Profoundly godly men and women have existed throughout history, and exist even today. We read rosters of names like those in Hebrews chapter eleven, that great “roll call of faith” and marvel at those who have gone before us.
Even among the notable biblical history-makers, there are names that stand out, and even among those that stand out, there are names that rise to the top of our list of marvels. One of those is the prophet Elijah, known as “Elijah the Tishbite,”1 and sometimes, in our culture, called “Elijah, the prophet of fire,” but whose name means, literally, “Yahweh is God.”
We know more about the life and actions of Elijah than most of God’s prophets, and his list of activities and prophecies extends well beyond what we can cover in a brief blog posting, but we’ll hit a few highlights of the ministry of this bizarre and godly man. Elijah prophesied during some of the nation’s darkest days of apostasy.
One if the first actions of Elijah was to appear before the infamous king, Ahab, without being called, to announce a prolonged drought that would remain in place until it was released at Elijah’s word. During this drought, Elijah was commanded to stay by the brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan, and ravens brought him bread and meat in the mornings and evenings till the Jordan dried up.2
Elijah is the man who cared for the widow of Zarephath who was preparing her last meal before she starved to death. Elijah begged her for bread and water, and when she surrendered what little she had to him, he prophesied that her supplies would not deplete before the end of the famine.3 Later, Elijah raised this same widow’s son from the dead.4
It is Elijah who played out that awe-inspiring scene, taking on 450 prophets of Baal, mocking them, and jeering at them, insulting both them and their god before God showed himself to be truly God by sending fire from heaven that consumed Elijah’s burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones of the altar, and the dust, and it even licked up the water!5
Just as, at Elijah’s word, the rain stopped, three and a half years later, at Elijah’s word, the rain returned.6
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
– James 5:16-18, ESV
Note that James points out that Elijah was human just like you and just like me. What set Elijah apart was his fervent prayer life. It was through fervent prayer that God brought the drought, and it was fervent prayer that brought about its ending.
Like James and like Elijah, we can pray fervently, and we can pray without wavering.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
– James 5:16-18, ESV
And just as Elijah’s fervent prayer stirred God to action, it also stirred Elijah’s feet to action. Elijah put actions to his prayers, dangerous actions in confronting both Ahab and Jezebel.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
– James 2:18-20, ESV
And finally, we need to check our motivation. What is it you’re really after in your prayers. Elijah was consumed with the glory and majesty of God. So should we be. If our motives are driven by our own self-serving desires, we ask amiss.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
– James 4:3, ESV
Blessings upon you, my friends.
Victoriously in Christ!
– damon
DamonJGray.org
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1. 1 Kings 17:1, 2 Kings 1:8
2. 2 Kings 17:2-7
3. 1 Kings 17:13-14
4. 1 Kings 17:17-24
5. 1 Kings 18:20-40
6. 1 Kings 18:41-46
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