would be
given to him. At that time a chariot of fire and horses of fire that
split the two men apart and Elijah the prophet of God was carried up
to Heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and was blessed with a
double portion of Elijah's spirit. Elijah the prophet of God did not
die but was taken up alive.
As you can see Elijah was a very powerful and important character. So
much so that even now the Jewish people leave a seat for him at their
tables when they celebrate Passover. For when Elijah comes back the
Messiah will be after him. Malachi
3:1 says Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the
way before me and the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to His
temple even the messenger of the covenant whom you delight in behold
He shall come says the Lord of hosts. Malachi
4:5 Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart
of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the
fathers. So you can see why they are waiting for Elijah to come
first. Yet Elijah already did come and he did exactly what was told
that he would do. Elijah came back as John the Baptist. In the Book
of Luke
1:11-17 the Angel Gabriel appeared to a priest named Zacharias.
Gabriel tells him that his barren wife would conceive and have a son.
This son would be great in the sight of the Lord and he will be
filled with the Holy Ghost even from the womb and he shall 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.
Sounds familiar doesn't it? The spirit of Elijah came back in to John
the Baptist and did exactly what Malachi said he would. But maybe
someone will ask how a person's spirit can be put on another. Sounds
like Christian voodoo magic or something? Well Elijah had a double
portion of his spirit placed on Elisha. So it is not just in the New
Testament that it was written it could be done.
Another similarity to Elijah and John the Baptist is that they both
lived in the wilderness and dressed in leather. Also John the Baptist
was beheaded because of the wishes of the wife of the wicked King
Herod. Who happened to be the King of Israel. This time Elijah did
not run from the threats of a Jezebel. He knew his destiny and
fulfilled it. But the clincher is Jesus own words Matthew
11:7-15 Jesus is speaking to the people about John the Baptist He
tells them that this is he who it was written that the Lord will send
His messenger before Him to prepare the way He also said that if you
will listen I tell you the truth he is Elijah which was to come. John
baptized with water to cleanse the people's hearts of their sins to
prepare them to receive the truth of the Lord.
We can see the difference in Elijah as John the Baptist. For when
King Herod sent his soldiers to arrest John he didn't call down fire
from heaven on them he went willingly because he knew his time was
through. In fact he told his disciples to go and follow Jesus now for
Jesus must increase and he must decrease.
I think it was destiny that Elijah was to be killed by a wicked
Queen. God paused it while He worked His will and His plan for I must
say a much greater deal for all mankind. For instead of being
destroyed we are saved by Jesus when we truly believe and follow Him.
The baptism of fire will be left for those who reject Gods gift and
Grace.
Biblical Elijah the Prophet Conclusion
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Summary
On a bit more sinister note regarding those who are still waiting for
Elijah the prophet of God to come before the Lord. In the Book of Revelation
13:13 it says the false prophet of the Antichrist will do many
wonders and miracles including calling down fire from the Heavens. Uh
Oh. That sounds familiar doesn't it? If people are waiting for an
Elijah figure to go before the Messiah they are surely going to think
this guy is him. By the miracles and wonders this False Prophet does
he causes them to worship the Antichrist. Now wait one minute.
What if this John the Baptist thing and Jesus thing is false and the
real Messiah and Elijah have not come back yet? Listen to what this
False Prophet does next. He has them make an image of the Antichrist
and all those who do not worship it shall be killed. Elijah killed
450 prophets of Baal who was a false god and was worshiped by people
as a graven image. Elijah constantly fought against those who were
against God. He said he was jealous for God.
Even so much as to where he thought he was the only one left that
worshiped God. Do you really think that he would cause people to make
graven images to worship? Doesn't sound like Elijah to me. Its
obvious that the father of lies, the devil, is deceiving people
especially those of the Jewish faith into believing that this will be
Elijah. The real Elijah would be breaking down these images not
having people build them.
Elijah has already come. The Messiah Jesus Christ has already come.
Jesus is coming back in the clouds. As the lightning lights up the
skies from the east to the west so shall all mankind see Him when
Jesus comes back. Do not believe any other story or messiah. Peace be
with you.
Read more about Elijah in the Bible 1
Kings 17:1 thru 2 Kings 2:11.
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