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The Complete Story of Elijah - He Was Taken to Heaven by a Chariot of Fire _ Bible Stories · truthunedited

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  Speaker 1: At a time of profound spiritual darkness in Israel, when
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  Speaker 1: the worship of Baal dominated the kingdom and the wickedness
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  Speaker 1: of Queen Jezebel threatened to extinguish true devotion, a man
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  Speaker 1: arose whose actions shook both heaven and earth. Elijah the
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  Speaker 1: Tishbite emerged from the arid lands of Gilead with a
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  Speaker 1: message that would alter history. He his word, the heavens
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  Speaker 1: would be shut and not a single drop of rain
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  Speaker 1: would fall upon the land. This is the beginning of
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  Speaker 1: one of the most extraordinary narratives in the Bible, the
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  Speaker 1: story of a prophet who called down fire from heaven,
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  Speaker 1: multiplied food during a time of famine, raised the dead,
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  Speaker 1: and in the end, was taken up to Heaven in
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  Speaker 1: a chariot of fire. His journey, marked by astounding miracles
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  Speaker 1: and deep intimacy with God, continues to resonate through the centuries,
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  Speaker 1: inspiring generations and paving the way for even greater events.
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  Speaker 1: To understand the extraordinary story of Elijah, we must first
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  Speaker 1: delve into the historical context of Israel at that time,
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  Speaker 1: after the death of King Solomon, as recounted in First
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  Speaker 1: Kings eleven twenty six forty three, the kingdom was divided
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  Speaker 1: into two, the Northern Kingdom Israel and the Southern Kingdom Judah.
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  Speaker 1: In the Northern Kingdom, after a succession of kings who
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  Speaker 1: did evil in the sight of the Lord, a man
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  Speaker 1: named Ahab ascended to the throne. In verse King sixteen
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  Speaker 1: twenty nine thirty three, the Bible reveals that Ahab, son
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  Speaker 1: of Omri, began to reign over Israel in the thirty
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  Speaker 1: eighth year of Ussa, king of Judah. He ruled over
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  Speaker 1: Israel in Samaria for twenty two years. The Sacred Text
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  Speaker 1: emphatically states that Ahab, son of Omri, did more evil
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  Speaker 1: in the eyes of the Lord than any of those
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  Speaker 1: before him. His wickedness was so great that the Bible
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  Speaker 1: takes the time to explain how he not only followed
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  Speaker 1: the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but went even further.
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  Speaker 1: Ahab's marriage to Jezebel was a turning point in Israel's history,
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  Speaker 1: as recounted in First King sixteen thirty one thirty three.
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  Speaker 1: He married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbal, king of the Sidonians,
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  Speaker 1: and began not only to serve Bail, but also to
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  Speaker 1: worship him. Jezebel's influence was devastating to Israel's spirituality. She
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  Speaker 1: not only brought Bail worship with her, but actively promoted
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  Speaker 1: idolatry throughout the kingdom. Ahab built a temple for Bail
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  Speaker 1: in Samaria, erected an altar inside it, and made an
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  Speaker 1: ashera pole, provoking the Lord's wrath more than all the
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  Speaker 1: kings of Israel before him. The worship of Bail was
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  Speaker 1: particularly offensive to God because Bail was considered the god
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  Speaker 1: of rain, fertility, and harvests, as shown in Deuteronomy eleven
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  Speaker 1: thirteen ten two seventeen. God had already warned Israel that
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  Speaker 1: rain and harvests were directly linked to the people's faithfulness.
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  Speaker 1: If you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you
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  Speaker 1: to day, then he will send rain on your land
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  Speaker 1: in its season. Be careful not to be enticed to
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  Speaker 1: turn away and worship other gods. Then the Lord's anger
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  Speaker 1: will burn against you, and he will shut up the
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  Speaker 1: heavens so that it will not reign. It was in
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  Speaker 1: this climate of national apostasy that God raised up a
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  Speaker 1: man named Elijah. In First King seventeen one, we are
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  Speaker 1: introduced to him as Elijah the tishbite from the inhabitants
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  Speaker 1: of Gilead. The name Elijah in Hebrew Eliahu means Yahweh
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  Speaker 1: is my God, a prophetic name that in itself was
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  Speaker 1: a declaration of faith and a direct challenge to the
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  Speaker 1: bal worship that dominated the kingdom Gilead. The region Elijah
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  Speaker 1: came from was known for its ruggedness and for producing
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  Speaker 1: strong and independent men. As described in Second Kings one eight,
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  Speaker 1: Elijah was a man who wore a garment of hair
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  Speaker 1: with a leather belt around his waist, marking him as
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  Speaker 1: a prophet who lived simply and austerely, detached from the
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  Speaker 1: comforts and luxuries of Pallace life. Elijah's first appearance is
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  Speaker 1: dramatic and sudden. In First King seventeen one, he stands
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  Speaker 1: before King Ahab with a bold and disturbing message. As
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  Speaker 1: surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives whom
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  Speaker 1: I serve, there will be neither due nor reign in
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  Speaker 1: the next few years, except at my word. This declaration
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  Speaker 1: was more than just a weather forecast. It was a
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  Speaker 1: direct challenge to Bile's supposed power over rain and fertility.
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  Speaker 1: After this initial confrontation, God commanded Elijah to hide. In
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  Speaker 1: First Kings seventeen two to six, we read, then the
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  Speaker 1: word of the Lord came to Elijah. Leave here, turn
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  Speaker 1: eastward and hide in the Kereth ravine, east of the Jordan.
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  Speaker 1: You will drink from the brook, and I have directed
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  Speaker 1: the ravens to supply you with food there. God's providential
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  Speaker 1: care for his profit was extraordinary. The ravens brought him
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  Speaker 1: bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat
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  Speaker 1: in the evening, and he drank from the brook. The
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  Speaker 1: use of ravens as instruments of divine provision is particularly remarkable.
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  Speaker 1: In Leviticus eleven fifteen, ravens are listed as unclean birds.
