Elijah The Prophet – Who Is Elijah The Prophet

Elijah the Prophet

Elijah was one of the significant Biblical prophets, who lived in the 9th C BC during the times of King Ahab and his queen Jezebel. Elijah is considered by all Semitic faiths as a miracle maker, healer, and a great brave man who stood against the powers of Kings and false prophets. He is included in many of the religious accounts and traditions. Elijah lived and taught in the area of the Carmel and the northern parts of Israel, and left his name and memory of events in many Biblical places. One of the most conspicuous things about Elijah is that he has no confirmed lineage. This is quite odd in the Old Testament. The Jews were very vigilant in recording ancestry. This has led some scholars to suggest that he might even have been a Gentile. Others draw similar comparisons to Melchizedek, the priest of God with no ancestry, who is believed to be the pre-incarnate Christ. One thing is certain – he came out of nowhere. Elijah is considered as one who served God and a man of prayer. Scroll down the article to know more about him.

Who Is Elijah The Prophet

Elijah (Eliyahu) the Prophet appears in the Bible during the period of the Ten Tribes. Each Passover, a special cup of wine is filled and put on the Seder table. During the Seder, the door of the house is opened and everyone stands to allow Elijah the Prophet to enter and drink. At every bris, a chair is also set aside for Elijah. At the conclusion of Shabbat, Jews sing about Elijah, hoping he will come "speedily, in our days...along with the Messiah, son of David, to redeem us."

One of the greatest of all the kings of the Ten Tribes was Jeroboam the second. Under him the kingdom of Israel grew rich and strong. He conquered nearly all of Syria, and made Samaria the greatest city of all those lands. But although Syria went downward, another nation was now rising to power--Assyria, on the eastern side of the river Tigris. Its capital was Nineveh, a great city, so vast that it would take three days for a man to walk around its walls. The Assyrians were beginning to conquer all the lands near them, and Israel was in danger of falling under their power.

One of the kings who ruled over Israel was named Ahab. He stirred the anger of the Lord. His wife, Jezebel, who was a worshiper of Baal, convinced him to build an altar to the fake god. Elijah, a prophet of the Lord, was sent to him and arranged a test. Two altars were built; one to Jehovah and one to Baal. The priests of Baal called upon their god to send down fire; but there was no respond. Then Elijah called upon the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and fire came down and burnt up the offering.

The people turned upon the priests of Baal and killed them all. Later the wicked queen, Jezebel, coveted a vineyard for Ahab, and she caused Naboth, the owner of the vineyard, to be placed in front of the battle. When he was slain Ahab took the vineyard. Once more Elijah came and denounced Ahab and Jezebel, telling them that they had done wickedly, and that the Lord would punish them. In a little while the prophet's words came true, for Ahab was slain in battle and Jezebel was put to death by order of King Jehu. Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.