Elijah the Prophet of God
Biblical Elijah
Christianity Oasis provides this Biblical Elijah trek for truth into the life of the Prophet Elijah in the Bible. We'll look into that and all aspects of the Bible seeking truth, understanding and peace within.
Christianity Oasis Ministry
presents
Daily Bread Devotional Bible Study
The First Book of the Kings
1 Kings 17:1 through 2 Kings 2:11
The Prophet Elijah in the Bible Events
Biblical Elijah the Prophet of God Adventure
Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is our Biblical Elijah the prophet Spiritual biography taking a an in depth look into the Prophet Elijah in the Bible and how the absolutely awesome this Biblical Elijah Bible entity is and how the awesome messages from the prophet Elijah story can bring forth a smile to the lips and heart.
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.
There is a force out there that is attempting to overtake us all; it is Satan. There is another force that is protecting us from him; it is the Holy Spirit. It is a battle for souls. This battle is called Spiritual Warfare, and like it or not, you are right in the middle of it.
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