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  Speaker 1: Yet God chose to use these unclean creatures to care
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  Speaker 1: for his profit, demonstrating that he can use any means
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  Speaker 1: to fulfill his purposes. Ravens, which normally hoard food for
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  Speaker 1: themselves or their young, miraculously brought Elijah sustenance twice a day.
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  Speaker 1: The drought Elijah had announced began to take a toll
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  Speaker 1: on the entire region. In First King seventeen to seven,
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  Speaker 1: we read that some time later the brook dried up
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  Speaker 1: because there had been no reign in the land. The
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  Speaker 1: impact of the drought was devastating. In First Kings eighteen two,
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  Speaker 1: it is confirmed there was a severe famine in Samaria.
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  Speaker 1: The kingdom's economy, reliant on agriculture, was severely affected. The
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  Speaker 1: fields dried up, livestock perished, and hunger spread throughout the land.
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  Speaker 1: The search for Elijah became an obsession for Ahab and Jezebel.
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  Speaker 1: In First Kings eighteen ten, we discover the extent of
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  Speaker 1: the king's efforts. There is no nation or kingdom where
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  Speaker 1: my Lord has not sent someone to look for you.
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  Speaker 1: And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there,
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  Speaker 1: he made them swear they could not find you. This
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  Speaker 1: not only demonstrates Ahab's power and influence, but also his
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  Speaker 1: determination to find the man who had brought such calamity
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  Speaker 1: upon his kingdom. As the drought continued, each day without
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  Speaker 1: reign was a demonstration of the power of Israel's God
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  Speaker 1: and the impotence of Bale. The people were being forced
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  Speaker 1: to confront an inconvenient truth. Their supposed god of rain
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  Speaker 1: and fertility was incapable of bringing the much needed reign.
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  Speaker 1: As Jeremiah fourteen twenty two reminds us, do any of
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  Speaker 1: the worthless idols of the nations bring rain, Do the
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  Speaker 1: skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you
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  Speaker 1: are the one who does all this. When the kereth
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  Speaker 1: Brook finally dried up, God had already prepared the next
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  Speaker 1: step for his prophet. In First Kings seventeen eight to nine,
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  Speaker 1: we read, then the word of the Lord came to him.
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  Speaker 1: Go at once to Zaraphath, inside on and stay there.
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  Speaker 1: I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.
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  Speaker 1: This was an unexpected instruction. Zaraphath was in Sidonian territory,
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  Speaker 1: the homeland of Jezebel, and God had chosen a gentile
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  Speaker 1: widow to care for his prophet. The journey to Zaraphath
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  Speaker 1: would be challenging. The drought was at its peak, and
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  Speaker 1: Elijah would have to cross hostile territory to reach a
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  Speaker 1: pagan city. Yet, as he had always done, he obeyed
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  Speaker 1: without hesitation, trusting in the Lord's word that had faithfully
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  Speaker 1: guided him thus far. His arrival in Zarafath would mark
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  Speaker 1: the beginning of a new phase in his ministry, where
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  Speaker 1: God would demonstrate his power in even more extraordinary ways
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  Speaker 1: through his servant Following divine guidance, Elijah set out for Zarafath,
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  Speaker 1: a Phoenician city in the territory of Sidon. As recorded
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  Speaker 1: in First King seventeen nine to ten, the Lord had
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  Speaker 1: said to him, Arise, go to Zarafath, which belongs to Sidon,
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  Speaker 1: and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there
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  Speaker 1: to sustain you. When Elijah reached the city gate, he
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  Speaker 1: encountered precisely the person God had prepared, a widow who
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  Speaker 1: was gathering styx. The first meeting between Elijah and the
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  Speaker 1: widow reveals the severity of the situation. In First King
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  Speaker 1: seventeen ten eleven, we read that Elijah asked her please
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  Speaker 1: bring me a little water in a vessel that I
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  Speaker 1: may drink. As she was going to fetch it, he
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  Speaker 1: called out and added, bring me also a morsel of
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  Speaker 1: bread in your hand. The widow's response exposed the deep
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  Speaker 1: crisis caused by the drought. In First King seventeen twelve,
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  Speaker 1: she replied, as the Lord, your god lives, I do
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  Speaker 1: not have a loaf of bread, only a handful of
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  Speaker 1: flour in a jar, and a little oil in a jug.
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  Speaker 1: And now I am gathering a couple of sticks to
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  Speaker 1: go and prepare it for myself and my son, so
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  Speaker 1: that we may eat it and die. This poignant statement
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  Speaker 1: from the widow reveals the desperation of those times. She
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  Speaker 1: was preparing what she believed to be her last meal
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  Speaker 1: for herself and her son before they perished from hunger. However, Elijah,
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  Speaker 1: moved by the spirit of God, made an extraordinary request
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  Speaker 1: in King seventeen thirteen to fourteen. He said, do not
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  Speaker 1: fear go and do as you have said, but first
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  Speaker 1: make me a small loaf of bread and bring it
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  Speaker 1: to me. Then make something for yourself and your son.
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  Speaker 1: For this is what the Lord, God of Israel says.
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  Speaker 1: The jar of flower will not be used up, and
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  Speaker 1: the jug of oil will not run dry until the
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  Speaker 1: day the Lord sends rain upon the land. This was
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  Speaker 1: a crucial moment of faith for both Elijah and the widow.
