Tag Archives: Elijah

Elijah – Questions, Observations, Comments

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This post is because of the studying done for Study of the Kingdom – Elijah.  It is in note form and not meant to be complete statements or thoughts.  You, probably, will need your Bible open as you go through this.       

1 Kings

17:7 – the brook dried up.  God changes somethings but lets others run their natural course.  What seems like a trial is really an opportunity.  The brook drying and going to Sidon. 

17:9 – Commanded a widow!  Did she know before Elijah got there?  The ravens were ordered, she was commanded!  This story makes the New Testament in Luke 4:24.

17:13 – a faith action, then a miracle/blessing.

17:18 –   In verse 15 she did as she was told and it started a blessing.  It may have been a year that she enjoyed the miracle.  Illness strikes and both the widow and Elijah are tested/challenged.  She acknowledged the man of God but blamed the source of her blessing.  Had she gotten too comfortable?  She shows a “religious” response – blames God (instead of being thankful), brings up her past, and blames the source of her blessing.

17:24 – miracles reinforced the words of truth that Elijah had brought.  Now she knows!

18:1 – another faith action to bring a miracle. Elijah had to go see Ahab.

Obadiah is a complex character.  His story of faith-in-action is told twice! Usually an indicator of importance. (Elijah has several things that happen twice in his story.)  There was already a myth surrounding Elijah and his ability to “disappear”. 

18:13 How could Elijah know of his story unless God revealed it to him, he was in hiding and it was done in secret.    

18:19 Why Mount Carmel?  Did Jesus ever go to Mount Carmel?  Elisha went back after Elijah was taken.

18: 20b, 24b, 39 The people said, “Nothing; what you say is good; the Lord He is God.”  Maybe a logical progression, but it just sits funny.

18:22 Elijah’s insistence on the fact he is the only one.  This is after Obadiah said he took care of 100 prophets.  He was not alone in serving God, and neither are we.  Paul repeats this story in Romans 11:2 to stress this point.

18:43 Elijah has a servant!  I think he was the widow’s son.

18:44 The cloud is rising.  Yes, that is how it works just you usually cannot see it happening, and then it progresses quickly. 

19:2 Steven Furtick called this an attack when you are in transition.  If Jezebel really had the power to kill him she would have just sent a death squad and not told him it was coming.

19:8 Follows the pattern of the Exodus.  It puts Moses and Elijah or law and prophet together in a similar circumstance.  Miracle food and water, forty days, and meeting God in a cave or cleft of a rock.  Normal travel in that length of time could be 800 to 1600 miles.  The pillar would allow the Children to travel at night.  Ref. Exodus 24:12. Was Elijah hoping he would die on the mountain?

19:11 Wind, earthquake, and fire are similar to what David reports/says in Psalm18 and the idea is also in Psalm 50.  It is also a picture of Law and Grace, harsh then gentle.

19:15 Did Elijah follow the instructions? Probably not!  First, he went to Elisha instead of Damascus.  Elisha had Jehu anointed in 2 Kings 9 and he told Hazel in 2 Kings 8:7. A possible out was that Ahab showed remorse in 1 Kings 21:9.  

19:19 to 21 Elisha is Elijah’s second servant.  He gave up a lot – 12 yoke or 24 oxen was a lot of money.  How big was that plow?  In a straight line, 12 yokes may have been over 100 feet!  That was a huge party with that many cows.  It ended his business.  The cows did not belong to his parents.  Was he married?

Note on Chapter 20. To reinforce that Elijah was not alone there are two unnamed prophets.  They seem to have no connection to Elijah but Ahab knows them and accepts their words.

21:20 Ahab blames everyone but himself and they are them the enemy. 

21:25 + 26 God did carry out the words of Elijah but He showed mercy.

Chapter 22 – Another prophet besides Elijah.  Elijah’s ministry could have been twenty-four years-long – twenty-two years of Ahab’s reign (1 Kings 16:29) and the two years of Ahaziah’s reign 22: 51.  

2 Kings 2

Bethel > Gilgal > Jericho > Jordan This is a reverse trip for Joshua and the children.  It is also the reverse of Jesus going to Jerusalem before His death. 

Elijah, Elisha, and the company of prophets knew he was going to be taken.  I think Elijah knew how he was going.

2:10 Elijah’s statement to Elisha could be – if you see what I see or the way I see.

Study of the Kingdom – Elijah

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Elijah, the mysterious prophet, who is introduced in 1 Kings 17 announcing a drought on Israel is a powerful figure, both in Judaism and Christianity.  John the Baptist and Elijah are linked together because of prophecies in Isaiah, Malachi and an angel of the Lord (Luke 1), the tradition of Jewish elders, and the testimony of Jesus.  Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:2, and Luke 1: 11-17 and 76 refer to Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1 and 4:5.  John does not quote the Old Testament but refers to the Baptist as a witness of the Light.  Jesus instructs the Three on the Mount of Transfiguration of the John/Elijah connection.  Elijah’s miracles of the drought, blazing offering, and the killing of the prophets of Baal are focused in 1 Kings 18:37 while he was praying and acknowledged that God was “turning their hearts back again”.   This idea is reinforced in Malachi 4:5, which also opens the door for John the Baptist and the empty chair at Passover. 

