Elijah - A Man of Like Passions, Yet More

Mark Grasso

Elijah was an extraordinary servant of the Lord. He performed great miracles such as calling down fire from heaven (1 Ki. 18), foreshadowed John the Baptist, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets (Luke 1:17; Mark 9:11–13; Matt. 11:7–14), had the privilege of appearing with the Lord Jesus at His transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–3), and is even connected with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Luke 4:24–26). At the same time, he was ‘a man of like passions to us’ (Jas. 5:17). Why then was his service so different from ours? 1 Kings 17 provides some answers.

First, Elijah was a ‘Tishbite’ (v. 1), the meaning of which appears to be ‘stranger’ or ‘separate’, and he lived in Gilead, which was some distance from Samaria (the centre of Israel and the nation’s worship of idols) and is a mountainous country. Strangership, separation from the world (including the religious world) and occupation with the things above are fundamental to serving God effectively.

Second, Elijah’s name fitted him. Put another way, he lived in accordance with the meaning of his name: ‘whose God is Jehovah’. God was truly Elijah’s God, and not only in that Elijah had put his trust in Him but also that Elijah recognised that God had supreme authority over him and he lived accordingly or, to use the scriptural expression, acknowledged God in all his ways (Prov. 3:6). This is illustrated in Elijah delivering an unwelcome message to a godless, immoral and vindictive king, namely Ahab (1 Ki. 17:1). Elijah undertook this risky mission, without question, because God directed him to do so. However, we can be confident that Elijah was also obedient to God in all of the details of his daily life, otherwise God would never have given him such a commission. This is confirmed by Elijah’s daily dependence upon and submission to God after he left Samaria, as discussed below. This may raise a practical challenge for us: are we obedient to God in the details of our lives, including those which are not witnessed by anyone else on earth, as well as public or important matters? The former are just as important to God as the latter, and are the subject of equal, if not more, exhortation in the Scriptures.

Elijah’s life must also have been upright, else he would not have dared state that he stood before God. In saying ‘before [God] I stand’, Elijah was not referring to his eternal standing before God resulting from his having put his trust in Him, although we should rejoice in the favour in which we stand by faith in the gospel (Rom. 5:2; 1 Cor. 15:1). Rather, without boasting, he could proclaim that he stood, in confidence, in the holy presence of the living God — that is, a God who judges righteously and into whose hands it would be fearful to fall (Heb. 10:31; Ps. 24:3–4). Because he was a godly man, Elijah could be used by God as an instrument of judgment on His earthly people, which judgment would cause the wicked to fall (Ps. 1:5–6). Because he was righteous, he could ask God to exercise His moral government on Israel by bringing drought upon the land without hypocrisy (Jas. 5:17; 1 John 3:22). Can we pray in the same manner? ‘As he who has called you is holy, be ye also holy in all your conversation … . And if ye invoke as Father him who, without regard of persons, judges according to the work of each, pass your time of sojourn in fear’ (1 Pet. 1:15–17). But note the encouragement in the verses already referred to: the prayer of a righteous believer accomplishes much.

In addition to knowing God as his God, Elijah remembered that He remained the God of His people. Accordingly, he referred to Him as ‘Jehovah the God of Israel’. Elijah would have known the failure of Israel and the wickedness of the 10 northern tribes of which he was a part, both historically and in his own time. So far as he was aware, there was no one else in any of the 10 tribes making a stand for God under Ahab’s rule (see 1 Ki. 19:10). However, where sin abounds grace overabounds (Rom. 5:20), the Lord remains faithful even when His people are unfaithful (2 Tim. 2:13), and, as a result, God would not give up the nation (although He would have to forsake them for a certain time). Today, the Lord Jesus is Head of the assembly, which is His body and consists of every believer on the earth. Do we think as much as we should of other Christians? They are united to the Lord Jesus just as closely as we are. The Lord thinks of and cares for them and us in equal measure. As noted in the previous issue of this magazine concerning shepherds and their ministry, we should be exercised as to how we can help the Lord’s people. 

This includes those who have chosen a wrong path as well as those completely unaware of the right path..

Elijah also not only knew God Himself, but He knew His Word. Elijah’s prayer that there should be no rain was not vindictive, let alone unprincipled or random. It reflected God’s warning to Israel that idolatry would cause Him to withhold the rain (Deut. 11:16–17). Judgment is God’s strange work and unwonted act (Isa. 28:21), hence He had given His people this warning. If they failed to heed the warning, chastening would come, but even that would be with a view to bringing them to repentance (Heb. 12:5–11). Elijah would have prayed for drought with the same mindset and feelings: recognition that Israel had forsaken God and that judgment was therefore appropriate, although still a solemn matter; but also a desire that the drought, by producing sorrow, would lead to godly repentance (2 Cor. 7:9–10). This is reflected in the fact that Elijah referred to a time when he would pray for rain to return (see also 1 Ki. 17:14). Clearly, he desired that there would be repentance on Israel’s part, leading to their enjoying the fruits of righteousness once more, and, in the immediate term, rain on the earth, as Solomon had also prayed (1 Ki. 8:35–36).