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  Speaker 1: The prophet was asking her to trust in the promise
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  Speaker 1: of the God of Israel, a god who was not
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  Speaker 1: her own, and to use her last resources to feed
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  Speaker 1: a foreigner first. In First King seventeen fifteen we see
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  Speaker 1: her response of faith. So she went and did as
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  Speaker 1: Elijah had told her, and there was food every day
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  Speaker 1: for Elijah and for the woman and her household. The
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  Speaker 1: miracle that followed was extra ordinary and its simplicity and continuity,
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  Speaker 1: as recorded in First King seventeen sixteen, the jar of
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  Speaker 1: flower was not used up and the jug of oil
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  Speaker 1: did not run dry. In keeping with the word of
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  Speaker 1: the Lord spoken through Elijah, day after day, the flower
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  Speaker 1: and oil were miraculously replenished, providing sustenance not only for Elijah,
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  Speaker 1: but also for the widow and her son. This miracle
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  Speaker 1: carried deep significance in a region where Baal was worshiped
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  Speaker 1: as the god of fertility and provision. The God of
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  Speaker 1: Israel demonstrated his power through a continuous miracle of sustenance. Furthermore,
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  Speaker 1: the fact that God chose a gentile widow to care
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  Speaker 1: for his prophet showed that his mercy extended beyond the
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  Speaker 1: borders of Israel. However, the story in Zariphath was far
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  Speaker 1: from over. In First Kings seventeen seventeen, a new tragedy
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  Speaker 1: struck the household. Some time later, the son of the
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  Speaker 1: woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse
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  Speaker 1: and worse, and finally stopped breathing. The situation was dire
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  Speaker 1: in First King seventeen eighteen, the widow, in her anguish,
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  Speaker 1: said to Elijah, what do you have against me? Man
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  Speaker 1: of God? Did you come to remind me of my
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  Speaker 1: sin and kill my son? The widow's reaction reflects an
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  Speaker 1: ancient belief that tragedies were a direct consequence of sin.
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  Speaker 1: She seemed to fear that the presence of the Holy
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  Speaker 1: Man of God had brought her sins to light, resulting
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  Speaker 1: in her son's death. But Elijah responded with action rather
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  Speaker 1: than theological explanations. In First King seventeen nineteen to twenty
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  Speaker 1: we read give me your son, Elijah replied. He took
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  Speaker 1: him from her arms, carried him to the upper room
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  Speaker 1: where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.
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  Speaker 1: Then he cried out to the Lord, Lord, my God,
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  Speaker 1: have you also brought tragedy upon this widow I staying
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  Speaker 1: with by causing her son to die. Elijah's prayer is
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  Speaker 1: remarkable for its honesty and intensity. In First King seventeen
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  Speaker 1: twenty one we see his dramatic actions. Then he stretched
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  Speaker 1: himself out on the boy three times and cried out
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  Speaker 1: to the Lord, Lord, my God, let this boy's life
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  Speaker 1: return to him. This was an unprecedented moment in biblical history,
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  Speaker 1: the first recorded resurrection in scripture. God's response was immediate.
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  Speaker 1: In First King seventeen twenty two, we read the Lord
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  Speaker 1: heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him,
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  Speaker 1: and he lived. This extraordinary miracle had a profound impact
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  Speaker 1: on the widow. Invert Kings seventeen twenty three twenty four,
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  Speaker 1: when Elijah brought her son back to life, she declared,
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  Speaker 1: now I know that you are a man of God,
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  Speaker 1: and that the word of the Lord from your mouth
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  Speaker 1: is true. This confession marks a significant transformation. The widow
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  Speaker 1: had gone from being a desperate woman on the verge
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  Speaker 1: of death to someone who had witnessed not only the
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  Speaker 1: daily miracle of provision, but also God's power over death itself.
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  Speaker 1: Her final declaration is a powerful testimony to the truth
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  Speaker 1: of the Lord's word. Meanwhile, the drought continued to afflict
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  Speaker 1: the land of Israel. In verse Kings eighteen one, after
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  Speaker 1: a long time, in the third year, the word of
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  Speaker 1: the Lord came to Elijah, saying, go and present yourself
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  Speaker 1: to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.
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  Speaker 1: It was time for Elijah to leave his refuge in
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  Speaker 1: Zaraphath and once again confront the king who had been
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  Speaker 1: relentlessly seeking him. An epic showdown was about to take place,
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  Speaker 1: one that would prove once and for all who the
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  Speaker 1: true God of Israel was. After three and a half
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  Speaker 1: years of devast eighting drought, the time for the final
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  Speaker 1: confrontation had arrived. In First Kings eighteen one two, we
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  Speaker 1: read after many days in the third year, the word
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  Speaker 1: of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, go present yourself
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  Speaker 1: to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.
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  Speaker 1: So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab, and the
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  Speaker 1: famine was severe in Samaria. The Tati situation was so
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  Speaker 1: dire that even Obadiah, the governor of the palace and
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  Speaker 1: a man who feared the Lord, was searching for grass
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  Speaker 1: for the king's horses and mules. As revealed in First
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  Speaker 1: Kings eighteen three four, this same Obadiah had demonstrated his
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  Speaker 1: faithfulness to God by hiding one hundred of the Lord's
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  Speaker 1: prophets in caves when Jezebel was killing them, supplying them
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  Speaker 1: with bread and water. The encounter between Elijah and Obadiah
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  Speaker 1: is revealing in First Kings eighteen seven eight, when Obadiah
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  Speaker 1: saw Elijah, he bowed down and asked, is there that you,
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  Speaker 1: my Lord Elijah, to which Elijah replied it is. I
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  Speaker 1: Go tell your master Elijah is here. Obadiah's fearful reaction
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  Speaker 1: highlights the danger of the situation. In First Kings eighteen
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  Speaker 1: nine to fourteen, he expresses his fear that Elijah might
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  Speaker 1: disappear again, leaving him in a precarious position before Ahab,
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  Speaker 1: who had searched for the prophet in every nation and kingdom.
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  Speaker 1: When Ahab and Elijah finally met, the tension was palpable.
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  Speaker 1: In First Kings eighteen seventeen, Ahab accused him, is that
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  Speaker 1: you o troubler of Israel. Elijah's response was direct and bold.
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  Speaker 1: In First Kings eighteen eighteen, he declared, I have not
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  Speaker 1: troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because
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  Speaker 1: you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed
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  Speaker 1: the bales. Then Elijah proposed a daring challenge. In First
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  Speaker 1: Kings eighteen nineteen twenty, he requested that Ahab gather all
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  Speaker 1: of Israel at Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred
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  Speaker 1: and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets
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  Speaker 1: of Asherah who ate at Jezebel's table. The king agreed,
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  Speaker 1: and the people assembled at Mount Carmel. The stage was
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  Speaker 1: set for one of the most dramatic moments in the
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  Speaker 1: Old Testament. In first Kings eighteen twenty one, Elijah addressed
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  Speaker 1: the people with a crucial question, how long will you
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  Speaker 1: waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him,
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  Speaker 1: but if Bail is God, follow him. The text tells
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  Speaker 1: us that the people did not answer him a word.
