Prophet Elijah was one of the prominent prophets in Israel, he was a prophet who promoted monotheism, brought people back to Yahweh when people were erring away, off the only God, Yahweh.
He came to limelight when the people have gone away from their God and they have adulterously followed Baal the god of other lands.
Worshiping other gods was made possible by the strange woman the king of the land, Ahab, got married to. King Ahab went and marry “Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians”, (1 Ki 16:31), after marrying to this woman, this woman introduced the gods of their land to the country of Israel and her husband supported her, from there they led other people in the land astray, they led them to Baal.
The people have gone astray such that the Lord has become annoyed with his people and he wants to punish them for going a whoring after god they do neither know nor has delivered them out of the land of Egypt.
When God was looking for someone to send to the king, he called on his servant, Elijah and he sent him to the King and the people of the land that he was annoyed with them and he would punish them for what they have done wrong before him.
He was one of the people who made the Gilead popular in Israel. His name could be found in virtually all popular religious books in the world. It is said that in Russia, the first church built was named after this wonderful prophet.
Since the history of the latent period of this man was completely off the radar of the documentations of the bible, I did some digging, reading through some people’s documentations about the man and could come out with the followings after marrying what I read with the little in the bible.
History About Elijah’s Place of Birth
Little is known and or said about the birth of the prophet in the bible, and his place of birth, other than, it is likely that it is the historical town of Listib, the ruins of which are present day Jordan (www.learnreligions.com)
However, in the bible, the Prophet’s place of birth is called Tishbe, this is said to be among the mountains of Gilead on the other side of Jordan river.
Good bible students would recall that there are portions of land given or distributed among two tribes of Israel on the other side of Jordan by Prophet Moses.
It was a town from this other side of the river, called Tishbe that the man was given birth to. Let us see the record of the first division.
“And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:” (Num 32:29)
After the people have done what prophet Moses suggested, they possess the land as being divided unto them by prophet Moses before his demise.
“And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.” (Num 32:33)
It is at this town, Tishbe (meaning of Tishbe is converter), located at the other side of Jordan river that Prophet Elijah was given birth to. His place of birth when bringing it to the days of Jesus is said to be close to the country of the Gergesenes (Gadarenes), where devils entered the swine when Jesus cast out the legion in the mad man.
“And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
“And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
“When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
“(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
“And Jesus asked him, saying, what is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
“And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
“And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
“Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
“When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
“Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
“They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.” (Luk 8:26-39)
Because he was born in this town and did his youthful days here, with perhaps the headquarters of his ministry around the place, he was usually referred to as a Prophet from Tishbe.
“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1 Ki 17:1)
His Father’s Account on His Birth
Prophet Elijah was a 9th century prophet, who was born and raised by a Jewish family which we know nothing about. He was given birth to in 900 BCE and died in 849 BCE. The name of his father was Savah while some in their write up calls his father’s name Sadok or Sobach. His mother’s name expectedly could not be found in any of the documentations because during those days, the names of females were not commonly mentioned by authors.
Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus while writing on Elijah’s birth says, his father saw something strange after the child was given birth to and swaddled by his mother. This is what he says, “when Elijah was born, his father Sobach saw in a vision (some authors do not include vision while writing on this incident) angels of God around him. They swaddled him with fire and fed him with flames”.
The Name, Elijah And Its Meaning
We shall find different means of writing Elijah in the bible, some write it as Elias (mostly by the New Testament authors), Elijahu, Eliah and Elijah. However, the one I shall be using here is Elijah.
Elijah in Hebrew is written as “אליּהוּ אליּה”, if Romanized becomes 'êlı̂yâh 'êlı̂yâhû, (pronounced as ay-lee-yaw', ay-lee-yaw'-hoo) which means God of Jehovah.
Harnessed Latent Periods
I will want us to see some of the latent periods of this great prophet, which is off the biblical radar’s documentations to learn from as I married those account with the little biblical accounts.
1. He is Learned
No one comes to the earth having the knowledge of how to read and write, it is when we get to the world that we learn how to read and write.
This man like other children during his time was taught how to read and write the laws of Prophet Moses for this was the commandment of God to the Israelites through prophet Moses before he died, that they should ensure they teach their children those laws, that it should be engrafted in their hearts so that when they are going out and or coming in, those words would be in their hearts and they shall be doing it.
“And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deu 6:7)
Although the financial assessments of the family could not be ascertained, but be it as it may, as small as they were with perhaps their meagre income, they send their child, Elijah to school to learn with his mates and colleagues.
