Elijah the Prophet     By: Mark McBride

Introduction to Elijah
     Elijah was a prophet during the mid-ninth century BC in the northern
kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah. He was also the 
leader to the opposition to the worship of Baal in Israel. Many people 
consider Elijah a "wonder-worker". In 2 Kings, "Elijah [called] down fire from 
heaven upon the king's soldiers." That was only one of the many wonderous 
things that Elijah did.

Outline of 1 Kings
     There are two large cycles in tradition which venters on the prophetic
figures Elijah and Elisha. Elijah is mostly in 1 Kings, but some in 2 Kings
and Elisha is mostly in 2 Kings, but some in 1 Kings. The two cycles were 
preserved and transmitted by prophetic communities. Elijah's cycle, the more 
important of the two, highlights Israel's struggle with the religion of Canaan.

Salvation History
     Elijah was important in Salvation History because he proved to the people 
living in Canaan that the god that they were worshipping at the time was not 
the god they should be worshipping. He did this by performing a miracle to 
them. He told them to build an altar for their god and that he would build one 
for his God. They did that and then Elijah told them to sacrifice an animal for 
their god and put it on the altar and ask their god to show that he is the real 
god. After a while, they stopped and Elijah said he would do the same. But 
before he started his ritual, he told them to pour 12 jars of water over the 
wood and holocaust. Then, he asked God to show them that he was the One 
that they were supposed to worship and to light the wood altar on fire. The 
wood and holocaust burst into flames, even though it was soaking wet. After, 
he had all the prophets of Baal killed.

A Great
Quote from Elijah

     "Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that 
you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these 
things by your command. Answer me, Lord! Answer me, that this people may know 
that you, Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to their senses."

1 Kings 19:36-37

Sources Used
Eliade,Mircea, Ed. The Encyclopedia of Religion. Macmillan Publishing 
     Company. New York, NY. pg. 91.


"1 Kings". The New American Bible. Iowa Falls, IA: World Bible 
     Publishers, 1987.