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  Speaker 1: Elijah then laid out the terms of the confrontation. In
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  Speaker 1: verse Kings eighteen twenty two twenty four, he said, I
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  Speaker 1: am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but
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  Speaker 1: Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Give us two bulls.
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  Speaker 1: Let them choose one for themselves, cut it into pieces,
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  Speaker 1: and lay it on the wood, but not set for
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  Speaker 1: to it. I will prepare the other bull and place
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  Speaker 1: it on the wood, but not set fire to it.
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  Speaker 1: Then you call on the name of your God, and
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  Speaker 1: I will call on the name of the Lord. The
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  Speaker 1: god who answers by fire, he is God. The people agreed,
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  Speaker 1: considering the challenge fair. The prophets of Baal went first.
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  Speaker 1: In First Kings eighteen twenty six to twenty nine, we
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  Speaker 1: see their desperate efforts. They took the bull that was
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  Speaker 1: given to them, prepared it, and called on the name
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  Speaker 1: of Bal from morning till noon, saying, O Bal answer us.
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  Speaker 1: But there was no voice. No one answered, and they
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  Speaker 1: leaped around the altar they had made. At noon, Elijah
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  Speaker 1: began to mock them, as recorded in First Kings eighteen
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  Speaker 1: twenty seven, shout louder, surely he is a god. Perhaps
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  Speaker 1: he is deep in thought, or busy or traveling. Maybe
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  Speaker 1: he is sleeping and must be awakened. Spurred by this taunt,
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  Speaker 1: the prophets of Bahal intensified their efforts, shouting louder and
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  Speaker 1: cutting themselves with knives and lances until their blood flowed.
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  Speaker 1: But still there was no response. When it was Elijah's turn,
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  Speaker 1: his actions were methodical and meaningful. In First Kings eighteen
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  Speaker 1: thirty to thirty five, he first repaired the lord's altar,
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  Speaker 1: which had been broken down, using twelve stones representing the
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  Speaker 1: twelve tribes of Israel. He dug a trench around the altar,
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  Speaker 1: arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed
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  Speaker 1: it on the wood. Then, in an extraordinary act of faith,
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  Speaker 1: he ordered four large jars of water to be poured
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  Speaker 1: over the offering and the wood. He did this three
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  Speaker 1: times until the water ran down around the altar and
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  Speaker 1: filled the trench. Elijah's prayer was brief but powerful. In
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  Speaker 1: First Kings eighteen thirty six thirty seven, he prayed, O, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: Guard of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known
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  Speaker 1: to day that you are God in Israel, and that
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  Speaker 1: I am your servant and have done all these things
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  Speaker 1: at your command. Answer me, Lord, Answer me, so these
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  Speaker 1: people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that
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  Speaker 1: you are turning their hearts back again. The response was
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  Speaker 1: immediate and spectacular. In First Kings eighteen thirty eight thirty nine,
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  Speaker 1: we read then the fire of the Lord fell and
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  Speaker 1: consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust,
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  Speaker 1: and it even licked up the water that was in
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  Speaker 1: the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell
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  Speaker 1: on their faces and cried out, the Lord, he is God,
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  Speaker 1: the Lord he is God. With this undeniable demonstration of
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  Speaker 1: divine power, Elijah commanded that the prophets of Bale be seized.
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: In First Kings eighteen forty, he said, seize the prophets
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: of Baal, do not let us single one escape. So
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: Kishion valley and slaughtered them there. Though this action may
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: seem severe to modern readers, it was in accordance with
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: the Mosaic law concerning false prophets and those who led
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: them people into idolatry. With the confrontation settled, it was
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: time for the promised reign to return. In First Kings
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: eighteen forty one to forty two, Elijah told Ahab, go
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: eat and drink, for there is the sound of a
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: heavy rain. While Ahab went to eat and drink, Elijah
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, bent down to
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: the ground and put his face between his knees in
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: deep prayer. The scene that follows is filled with anticipation.
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: In First Kings eighteen forty three so forty four, Elijah
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: instructed his servant to look toward the sea seven times.
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: On the seventh time, the servant reported, a cloud as
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: small as a man's hand is rising from the sea. Immediately,
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: Elijah understood that the promised rain was coming and sent
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: word to Ahab to leave before the rain stopped him.
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: The chapter ends with one final demonstration of God's power
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: in verse Kings eighteen forty five forty six. Meanwhile, the
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, and a
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: heavy rain started falling. Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, and he tucked
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: all the way to Jezreel. But the spectacular victory at
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: Mount Carmel would soon be followed by an intense period
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: of trial for Elijah. When Jezebel learned what had happened
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: to her prophets, her reaction would be violent and threatening,
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: leading the prophet into one of the deepest and most
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: transformative experiences of his life. The news of the victory
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: on Mount Carmel and the death of Bile's prophets quickly
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: reached Queen Jezebel's ears. In First Kings nineteen one two,
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: we read Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: and how he had completely slain all the prophets with
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying,
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: may the Gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: if by this time tomorrow I do not make your
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: life like that of one of them. Elijah's reaction to
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: this threat is both surprising and deeply human. In First
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: Kings nineteen three four, we see that, fearing for his life,
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: he got up and fled. To save himself. He went
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness,
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: sat down under a broom tree, and prayed that he
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: might die. I have had enough, Lord, he said, take
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: my life, for I am no better than my ancestors. This,
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: this moment of deep discouragement, reveals a vulnerable side of
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: the great prophet. Just one day after his greatest spiritual victory,
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: we find Elijah fleeing for his life and wishing for death.
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: His prayer in First Kings nineteen four exposes a man
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: physically and emotionally drained. I have had enough, Lord, take
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: But God was not finished with his servant. In First
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: Kings nineteen five to seven, we see the Lord's tender care.
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: Suddenly an angel touched him and said, get up and eat.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: He looked around, and there by his head was a
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: cake baked over hot coals, and a jar of water.