One of the best things any parent could give his or her children in life is qualitative education. As it is said that education starts from homes, most especially with mothers, mothers must ensure that they teach their children while at home, while teaching them they would have open minds and would love to go to school to learn with their peers, but when mothers, parents do not have time to teach their wards, then there would be upheavals because those children even when they wanted to start school would be afraid to go to school. They are afraid because they have not been introduced into this well ahead.
Poll 1: Time: Do you have time to teach your children at home?
How do you know that prophet Elijah is learned? Someone may want to ask. The record found in the book of second chronicles aptly answers this question.
“And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,” (2 Ch 21:12)
It is disturbing today to note that some prophets and men of God do go against studies, they glorified themselves in their lower education or no education at all saying that the apostles of Jesus were not learned. Nothing could be farther from the truth than this.
Therefore, many people are still backward because for long they have been brainwashed by such teachings, and because they do not have the light of God in them, neither understanding of the scriptures they accept such erroneous teachings hook line and sinker without re-evaluation. Sadly, they also continue to teach people those erroneous words and thereby causing those who believed them to have set backs.
The apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ though may not be as educated as Paul the Apostle who joined the train after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ; and Physician Luke, but they were not completely ignorant, unlearned, because most (if not all) of them wrote epistles to the saints where they have evangelized to.
An unlearned person wouldn’t write, documentations would be written on their behalf, but most of them wrote by their hands because they knew the importance of writing, documentations they knew its futuristic effects on the people.
It is in the history of the country called Armenia that up till now the country is a christian country and has been evangelized by Bartholomeus and Thaddeus. It is in my view that they wouldn’t have done that through walking the length and breadth of the country alone without leaving some records, some documentations that they know would guide those who believed their messages after they are long gone. And now, over two thousand years after they had evangelized an entire country, their impact is still being felt there, their works are still speaking.
Let us analyze a bit the documentation in the book of second chronicles that I quoted above.
Prophet Elijah as being said earlier, was a Tishbite in Gilead and God has so endowed him with power and grace, given him the enablement to speak to crème-de-la-crème of the society and the rulers of the countries, within his domain and without.
The country which he was specifically focusing was Israel whose headquarters was in Samaria, the Northern protectorate (Kingdom) so to say, because they are those whose leaderships are worst before God, they have abandoned Yahweh, however, as for the Southern kingdom, they are still trying to maintain the law of God although not perfectly. It was this Northern Kingdom that he was facing, but when the Lord sends him to another kingdom like the Southern Kingdom and he couldn’t reach the place quickly, what he would do is send letters to the place to warn or intimate them of what the Lord said about them.
“And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,” (2 Ch 21:12)
“Writing” in this verse is a Hebrew word which is written as “מכתּב”, Romanized form is miktâb (phonetic spelling is mik-tawb') which means document, a letter.
It wasn’t stated here that he employs someone to write the letter for him as did some other Prophets or disciples in the bible neither was it stated that he was in a trance and someone was writing the message he was receiving into a book for him as Baruch did for Prophet Jeremiah.
“Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.” (Jer 36:4)
This was what Prophet Elijah did by sending letter to the King of Judah, the Southern Kingdom king, Jehoram, to tell him that the Lord was angry with him because he has not followed God with his whole heart as did his father, King Jehoshaphat.
This knowledge was not attained when he was old neither after he has become a renown prophet in the land of Israel, he must have learnt how to write and read when he was young with his peers and colleagues.
2. Would Have Been Disciplined Like Others
When one is a student at home or elsewhere, one would be disciplined when one does what is wrong, even in the advanced climes where they do not allow severe punishments and other means of disciplining children and students, there would still be some means that they will be employing to correct their students when they do not get something right in the class.
This therefore shows that assuming Prophet Elijah falls into the category of such countries, he would still pass through such corrective measures by his tutors and yet endure those to become a learned person which eventually became useful for him before he left the world.
The people in the advanced climes have advanced such that they have known how to be correcting pupils in classes, yet at that, the bible says, that parents should not withhold correction from a child because in their hearts are foolishness and they wouldn’t die when they are corrected.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” (Pro 22:15)
“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.” (Pro 23:13)
“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Pro 29:15)
When parents and teachers discipline students and pupils, they shall not die so says the bible, what though is not good is going to the extreme when disciplining the child such that the child becomes wounded in the process of correcting the child. That is not good, that is not t6he kind of discipline the bible supports.
