12 Facts About Elijah That Many People Don’t Know

Who was Elijah and why is his Bible story still important today? Elijah’s name translates as “The Lord is my God.” His life’s message mirrored his name, and it does so even now. Not only is there proof of this man scattered throughout the Old Testament, but there is also reference of him peppered throughout the New Testament. So, who exactly was Elijah? What did he achieve? What was he like as a person? How did his faith intersect with his daily life, and how does he influence us? Let us look at twelve of Elijah’s traits and see how this man of faith inspires us today.

Number one: the prophet suffered with depression. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died” (1 Kings 19:4). Depression is frequently triggered by life events and can really drag you down. There are multiple allusions to this terrible condition in the Bible, and the Bible depicts the trials of persons who suffered from this state despite being God’s faithful workers. These men did not suffer primarily because they were sinners; they suffered because they were human and were susceptible to severe pressures. Elijah grew despondent when he was rebuked while anticipating a moment of triumph. His lofty hopes were crushed, and he became sick at heart. Up until this point, Elijah had been the epitome of spiritual courage. That appears to be quite compelling, but it turns out he is not the only prophet dealing with this. Other big names who went through this taxing state in the Bible include Moses, David—just read the Psalms—Job, Judas, Samson, and Saul. Each of these figures has a story to tell, and there are many more, but we will concentrate on a few days in Elijah’s life. You can feel down after big achievements. When Elijah was depressed, he had just experienced the biggest highlight of his career. Here is what happened just a few hours before he was asking God to take his life: he prayed for rain, and it came after a seven-year drought; he had just called down actual fire from heaven; the nation of israel had turned back to God; he had just taken out 850 pagan prophets in a showdown; and he got tremendous speed and outran the king’s chariot. Needless to say, things were looking up for Elijah, but it only took a threat from Queen Jezebel to send him fleeing, frightened for his life and feeling sad.

Number two: he revived a dead body. Because there was no water to drink, Elijah eventually left his hideout, and God sent him to a certain widow who would care for him. The woman was impoverished and didn’t have enough for herself or her kid, yet she gave Elijah everything she had. In exchange, Elijah pledged that her small jar of wheat and flask of oil would never run out again. The woman’s son ultimately took ill, and no soul was left within him. Elijah carried the youngster to his attic room and cried out to God. God responded to Elijah, and the boy was resurrected (1 Kings 17:17-24). Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick, and his condition became very grave, until at the end he was no longer breathing. So she said to Elijah, “Why is my business any of yours, you man of God? Yet you have come to me to bring my wrongdoing to remembrance and to put my son to death.” But he said to her, “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her arms and carried him up to the upstairs room where he was living and laid him on his own bed. And he called to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought catastrophe upon the widow with whom I am staying by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times and called to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life return to him.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah, and the life of the boy returned to him, and he revived. Elijah then took the boy and brought him down from the upstairs room into the house and gave him to his mother, and Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

Number three: he chastised an evil king and was fed by ravens. Elijah initially appears in 1 Kings 17, where he is identified as an inhabitant of Tishbe, hence a Tishbite from the Gilead region. After telling the cruel King Ahab that there would be no dew or rain, God advised him to flee to a valley where he was fed twice a day by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-16). Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Number four: God chose Elijah. God utilizes ordinary people to accomplish remarkable feats. Elijah, like many of the Bible’s prophets, did not aspire to be one of God’s messengers; instead, God appointed him to the role. When he was summoned, Elijah did not hesitate to accept his assignment, even though the cruel king appeared to be threatening his life. Elijah immediately rushed out for Samaria’s central city to deliver the announcement to King Ahab, then God sent Elijah into hiding as the drought dried up the rivers and ruined the nation’s crops (1 Kings 18:1, New American Standard Bible). Now it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will provide rain on the face of the earth.” Elijah was chosen to confront the followers of Baal simply because he had a relationship with God. In addition to challenging Baal’s prophets on Mount Carmel, he accomplished other miracles, including delivering an unlimited supply of wheat to a widow and reviving a little boy from the dead.