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: He ate and drank, and then lay down again. The
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: Angel of the Lord came back a second time, touched
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: him and said, get up and eat, for the journey
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: is too much for you. This divine care was not
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: only for Elijah's body, but also for his soul. In
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: First Kings nineteen eight we read so he got up,
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: ate and drank, and with the strength of that food,
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb,
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: the mountain of God. The number forty is significant in
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: the Bible, often associated with periods of testing and preparation.
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: Moses had spent forty days on this very mountain, and
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: later Jesus would spend forty days in the wilderness. Upon
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: arriving at Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai, where
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: God had given the law to Moses, Elijah found a
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: cave to spend the night. In First Kings nineteen nine ten,
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: he went into the cave and spent the night, and
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: the word of the Lord came to him. What are
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: you doing here, Elijah? He replied, I have been very
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: zealous for the Lord, God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: to death with the sword. I am the only one left,
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: and now they are trying to kill me too. God's
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: response to Elijah came in an extraordinary way. In First
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: Kings nineteen eleven twelve, the Lord said, go out and
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: stand on the mountain before the Lord, and behold. The
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: Lord passed by, and a great and powerful wind tore
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: through the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord.
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind,
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: came a gentle whisper. This experience was deeply meaningful. After
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: the dramatic displays of power on Mount Carmel, God was
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: teaching Elijah that his presence and power are not always
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: revealed through spectacular events. In First Kings nineteen thirteen, when
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: Elijah heard the gentle whisper He wrapped his face in
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: of the cave. God then gave Elijah a new mission.
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: In First Kings nineteen fifteen to eighteen, the Lord said,
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: go back the way you came, and go to the
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael as king
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: over Aram. Also anoint Jihu son of Nimshi, as king
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: over Israel. And anoint Elisha, son of Shaffat from Abel
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: Mehollah as prophet in your place. Anyone who escapes the
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: sword of Hazael, Jehu will put to death, And anyone
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: who escapes the sword of Jehu Elishah will put to death.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: have not bowed to Bal and whose mouths have not
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: kissed him. This revelation showed Elijah that he was not
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: as alone as he thought. There was still seven thousand
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: in Israel who had remained faithful to the Lord. Furthermore,
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: God had already prepared a plan to judge Ahab's house
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: and continue his work through other servants. Obedient to the
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: Lord's word, Elijah set out to fulfill his mission in
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: First Kings nineteen nineteen. He departed from there and found Elisha,
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: son of Shaffort. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen,
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah passed
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: by him and threw his cloak over him. This symbolic
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: act of casting his cloak over Elisha was a sign
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: of calling him to the prophetic office. Elisha's response was immediate.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: In Verse Kings nineteen twenty twenty one, he left the
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: and mother goodbye, he said, and then I will follow you.
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: Elijah replied, go back, for what have I done to you?
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: So Elishah turned back from following him, took his pair
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: of oxen, slaughtered them and burned the plowing equipment to
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: cook the meat, and gave it to the people and
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: became his servant. Elisha's calling marked the beginning of a
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: new phase in Elijah's ministry. After his renewal experience on
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: Mount Horib, he not only received a new mission, but
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: also a companion and successor. Meanwhile, significant events were about
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: to unfold in Israel, where Elijah would once again be
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: called to confront King Ahab and his family, this time
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: over a heinous crime against an innocent man named Naboth.
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: The beginning of the partnership between Elijah and Elisha was
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: marked by profound symbolism and commitment, as we see in
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: First Kings nineteen nineteen twenty one, Elisha was plowing with
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: twelve yoke of oxen when Elijah called him by casting
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: his clothes upon him. The significance of this gesture was deep.
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: The prophet's cloak was a symbol of his authority and
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: divine calling. Elisha immediately understood the meaning of the act,
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: and after bidding farewell to his family and making a
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: sacrifice with his oxen, he began to sir of Elijah.
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: The relationship between Elijah and Elisha was similar to that
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: of a master and disciple, as shown in various Biblical texts.
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: In Second Kings three eleven, Elisha is described as the
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: one who poured water on the hands of Elijah, a
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: reference to his role as the prophet's personal servant. This
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: period of service was a crucial part of Elisha's training,
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: allowing him to closely observe the prophetic ministry and learn
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: from his master's example. During this time, Elijah continued his
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: prophetic ministry, now a company need by his designated successor.
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: The schools of the prophets mentioned in Second Kings two
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: three and Second Kings two five were an important part
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: of their joint ministry. These were communities of prophets and
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: their disciples where the knowledge of the law and prophetic
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: traditions was preserved and transmitted. Elisha's training was not limited
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: to mere observation. In Second Kings two nine, when the
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: time came for Elijah's departure, Elisha requested a double portion
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: of his master's spirit This request was not driven by
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: pride or personal ambition, but reflected the right of the
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: first born under the Mosaic law as seen in Deuteronomy
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: twenty one seventeen. As Elijah's spiritual successor, Elisha was asking
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: for the inheritance that rightfully belonged to the firstborn son.
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: During their joint ministry, Elijah continued to confront evil and
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: injustice in the kingdom. In First Kings twenty one we
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: find the incident of Naboth's Vineyard, where Elijah confronted Ahab
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: and Jezebel for their crime against an innocent citizen. This
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: story demonstrates how Elijah remained a powerful prophetic voice against
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: injustice even after calling his successor. The joint ministry of
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: the two prophets also included visits to the various schools
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: of the prophets scattered throughout Israel. In Second Kings two
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: one seven, we see Elijah and Elisha visiting Gilgal, Bethel,
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: and Jericho, places where groups of prophets resided. These visits
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: served a duel purpose, strengthening these communities of faith and
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: preparing Elisha for his future role as their leader. The
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: impact of Elijah and Elisha's ministry together can be seen
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: in how the sons of the prophets recognized their authority.
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: In Second Kings two fifteen, are after Elijah's departure, these
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: prophets declared the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha, affirming
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: the legitimacy of his prophetic succession. During this period, Elijah
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: continued to train Elisha in the ways of prophetic ministry.