But a child that one wants better future for, one should not leave the child to himself or herself, such a child should be corrected when young, when he can still be corrected so that when he comes of age the child would give the parents and teachers rest of mind and heart.
“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” (Pro 29:17)
Poll 2: Correction: Do you correct your children?
Bible encourages us to correct our children if we want better future and life for them, if we cease from correcting them, we though may think what we are doing is right, but in the real sense what we are doing is wrong, and when the children come of age they will look back and curse us for not giving them proper training when they can accept it.
3. His Youthful Days
His youthful phase like other earlier phases of his life was unknown, but it is on record by other authors that he dedicated his youthful days to Yahweh and would after a while leave the midst of Tishbe for the wilderness where he settled down at.
While in the wilderness it was believed that there, he spent most of his times in serious agonizing prayers with recurrent fasting and meditation in the laws and tenets of Yahweh.
He must have left for the wilderness to allow for full concentration to know the laws of Yahweh and to allow for deep interaction with Yahweh without obstructions, from people.
4. He Had Several Experiences of God’s Dealings in The Wilderness
I believe it was when he was in the wilderness that he had several experiences of God’s moves, because assuming he has not gotten prior experiences of God’s moves some of the things that he experienced while in the wilderness would have been misconstrued. Let us see one or more points from his latter experience as shown in the bible when Queen Jezebel threatens to kill him, and he fled for his life.
(i) Identifying Angel
The school of the prophets were not common before he became famous in the land, in fact it is believed from the biblical and historical accounts that he was the one who started the school of the sons of the prophets in Israel before his demise.
Based on this, I strongly believe that learning how to identify angels wouldn’t be in the curriculum of the schools he attended when he was a student in the town.
Therefore, knowing how to know and identify angels could have been taught him during his solitude days in the wilderness.
“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.” (1 Ki 19:5)
On the identification of the angels he wasn’t gambling like some other prophets would probably be gambling, and be talking that who are you, which kind of person are you, he could decipher them at a go.
“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
“And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
“And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
“But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.” (Jdg 13:3, 10, 16 & 21)
Manoa and his wife did not know the person they were interacting with, they thought the person was an ordinary person and maybe he has received some special messages from God for them, that was their initial thought until after the departure of the angel that was when they knew that they have been interacting with an angel.
Even in the account of Joshua the man whom Prophet Moses handed over to, who has repeatedly followed his master, prophet Moses to the mountain to pray and had seen several hands and works of God through and angel and directly yet when he saw an angel he couldn’t identify him, he still questioned the angel of his identity.
“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
“And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
“And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” (Jos 5:13-15)
We can see from here that Joshua does not identify the person he was talking with to be an angel of the Lord until he questioned the person he was seeing, it was after his questionings that he could decipher and identify the person that he was an angel of the Lord sent of the Lord to assist them in what they are embarking upon.
From the account of Joshua above and adding to what we have learnt in the schools and colleges it is sensible to say that identifying something takes a process of time. When children are being taught to alphabets and letters, it would take serial repetitions before they start identifying it. When some science students are doing experiments in the laboratories, they wouldn’t identify some compounds until serial repetitions of the tests, and mostly by themselves after the teachers or lecturers have shown them how to go about the identifications.
In the same light do I see this, that prophet Elijah has passed through several processes in the wilderness while alone on how to be identifying the angels, thence when the time comes he never misses them when they arrived to talk to him, to give him an important message, either for himself or for the populace (nation).
This never happened in the history of Prophet Elijah after he came to limelight, he thence must have learnt how to identify angels from his prior wilderness interactions with them.
(ii) Interacting With Angels
He was not only taught how to identify angels, but he was equally taught how to interact with them. Apart from Prophet Moses, he is the chief among the prophets of the biblical accounts who enjoyed the ministry of the angels. He interacted with them and they interacted with him as if he was talking with humans physically.
“But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
“And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.” (2 Ki 1:3 & 15)
We can see what happened here as the angel was instructing him, given him news of what happened in the palace, the step the king wanted to take, how the king has prioritized “Baalzebub the god of Ekron”, neglecting God, setting aside Yahweh, the original and the only God, and telling him what to do.
It is person whom one has been in constant interactions with that could be talking to one like that and the person would be listening, would be yielding to his or her instructions, but the person who occasionally talks to one, one would barely listen to the person, not to talk of yielding to the person’s counsels and advices.
