Do you ever want to just give up? Are you tired of the rat-race and all the turmoil in the world? Feeling helpless with all the hunger even in our own school districts let alone globally? Do you feel the pangs of the death of friends and family? If any of these problems sound familiar to you, then read on because the Old Testament prophet, Elijah, had very similar troubles and remained faithful to do the work of his God, Yahweh.

The name Elijah means My God is Yah. He lived during the 19th century BC and was from Tishbe of Gilead. He is famous for the miracles he performed for Yahweh; his difficult prophesies to idol worshipping Hebrews; his fight again the Baal and Asherah worshippers including the King and Queen; and he is also remembered in connection to Jesus and John the Baptist. Elijah was an important prophet that carried out what Yahweh had for him to do. Israel needed to stop being idolaters and worship the One True God whose name is Yahweh.

I Kings 17:1. Elijah from Tishbe, one of the settlers in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the Lord lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand, there will be no dew or rain during the coming years, except at my word.”

What a bold statement from Elijah to the Israelites. Prophets had warned them repeatedly to turn from idols through words and actions. Now Elijah prays for no rain or dew that would cause a famine. After Elijah announced this prophecy, Yahweh told him to “Leave this place and turn east. Hide yourself by the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the stream, and I will command the ravens to provide for you there. (1 Kings 17:2).”

Elijah obeyed and was refreshed by the brook and ravens brought him food each day. After some time the brook dried up and Elijah then was sent to Zarephath, a Phoenician town, where he encountered a widow woman preparing to make a last meal for her son and herself and then planned to die of starvation. Yahweh provided for the woman, her son and Elijah for over 3 years of famine, being sustained by a miracle of oil and flour.

During Elijah’s stay in Zarephath, the woman’s son died suddenly. Elijah’s response was to ask Yahweh for life to be given back to this boy.

1 Kings 17:21. Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times, and he cried out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, let this boy’s soul return to his body!” The Lord listened to Elijah’s voice, and the boy’s soul returned to his body, and he came to life. Then Elijah took the boy and brought him down to the house from his upstairs room, and he gave him to his mother. She believed that Elijah was truly a prophet from Yahweh.

When it was time for the famine to end, Elijah was charged to go see Ahab who had his men search everywhere for Elijah and to kill him for causing the famine. Elijah was probably not too happy to go because he knew the life-or-death danger, but again Yahweh protected him. After seeing Ahab, Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. The onlookers saw the prophets of Baal exhausting themselves in all types of acts to get their gods to burn up the sacrificial oxen they had prepared. Later in the day after exhausting themselves, Elijah repaired his torn down altar, had 4 jugs of water poured over the oxen, rocks, and ground 3 separate times. He prayed to Yahweh and He answered by burning up not only the sacrifice, but the altar, water, and everything around it. It was resounding defeat of the idol worshippers. The Israelites then worshipped Yahweh.

Elijah had many prophecies that came to pass during his lifetime. Ahaziah was one of many sons of Ahab, who Elijah stood before and foretold of Ahaziah’s death. Ahaziah sent 50 soldiers two times to kill Elijah, but the soldiers died instead. The third captain begged Elijah not to kill him, and Elijah went with him and prophesied to Ahaziah’s face about his imminent death. All came to pass after Elijah prophesied what Yahweh told him to say.

Finally, one other aspect of Elijah’s life as a prophet was that before Christ comes, Yahweh would send Elijah.

Malachi 4:5. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Luke 1:17. …and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Matthew 16:14. And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Mark 6:15. But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

The Israelites were looking for miracles and wonders and for someone of the stature of Elijah to save them from the Roman Empire as Elijah ridded them of Ahab and Jezebel, notorious King and Queen of Israel.

What connection does Elijah have with Jesus? Elijah performed miracles that of course originated from Yahweh and Yahweh gave the spiritual power and physical stamina for Elijah to accomplish Yahweh’s commands. Jesus performed miracles because he always did his Father’s will. Jesus went without food in the desert for 40 days and nights (Matthew 4:1-11). He was hungry afterwards but strong enough to face Satan and be victorious. Sounds a bit like what Elijah went through with the famine and the prophets of Baal.

Elijah stood against idolatry in Israel. Jesus stood up to the hostile Pharisees, Sadducees, and High Priests of his day as well as the Roman tyranny. Israel rejected Elijah and his prophesies like many of the Jews rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. Elijah and Jesus both remained strong through adversities of persecution. Jesus withstood unspeakable torture, remaining true to Yahweh.

John the Baptist was the representative of Elijah to Israel. We are the representative of Yahweh here today when we receive Jesus as our Savior. The miracles that Elijah did, the prophesies that he proclaimed, the battles against the religions of his day are very similar to what we struggle with today. We proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a fallen world, who in general, prefer their idolatry to the Word of God. We can see signs, miracles and wonders in our lives and others because our faith of Christ in us. Elijah’s mentee, Elisha, asked for a double spirit of Elijah’s spirit and he performed more miracles than Elijah did. Today we have the same spirit that Jesus did and so we have even more power.

Do we need to fear? Elijah was afraid of Ahab and Jezebel, yet Yahweh sustained him and gave him strength to go toe to toe with Ahab. Jesus did the same with Satan. We can withstand the onslaught of evil also.

These records are recorded to inspire us to a more perfect way of thinking and believing. We can be a part of the movement of Yahweh in His plan of salvation. What we say and do each day will add to the body of Christ. We are not slaying 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, but we certainly are able to defeat the unseen enemy in our lives and help others to do the same.

We have the promise of the hope of Jesus’ return. Elijah prayed earnestly until the little cloud in the distance became healing, refreshing rain. Are we able to pray against all kinds of earthy odds for deliverance and healing for others? Yes, we can. As we see Christ’s return in the distance, we continue to pray, seeing the glimpse of the Hope, until it is in manifestation in our lifetime or when we awake from our sleep of the dead. Yahweh provided for Elijah at every turn. Elijah was safe from harm. What is too big for us? What we need will be miraculously provided.

Could we stand if we were the only one left? 1 Kings 18:22 states “I [Elijah] alone am left a prophet of Yahweh…”

How do you manage to stay faithful through adversities? Your answers could encourage others.