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: Although the Bible does not provide many details about their
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: private conversations, we can see the results of this training
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: in Elisha's later ministry. Like his master, Elishah would perform
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: miracles of provision, healing, and even resurrection, proving that he
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: had indeed received Elijah's spirit. The relationship between the two
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: prophets established an important pattern of spiritual mentorship that would
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: continue through the generations. In Malachi for five, God's promise
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: to send the prophet Elijah before the Great and Terrible
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: Day of the Lord shows how Elijah's ministry became a
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: model for future prophetic ministries. Elisha's preparation was not only
• 34:01
  Speaker 1: in spiritual matters, but also in practical ones. During their
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: time together, Elisha learned how to deal with kings and authorities,
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: how to confront injustice and idolatry, and how to exercise
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: spiritual leadership in times of crisis. This practical training would
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: be crucial for his future ministry. The schools of the prophets,
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: under the supervision of Elijah and Elisha, played a vital
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: role in preserving true worship of God during a time
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: of widespread apostasy. In First Kings nineteen eighteen, God revealed
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: to Elijah that there were seven thousand in Israel who
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: had not bowed their knees to Bayal. Many of these
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: faithful individuals were likely connected in some way to these
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: prophetic schools. The period of joint ministry also served to
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: establish Elisha's legitimacy as Elijah's successor. When the time came
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: for Elijah's departure, there would be no doubt about who
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: should assume leadership of the prophetic movement in Israel. The
• 35:07
  Speaker 1: public recognition of Elisha as Elijah's servant, combined with his
• 35:12
  Speaker 1: evident divine calling, paved the way for a smooth transition
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: of leadership. As time passed, it became increasingly clear that
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: Elijah's departure was approaching. In Second Kings two one to six,
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: we see that both Elijah and Elisha, as well as
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: the prophetic groups in Bethel and Jericho, knew that the
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: Lord was about to take Elijah. This knowledge added a
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: sense of urgency to the final moments that Master and
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: disciples spent together. The bond between Elijah and Elisha had
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: become so strong that when the time for Elijah's departure arrived,
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: Elisha refused to leave him, even when Elijah tried three
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: times to send him away. In Zand Kings two two,
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: Second Kings two four, and Set Kings two to six,
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: Elisha consistently responds, as the Lord lives, and as you
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: yourself live, I will not leave you. This persistence demonstrated
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: not only his devotion to his master, but also his
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: determination to receive the full blessing that God had prepared
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: for him. As Elijah continued his ministry alongside Elisha, grave
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: events would once again require his prophetic intervention. In First
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: Kings twenty one one to two we find the story
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: of Naboth, the jezreelite, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: next to King Ahab's palace. The king proposed to Naboth,
• 36:40
  Speaker 1: give me your vineyard so I may use it as
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: a vegetable garden, since it is close to my house.
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: In exchange, I will give you a better vineyard, or
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: if you prefer, I will pay you its value in money.
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: Naboth's response, recorded in First Kings twenty one three, demonstrates
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: his faithfulness to God's law. The Lord forbid that I
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: should give you the inheritance of my father's According to
• 37:05
  Speaker 1: Mosaic law, land was to remain within families and tribes,
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: as stated in numbers thirty six in Leviticus twenty five.
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: Naboth's refusal was not out of stubbornness but obedience to
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: divine law. In verst Kings twenty one four we see
• 37:23
  Speaker 1: Ahab's childish reaction. So Ahab went home sullen and angry
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: because of what Naboth, the jezreelite, had said. He lay
• 37:32
  Speaker 1: on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: When Jezebel discovered the reason for her husband's distress, she
• 37:40
  Speaker 1: took matters into her own hands. In Verse Kings twenty
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: one to eight ten, Jezebel devised a wicked plan. She
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal,
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: in Naboth's city. In the letters, she wrote, proclaim a
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: farst and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people,
• 38:04
  Speaker 1: But see two scoundrels opposite him, and have them testify
• 38:08
  Speaker 1: that he has cursed both God and the king. Then
• 38:12
  Speaker 1: take him out and stone him to death. The plan
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: was executed exactly as Jezebel had intended. In First Kings
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: twenty one eleven fourteen, the city leaders followed her instructions,
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: resulting in the death of an innocent man by stoning.
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: After Naboth's death, Jezebel told Ahab in First Kings twenty
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: one fifteen, get up and take possession of the vineyard
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to sell you.
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: He is no longer alive but dead. At this point,
• 38:45
  Speaker 1: the Lord sent Elijah to confront Ahab in First Kings
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: twenty one seventeen nineteen. Then the word of the Lord
• 38:52
  Speaker 1: came to Elijah the tishbite. Go down to meet Ahab,
• 38:57
  Speaker 1: king of Israel, who rules in Sa Marian. He is
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: now in Naboth's vineyard, where he is gone to take
• 39:04
  Speaker 1: possession of it. Say to him, this is what the
• 39:07
  Speaker 1: Lord says. Have you not murdered a man and seized
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: his property, then say to him, this is what the
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: Lord says. In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood,
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: dogs will lick up your blood. Yes, yours. The encounter
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: between Elijah and Ahab was tense. In First Kings twenty
• 39:26
  Speaker 1: one twenty when Ahab saw Elijah, he said, so you
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: have found me my enemy. Elijah's response was direct and devastating.
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: In First Kings twenty one twenty twenty four, he pronounced
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: divine judgment upon Ahab and his house. I have found you,
• 39:43
  Speaker 1: he answered, because you have sold yourself to do evil
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: in the eyes of the Lord. He says, I, I
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: male in Israel, slave or free. I will make your
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: house like that of Jeroboam's son of Nebat, and that
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: of Basha, son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: anger and have caused Israel to sin. And also concerning Jezebel,
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: the Lord says, dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall
• 40:19
  Speaker 1: of Jezreel. Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: die in the city, and the birds will feed on
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: those who die in the country. Ahab's reaction to this
• 40:31
  Speaker 1: prophecy was surprising. In First Kings twenty one twenty seven,
• 40:35
  Speaker 1: when Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: about meekly. Because of this repentance, even though it was temporary,
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: God partially modified his judgment, as seen in First Kings
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: twenty one twenty nine. Have you noticed how Ahab has
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: humbled himself before me. Because he has humbled himself, I
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: will not bring this disaster in his days, but I
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: will bring it upon his house in the days of
• 41:08
  Speaker 1: his son. After this confrontation, another situation arose that required
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: Elijah's intervention. In Second Kings one two to four, a
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: Haziah Ahab's son, who had become king, suffered a fall
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: and was seriously injured. Instead of seeking the Lord, he
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: sent messengers, saying to them, go and consult bal Zebeb,
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: the God of Ekron, to see if I will recover
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: from this injury. But the Angel of the Lord said
• 41:37
  Speaker 1: to Elijah the tishbite, go up and meet the messengers
• 41:40
  Speaker 1: of the King of Samaria, and say to them, is
• 41:43
  Speaker 1: it because there is no god in Israel that you
• 41:47
  Speaker 1: are going to consult bal Zebub, the God of Ekron.
