Lives of Scripture
Elijah (M)
First named in 1 Kings 17:1-24
Elijah the Tishbite appears abruptly, announcing a drought to King Ahab as judgment for Baal worship, then surviving by ravens and a widow's jar of flour and oil that never ran out — even raising her dead son back to life (1 Kings 17). His defining moment came at Mount Carmel: he alone confronted 450 prophets of Baal, and after their god failed to answer, fire fell from heaven onto Elijah's water-soaked sacrifice, and the people cried, "The LORD, He is God" (1 Kings 18:20-40). Yet immediately afterward, threatened by Jezebel, Elijah fled in terror to Horeb, wishing to die; God met him not in wind, earthquake, or fire but in a "still small voice," gently correcting his despair and sending him back to work (1 Kings 19:1-18). Elijah anointed Elisha as his successor, confronted Ahab over Naboth's murdered inheritance, and later confronted King Ahaziah for consulting a foreign god instead of the LORD (1 Kings 19:19-21; 21:17-24; 2 Kings 1). Rather than dying, Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind by a chariot of fire, witnessed by Elisha, who received a double portion of his spirit (2 Kings 2:1-14). Elijah later appeared with Moses at Jesus' transfiguration, and Jesus identified John the Baptist as the promised "Elijah" of Malachi 4:5, "in spirit and power," though John denied being Elijah literally reborn (Matthew 17:3-13; Luke 1:17; John 1:21).
Thought for Today
God met Elijah's fear not with anger but with a gentle whisper. When fear gets the better of us, may we remember that He meets us just as gently.
References: 1 Kings 17:1-24; 1 Kings 18:1-46; 1 Kings 19:1-21; 1 Kings 21:17-28; 2 Kings 1:3-17; 2 Kings 2:1-15; 2 Kings 3:11; 2 Kings 9:36; 2 Kings 10:10-17; 2 Chronicles 21:12; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:3-12; Matthew 27:47-49; Mark 6:15; Mark 8:28; Mark 9:4-13; Mark 15:35-36; Luke 1:17; Luke 4:25-26; Luke 9:8-33; John 1:21-25; Romans 11:2; James 5:17
Genealogy
Father
—Mother
—Spouse(s)
—Children
—Connections
- Witness to Christ (Luke 9:30-31)
- Elijah (M) — confronted → Ahab (M)
Elijah announced a drought as judgment on Ahab's Baal worship, defeated Baal's prophets at Mount Carmel, and pronounced judgment on Ahab's house after he seized Naboth's vineyard.
1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:17-40; 1 Kings 21:17-24
- Elijah (M) — prophesied against → Ahaziah (M)
Elijah announced that Ahaziah would die of his injuries because he had sent to inquire of Baal-zebub instead of the LORD.
2 Kings 1:2-17
- Elijah (M) — warned → Jehoram (M)
A letter came to Jehoram of Judah from Elijah, warning of a plague on his people and family and a painful disease for walking in the ways of the kings of Israel.
2 Chronicles 21:12-15
- Obadiah (M) — arranged meeting with → Elijah (M)
Obadiah unexpectedly met Elijah while searching for water and, despite fearing Ahab's wrath, delivered his message to the king, setting up the Mount Carmel confrontation.
1 Kings 18:7-16
- Elijah (M) — mentored → Elisha (M)
Elijah called Elisha to follow him by throwing his mantle over him while Elisha was plowing, and Elisha served as his attendant until Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind, leaving Elisha his mantle and a double portion of his spirit.
1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2:1-15
- Elijah (M) ↔ opposed ↔ Jezebel (F)
Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal that Jezebel supported and had them killed after the contest on Mount Carmel, and pronounced judgment on her for having Naboth killed to seize his vineyard; Jezebel in turn vowed to kill Elijah, and was later thrown from a window and eaten by dogs exactly as he had prophesied.
1 Kings 18:4-40; 1 Kings 19:1-2; 1 Kings 21:17-24; 2 Kings 9:30-37
- Elijah (M) — pronounced judgment on Ahab for his murder → Naboth (M)
After Jezebel had Naboth falsely accused and stoned to death so Ahab could seize his vineyard, God sent Elijah to confront Ahab at that very vineyard, pronouncing that dogs would lick Ahab's blood where they had licked Naboth's, avenging his innocent death.
1 Kings 21:17-24
- Malachi (M) — prophesied his return before the day of the LORD → Elijah (M)
Malachi closed his book, and the entire Old Testament, with the promise that God would send 'Elijah' before the great and awesome day of the LORD -- words the Gospels later apply to John the Baptist coming in Elijah's spirit and power.
Malachi 4:5-6
Places
- Gilead — a Tishbite of this region, who announced the drought to Ahab
1 Kings 17:1
- Kingdom of Israel — its prophet in the days of Ahab and Ahaziah
1 Kings 17:1
- Mount Carmel — called down fire from heaven and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal on this mountain
1 Kings 18:19-40
- Mount Sinai — fled to this mountain and heard God in a low whisper
1 Kings 19:8-12
- Tishbe — the prophet's home region, from which he emerged to confront Ahab over Baal worship
1 Kings 17:1