His interactions with the angels have grown deep such that even at a slightest utterance of their voices he would decipher them and what they are implying as one could decipher the voice of a person one is in close interactions with on the phone even without the person mentioning his name, no matter how the person hides his or her identity while talking with him or her something will sell her out and you will know it is my husband or my wife that is talking.
That is how it is with Prophet Elijah, he has gotten to that status such that he knows their voices without them even saying they are angels. It is a deep interaction and verily uncommon among men.
(iii) Could Differentiate Angelic Voices From God’s Voices
On many occasions in his account, we shall read that angels said this to him and on other occasions we shall read that God says this to him.
This shows the level of his interactions with God in the wilderness. His interaction with God was so deep such that he could decipher the difference between God’s voice and angels’ voices. What an awesome status!
Not many people get to this status in the world then and presently now, if anyone gets to the status at all.
His wilderness experience takes him deep down the terrain of the spiritual level such that he knows God’s voice, knows angels’ voices, knows humans’ voices, knows his reasonings.
The followings are the examples of when the Lord speaks to him:
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,” (1 Ki 17:2)
“And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.” (1 Ki 18:1)
“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:” (1 Ki 19:15)
While beneath we shall see that it was him and the angels who were talking, not God, though those angels also brought the words of Yahweh to him, but the messages were coming directly from the mouths of those angels not directly from the Yahweh as the preceding words which are from Yahweh.
“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.” (1 Ki 19:5)
“But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
“And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.” (2 Ki 1:3 & 15)
Those voices were not muddled up as some people muddle up voices of God and that of angels when delivering messages to congregations. They were distinct voices and he was blessed to differentiate between the voices.
His experience could be viewed like a family, the father would know the voices of all members of his families even without them making mention of their names. In the same vein is the mother and the children. Everyone knows the voices of one another at home and wouldn’t miss the voice of father for mother neither for other siblings at home. This happens because they have lived long enough with one another to identify this without thinking, they identify this subcortically.
Just like a sibling who is delivering the message of their parents to others who were not around when the messages were being said, those siblings who weren’t around would see the message being given them to be coming directly from their parents, although through their eldest one or the least in the family, it does matter, they know it is from their parents.
In the same wise is those words of the angels, though they be messages from Yahweh to Prophet Elijah, yet they were delivered to him by angels not directly from Yahweh, and those that came directly from Yahweh would be so stated. I tell you it is a rare experience! He is a unique Prophet indeed!
Poll 3: Experience: Have you heard an audible voice at any time in your life? Yes No
(iv) He Perhaps Has Been Mysteriously Fed in The Wilderness
The length of time that he stays in the wilderness wasn’t stated, but it is obvious that he cannot go into the wilderness for neither a week nor a month and the author would say he resorted to the wilderness to be living there. He would have left the town of Tishbe to be living in the wilderness for months. That when it could be assumed that someone leaves for a place.
When he was in this wilderness, even if he went into the wilderness with some foods initially, the foods would run out later and after those foods he went into the wilderness has finished, he would be feeding on something because he will not use his entire months for fasting in the wilderness.
I remember when I went into the wilderness some few years back to seek the face of the Lord, after three days that I got into the wilderness the foods I went with into the wilderness finished and I had to resort to marathon fasting, living on water alone for about seven days before some other people came and join me in the wilderness because the place is a dedicated place for prayer in the town that I live.
Based on this experience of mine, I can say that the foods he went into the wilderness with would be finished sooner than he expected and since the wilderness he resorted to was not like the one I stated above where others could come and join him later, he would have been there alone for days and or months interacting and talking with Yahweh.
After those foods he went into the wilderness with got finished and it was not yet time for him to return to the town, I believe his supplies would have been divinely met with by Yahweh whom he went there to serve because he did not go into the wilderness to start mechanized neither any form of farming there.
Be that as it may, it would interest us to know that his type of food when in the wilderness after the expiration of the foods he went into the wilderness with finished wasn’t stated as it was for John the Baptist whom the bible says his meat was locusts and wild honey.
“And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.” (Mat 3:4)
There is no further explanation for his sustenance in the wilderness other than God divinely meet with his daily needs there, providing his daily foods for him. It is because he has been enjoying this special providence that something like that could be provided for him later when he was to go and meet with God.
“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
“And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1 Ki 19:5-8)
God has also promised to supply our daily needs if we can trust in him without wavering, he says he is the God who provides for the birds of the air and that he will surely provide for us.
“Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
“And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (Mat 6:25-31)
Prophet Elijah was anxious for nothing he resorted into the wilderness to seek God and the God whom he has gone to seek did manifest himself unto him in a way that was beyond his comprehension. He will also do that for those who believe in Jesus Christ, he will supply our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus if we can rely on him without wavering.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Php 4:19)
(v) His Raiment Has Been Patterned After The Wilderness Weather
It would be noticed that after he became prominent in the land, his kind of dressing has been patterned after his wilderness lifestyle and it is said to be like the kind of dressings of the western people by Sir J. Chardin.
“And they answered him, he was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, it is Elijah the Tishbite.” (2 Ki 1:8)
One’s kind of dressing is influenced by the environment one lives in and when one gets to certain stage, one’s kind of dressing would be stereotypic such that it would be difficult for the person to change his style of dressing, even if he moves to another area on a temporary basis.
(vi) He Knows How God Moves From Past Experience
The experience he has gathered in the wilderness couldn’t be under-estimated as such we shall discover from the documentations about him when God asked him to meet him on mount Horeb that he thought God was in some incidents which were happening in the wilderness.
He thought God was in those incidents because the past experiences he had has shown that those are the means of God appearing to him, but he was mistaken this time, because those experiences of the past did not work out that day, for God revealed himself unto him in a new way.
“And he said, go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Ki 19:11-12)
In the above verses, we shall see three powerful incidents: great wind, earthquake and fire. When those things were happening, he thought well God has arrived to talk to him as he has promised only to discover that God was not in the first incident as powerful as it was, the second and neither was he in the third incidents.
Those incidents if it were in my land would have been viewed as demonic in nature, but he did not view it like that because God would have through such means appeared to him before. But on this day, God proved to him his superiority as he did not follow the common means which the prophet knows.
This should interest us as people of faith that God has different means of revealing himself to his people therefore, we do not need to be dogmatic, all we need to do is be opened to God’s moves and whichever way he chooses he can through that commune with us.
(vii) Developed Strong Rapport With God
This prophet has developed strong rapport with God when in the wilderness such that he has known what the Lord likes and what he doesn’t like. His level with the Lord in the wilderness is deeper than ordinary level that others within the town had with Yahweh. Thus, he can stand for the Lord and tell the people of Israel what the Lord likes and what he hates.
It is when one develops strong rapport with someone that one can be able to read in between the lines of the likes and the dislikes of one’s partner, the person one does not find time to be associated with, one cannot say what his likes and dislikes are except by guessing.
“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1 Ki 17:1)
Some teachers of the bible opined that this phrase, “before whom I stand,” is reflective of Prophet Elijah’s wilderness experience, that he was referring to how he used to stand before the Lord daily in the wilderness. And now that God has sent him to deliver the message, he has squeezed out time out of his no time to attend to the pressing issue of the nation the adulterous behavior of the people that the king and his wife has plunged the entire nation into.
As he thence has squeezed his time to come to the palace and town to tell the king what was in the mind of God, it would be at his words again that remedy shall be made, that rain shall begin to fall, thus the phrase, “but according to my word”.
(viii) Tried Severally
When one is building his relationship with another person, one would begin to understudy the person, and during the process of understudying, there cannot but be tests to know the mind of the person on the relationship, maybe the person of a reality applies his mind to the relationship or he is just lying and having another option elsewhere.
To get this out of the person, there would be some little tests being pose to each other by the duo.
Consider the case of Gideon when he wants to enter into deep partnership with the Lord, he has to test the Lord so that he would be double sure that he was on the right track and that he was not doing something out of his own imagination, risking his life and the lives of others.
“And Gideon said unto God, if thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
“Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
“And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
“And Gideon said unto God, let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
“And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.” (Jdg 6:36-40)
Gideon wanted to be double sure of his movement, of his leadership because there is no way he could narrate the experience he had with God and the angels to the people and they would believe him to following him to wage war against their powerful enemies, thus he tried God and God wasn’t annoyed for him taken that step.
What Gideon did is akin to what those who are young in faith in this part of the land do, some of us have done similar thing in the past too, when we are cornered by some difficulties and troubles that seem to be overwhelming our souls, we would test God by our words and actions, and because of God’s love for us he would perform those things that we said unto him to get our feet established in him. I remembered a young christian saying that, “some of us who are still young in faith still need to be testing the Lord to ascertain his words unto us”. But for those who have grown in faith God wants us to grow beyond this level, if you are still in the level of trying God’s word every time, then it means you are yet to grow over the baby stage of faith.