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: Therefore this is what the Lord says. You will not
• 41:54
  Speaker 1: leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die.
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: When the messenger returned and described the man who had
• 42:02
  Speaker 1: intercepted them, a Hassiah immediately recognized that it was Elijah.
• 42:08
  Speaker 1: In Second Kings one nine twelve, the king sent three
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: groups of fifty soldiers to arrest Elijah The first two
• 42:16
  Speaker 1: groups were consumed by fire from heaven when their captains
• 42:20
  Speaker 1: arrogantly commanded man of God, the King says, come down.
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: Only the third captain approached Elijah with humility and respect,
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: and his life, along with the lives of his men,
• 42:32
  Speaker 1: was spared. Finally, Elijah personally confronted a Hasiah in Zagas
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  Speaker 1: Kings one sixteen. He repeated the Lord's message directly to
• 42:41
  Speaker 1: the king, this is what the Lord says, Is it
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  Speaker 1: because there is no god in Israel that you have
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  Speaker 1: sent messengers to consult bal Zebub, the God of Ekron.
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  Speaker 1: Because you have done this, you will never leave the
• 42:57
  Speaker 1: bed you are lying on. You will certainly die by
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: the prophecy was fulfilled exactly as Elijah had declared. These
• 43:05
  Speaker 1: final prophecies and confrontations demonstrate that until the very end
• 43:10
  Speaker 1: of his earthly ministry, Elijah remained steadfast in his mission
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: to call the people back to the true worship of
• 43:18
  Speaker 1: the God of Israel. His words against Ahab's house and
• 43:22
  Speaker 1: his son Ahaziah were fulfilled precisely as he had prophesied,
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  Speaker 1: though some of them came to pass after his departure.
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  Speaker 1: With these final prophetic interventions completed, the extraordinary moment approached
• 43:35
  Speaker 1: when God would take his servant into Heaven in a
• 43:37
  Speaker 1: way that would never be forgotten. The time of Elijah's
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: departure was approaching, and both he and other prophets knew
• 43:46
  Speaker 1: this by divine revelation In Second Kings two one, the
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: Bible tells us, and it came to pass when the
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: Lord was about to take Elijah up to Heaven by
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: a whirlwind that Elijah went with Elishah from Gilgal. Elijah's
• 44:00
  Speaker 1: his final journey was significant, passing through key locations in
• 44:04
  Speaker 1: Israel's history. In Second Kings two two, Elijah attempted to
• 44:08
  Speaker 1: make Elisha stay in Gilgal, saying stay here, please, for
• 44:13
  Speaker 1: the Lord has sent me to Bethel. But Elisha responded
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  Speaker 1: with determination, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives,
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: I will not leave you. This scene would repeat itself
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  Speaker 1: twice more during the journey in Bethel. The sons of
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: the prophets were already aware of what was about to happen.
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  Speaker 1: In ten Kings two three, they said to Elisha, do
• 44:37
  Speaker 1: you know that today the Lord will take away your
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: master from over you. Elisha replied, yes, I know, Keep silent.
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  Speaker 1: The same scene was repeated in Jericho as scene in
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: Said Kings two five, showing that this knowledge was shared
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  Speaker 1: among the prophetic communities. When they reached the Jordan, Elijah
• 44:58
  Speaker 1: performed his last public miracle. In Second Kings two eight.
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  Speaker 1: We read, Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up
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  Speaker 1: and struck the water, and it was divided this way
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  Speaker 1: and that, so that the two of them crossed over
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  Speaker 1: on dry ground. This miracle echoed moses crossing of the
• 45:15
  Speaker 1: Red Sea and Joshua's crossing of the Jordan, connecting Elijah
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: to these great leaders of the past. After crossing the river,
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: the crucial moment arrived. In Second Kings two nine to ten.
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  Speaker 1: Elijah said to Elisha, ask what may I do for
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  Speaker 1: you before I am taken away from you? And Elisha said,
• 45:37
  Speaker 1: please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.
