Elijah The Prophet

Part 2 in a series

by Ken Pullen

ACP

Tuesday, April 14thth, 2015

When we left off in part one of this series Scripture revealed to us Elijah the prophet having spoken and a terrible drought come upon the land due to Ahab the king of Israel turning away from the commandments of God and turning to being dominated by his pagan wife from Tyre, Jezebel, and turning the greater part of Israel to the worship of Baal — even building shrines and temples to the worship of Baal.

The Bible tells us Elijah was a Tishbite: “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab… (see 1 Kings 17:1).

There is nothing contained within the word of God that is unimportant. There are no added words for filler.

Every jot and tittle is with and for a reason.

Elijah is not only one of the most vivid and looming large people of the Bible, he is also one of the most mysterious. He appears from nowhere, really. Elijah the stranger. I do not want to get ahead of ourselves here, as we will study everything in the Bible regarding Elijah, but the word of God tells us in 2 Kings 1:8 — “And they answered him [Ahaziah, king of Israel], He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

There is only one known Tishbite in the Bible — Elijah.
 
Tishbite Etymology
 
Tishbite — From Bible Hub

I believe origins and background knowledge is of importance. Let us now continue from 1 Kings 17:1.

In part 1 we learned how the kings of Israel increased in wickedness and turning from God with each successive king coming into power. Ever since the death of King Shlomo — King Solomon — idolatry had been increasing in Israel like the waters of a great flood consuming everything in its path. The Bible tells us Ahab was the most wicked king in the history of Israel to the time of Elijah (see 1 Kings 16:30).

What we are given for our spiritual nourishment, our spiritual life and growth from the living and active word of God should not be pushed away like something on a plate one does not have an appetite for. The word of God is given to us to partake of daily for our nourishment, a nourishment as important — if not more important than the physical nourishment we consume in order to sustain physical life, for the word of God brings forth and provides spiritual health, spiritual nourishment, and spiritual life to the consumer thereof! We ought to learn how everything in the living and active word of God applies to our daily life, rather than ignore it, or view it as some ancient out-of-touch book, or only use it as one uses a TV remote selecting only that portion which we think we ought to view rather than receiving the program we need.

Just as with the deaths of King David and King Solomon Israel turned from God and reveled in paganism and idol worship and paid the consequences for its betrayal and turning from the Lord, so, too, we in America have turned from our foundations and teachings based upon the word of God and reveled in our adopting paganism and idol worship — and we now live in times not so dissimilar to the times in which Ahab and Elijah walked this earth. What lesson will each individual take from this? And all that is of importance is what each individual does with the knowledge in their time, and to which path and direction they take — where their heart lies and on what their eyes and hope are focused and attached to.

Are we more Elijah?

Or are we more Ahab and Jezebel?

At this juncture I will make commentary on the Scripture provided in part 1 in this series — 1 Kings 17:1 through 1 Kings 18:1 to the best of my ability as it is measured out in me.

Elijah (“God is my strength”) the prophet appears and the first thing we learn of him is he speaks and the rain and dew cease to appear in Israel for a period of 3 years (see 1 Kings 17:1).

We know from verse 1 in 1 Kings 17 that the prophet Elijah stood before the king of Israel, Ahab, and said, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, but according to my word.”

It was not a big thing for a man [Elijah] whose life was passed in Jehovah’s presence to stand before this wicked pagan worshipping king.

Immediately after proclaiming to Ahab there would be no dew or rain until Elijah said so, according to the Lord God of Israel, Elijah was instructed by God to go and find a hiding place to preserve his life, and that the Lord God would provide and sustain him. Elijah didn’t question. Elijah didn’t doubt. Elijah didn’t fear. Elijah obeyed and by his faith did as the Lord instructed him.

And he was feed by ravens, and drank of the brook in the place where God told him to go to keep him safe until he was to fulfill God’s plan for Elijah.