The Jewish custom of an empty chair or an extra glass of wine at Passover is linked with him reportedly visiting each circumcision because he is checking on the people’s heart and turning them to God (check the websites below).  John the Baptist fulfills this by his message in Matthew 3:2 – “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near”.  John’s baptism or ritual washing echoes requirements of the Law, but also carries the idea of leaving Egypt.  It is amazing that this wild man of the desert, this deliverer of fire has become a signal fire of hope as we wander through this wilderness of our lives.

As I read Elijah’s story in 1 Kings 17 I get the feeling that he was well known before the drought.  He had an audience with Ahab in verse 1 and Obadiah recognized him. For two powerful officials to know you, it should mean that they were accustomed to seeing you.    

Elijah in the New Testament

Elijah is mentioned twenty-nine times in the NIV New Testament.  I am going to list a loose timeline of when Elijah is mentioned.  I am doing this more by event because Matthew and Mark share the same references.

  1. Luke 1:17 + 47 – Gabriel and Zechariah talking about John’s mission and how it related to Elijah.
  2. John 1:21+25 – John being questioned if he is Elijah.  He says no and then quotes Isaiah 40:3.
  3. Luke 4:24 – Jesus at Nazareth teaching about prophets.
  4. Matthew 11:24 – Jesus links Elijah to John the Baptist.
  5. Matthew 16:14 – People think Jesus is Elijah.
  6. Matthew 17: 3-12 – Elijah is at the Transfiguration and Jesus teaches the Disciples about John.
  7. Matthew 27: 47+49 – Jesus on the cross, the people think He is calling for Elijah. 

Elijah is also mentioned in Romans 11:2 and James 5:17.

Luke 1:17 has given me a lot to think about!  Gabriel said, “In the spirit and power of Elijah.”  John did not do miracles!  So, the concept of “spirit and power” has made me think hard about Elijah and then how it manifested in John.  I can see “the spirit” part fairly well – both had no problem being alone in the desert, and both got kings and queens mad because of their stand for righteousness.  “The power” part is another story.  Elijah had fire fall three times and the chariot of fire.  No rain, then rain and he divided the Jordan River; so, he was given power over water.  My solution was easy!  I have the wrong idea of power.  James 5:17 talks about Elijah’s power of prayer, not fire falling.  1 Kings 1:17 – it was by his word that it stopped raining.  I do believe that today’s church needs the miraculous acts of God but in themselves miracles may not cause revival, they are to confirm the Gospel.  The power of Elijah in John the Baptist was his message and deeds – repent and be baptized.

The Voice

The Apostle/writer John quotes John the Baptist in John 1:21+25 that he is not Elijah but the voice of one in the wilderness.  Was this statement humility or cluelessness?  Gabriel said he was; Jesus said he was, why would John say anything different?  I really don’t think it is either of those!  Like Elijah, in 2 Kings 1, John knew he was a man of God and he knew his mission.

Elijah and the Miraculous

Elijah means God of Jehovah #452 (Strong’s Concordance) which is a combination of #410 and #3050.  #410, however, is also power (definition 7,8); so, Elijah could be “the power of Jehovah”. 

Moses, Elijah, and Elisha are the main people in the Old Testament that walked in the miraculous.  Yes, others had powerful encounters but not at the intensity of these three.  It has become popular to jump on Elisha’s bandwagon of the double portion of Elijah’s anointing.  There are many websites that count individual miracles to show the “double” blessing.  It was disturbing to realize that one claimed eight/sixteen and another seventeen/thirty-four and other sites had different numbers and different miracles.  Elisha, however, asked for “ruwach” or spirit which, for the most part, means breath or life.  So, I will try to list the miraculous in Elijah’s life but also some of the other things he had in his life.  (Note – the miraculous is not just what Elijah spoke, but what God did for him.  Elijah did not “ask” for every miracle.)

  • One servant and Elisha
  • He had dealings with three kings – Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram (Judah, 2 Chronicles 21:12)
  • Did one of the commands from the cave.

Okay, this list is very subjective but I am listing the miraculous not just miracles.  This is a combination of Elijah spoke, the Lord says, or angels did something.

  1. 1 Kings 17: 1 – Announces no rain
  2. 17:2+3 – go hide
  3. The ravens did feed him
  4. 17:8+9 – go to Sidon
  5. Widow to feed you
  6. 17:14 – Elijah was specific on the flour and the oil
  7. 17:19 – widow’s son healed
  8. 18:1 – go to Ahab
  9. 18:36 – prayed and the fire fell
  10. 18:41 – he heard the sound of the heavy rain
  11. 18:46 – the power to run with Ahab’s chariot approximately 40 miles
  12. 19:5 – angel delivered food and water
  13. 19:7 – angel delivered food and water
  14. 19:8 – traveled 40 days and nights on the two meals
  15. 19:7 – meeting God and receiving the instructions
  16. 21:17 – took a word to Ahab
  17. 21:28 – the word about Ahab’s change
  18. 2 Chronicles 21:12 – word to Jehoram
  19. 2 Kings 1:3 – word to Ahaziah 
  20. 1:10 – fire fell
  21. 1:12 – fire fell again
  22. 1:15 – okay to go with the third captain
  23. 2:8 – struck the river and it divided
  24. 2:10 – he knew how he would be taken (implied); the school of prophets and Elisha also knew he would be taken. 

