Elijah
Elijah was one of the most prolific, well known, and profound prophets of the Old Testament whose teachings, prophecies, and promises extend into the New Testament. He foretold the coming of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and son of God, and the principal of the Christian faith as the Savior of all sinners of the world. Elijah loved God and believed in Him as the omniscient and omnipresent creator, definitive, and unequivocal alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. God was Elijah's unequivocal answer to any conflict; God was Elijah's way over, his way through, and his way around obstacles and difficulties that he encountered in his self-appointed role as an unwavering messenger of God.
The word "Elijah" is Hebrew and is interpreted from ancient text to mean "Yahweh is God". The prophet Elijah's ancestry is unknown but what is known is that he lived and prophesied in Israel in the 9th century BC. His birth place is also unknown but he became one of the most formidable voices for God of his time. His faith was unwavering which apparently gave him a fearlessness, forcefulness, and courage that rendered him unimpressed or intimidated by rulers such as King Ahab that he encountered and confronted. Elijah never expressed fear, doubt or a lack of faith in his trust in God.
During the 9th century BC, King Solomon ruled Israel. King Solomon was considered the wisest man in the known world. Israel divided into two kingdoms during his reign - the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the seat of government and the Temple of Jerusalem. According to Dr. Ruben Braziel, Omri, King of Israel ruled the kingdom in a manner that was in conflict with the laws of Moses. Laws that were designed to minimize religious dictates coming from Jerusalem. This included the construction of sacrificial altars, the ordination of religious leaders not of the levite nationality, and permitted the dietization of the Canaanite idol god, Baal. Domestic tolerance rather than tranquility was established through the marriage of Omri's son Ahab and Jezebel, a high priestess of Baal. Ahab permitted Jezebel to construct a temple dedicated to or for Baal and imported a large number of ministers of Baal and Aherah into Israel which is where in I Kings 17:1 that Elijah known as "The Tishbite" is introduced and warns King Ahab that because of his actions or lack of action in preventing the worship of the idol god Baal that there would be years of drought in which it's severity would not even permit the dew to fall [ 729]. King Ahab and Jezebel became victims of the Ten Commandment mandate that punishes the future generations of sinners who do/did not follow the commandments.
Elijah had no relationship to the city of Tishbine and it's origins. Elijah's bravery or fearlessness, boldness, and behavior in confronting King Ahab received widespread notoriety. His proclamation was a direct defiance to the existence and power of the idol god Baal who was the deity responsible for thunder, rain, dew, and lightning. Elijah challenged Baal to overpower the will and ability of his God, Jehovah by challenging him to invalidate his words. The challenge also implicated Jezebel, a high priestess of Baal, King Ahab, the 450+ priests and priestesses brought in by Jezebel, and Baal's followers in Israel to prove him a liar.
Anticipating King Ahab's wrath, Elijah was instructed by God to go into exile, hiding near the brook Cherith, in the desert without food. However, God fed him manna - or food - using ravens. When the brook dried up, God sent him to a Phoenician woman and her son who only had enough food for the two of them. Elijah told her not to fear that if she shared her food with him they would not starve; she shared their last morsel with Elijah. God provided food for them. Later, the woman son dies; she thought it was a punishment for past sins or some indiscretion. Elijah is reminded by the old testament character Abraham who was willing to tie his son to an altar and prepare to kill him according to God's instruction, but was saved. Elijah is touched by the woman's faith and prays to God; God hears Elijah and the son is brought back to life.
After three years Elijah goes back to Ahab whose arrival was announced by Obidiah, one of a hundred servants of God who had escaped the wrath of Jezebel who had been killing them. Elijah again berates Ahab and the Israelite's for their worship of an idol God and tells them that the drought was lifted not because of their repentance but because of God's grace and goodness and issues yet another challenge to the followers of Baal. Elijah had two altars built, one for Baal and one for the God he serves, wood was placed on the altars, and two oxen cut into pieces laid on the wood. Elijah challenges the holy men/women of Baal to pray to Baal to light the sacrificed oexen. They prayed from morning to noon to no avail and to Elijah's amusement; they continued to pray throughout the evening; nothing happened.
Elijah ordered that his altar be drenched with twelve barrels of water. He prayed and asked God to accept the sacrifice; fire falls from the sky and the altar bursts into flames. He then asked that the prophets and prophetesses of Baal be killed. Elijah again began to pray and the rain starts to fall for the first time in three years.
Jezebel became enraged because of the deaths of her prophets/prophetesses and vowed to kill Elijah. Elijah has an encounter with God where he expresses disappointment and failure, but he continues to follow God although he evades god's question about what he is doing there. He travels to Damascus and has other encounters with Ahab including at he vineyard at Naboth where Ahab has taken the vineyard through treachery and murder. Elijah also encounters Ajariah who upon hearing the description of Elijah sends out three men to kill him; two of the assassins are destroyed by fire, the third asks to be spared.
Elijah's exodus is as mysterious as his arrival. He met a young plowman, Elisha and is walking with him when his time on earth ends; Elisha becomes his successor. As Elisha neared the Jordan river, he retrieves Elijah's mantle and struck the water with it; as with Moses and the Red Sea, the water parted and Elijah crosses it to dry land. Elijah asks Elisha if there is anything he can do for him before he goes; he asks for "a double portion of your spirit". Unexpectedly a chariot made of flames and horses of fire appeared and Elijah is transcended into heaven in a whirlwind, not a chariot. Many in the New Testament thought that John the Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah but that is conjecture at this point. However, Elijah appears with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration in the days before the crucifixion of Christ.
Elijah is celebrated in the Jewish faith and during the Passover, a designated glass of wine is placed on the celebration place of honor for Elijah. Additionally, on the eighth day, when a Jewish male child is circumcised, a chair is set aside for Elijsh's presence or spirit to bless the event. His name is prayed at the weekly Havdalah ritual which indicates the end of the Shabbat.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints - the Mornmons - believed that the prophet Elija returned in "1836" to visit Joseph Smith the founder of the Mormon church and Oliver Cowdery. Finally, the Baha'i faith states that in "1844 Elijah returned to Shiraz, Iran as Bab. Elijah plays and important part and in Sebia and Bulgaria, Elijah is known as "Elijah the Thunderer" and in some folklore is held accountable for the summer rainstorms, hail, thunder and dew; the very elements that were withheld from King Ahab in the Old Testament.