Because Elijah knew God’s Word and acted in accordance with it, he received clear direction from God for his life, as set out in verses 2–4 and again in verses 8–9. Obedience in connection with what God has made known to us will lead to further guidance from Him. Note though that such direction may, again, be focused on the day-to-day aspects of our lives, as was the case for Elijah in these verses.

Elijah did not question God’s instructions, even though the natural mind would view it as illogical to leave Samaria (the place most likely to have provisions in a time of drought), to go eastward (generally a bad direction in Scripture because it denotes departing from God’s presence) and settle by a brook (likely to dry up quickly in the absence of rain) near the Jordan (a river speaking of death). (Similar points can be made in relation to the later instructions in verse 9.) Elijah knew that God would not forsake the righteous (Ps. 37:25).

Elijah’s faith and obedience were rewarded by God’s provision of his daily bread (Matt. 6:33). In supplying Elijah’s food, God used ravens, which are scavengers and therefore unlikely to carry food to another rather than eat it themselves. This would have confirmed to Elijah that it was God alone who provided the food, such that Elijah would not have taken any of it for granted. This principle remains the same for all of us today. We do not receive our incomes from our employers, clients, investments or governments. Rather, it all comes from the Lord Himself. The customary giving of thanks for each meal, for example, should therefore be genuine in acknowledging this. Further, having the basic necessities of life should make us content (1 Tim. 6:8). God does not promise more, insofar as earthly things are concerned. Were the prosperity gospel true, Elijah would have been the richest man in Israel, not waiting twice each day for his meals to be provided by birds.

During his time by the brook, Elijah was ‘hidden’ (1 Ki. 17:3). The natural mind might also ask what purpose was served by God keeping a brave and gifted servant in seclusion. However, God’s ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:8–9). The withdrawing of the prophet served many purposes, including God’s further chastening of Israel (Ps. 74:9) and the physical and mental restoration and refreshment of His servant (Mark 6:31). While we might admire John F Kennedy’s exhortation to consider what one should do for one’s country, the question which we should each ask ourselves is not ‘What can I do for God?’ but ‘What does God’s Word tell me to do?’

Having experienced blessing from God in adverse circumstances, Elijah was then able to help another enjoy the same (1 Ki. 17:10–16). Trials may serve many purposes, such the proving of a believer’s own faith (1 Pet. 1:6–7). God’s purpose in permitting us to pass through tribulation, with His encouragement, may also be so that we can encourage another believer who is in tribulation, especially where it involves the same sufferings as ours (2 Cor. 1:3–6). 

The bread and the oil which Elijah, the widow and her son enjoyed speak of the provision which is always available to make us meet for the Master’s use: the Lord Jesus, the true bread from heaven, whose life and work on the cross should be the subject of daily meditation so that it becomes evident that He lives in us (John 6:56; Gal. 2:20); and the Holy Spirit, who helps us appreciate what we read of Christ (John 16:13–14) and is the agent by whom God can work through us (Zech. 4:6).

When the widow’s son died, Elijah could share in her grief, just as the Lord Jesus later did on His way to Lazarus’ grave (John 11:35). But he also knew that God was able to raise him from the dead, a fact which godly saints would have known since the time of Genesis 22 (Heb. 11:19). He prayed earnestly — but succinctly (another lesson for us) — for God to perform this miracle, even though it was unprecedented, and this earnest prayer was rewarded as well. Elijah learnt that God was truly a God of power through the resurrection of the child (Rom. 1:4). The restoration of life to a dead body is the greatest of God’s miracles, save for what it speaks of: the giving of eternal life to a person who is dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1–5; John 5:25). While it may not manifest itself in a similar way, the same power is available today for the use of the Lord’s servants (Phil. 4:13).

This trial had additional purposes: the glorifying of God (John 11:4) and of Elijah by demonstrating that he was a man of God (1 Ki. 17:24); and the foreshadowing of Christ in Elijah (Luke 4:24–26). It also confirmed the truth of what Elijah had told the widow (1 Ki. 17:24). Are we like Elijah? Do we speak about the Lord Jesus and God’s Word to others? And is the truth of what we say confirmed by what we do?

We do not read of any similar genuine response following the miracle in 1 Kings 18 (the words of the people in verse 39 not being real as their later history proved), even though the latter miracle may appear more impressive to the human mind. This should be an encouragement to all of us in connection with our interactions with others. Even if we may not be evangelists, the Lord can use the words which we say to an individual to bring them to Himself — a matter which leads to much joy for Him and throughout heaven (Luke 15:7, 10).

From: Truth and Testimony, 2023