In brief
Elijah is a prophet of the kingdom of Israel, from Tishbe in Gilead, in the time of King Ahab, around 870 BC by the usual reckoning. He announces a drought, is fed by ravens, raises a dead child and challenges the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Discouraged, he flees to Horeb, where God speaks to him in a gentle whisper. He is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
What does the name Elijah mean?
Elijah is generally linked to the Hebrew expression "my God is the Lord." The Bible gives no direct explanation of this name, but its meaning sheds light on his whole mission against the worship of Baal.
The story of Elijah
The Word and the Drought
1 Kings 17:1-16Elijah announces to Ahab that there will be neither dew nor rain, except at his word. God sends him to the Kerith brook, where ravens bring him bread and meat. When the brook dries up, he goes to Zarephath, where the widow's flour and oil do not run out.
The Challenge on Carmel
1 Kings 18:20-39Elijah gathers Israel on Carmel and asks how long the people will waver between two opinions. The prophets of Baal call on their god in vain. Elijah builds an altar, has it drenched with water and prays. The fire of the Lord falls, and the people cry out: the Lord, he is God!
Discouragement and Horeb
1 Kings 19:1-18Threatened by Jezebel, Elijah runs away, sits under a broom tree and asks to die. An angel feeds him and he walks to Horeb. There, neither the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire carries the voice of God: it comes in a gentle, quiet whisper.
Taken Up to Heaven
2 Kings 2:1-14Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan, whose waters part. Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. A chariot of fire and horses of fire separate them, and Elijah goes up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha picks up the fallen cloak and takes up his mission.
What Elijah teaches us
- God provides for his servants, through ravens or a widow, in his own way.
- We must choose between the Lord and idols: we cannot waver between two opinions.
- Even a great prophet can collapse, and God lifts him up with patience.
- God often speaks in a gentle whisper rather than through the spectacular.
Key verses
Elijah asks the people how long they will waver between two opinions, and calls them to choose: follow the Lord, or follow Baal.
After the wind, the earthquake and the fire, God comes to Elijah in a gentle, quiet whisper, far from the spectacular.
The New Testament recalls that Elijah was a man of like nature with us, and that his prayer shut up the sky and then opened it again.
Sermons about Elijah
- Elijah at Horeb: When God Meets a Broken HeartA sermon on Elijah at Horeb, where God meets a broken heart after his collapse.
- Elijah Breaks Down: God Prepares Bread for YouA sermon on Elijah discouraged under the broom tree, where God prepares bread for him.
- Elijah's Burning Prayer: Three Keys to Praying Without CovetousnessA sermon on Elijah's prayer and three keys to praying without covetousness.
Frequently asked questions
Why did God choose Elijah?
The Bible does not detail the reasons for his choice. It presents Elijah as a prophet sent to Israel at a time when King Ahab and Jezebel were imposing the worship of Baal. James 5:17 stresses that he was an ordinary man.
What does the name Elijah mean?
Elijah is generally linked to the Hebrew expression "my God is the Lord." The Bible gives no direct explanation of this name. It does, however, sum up the prophet's message, which calls Israel back to the true God.
Where can I find the story of Elijah in the Bible?
It is found in 1 Kings, chapters 17 to 19, then in 1 Kings 21 and 2 Kings 1 and 2. The New Testament mentions Elijah at the transfiguration, in Matthew 17, and in James 5.