(ix) Prayer Filled Lifestyle
Marriam-Webster defines prayer as “an address (such as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought.” (Emphasis mine)
Many people think a person can only be known to be praying when he or she is uttering something and or shouting at the top of his voice, and they do not believe a person could be talking to God within his spirit, they don’t believe one could be talking to God without talking.
As good as uttering words out to God is, yet when one speaks within himself, and or when one thinks about something and directed the thoughts to God for a solution on the thing, it is an act of prayer to God and would be answered by God.
We need to know that answering of all prayers depends on God’s prerogatives either to answer them or not. If we can bear this in mind, then we should also employ this to it that the answering of thought directed version of our prayers too is at his prerogatives and shouldn’t be seen that it was because I have not uttered those words out, that, that was why he has not answered the thought-oriented prayers we have offered or been offering.
However, many people are being lied to that it was because they have not uttered out their words to God to be heard, to be audible that is why their thought-oriented prayers have not been heard.
This is one of the anomalies been preached by some people of the need to always be shouting while praying. I do not say shouting when praying is bad, but I am saying we can also direct our prayers to God through our thoughts and he will answer us.
If he can answer the thought directed prayers of Eliezer when he went and search for wife for his master’s son, Isaac even when the grace has not manifested, why would God not answer our thought-provoking prayers at this time of grace? Why won’t he answer our thought filled prayer life in the name of Jesus? I want to tell you that he will surely answer us, because he has offered the highest sacrifice and given us the name above all names for us to be addressing him.
“And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.” (Gen 24:12)
The Hebrew word for “said” in the above verse is “אמר”, when Romanized it becomes 'âmar (phonetic spelling aw-mar') which could also mean think among other meanings it has.
There was no one at the well then, but Eliezer believes the God of his master Abraham was with him yea everywhere and could decipher the contents of his heart, thus he started uttering what he wants in his heart and before he finishes his thought-oriented prayers, he was answered by Yahweh.
Prophet Elijah developed a prayer filled life in the wilderness such that prayer becomes his lifestyle.
Some people think prayer is easy, yes, it is to some degree, but the kind of prayer that prophet Elijah prayed as being exemplified in the bible is another level of prayer and a person could only reach such phase if the person has consistently been practicing such.
“So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,” (1 Ki 18:42)
We can see the example of his prayer pattern here, and anyone who has practiced this once would know that it is not easy except if the person has been practicing it before, in fact kneeling to pray too is not easy except on a repeated practice of such.
It is like trying to practice yoga you will know that yoga is not easy if you do it once and leave doing it, but after repeated trainings it would become part and parcel of the person’s life.
That is the position of the kinds of prayers prophet Elijah prayed, he has been practicing the act while alone in the wilderness and it has thence become part and parcel of him such that it has become his lifestyle.
To be a meaningful prayer person, you have to be practicing it every day, you won’t pray today and leave it for another month before praying again, it would be a continuous exercise a daily thing like people who are doing yoga or doing some other forms of exercises to keep themselves fit. Prayer filled lifestyle will keep you fit spiritually.
His prayer filled lifestyle was developed when in the wilderness and the New Testament author would say that, he was a man like us, but he developed his praying skills and patterns obviously encouraging us to develop such feat in our closets.
“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
“And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (Jas 5:17-18)
You may necessarily not be putting your head in between your knees as he did, but what the apostle is saying is that you need to be a prayer filled person, you need to live a prayer filled lifestyle.
(x) Studied Animals and Nature
While he was in the wilderness, he would have studied animals and nature such that he could decipher when something would happen and when something wouldn’t happen.
Our fathers in this part of the world before the advent of geography and other means of studying the climate, they have devised means of studying the climate themselves to know what would happen next, and they would say after looking at the firmament that, if a sign like this is shown in the firmament it means that next year would be bad agriculturally, they would say, there would be fewer rain next year compared to this year because of what they have noticed in the firmament.
Something like this was referenced to by Jesus Christ when he was alive, because geography and other climatic studies have not been in vogue then while replying the pharisees and others who have come to him to ask him questions he says when they looked at the sky or firmament they can say categorically, without missing words what would happen next.
