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20 Fascinating Facts about Elijah in The Bible

Elijah was a prophet in the Hebrew Bible who lived during the 9th century BCE. He is noted as a well-known prophet because of his work in 1 and 2 Kings. Elijah was a powerful prophet who greatly opposed the King of Israel. He is remembered for his faith in God and his willingness to always stand up for what is right. Elijah was able to perform miracles such as calling down fire from heaven and raising a dead boy back to life.

Elijah was a man of fire, he burned with passion for God and for justice. Elijah is a reminder to all Christians that God is always with us when we are feeling lost and alone. This story shows that God is always willing to answer the prayers of His people.

Here are the 20 Fascinating Facts about Elijah in The Bible;

1. His Name Has a Powerful Meaning

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Elijah is a Hebrew name that means “Yahweh is my God” In the Bible, it is spelled as Elias, Elia, or Eliyahu. Christians believe that if they give their sons the name Elijah they will be as courageous and faithful as Elijah. The name Elijah is also a reminder that God is always with us and that He is our Protector. 

2. Elijah Proclaimed Famine in Israel

In the book of 1 Kings Chapter 17, Elijah is introduced as a Tishbite who proclaimed a drought on the land as punishment for Ahab’s idolatry. At this time, Ahab was the seventh king of Israel and the husband of Jezebel of Sidon. He reigned for 22 years and was considered to be a controversial king.

King Ahab persecuted God’s prophets and sinned against God. During his reign, he worshipped Canaanite gods which led the people of Israel astray from God’s commandments.

3. Elijah Challenged King Ahab

During the reign of King Ahab, he would always disagree with his rule and his decision to praise idols. Elijah would warn them about leaving God’s ways and praising the idols of Baal. One day, Elijah challenges Ahab to a contest in order to see which god is the true God. He built an altar for Yahweh and sacrificed a bull on it. 

4. He Defeated the gods of Baal

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The prophets of Baal sacrificed a bull and put it on the altar. They called the name of Baal and danced around the altar they had made. Elijah began to taunt them and told them to pray louder so that their god would hear them. The prophets shouted louder until they began to slash themselves with swords and spears. 

When it came time for Elijah to defeat King Ahab’s idols, he sacrificed a bull on the altar he had built for Yahweh on Mount Carmel. He poured an access amount of water over the altar and sacrifice and then he prayed to God. Elijah had faith that God would light the sacrifice. Immediately after Elijah prayed, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.

When the Israelites saw this, they knew that Yahweh was the one and only God. They bowed down while declaring that God is more powerful than all idols and gods.

5. He was Sent by God to Bring Rain to Israel

After three years of famine, the Lord told Elijah to present himself to Ahab and declare that the Lord would send rain to the land. Obadiah was a palace administrator and a devout believer in the Lord. He would hide prophets in two caves because Queen Jezebel was killing every prophet of the Lord. Elijah met Obadiah on his way to the palace. When Elijah asked him to go and tell King Ahab that he had arrived, Obadiah refused because he had hidden 100 prophets in caves.

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6. Elijah Killed the Prophets of Baal

When the Israelites saw that Elijah’s God was truly Yahweh, they fell to the ground and cried. Elijah later ordered them to seize the prophets of Baal and take them to the Kishon Valley. All the prophets of Baal were slaughtered there. Elijah then returned to Mount Carmel and prayed for rain. After a while, the sky grew black with clouds and heavy rain began to fall.

7. Elijah Fled to Mount Horeb

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After defeating the prophets of Baal, Queen Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah. This frightened Elijah and he decided to flee to the wilderness. However, he ended up at Mount Horeb which is the same mountain where Moses had received the Ten Commandments from God. While he was there, he sat under a broom tree and asked God to take his life. God encouraged Elijah by reminding him that He was still with him and that He had a plan for Elijah.

8. Elijah Raised a Dead Boy Back to Life

In the book of 1 Kings Chapter 17, Elijah was staying in the house of Zarephath, a widow who had a sick son. When her son died, Elijah was devasted and turned to God for help. Elijah prayed to God, “Lord my God, why have You brought this tragedy on this widow who has been so kind to me?” God heard Elijah’s prayer and asked him to stretch himself out on the boy’s body. Elijah did as he was told and the boy’s body began to warm up. Elijah prayed again and the boy came back to life.

9. Elijah Mentored and Anointed Elisha

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Elijah and Elisha’s stories can be found in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings. Elisha was a young man who was eager to learn from Elijah. Elijah mentored Elisha by teaching him the ways of God and by training him in the prophetic ministry. God sent Elijah to anoint Elisha to be his successor as prophet.

Elijah taught Elisha the ways of God, how to pray, preach, and perform miracles. Elisha was also taken to all of Elijah’s travels which allowed him to witness his ministry firsthand. Elijah was a good example for Elisha by demonstrating faith, courage, and obedience to God. Elijah’s mentorship of Elisha was a great success because he became a prophet who spread the word of God.

10. Elijah Anointed Hazael and Jehu 

While Elijah was at Horeb, God told Elijah to go and anoint  Hazael as the King of Syria and Jehu as the King of Israel. He anointed Hazael on Mount Horeb, poured oil on His head, and said, “I anoint you as King over Aram. He then sent one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu. The son of the prophet poured oil on Jehu’s head and said, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over Israel.'” 

