Elijah

When Elijah prophesied a great drought because of King Ahab’s idolatry, God sent him to hide by the brook Cherith.

An Unusual Meal

There, God commanded the ravens to bring him food! Every morning and evening the ravens came with bread and meat, and Elijah drank water from the brook.

When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Zarephath, to a poor widow who had only a handful of flour and a little oil left for a last meal.

The Widow’s Faith

Elijah told her: “make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.” He added: “The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail.” The woman believed, and her jars kept filling for as long as the famine lasted.

Later the widow’s son became very sick and died. His mother was torn apart with grief.

A Prayer for Life

Elijah took the boy up to the upper room, stretched himself out over him three times, and prayed with all his soul: “O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.” The Lord heard the prayer, and the boy came back to life!

On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal: “the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.”

A Prayer Full of Faith

The false prophets shouted all day with no result. When Elijah prayed simply, the fire of the Lord fell from heaven and burned up the sacrifice, even though it was soaked with water. The people shouted: “The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.”

Tired and discouraged, Elijah fled into the wilderness. God first sent an angel with a warm cake and water, then led him to Mount Horeb.

The Quiet Voice

A strong wind passed by, then an earthquake, then a fire, but the Lord was not in them. After the fire came a still small voice. In that quiet whisper, God spoke to him gently and encouraged him.

Walking beside his faithful student Elisha near the Jordan River, Elijah knew that his mission on earth was coming to an end.

Taken Up in Glory

Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two men, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah’s cloak fell on Elisha, who carried on the work with the same power.