Elijah
| Elijah | |
|---|---|
 Elijah reviving the Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Louis Hersent |
|
| Prophet | |
| Born | Tishbe, Gilad |
| Venerated in | Judaism Islam Christianity (Roman Catholic Church Maronite Church Anglican Communion Eastern Catholic Churches Eastern Orthodox Church Lutheranism) |
| Feast | July 20 |
| Attributes | Prophet |
Elijah (pronounced /ɨˈlaɪdʒə/)[1] or Elias (pronounced /ɨˈlaɪ.əs/), (Hebrew: אליהו, Eliyahu, meaning “Yahweh is my God”;[2] Arabic:إلياس, Ilyās), was a prophet in the Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Ahab (9th century BCE), according to the Books of Kings.
According to the Books of Kings, Elijah defended the worship of Yahweh over that of the more popular Baal, he raised the dead, brought fire down from the sky, and ascended into heaven in a whirlwind (either accompanied by a chariot and horses of flame or riding in it).[3] In the Book of Malachi, Elijah’s return is prophesied “before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord,”[4] making him a harbinger of the Messiah and the eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. Derivative references to Elijah appear in the Talmud, Mishnah, the New Testament, and the Qur’an.
In Judaism, Elijah’s name is invoked at the weekly Havdalah ritual that marks the end of Shabbat, and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs, among them the Passover seder and the Brit milah (ritual circumcision). He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud.
In Christianity, the New Testament describes how both Jesus and John the Baptist are compared with Elijah, and on some occasions, thought by some to be manifestations of Elijah, and Elijah appears with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus…
In Islam, the Qur’an describes Elijah as a great and righteous prophet of God, and one who powerfully preached against the worship of Ba’al.
Elijah is also a figure in various folkloric traditions. In Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania, he is known as “Elijah the Thunderer” and in folklore is held responsible for summer storms, hail, rain, thunder, and dew.[5]
ALTAR » Built by Elijah (1 Kings 18:31,32)
- ASCENSION » Of Elijah (1 Kings 2:1-18)
- ELIAH » See ELIJAH, number two
- ELIAS » See ELIJAH
- ELISHA » (Successor to the prophet Elijah)
- ELISHA » Elijah instructed to anoint (1 Kings 19:16)
- ELISHA » Called by Elijah (1 Kings 19:19)
- ELISHA » Ministers unto Elijah (1 Kings 19:21)
- ELISHA » Witnesses Elijah’s transporting, receives a double portion of his spirit (1 Kings 2:1-15;3:11)
- FIRE » At Elijah’s translation (1 Kings 2:11)
- HAZAEL » Anointed king by Elijah (1 Kings 19:15)
- JEZEBEL » Vowed to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-3)
- KISHON » Prophets of Baal destroyed by Elijah at (1 Kings 18:40)
- MANTLE » Of Elijah (1 Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 2:8,13,14)
- MOCKING » Elijah mocks the priests of Baal (2 Kings 18:27)
- OATH » Elisha seals his vow to follow Elijah by (2 Kings 2:2)
- RAVEN » Fed Elijah (2 Kings 17:4-6)
- READINGS, SELECT » ELIJAH’S MIRACULOUS PRESERVATION (2 Kings 17:1-16)
- TRANSLATION » Of Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-12)
- WHIRLWIND » Elijah transported upward in (2 Kings 2:1,11)
- ZAREPHATH » Elijah performs two miracles in (2 Kings 17:8-24)
- ACCUSATION, FALSE » INCIDENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF » Against Elijah by Ahab (2 Kings 18:17,18)
- AHAB » King of Israel » Reproved by Elijah; assembles the prophets of Baal (2 Kings 18:17-46)
- ANGEL (a spirit) » APPEARANCES OF » To Elijah (2 Kings 19:5)
- BAAL » An idol of the Phoenicians, god of the sun » Prophets of, slain by Elijah (2 Kings 18:40)