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
“He answered and said unto them, when it is evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
“And in the morning, it will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Mat 16:1-3)
Prophet Elijah too having spent many times in the wilderness studied nature and animals. How do I know this, I know this from these events:
(a) When He Was Led to Cherith
After his prophecy to the leadership of the land, he was led to “the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.” To hide there so that he would be fed by birds, ravens.
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
“Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
“And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.” (1 Ki 17:2-4)
I know there are people like me, who do not know different kinds of birds in the world. Then there would be people like us who do not know different types of birds in their neighborhoods, how would he be concerned about birds like raven? That wouldn’t be their concern. In the same vein would it have been with prophet Elijah assuming he has not studied some animals and birds when he was alone in the wilderness, he wouldn’t be concerned with going through wanting to learn about the different birds at that time. I also believed that God therefore wouldn’t put him in a dilemma of going to the brook at that time to go and be studying the kind of birds at that would be bringing food to him.
May I use this medium to say that, God wouldn’t tell you to go and meet someone you do not know, neither animals you do not know, for by telling you that he would put you in dilemma he would put you at risk and God wouldn’t put anyone at risk.
Think about the history of Cornelius for a moment. When he wants to connect Cornelius in the New Testament with his Apostle Peter, he told him where he should send people to, where they should enter and how they would know the man.
“And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
“He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” (Act 10:5-6)
This man wasn’t put in a straight gate, he wasn’t put in a dilemma of the person he would go and meet. He had vivid description of the person he wants to go and meet, and his messengers did not miss it when they got to the place they were going to.
Now, assuming, Elijah doesn’t know the birds types, and they were having some things in their mouths, beaks, he may misconstrue it for something else, but because he has known them, studied them, then he could neither go against God nor ask questions about how he would know the birds when they come.
Whatever God wants to do for anyone he will do it in a straightforward manner, it would be clearly executed removing all iota of doubts in the minds of the persons on whom he wants to do the thing for.
These show that when in the wilderness before he gained prominence, he has studied different kinds of animals.
(b) When He was Praying For Rain
After executing judgments on the prophets of Baal on mount Carmel he told the king that there would be rain but at the time he was speaking there was no sign of rain, no climatic change suggestive of something of that nature. But he was affirmative, because he knows that he has executed what was in the mind of Jehovah.
Thence, he moves to the top of Mount Carmel and started praying there. However, in the meanwhile as protective measures for himself, because there was no building on the mount where he could hide himself when the heavens are rent and the rains started pouring down, he asked his servant to be checking the firmament for him, he asked him to be looking for climatic change.
“So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
“And said to his servant, go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, there is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
“And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, go up, say unto Ahab, prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
“And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
“And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.” (1 Ki 18: 42-46)
His servant was checking the climate wanting to see the common changes, but he couldn’t see anyone on the immediate. However, some few minutes or probably hours after he notices something like the hand of a man in the sky and called the attention of his master to it.
When his master who has studied climate in the wilderness heard that he stopped prayers and asked his servant to go and tell the King that abundant of rain would occur any moment from thence.
If he has not studied climate, nature while in the wilderness he would have continued with his prayers and would still be telling his servants to be checking the climate until the rain would come heavily on them drenching their clothes.
As good believer in the gospel of Jesus it is also encouraged that we also be studying the trend of things in what we are doing. Study the trend of things in your business, pay close attention to the research you are doing, study your family members, this would give you an edge over others.
5. Limited Time in the Town
It would be discovered that when he was talking with God, he said he was the only prophet left and all others have either been killed or joined the prophets of Baal. He said this because he was in oblivion of what was happening in the town. He perhaps enters town briefly maybe to see his siblings and parents and return to the wilderness again.
“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Ki 19:10 & 14)
During his brief stay in the town that was when he notices the anomalies in the town, that was when he notices what the king and his wife have turned the town to, how they have desecrated the holy places of God and everyone has gone a whoring with Baal that has been introduced into the town.
It was because he did not spend much time in the town that was why he did not know that there were other prophets present among the inhabitants of the land.
When we do not mis with others, we shall think we are the only one doing the will of God, when we do not mix with others, we shall think we are the only one suffering or passing through some troubling moments, but when we mix with people we shall know that we are not the only one in the situation which we are in.
Some people experience depressions today because they failed to mix with others, they allowed their hearts to be weighed down by the negative thoughts and would think the enemies have overcome their hearts, but when they mix with others, they may find out that the condition in which they are is better than someone else’s whom they think has no problems because he was not showing any symptoms of passing through hard times.