Would you leave everything you know and go off to be fed by birds and drink from a brook if God told you to? Be careful — before you automatically reply with “Yes, I would do whatever God asked of me,” think. Be honest.

Most people nowadays can’t turn their cell phones off and leave them let alone leave and place their complete trust in God.

Most people nowadays can’t get through their day without their Starbucks, or their this, or that, and while they mumble and spew a few “Praise Jesus’s” throughout the day they make sure they do what it is they desire to do, what they always do, placing God if He is in their lives at all on the bottom of the list as far as time, attention, and obedience to.

Are we more Elijah?

Or are we more Ahab and Jezebel?

After Elijah is in hiding and is fed by ravens, as the drought continues on which Elijah brought about by his words, through the power of God working in Elijah, the brook which was sustaining Elijah dried up.

That happens in droughts. The land becomes dry and parched due to unrighteousness and idol worship and replacing God the Living God with dead gods which cannot breath, cannot speak and lead the people astray to their deaths.

Once the brook dries up the Lord tells Elijah to get himself up and off to Zarepath.

Zarephath is preserved in the name of the modern village, Sarafand. In antiquity, the site was known as Sarepta or Sariptu. Zarephath is located about 8.5 miles (13.5 km) south of Sidon and 14 miles (23 km) north of Tyre. The ancient site occupied two promontories, each with a good harbor: Ras el-Qantara and Ras esh-Shiq. Ras esh-Shiq was the site of a Roman quay, and Ras el-Qantara was the site of the Phoenician Iron Age tell.

During the severe famine in the reign of King Ahab, Elijah sought out lodging with a widow in Zarephath. Miraculously, the widow’s small supply of flour and oil was not consumed until the famine came to an end. And when her son died, Elijah brought him to life again (1 Kings 17:8-24). These miracles were recalled by Jesus as an example of a prophet who is unwelcome in his hometown (Luke 4:24-26).

James Pritchard directed excavations at Zarephath on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania in 1969-1972 and 1974. The excavations revealed that Zarephath was occupied continuously throughout the Iron Age, and was a center for pottery production, olive oil production, metallurgy, and purple-dye manufacture. Twenty-two kilns were discovered, the earliest of which dated to the 13th century B.C.

The earliest occupation of Zarephath dates to the Late Bronze Age, ca. 1600 BC, and the city is mentioned in Papyrus Anastasi I from the reign of Rameses II. Zarephath (Sariptu) is listed among the Phoenician cities in Sennacherib’s campaign of 701 BC. During Esarhaddon’s reign (680-669 BC), Zarephath was taken from Sidon and given to the king of Tyre.

At a later time, perhaps in an upcoming series we will delve into Tyre and its importance and how the king of Tyre has never left this earth — he has only expanded his reign. At some point before such a series appears here, perhaps that will perk interest into further study on your own.

There are 4 occurrences of Zarepath in the word of God:

Luke 4:26 Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
(WEB WEY ASV BBE NAS NIV)

1 Kings 17:9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.”
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

1 Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, “Please get me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Obadiah 1:20 The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.

From Zarepath, and the raising of the widow’s son from death, and the widow saying;

“Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord is thy mouth is truth.”

1 Kings 17:24 — King James Version

 
After many days — in the third year of the drought brought about by the words of truth from Elijah’s mouth, the Lord told Elijah He was to get up and go meet Ahab, and that the Lord would bring rain to the parched and dying earth — for there was a sore famine in Samaria.

Elijah Confronts Ahab

1And 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.

2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

4For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. 15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

Elijah on Mount Carmel

16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

18And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

19Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.

20So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

26And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

27And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

31And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

32And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

Elijah’s Prayer

36And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

40And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

The Lord Sends Rain

41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 4

2So 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,

43And 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.

44And 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.

45And 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.

46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Elijah Flees Jezebel

1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6And 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.

7And 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.

8And 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.

The Lord Speaks to Elijah at Horeb

9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10And 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.

11And 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: 1

2And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14And 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.

15And 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:

16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18Yet 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.

To be continued…