Bible Word of the Day
Elijah (Old Testament Prophet of God)
Meaning
Elijah was a prophet of God during a turbulent time is Israel’s history. Elijah served as a prophet during the divided kingdom of the Old Testament. At this time Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which later went into Assyrian captivity and never returned. And the Southern Kingdom of Judah, which later went into Babylonian captivity for seventy years and did return. Elijah lived during the ninth century BC and dealt with some of the most wicked kings and queens of the Old Testament. Including Ahab and his infamously famous wife Jezebel. Jezebel was the foreign wife of the Northern Kingdom’s, Jewish born king Ahab. Jezebel worshiped demons and idols and was herself a priestess.
Jezebel was instrumental in increasing the idolatry of the land and therefore the wrath of God on the Northern Kingdom. Because of their actions, God at the request of Elijah shut-up the heavens and it did not reign for three years. Elijah also in a single event defeated four hundred and fifty false prophets of Baal who worked for Jezebel. Elijah lived in the wilderness and wore a belt with animal skins. Elijah through the power and direction of God performed many miracles in front of the people as signs from God. For example, during the time the heavens were shut-up Elijah sustained the food supply of a poor widow during the time of the drought. One of his most famous events was when confronted the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and called fire down from heaven to consume his sacrifice.
“And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.'” (Book of 1st Kings 17:1)
“‘Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.’ So all the people answered and said, ‘It is well spoken.’ Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.’ So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, ‘O Baal, hear us’ But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, ‘Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Israel shall be your name.’ Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, ‘Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.’ Then he said, ‘Do it a second time,’ and they did it a second time; and he said, ‘Do it a third time,’ and they did it a third time. So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. ‘Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God The Lord, He is God'” (Book of 1st Kings 18:22-39)