The Prophet Elijah in the wilderness of Cherith Creek being brought bread by a raven as he is sitting next to a brook (AI-generated)
by Leonard V Johnson
God’s living word ── the Holy Bible ── tells us about one of the LORD God’s Messianic prophets, the Prophet Elijah, in the Books of 1st and 2nd Kings, as well as 2nd Chronicles.
Upon his introduction, the LORD God speaks of a drought upon the land ──
“And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab [king of Israel], ‘As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.’
2) Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 3) ‘Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 4) And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.’
5) So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6) The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. 7) And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” – 1 Kings 17:1-7.
So, the LORD God had him flee and hide by the Brook Cherith that flowed into the Jordan (1 Kings 17:3, 8-10; 1 Kings 18:7-14; 19:2-4, 15). The Prophet Elijah was often a voice in the wilderness.
Ahab, king of Israel, speaks with the Prophet Elijah, “’ Is that you, O troubler of Israel?’” – 1 Kings 18:7-19 (AI-generated)
There were also times when the Prophet Elijah stood alone for the LORD God ──
“Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, ‘Is that you, O troubler of Israel?’
18) And he answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. 19) Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’
20) So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21) And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word. 22) Then Elijah said to the people, ‘I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.’” – 1 Kings 18:17-22.
Now, as far as “faltering between two opinions” ── one such example, Protestant churches affirm the doctrine of the Trinity, teaching and believing that God is one in essence but exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Those who worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24) properly understand that God is a family which consists at this present time of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:1-2) ── two separate and distinct beings.
The Prophet Elijah at the gate of Zarephath meets a widow woman gathering sticks (1 Kings 17:8-16). (AI-generated)
The Prophet Elijah ── through and with the Spirit of God ── performed many miracles, such as multiplying flour in a bin and oil in a jar – that they are not used up, until the day it rains again upon the land (1 Kings 17:8-16), crossing the Jordan on dry ground (2 Kings 2:6-9), calling fire to come down out of the sky which consumed the captain and his fifty (2 Kings 1:10-12).
The Prophet Elijah being carried away in a chariot of fire pulled with horses of fire (2 Kings 2:11) (AI-generated).
Sadly, over time, the Prophet Elijah began to exhibit what we would call today, overwhelming anxiety, and depression ── an onset of a nervous breakdown ── and he was replaced by the LORD God as their prophet (1 Kings 19:13-18). The LORD God would come to “take him” and replace him with Elisha the son of Shaphat, receiving a “double portion” of the spiritual gift that the LORD God had given to the Prophet Elijah ──
“And so it was, when they had crossed over that Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?’ Elisha said, ‘Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.’
10) So he said, ‘You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.’
11) Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, then suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into [the atmosphere].
12) And Elisha saw it, and cried out, ‘My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!’ So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13) He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.” – 2 Kings 2:9-13.
So, the Prophet Elisha received a double portion of God’s Spirit. Elisha often seen as a type of Christ ── a type of foreshadowing of our Savior, Jesus Christ ── in the context of the prophetic succession from the Prophet Elijah. Truly, after Elijah’s departure, Elisha became the leader of the sons of prophets and went on to perform many miracles, often twice as many as Elijah had done.
King Jehoram of Israel being handed a letter from Elijah (2 Chronicles 21:12-15). (AI-generated).
Truly, truly, for several years after the Prophet Elisha picked up the mantle that Elijah had dropped, Elijah was still alive──on the Earth. While most professing Christians do not believe this (possibly because they do not properly understand that there are three “heavens” that are spoken of in God’s word), the following Scripture shows us that Elijah was still alive on the Earth, even though the mantle was now upon the Prophet Elisha ──
“Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. …
12) And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,
‘Thus says the LORD God of your father David: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself, BEHOLD, the LORD will strike your people with a serious affliction ── your children, your wives, and all your possessions; and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day.’Elijah
── 2 Chronicles 21:5, 12-15.
Yes, God’s living word teaches us that the spirit of Elijah ── ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the Way of the LORD!’ would come again, though most would not know him, and would do to him whatever they desire ──
“’ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the Way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.’” – Isaiah 40:3.
“’ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6) And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, …’” – Malachi 4:5-6.
Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that John the Baptist fulfilled this ──
“And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ 11) Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will RETORE ALL THINGS.’ … 13) Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.” – Matthew 17:10-11, 13.
Again, our Lord Jesus Himself confirmed that it was John the Baptist that fulfilled this role in Matthew 11:14. As He proclaims to us, “’ If you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.’” But sadly, many are not. There are even those who have claimed to be Elijah──and there are those claiming to be Elijah today, and those who prophesy that there is an Elijah to come. Our Lord Jesus showed us how John the Baptist fulfilled that prophecy by preparing people’s hearts for the coming Messiah.
John the Baptist being questioned by Jewish priests and Levites, "Who are you?" (John 1:19-21) (AI-generated).
Even John the Baptist tells us that he was fulfilling this prophecy ──
“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’
20) He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’
21) And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the Prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’
22) Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’
23) He said: ‘I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the Way of the LORD,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.’” – John 1:19-23.
Indeed, the “great and dreadful Day of the LORD” spoken of in Malachi 4 does refer to a soon-coming end-time trauma, what our Lord Jesus called the ‘great tribulation.’ It’s described as a day of both terror and dread, and the LORD God had promised that one would come in the spirit of Elijah before ‘the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the LORD.’ And one did──John the Baptist, who turned the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children. Again, as our Lord Jesus Christ admonishes, “’ If you are willing to receive it.’” □
