‘The prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.’ (1 Kings 18:36)
The prophets Elijah, and his disciple, Elisha, are the central characters of the Books of Kings.
The nation of Israel has reached an all-time low. Under each succeeding king, spiritual and moral decline has worsened. Repeatedly we read, ‘He did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.’ Eventually, when we reach the reign of Ahab, we are told ‘he did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those who had gone before’ (1 Kings 16:30). Ahab’s wife was Jezebel, a name that has become synonymous with evil and treachery. A foreign princess, she brought to Israel the worship of Baal, signifying one of the lowest points in the history of the nation.
At this low point in the life of the nation, Elijah appears. God has not given up with his people yet.
Elijah is one of the most intense and enigmatic characters in the Bible. He first appears in 1 Kings 17:1, delivering a message to King Ahab: ‘As the Lord, The God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.’ After delivering his message, he went, according to God's direction, into the wilderness, where ravens brought him bread and meat to eat. When a drought dried up the brook, God sent him to live with a widow in Zarephath, where he remained for over two years. He miraculously provided food during the famine, and raised her son, who had died, back from the dead.
During the third year of drought, the Lord sent Elijah to speak to Ahab. There followed the famous confrontation on Mount Carmel between Elijah and hundreds of pagan prophets of Baal. The demonstration of the powers of the true God led the people to abandon their idolatry and turn back to The Lord (1 Kings 18:1-40). The end of the drought came immediately.
After Jezebel discovered that all her beloved pagan priests had been killed in the confrontation with Elijah, she attempted to have him killed (1 Kings 19:1-13), causing Elijah to flee south in despair (1 Kings 19:3-5). He journeyed to Mount Horeb, where God appeared to him, not in an earthquake, or the wind, or in fire, but in the gentle whisper - the still small voice of God (1 Kings 19:9-18). A literal translation from the Hebrew for this still small voice is, ‘the voice of sheer silence’. It is amazing, yet so profoundly true, that God does often speak to us in the silence of solitude. The Lord sent Elijah back north to continue his ministry. It was during that journey that Elijah found and commissioned his successor, Elisha, as directed by God (1 Kings 19:16-21).
One of the most remarkable events of Elijah's life occurred at the end of his ministry when he was transported away on a "chariot of fire" (2 Kings 2:11) – one of the elite group of people who ascend to heaven without actually dying. Elisha was then promoted from being Elijah's assistant, to become his successor (2 Kings 2:15).
There are many incidents in Elisha’s life that seem to be a carbon copy of Elijah’s ministry. When he inherited a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, it seemed as if he was set apart to relive his master’s life, just to make sure that his contemporaries got the message. Elisha performed much the same role, although many more miracles are credited to him, perhaps most famously the healing of Naaman, the Syrian general, who was healed of leprosy after dipping himself seven times in the Jordan River.
But despite their similarities, Elijah and Elisha were very different characters. Elijah was the rugged preacher, who challenged the people. Elisha, by contrast, had a more pastoral ministry, performing miracles that were similar to those of Jesus himself.
Within their characters we discern different elements that prefigure the Messianic hope: they are both figures who point beyond themselves and offer a picture of what Jesus himself will signify. The roles of Elijah and Elisha appear to complement each other. The Lord can use people of contrasting characters and temperaments. They both divided the waters of the Jordan by striking them; they both replenished a widow’s cruse of oil; they both restored the life of a child; and both, at the end of their lives, were given a vision of the chariots and horsemen of Israel. Alongside all this, however, there is much that is different between them. In Elisha’s ministry we see many deeds of kindness and mercy. He had great influence upon the kings of Israel, and came to their aid, even if he disapproved of what they did. He was a prophet of grace and tenderness. Elijah, by contrast, was a man of judgement and severity. Elijah stands as a forerunner of John the Baptist, calling the people to repentance, whilst Elisha appears to foreshadow the miraculous and compassionate nature of Christ.
It is significant that in the Jewish tradition, Elijah is the prophet who is thought will precede the coming of the Messiah. The empty chair which is kept at the Passover feast for him is a sign of the hope that the Messiah will return. In Christian understanding, this role is filled perfectly by John the Baptist, whose ministry was one of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ.
What lessons can we learn from the careers of Elijah and Elisha?
Spiritual ambition: both men were utterly faithful to God. Elijah ministered at a time when pagan worship was rife: Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, yet he willingly presented himself to the king. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s blessing, such was his zeal to serve God. He has no hesitation in picking up Elijah’s mantle. He was a man who knew what he had to do and had an unfailing desire to do it.
Immense courage: Elijah stood before the prophets of Baal and taunted them. Elisha too was prepared to get involved in national debates and deliver the Lord’s message. Their examples remind us that we must be prepared to stand up and be counted as servants of God. Paul urges Timothy, ‘Preach the word of God; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.’ (2 Timothy 4:2)
Evident holiness: Elijah encounters God in the ‘gentle whisper’ on Mount Horeb, and responds to His call. Elisha is recognised, by his life and behaviour, as a holy man of God. They are examples for us to emulate.
Believing prayer: Prayer was at the heart of everything they did. When they prayed, they expected God to hear and respond.
Spiritual perception: both men displayed profound spiritual insight into the affairs of the nation and the people around them.
Rich compassion is evident in their miracles. We also see clear evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. Obedience to God is about more than just performing miraculous signs. It is about honouring Him in word and in deeds.
So, what does all this lead to? Elijah was a man who was unafraid to stand up for God and proclaim the truth. Elisha was evidently a person who displayed immense compassion on people in need. Both men made a profound impact upon their contemporaries and sought to rid Israel of the perverted faith of Baal. Their lives testify to the effect that the godly faith of one person can have, through good times and bad. Ultimately, their lives speak to us of the importance of being filled with the Spirit of God, and thus enabling the Spirit to work through us, in deed and in word.
But even so, their influence was limited. Apostasy and false religion continued to afflict the nation, and the task of calling people back to the worship of the Lord had to be continued by later generations of prophets. Even this is a reminder for us. We are called to remain faithful, even when we feel as if our contribution to the Lord’s work is both small and inadequate, and we must ensure that we pass the baton of faith on to those who follow after us. We all have a part to play in God’s plans.
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