One of the most famous men of God in the Bible, Elijah, is a man known for his miracles and mighty exploits. While he did have many miracles, there's so much more to learn from his very person, and his character.
In this article, we will look at who Elijah is and what can we learn from him.
A man who stands before God
When Elijah first appears in the Bible, we read him declaring a miracle. 1 Kings 17:1 tells us,
"And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.""
In this verse we read Elijah declaring a drought over Israel. While it's not uncommon for us to see his bold declaration of drought, we should also notice one key phrase that he said there:
"...As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand..."
Elijah was a man who "stood before" God. He had an audience of one. He served God and no one else. All that he did, he did because God told him to do.
We should all be like that too: standing before God. We ought to please God in all that we do. We are called not to please men, but to please God and obey Him. Galatians 1:10 tells us,
"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
A man committed to bring people back to God
1 Kings 18 tells us about the famous showdown Elijah had with the 450 prophets of Baal. In this event, we find Elijah challenging all the prophets of Baal to know who the real God is.
While we often think of God sending fire to consume Elijah's offering, along with the wood and the water that drenched everything, what we often fail to notice is that one line that Elijah said at the beginning of his challenge:
"And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word." (1 Kings 18:21)
We as God's people ought to be like that, too. We should not be ashamed to bring people back to God, who actually wants all men to be reconciled with Him. In fact, it's our job to do that:
"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)
A man who had his own failures
While Elijah was this great man of God who was bold enough to stand before more than four hundred ungodly men to show God to them, we should also take note of his failures. After that fiery showdown in Mount Carmel, Elijah called for the end of the drought (see 1 Kings 18:41-46). After that, however, he received a death threat from Jezebel, and ran for his life.
"Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"" (1 Kings 19:2-4)
Elijah, this courageous man of God who did great miracles for the Lord, was struck by fear. This should make us think soberly about ourselves:
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)