Hazael and Jehu were fierce warriors who fulfilled God’s purposes. Hazael was a powerful king of Syria and inflicted much suffering on the kingdom of Israel. Jehu was a zealous king of Israel who wiped out the house of Ahab and destroyed the worship of Baal.

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11. Elijah was Taken up to Heaven

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In the book of 2 Kings Chapter 2, Elijah and Elisha were traveling together when Elijah told his disciple that he was about to be taken up to heaven. Elisha begged him to stay but as they were walking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them. Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. 

However, Elijah had dropped his mantle which Elisha wore. This symbolizes that Elisha had taken over the prophetic ministry of Elijah. When Elijah is taken up to heaven, it becomes a unique event among the many others in the Bible.

12. Elijah was Mentioned in The New Testament

Elijah was among the most important prophets in the Bible. In the book of Matthew, Jesus says that John the Baptist is the “Elijah who is to come” This showed that John the Baptist was a forerunner of Jesus who was preparing the way for His coming. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus appears with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. The event showed that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets. In the book of Romans, Paul used Elijah as an example of someone who was justified by faith. This showed that the faith Elijah had saved him.

13. He is Recorded in Other Books of the Old Testament

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In the Book of 2 Chronicles 21:12-15, Elijah sends a letter to King Jehoshaphat of Judah and warns him about his alliance with King Ahab of Israel. Malachi 4:5-6, Elijah is mentioned as the one who will come before the day of the Lord to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Elijah is a significant figure in the Old Testament because his story is told in multiple books.

14. Scholars Debate about Elijah’s Story

Scholars of the Hebrew Bible agree that Elijah was a real person who lived in the 9th century BCE. However, when it comes to the death of Elijah, they have noted that could not be possible. They however noted that Elijah was a powerful prophet who was known for his faith in God. It should be noted that some scholars believe that these events actually happened but others believe that these events are legends or myths. But generally, scholars believe that he was a real person who played an important role in Israelite history and religion.

15. Elijah is Mentioned in Modern Culture

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He is portrayed as a powerful and courageous prophet who stood up for what was right. In the film The Prince of Egypt, Elijah is shown as a wise and powerful prophet who helps Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt. In the television series Supernatural, Elijah is a recurring character among the powerful angels in heaven. The artist Bob Dylan wrote a song named Elijah that shows how the artist compares himself to Elijah.

Elijah has also been mentioned in a number of works of literature, music, and art. He has become a popular figure in modern culture because he represents many of the qualities such as courage, faith, and perseverance. The name Elijah has become a popular name for boys.

16. Elijah is a Role Model for Modern Prophets

He is noted as a powerful and courageous who was willing to stand up for what was right. He is also known for his faith in God as well as his commitment to God’s mission. Some specific ways that Elijah is a role model for modern prophets include; his faith, his willingness to speak out against injustice, his endured hardship in order to intercede for others, his challenging people to turn away from sin, and his willingness to serve God’s people out of love. Modern prophets can learn a lot from Elijah because he was courageous and bold in his proclamation of the truth.

17. Elijah’s Story has a lot of Life Lessons

Elijah’s story teaches Christians many things about life. One of the main things that can be identified from his story are the challenges he faced throughout his life. God was always with His children even when things seemed difficult. God was a powerful prophet who witnessed many miracles during his lifetime. These miracles show that God is powerful and that He can do anything.

Elijah’s willingness to stand up for what is right shows that Christians should speak the truth to power especially when it comes to God’s word. Elijah was a faithful servant of God which is what God expects of all His children.

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18. He is an Inspiration to Christians

Elijah was a powerful prophet who was known for his miracles and his commitment to God’s mission. Elijah was also a faithful witness to God and never wavered in his allegiance to God. Elijah prayed for the people of Israel and for God’s will to be done. This showed that Christians can become intercessors who pray for their communities and neighbors. Elijah was a courageous evangelist who shared the gospel with others even when it was dangerous to do so. Christians learn that they should have faith in God as well as do His work on Earth. The story of Elijah also shows that Christians can be intercessors, evangelists, servants of God, and faithful to Him.

19. Elijah was an Important Figure in The Bible

He was noted as a powerful and courageous prophet who was known for his faith in God. Elijah never wavered in his allegiance to God when the majority of the Israelites had turned to idolatry. He fought against King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, he also defeated the prophets of Baal. Elijah is noted as the only prophet to be taken up in a chariot. He is among the two people who never died in the Bible. His faith in God allowed him to go to heaven instead of dying. He also performed amazing miracles that showed Christians the importance of faith.

20. Pastors Look Up to Elijah

He was a powerful intercessor who prayed for the people of Israel and for God’s will to be done. He fasted and endured hardship on his behalf in order to intercede for others. He challenged the King of Israel and preached to the Israelites in hopes that they would turn away from sin and follow God.

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All in all, Elijah was a great prophet who dedicated his life to the work of God. He would always do God’s work even when it risked his life. He is an inspiration to Christians all over the world because of his faith and humbleness. Elijah is also noted as a mentor of the prophet Elisha.