However, what he did not know God told him that he was not the only one left and that there were 7,000 people still committed to his cause and doing his will.
“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (1 Ki 19:18)
Poll 4: Mixing: Are you mixing with others in the society at all?
When you keep to yourself like this prophet there may be problems, but when you mix with others you will learn, and the symptoms of depression would be reduced if not eliminated.
6. God Chosen
Because of his dedication and commitment, he was specially chosen for the task because King Ahab and his wife Jezebel have led the people astray, and they have entrenched the gods who do not lead the people of God to Canaan land in the land. people were afraid of the king and his wife, because confronting them would put the person who does that at the risk of his or her life.
“And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
“And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
“And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
“And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
“And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
“In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.” (1 Ki 16:29-34)
Many negative things which the Lord did not support were executed and completed during this man’s reign. It was time that evil reigned supreme in the land and the righteous ones went a hiding for the fear of their lives.
It was during this time that the Lord commissioned and brought Prophet Elijah to limelight, it was the time that everyone was fleeing for his life, afraid of speaking the truth that the Lord brought him to limelight to straighten things, the Lord chooses him at this time and asks him to put his life on the line for him.
It should be said here that everyone has his or her time, therefore you do not need to be envious of someone else’s progress. When your time of manifestation clicks before God, be ascertained that not even the devil can stop you from manifesting because God himself will push you out by his power and authority. The great king would say this of timing that, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecc 3:1)
You cannot use somebody else’s time, neither can someone else use your time. You can also not get out before your time if you are indeed God’s this is because irrespective of how you tried to shoot yourself to limelight you will be meeting with brick walls when the Lord sees that it is not yet your time for manifestation, but when your time clicks everything would fall into places for you and there won’t be any difficulties whatsoever.
Are you trying to force some things to come to pass in your life? Be patient, hand over everything to God in prayer and at the right time he would bring it to pass easily and quietly without dusts being raised.
7. Grave Message Given Him
He was given a grave message for his generation because it was said that Baal was a god of rain, god of thunder etc. during their days, so for him to attack the god where he specializes in (sending rain on the people) it was a great bravery, it shows his confidence in Yahweh and that he has specially be instructed for the purpose as the bible says, God would not do a thing without telling his prophets.
“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)
Think about this, for someone to come to you in your area of specialization and said what you are doing is wrong, won’t you look at him and say what is wrong with this fellow? Such was the position and the message given unto Prophet Elijah he went and confront them, telling them that the lord they believed in that it was that god who was sending rain on the land would fail them, because there would neither be rain nor dews until I speak again.
They would laugh him to scorn telling him that he doesn’t know what he was doing that there shall undoubtedly be showers of rain because their gods have not failed them before.
“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1 Ki 17:1)
It was a grave message and it takes someone whose total reliance has been on Yahweh to make such pronouncements, to confront the people like that.
God desires to send us to our generation in a special way, but he is seeking for our reliance on him if we can have total dependence on him, he would give us grave message for the perishing souls in our generation.
7. Angelic Ministration
We shall notice that this man enjoyed angelic ministration, even if we do not want to believe the revelation which was said of him that his father saw concerning him when he was given birth to, at least the subsequent developments which were writing in the bible we need to believe it, for angels interact with him as if they were in the heavenly realms. That was why he could be carried away with their chariots, amongst fire.
“And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.” (1 Ki 19:5)
“And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” (1 Ki 19:7)
“But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?” (2 Ki 1:3)
“And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.” (2 Ki 1:15)
“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” (2 Ki 2:11)
The interactions with these angels couldn’t develop suddenly he has developed it while undergoing those trainings in the wilderness, and when he came to limelight he continued to enjoy them.
It is what one has been enjoying in the secret that one would continue to enjoy when one comes to limelight, nothing happens suddenly, nothing happens by accident.
Do you wish to know God the more, then you need to be dedicated to him like this wonderful man, who does not waste his youthful days, but resorted to know God more and he wasn’t disappointed by God, as such many religions all over the world wanted to be associated with his God and they call on God of Elijah today.
Conclusion, it should be known that not all stars or prominent people in the world from times past and now are known from their childhood stages, neither were all of them prophesied about before they were given birth to. There are some who are given birth without announcements and they continue to grow, being completely off the radar of the documentations until they have been fully formed like Elijah and then they would be announced by Yahweh to the people after they have passed his tests.
Comments