Elijah: Man of action, prayer and faith

Ever since my teenage years I have been fascinated with Elijah. His appearance in the Old Testament is as unexpected as it is abrupt. He appears at a time when we might least expect to see a great prophet in Israel. Elijah came from the most unlikely place, at the most unlikely time, and he was in many ways the most unlikely man for the task. He stands out like a shining beacon amid the most stubborn kind of darkness.

Historically, he appeared on the scene in a dark time. The truth was being deliberately suppressed and compromised. The nation’s leaders were shaping a man-made religion according to their own tastes (1 Kings 12:26-33) in order to accommodate what seemed most expedient. The people pretended they were worshiping the same God their fathers had always worshiped but the truth had been so mixed with error it was actually a worse kind of paganism than the terrible paganism of the Canaanites.

He prophesied to a disobedient nation. Spiritually, things were going from bad to worse. Elijah at one point became discouraged. He felt like the last person faithful to Jehovah in all of Israel. God encouraged him with these words, “Yet I have left to myself seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). Seven thousand, out of the entire nation, is not very many.

The population of Israel in those days numbered at least two or three million.

Even with a very conservative estimate that means fewer than one third of 1 percent of the people remained faithful to Jehovah. Even among the faithful the vast majority were very silent about their faith in Jehovah.

Elijah confronted a decaying culture. Having departed from the true worship of Jehovah and embraced an idol like Baal instead, Israel’s downfall was certain and inevitable. The only remedy was full scale, widespread repentance and a return to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

That’s why Elijah’s approach was confrontation rather than compromise. He had no interest in social reforms or political revolutions. He was a prophet, not a politician. When a culture has abandoned the truth, the only hope is a return to the truth. Therefore, Elijah devoted himself solely to the proclamation of those very truths Israel had come to hate.

Why did God use Elijah? What made Elijah such an effective tool in God’s hands? 1 Kings 17 verse 1 gives the answer! “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, ‘As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, according to my word.’’ 1 Kings 17:1 reveals three great characteristics Elijah built into his life. You and I must have the same characteristics in our lives.

Elijah was a man of action.

True faith is a robust, virile thing. I’d rather have one Elijah than 10,000 Christians who are so fearful of confronting a decaying culture that they stifle elements of the truth so as not to be rejected by a decaying culture. Elijah was bold and daring. Ahab, the wicked king, had evidently never been rebuked in the name of God. Elijah, who had no right to an audience with the king, made an opportunity anyway and simply walked in and announced judgment.

Elijah ministered during a time when the faithful in Israel had gone so far underground that no one knew anyone else was remaining faithful to Jehovah. Elijah reached the point where he thought he was the only one left. While others were living in caves or keeping their faith secret, Elijah was a man of action. He stormed into Ahab’s court with a word of judgment. Later we will see him on a mountaintop, one man, challenging all the priests of Baal to a showdown of the gods (1 Kings 18).

Elijah called down fire from heaven. He raised a boy from the dead. He took control of situations. He exerted leadership when there was someone willing to follow. And if not, he acted alone even when it placed him in great peril.

Elijah was a man of prayer.

James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.” Verse 17 (the following verse) illustrates that truth. “Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.” His ministry flowed from a life of prayer.

Elijah was a man of faith.

His boldness was a by product of his faith. True faith is always in response to the word of God. Elijah said, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand…” (1 Kings 17:1). Elijah stood before the true God of Israel. Elijah was a justified man in the eyes of Jehovah. In the scope of eternity, it didn’t really matter what Ahab thought of him. Elijah’s standing before God was established. He had a firm and unshakable standing before God. It therefore did not matter to him what kind of earthly peril he faced. He was anchored and secure before the only throne that really mattered.

What is the only hope for America today? We must repent of our sins and return to the person of Jesus as described in the Bible.

We need modern day Elijahs who will be men and women of action, prayer and faith. Jesus, God’s son, died on the cross for your sins. He is our best friend and only hope. Turn to him today.

Ethan Hansen is the pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake. He can be reached at ehansen@biglakefaithbible.org.