Number five: Elijah was a man who heard God. We see people tilting their ear toward the Almighty time and again in the Bible, including Elijah. On this list, call him a man who heard God; we observe Elijah leaning his ear throughout 1 Kings 17 to 22 as well as throughout 2 Kings 1 and 2 (1 Kings 17:2-3). Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.” (1 Kings 19:9, New American Standard Bible). Then he came there to a cave and spent the night there, and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Number six: he got carried into heaven. Elijah’s earthly life came to an end spectacularly. Elijah crossed the Jordan River with his student and successor, Elisha, which he split by striking it with his cloak. A blazing chariot carried by fiery horses drove up between them as the two strolled and talked, and Elijah was swept up to heaven (2 Kings 2:1-12, New American Standard Bible). Now it came about when the Lord was about to bring Elijah up by a whirlwind to heaven that Elijah left Gilgal with Elisha, and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.” And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. Then the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” And Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan, and Elijah took his coat, folded it, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” And as they were walking along and talking, behold, a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven, and Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see Elijah again. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Number seven: Elijah was a man who walked in obedience. Numerous times God ushered Elijah to speak hard truths, trust for provision when circumstances seemed bleak, or stand firm in faith of God’s promises being fulfilled. Time and time again, Elijah set the example of loyal obedience to God our Father. So he went and did according to Yahweh’s word, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith that is before the Jordan (1 Kings 17:5). So he arose and went to Zarephath (1 Kings 17:10).

Number eight: Elijah was a man who experienced God’s provision. Elijah drank in God’s promises and found his needs quenched by the Almighty’s hand. Here are three instances: a handful of flour and a few drops of oil multiplied for miraculous sustenance (1 Kings 17:7-24); Elijah ran with energy far beyond human capability (1 Kings 18:41-46); and Elijah said to Ahab, “Go eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground, and put his face between his knees. “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant, and he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.'” Meanwhile the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling, and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah, and tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. In Elijah’s life, God’s provision is seen clearly and magnificently. These and other examples can easily attract our attention to our Father’s love, healing, wisdom, and provision. “You shall drink from the brook, I have commanded the ravens to feed you there” (1 Kings 17:4). The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook (1 Kings 17:8).

Number nine: Elijah was a prayer warrior. Throughout the Old Testament, we see Elijah in communion with God. He serves as a model for us in our own spiritual journey. He is a voice encouraging all to take up prayer and be warriors, to recognize the Lord as God, and to follow him. James 5:17 notes that Elijah was a human being even as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Number ten: Elijah was brave. The message Elijah championed was simple and obvious, but not everyone wanted to hear it. Jezebel was at the head of the queue, and she sought out and executed God’s prophets. Meanwhile, her husband King Ahab tolerated it and continued to worship Baal. An unfavorable message on the other hand did not dissuade Elijah. He fought bravely for God Almighty and the messages sent from above, even whether those messages contained difficulties, correction, or unpleasant news for the recipient. He answered him, “It is I. Go tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here'” (1 Kings 18:8).

Number eleven: Elijah hated and confronted evil. Jezebel persuaded her husband King Ahab to worship Baal rather than God. In the sight of the Lord, Ahab did ill by disobeying the Lord’s commandments. It was a dreadful spectacle in Israel. Elijah steps forward; God sent him to speak harsh words, to deliver accountability and warning where it was warranted, and to champion faith in the Almighty. Follow the thread as he confronts Ahab, then challenges followers of Baal with water, an offering, and fire, all noted in 1 Kings 18. He answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken Yahweh’s commandments.”

Number twelve: Elijah expected miracles. Miracles appear throughout Elijah’s mission. He stood as a man who believed in God and expected God to keep his word. We see miracles along the way, such as a bull offering soaked in water enough to overflow and fill the surrounding trench, which was ineffective against God’s fire until God intervened. That is a miracle at the hands of God Almighty in my opinion, then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench (1 Kings 18:38). There are many facts in the Word that can surprise us; an example is the facts about Jesus.