I. INTRODUCTION

A. Elijah is perhaps the most impressive prophet in the Old Testament.

1. Of all the wonders done by God through men, those done through Elijah are perhaps the most outstanding aside from Christ's miracles.

2. Of all the prophets, only Elijah shared with Enoch, the first prophet (Gen. 5:24; Jude 14), the honor of being taken by God into heaven without seeing death.

3. Of all the prophets, only Elijah shared with Moses the honor of appearing with Christ on the mount of transfiguration (Matt. 17).

4. Whereas many other prophets contributed much by their writings, Elijah did so by his actions.

B. Presently, let us consider a short summary of Elijah's story and then draw a few lessons.

II. THE STORY OF ELIJAH

A. In the days of Ahab king of Israel, Elijah withheld both dew and rain from the land (1Ki. 17:1).

1. Elijah appears in the Scriptures without the typical reference to genealogy. The only origins given are that he was from Gilead (either the tribe of Gad or Manasseh) and the town of Tishbe.

2. The prophecy of drought given by Elijah portended a great famine. This meant death, suffering, and despair, which was inflicted on Israel because of the great wickedness and idolatry of Ahab.

B. During the drought, Elijah lived outside of the nation of Israel as God directed him (1Ki. 17:2-24).

1. He first went east of the Jordan to the brook Cherith, where God fed him via ravens.

2. He then went to Zarephath of Sidon (on the Mediterranean coast, home of Jezebel), where a widow provided for him. Her faith was rewarded miraculously by a bowl of flour and a jar of oil that were inexhaustible. Also, when her son died, Elijah raised him back to life.

C. Elijah returned to Israel to put down the prophets of Baal and bring rain on the land (1Ki. 18:1-46).

1. Three years of drought had caused a severe famine in the land such that Ahab and his chief steward Obadiah had divided the land of Israel between them to survey it for water.

2. Elijah came to Obadiah, who directed Ahab to meet Elijah.

a. Obadiah was a God-fearing man who saved one-hundred of God's prophets from Jezebel. He revealed that Ahab had been searching for Elijah in every nation and kingdom.

b. Ahab addressed Elijah as the "troubler of Israel," but Elijah turned the charge back on him because he had forsaken God's commandments and served the Baals.

3. Elijah called all of Israel to Mount Carmel where he defeated the prophets of Baal.

a. By himself, Elijah faced 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah.

b. When the prophets of Baal called on their god to send fire on their altar, there was no answer. However, when Elijah called upon God, fire from heaven utterly consumed his entire sacrifice, the altar, the water, and even the dust. Israel responded by saying, "The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God."

c. At Elijah's command, all of the prophets of Baal were seized, and he slew them.

4. At last, Elijah prayed at the top of Carmel, and rain fell on the land, ending the drought.

D. When Jezebel threatened Elijah, he fled into the wilderness, where God encouraged him (1Ki. 19:1-21).

1. It is a stunning turnaround, for the champion of Carmel despaired so much that he wanted to die.

2. Elijah fled all the way to a cave at Mount Horeb, where God spoke to him.

a. When God asked Elijah what he was doing there, he replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

b. God encouraged Elijah through a powerful demonstration of wind, earthquake, and fire.

c. When God repeated His question and Elijah repeated his answer, God commissioned him to anoint a new king over Aram, a new king over Israel, and a new prophet in his place. These men would slay the idolaters, but there were 7,000 in Israel whom God would spare because they had not served Baal. Elijah was not alone as he thought.

E. When Elijah returned, he prophesied of the destruction of Ahab and his house (1Ki. 21:17-29).

1. Elijah met Ahab at Naboth's vineyard, which Ahab had obtained by treachery. Elijah prophesied of the utter destruction of Ahab's household, included Jezebel, because of his influence on Israel.

2. When Ahab humbled himself before God, God told Elijah that He would not bring evil on Ahab's house until the days of his son.

F. After Ahab died, Elijah pronounced death upon his son, Ahaziah (2Ki. 1:1-18).

1. Ahaziah was injured and sought to inquire about his recovery from Baal-zebub. Elijah intercepted Ahaziah's messengers and sent them back with the message that Ahaziah would die.

2. Ahaziah sent a captain with fifty soldiers to capture Elijah, but Elijah called down fire from heaven that consumed them. This event was repeated with another fifty consumed by fire.

3. The third time Ahaziah sent soldiers, Elijah consented to go to the king and delivered the prophecy of his death personally. After this, Ahaziah died according to God's word.

G. At last, Elijah was taken by a whirlwind to heaven (2Ki. 2:1-18).

1. Elisha, Elijah's anointed successor, followed Elijah on a journey that ended after a miraculous crossing of the Jordan River. Elisha requested a double-portion of Elijah's spirit.

2. While they were talking, a chariot and horses of fire appeared between them, and Elijah was taken by a whirlwind to heaven. The sons of the prophets later searched for him, but he was not found.

H. Two other events complete the story of Elijah.

1. At some point, Elijah wrote a letter to Jehoram, the wicked king of Judah (2Chron. 21:12-15). It was a prophecy of Jehoram's painful death. Jehoram did not become king until after Elijah was taken to heaven, so it is somewhat of a mystery as to when this letter was written.

2. In Matthew 17:1-8, Elijah was seen along with Moses by Peter, James, and John at the transfiguration of Jesus. Elijah shared some unique experiences with Jesus and Moses, including a forty-day fast and some unusual circumstances concerning the end of his life on earth.

III. LESSONS FROM ELIJAH'S STORY

A. Elijah was a man of God, but he was only a man and was not different from us in nature.

1. In James 5:17, the Scripture says, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months."

2. Like Elijah, we can be people of God who can accomplish great things through God's power. Consider Philippians 4:13; 2Timothy 3:16-17.

B. The miracles of Elijah demonstrated that the word of God was in his mouth.

1. The effect of Elijah's miracles is summarized by the widow's words in 1Kings 17:24 -- "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."

2. This is typical of all miracles performed through men. These signs confirmed the word of God spoken by those who were inspired (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:1-4).

C. Elijah's story demonstrates that one with God is greater than all others who are without Him.

1. Standing alone with God, Elijah powerfully defeated 850 idolatrous prophets.

2. Similarly, a world of sin and the power of Satan cannot overcome one Christian who stands with God. Consider 1John 5:5 -- "Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" See also 1Corinthians 15:55-57.

D. Elijah learned that God preserves a remnant to Himself, and this is still true today.

1. When Elijah lamented that he alone was left to serve God, God revealed that He had 7,000 people in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal.

2. The faithful remnant today is the spiritual Israel, which is God's nation of faithful believers in Christ. See Romans 9:6-8; 11:1-5 (a quotation of 1Kings 19).

E. Elijah's likeness was seen again in John the baptist, for he was the forerunner of Christ by prophecy.

1. The prophet Malachi foretold that God would send Elijah before the day of the Lord. God said through Malachi, "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD" (Mal. 4:5).

2. By the time Christ came, the Jews were actively looking for Elijah's coming, but they failed to see the fulfillment in John the baptist. Concerning Him, Jesus said, "And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come" (Matt. 11:14). Compare 2Kings 1:8 to Matthew 3:4.

3. When Peter, James, and John had seen Elijah at Christ's transfiguration, they asked, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus answered, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands" (Matt. 17:10-13).

4. Like Elijah, John wrote nothing, but his contributions came by action. He prepared the nation of Israel for the coming of Christ by preaching repentance and baptizing men and women. Concerning him, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the baptist" (Matt. 11:11).