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  Speaker 1: So Elijah said, you have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless,
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: if you see me when I am taken from you,
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  Speaker 1: it shall be so for you. But if not, it
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: shall not be so. Elisha's request for a double portion
• 45:55
  Speaker 1: was not out of pride, but reflected the birthright of
• 45:58
  Speaker 1: the firstborn and under the law of Moses, as seen
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: in Deuteronomy twenty one seventeen, as Elijah's spiritual successor. He
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: was asking for the inheritance that rightfully belonged to the
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  Speaker 1: first born son. Then came the extraordinary moment of Elijah's
• 46:16
  Speaker 1: ascension in Sect Kings two eleven. Then it happened as
• 46:21
  Speaker 1: they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of
• 46:24
  Speaker 1: fire appeared with horses of fire and separated the two
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
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  Speaker 1: This spectacular scene was witnessed only by Elisha, who cried
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: out in Second Kings two twelve, my father, my father,
• 46:41
  Speaker 1: the chariot of Israel and its horsemen. The meaning of
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: this vision was profound. The chariots and horsemen represented Israel's
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: military power, suggesting that the true strength of the nation
• 46:54
  Speaker 1: was not in its armies, but in its prophets who
• 46:56
  Speaker 1: interceded before God. This same expression would later be used
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: to describe Elishah himself in Second Kings thirteen fourteen. After
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: Elijah's departure, his mantle fell and Elisha took it. In
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: Second Kings two thirteen two fourteen, he also took up
• 47:14
  Speaker 1: the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
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  Speaker 1: Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: from him, and struck the water, and said, where is
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: the Lord, God of Elijah. And when he also had
• 47:29
  Speaker 1: struck the water, it was divided this way and that,
• 47:32
  Speaker 1: and Elisha crossed over. Elijah's legacy did not end with
• 47:37
  Speaker 1: his ascension to heaven. In fact, his influence continued through
• 47:41
  Speaker 1: the centuries. In Malachi four five six, the last book
• 47:46
  Speaker 1: of the Old Testament, God promises, behold, I will send
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: and dreadful day of the Lord, and he will turn
• 47:57
  Speaker 1: the hearts of the fathers to the chiildren, and the
• 48:01
  Speaker 1: hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come
• 48:04
  Speaker 1: and strike the earth with a curse. This prophecy created
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: a messianic expectation linked to Elijah's return. In the New Testament,
• 48:13
  Speaker 1: we see how John the Baptist fulfilled this role. In
• 48:17
  Speaker 1: Matthew eleven thirteen to fourteen, Jesus declares, for all the
• 48:22
  Speaker 1: prophets and the law prophesied until John, and if you
• 48:26
  Speaker 1: are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is
• 48:29
  Speaker 1: to come. Elijah's greatness is further highlighted in the event
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: of the transfiguration. In Matthew seventeen one two three, we
• 48:39
  Speaker 1: read that Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: led them up on a high mountain by themselves, and
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun,
• 48:50
  Speaker 1: and his clothes became as white as the light. And behold,
• 48:54
  Speaker 1: Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. Elijah's
• 48:58
  Speaker 1: appearance alongside Moses at this crucial moment demonstrates his ongoing
• 49:03
  Speaker 1: importance in God's plan. Just as Moses represented the Law,
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: Elijah represented the Prophets, the two main divisions of the
• 49:13
  Speaker 1: Hebrew Scriptures. His presence at the transfiguration connected jesus ministry
• 49:18
  Speaker 1: with both the Law and the prophets. Elijah's legacy is
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: also celebrated in the New Testament through his life of prayer.
• 49:27
  Speaker 1: In James five seventeen to eighteen, we read, Elijah was
• 49:32
  Speaker 1: a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed
• 49:36
  Speaker 1: earnestly that it would not reign. And it did not
• 49:39
  Speaker 1: reign on the land for three years and six months.
• 49:43
  Speaker 1: And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: the earth produced its fruit. This description of Elijah as
• 49:50
  Speaker 1: a man with a nature like ours is particularly encouraging,
• 49:54
  Speaker 1: as it shows that even God's greatest servants were human
• 49:58
  Speaker 1: with weaknesses and ruggles like anyone else. His greatness was
• 50:03
  Speaker 1: not in his own strength, but in his willingness to
• 50:06
  Speaker 1: be used by God. In Jewish tradition, Elijah holds a
• 50:10
  Speaker 1: special place even today. During the celebration of Passover, Jews
• 50:15
  Speaker 1: leave an empty chair and a cup of wine for Elijah,
• 50:18
  Speaker 1: expecting his return as the forerunner of the Messiah. This
• 50:22
  Speaker 1: practice demonstrates how his influence remains alive even millennia after
• 50:27
  Speaker 1: his departure. Elijah's ministry sets standards that would influence prophets
• 50:32
  Speaker 1: and spiritual leaders for generations. His zeal for true worship,
• 50:37
  Speaker 1: his courage in confronting evil, his life of prayer and
• 50:41
  Speaker 1: intimacy with God, and his dedication to training the next
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: generation are aspects that continue to inspire people of faith today.
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: Elijah's story teaches us that God can use ordinary people
• 50:54
  Speaker 1: to accomplish extraordinary things. From the banks of the Brook
• 50:58
  Speaker 1: Cherith to the top of Mount Carmel, from the widow's
• 51:01
  Speaker 1: house in Zarafath to the royal palaces. Elijah demonstrated that
• 51:06
  Speaker 1: true greatness lies in obedience to God and the willingness
• 51:10
  Speaker 1: to be available for his purposes. His ascension to Heaven
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  Speaker 1: in a chariot of fire was only the beginning of
• 51:17
  Speaker 1: a new chapter in his story. Through his successor Elisha,
• 51:22
  Speaker 1: through the prophecies of his return, through his appearance at
• 51:25
  Speaker 1: the Transfiguration, and through the ongoing impact of his example,
• 51:30
  Speaker 1: Elijah remains one of the most inspiring and influential figures
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: in the history of faith. The extraordinary journey of Elijah
• 51:39
  Speaker 1: shows us that a life dedicated to God can impact generations.
• 51:44
  Speaker 1: From the banks of the brook Cherith to his glorious
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: ascent into Heaven, every moment of his story teaches us
• 51:51
  Speaker 1: valuable lessons about faith, courage, and perseverance. If this incredible
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: story has touched your heart, share this video with your
• 51:59
  Speaker 1: friends and family. Who knows someone close to you might
• 52:04
  Speaker 1: also need to hear about a God who reveals himself
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: not only through grand displays of power, but also through
• 52:11
  Speaker 1: a still small voice. Don't forget to subscribe to the
• 52:14
  Speaker 1: channel to discover more inspiring stories from the Bible. Turn
• 52:19
  Speaker 1: on the notification Bell, so you'll be alerted whenever a
• 52:22
  Speaker 1: new video is released. We're preparing more amazing content about
• 52:27
  Speaker 1: biblical characters who, just like Elijah, changed history through their faith.
• 52:33
  Speaker 1: Leave a comment sharing which part of Elijah's story impacted
• 52:36
  Speaker 1: you the most. Was it the confrontation on Mount Carmel,
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: God's provision through the ravens, or perhaps the way he
• 52:44
  Speaker 1: was taken up into heaven. Your participation means a lot
• 52:48
  Speaker 1: to us. See you in the next video, and remember,
• 52:51
  Speaker 1: just like Elijah, you too can make a difference right
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: where God has placed you. May the Lord bless your
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: weak