I will do a comparison list of things for Elisha. See Elisha.

Turn the Hearts

The idea that Elijah turns hearts toward God is still part of his legend today in Jewish culture.  That really is a great idea/ministry.  In 1 Kings 18: 37 Elijah credits that action to the Lord God, which is why fire came down and burned the sacrifice on Carmel.  This also was the ministry of John the Baptist before the revealing of Jesus.  People who were baptized did believe while the Pharisees did not.  Malachi 4:5 gives Elijah the same responsibility.  This in turn leads many to wonder about the two witnesses in Revelation.

Here is a list from Bible Gateway when I used the word “turn” in a search.  I felt turning was the key word and these are examples of that idea.  There are others!

  1. Isaiah 6:10
  2. Isaiah 40:3
  3. Malachi 4:6
  4. Matthew 13:15
  5. Luke 1:17
  6. John 12:40 
  7. Acts 28:27

https://reformjudaism.org/passover-mystery-fifth-cup

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/504495/jewish/Why-Is-Elijah-the-Prophet-Invited-to-the-Seder.htm

Passover to Pentecost – Other Ascension Stories

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Passover to Pentecost – Other Ascension Stories         Week 6 Day 3

The Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind.  2 Kings 2:1 (NIV)

We will look at two cases where a man was taken into heaven while still alive:

Enoch – His story is found in Genesis 5: 21 -24.  It says he walked with God 300 years and God took him.  One creative preacher said that they spent so much time walking together that one day when they were close to heaven; God asked him to spend the night and he just never went home. J

Elijah – His story of being taken into heaven is in 2 Kings 2: 1 – 18.  This story has a backward connection to the Feast and Joshua’s Fifty Days.  Elijah and Elisha started in Gilgal then proceed down the list:

  • Bethel – House of God
  • Gilgal – (back to)Place of circumcision, first camp, held Joshua’s first Passover
  • Jericho – First city taken, it happened during the Counting of the Omer
  • Jordan River – “Baptism” for all those born in the wilderness
  • “The Wilderness”- Place where Moses died.

This is a reverse of the locations that Joshua and the Israelites took when they came into the Promised Land.

There is a third case in Revelations 11: 12 where the Two Witnesses will rise into heaven in a cloud.  This is after they had been killed by the Beast.  The powers of these witnesses match Moses and Elijah while they were on earth.  But Enoch and Elijah are the only two people never to die, and it is written that man is appointed once to die (Hebrews 9:27).

http://www.freebibleimages.org

Jehu and the Prophets

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Jehu had contact with at least three prophets (four if you count the one who anointed him) during his lifetime: Elijah, Elisha, and Micaiah. Jehu was an army commander during the days of Ahab and if you put together 2 Kings 9: 24 – 26 and 1 Kings 21: 17 – 23 it is apparent that Jehu was present when Elijah spoke the destruction that was to come to Ahab’s house. I find it interesting when someone is present when a word from the Lord is spoken and years later the hearer of that word is part of the fulfillment of the prophecy. No doubt Jehu would have also heard Elijah’s announcement from the Lord about how Ahab had humbled himself and that the word would come upon his son (1 Kings 21: 29).

As a commander of the army, it is also to be expected that Jehu was present when Micaiah prophesied against Ahab and he died. This should have had an impact on him and how he viewed words from the Lord. But his attitude is hard to read in the story of his anointing. At first, glance, when the young man came with the word from Elisha Jehu, seems to downplay his anointing until the other officers become serious about the oil dripping from his head (See Jehu – The Start). But this show of support may have been what he really wanted to see before he would act openly on that word.

Elisha was the other prophet that he would have been around and you have to wonder if he was the prophet who delivered the word in 2 Kings 10: 30. Jehu was promised and received four generations of his family as kings of Israel (See 2 Kings 15: 12). Elisha was present for Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Jehoash (13: 14). It is a shame that even with all of this help from the Lord Jehu would/could not follow the Lord more closely (10: 31) (See Jeroboam- The Lord Your God for the sin that Israel stayed in). But it must be pointed out that God in His love gave Jehu every chance and three solid men of God to help him.

I still am in awe of God for loving Israel so much that He sent Elijah and Elisha to them andJehoshaphat's Timeline not to Judah. God tried hard to get them to change but they would not. In reading the start of 2 Kings it would seem that Elijah’s chariot ride to heaven happened right after Ahab’s death but he wrote a letter to Jehoram condemning his treachery and pronouncing his death. That could add about nine years before the cloak fell to Elisha. So exactly when all of the miracles in 2 Kings 2 – 8 happened we can not tell because the chronicler talks about kings but does not name them. It is possible that Elijah was alive to see the word he spoke against Ahab come to pass.