1 Kings 18:22 – Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men…”
Elijah is called a prophet repeatedly (1). Elijah is clearly a true prophet empowered by the Holy Spirit, and he is in spiritual battle against the unholy spirits working through the 850 false prophets of Baal and Asherah who work for King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. The Jezebel spirit at work in the days of the New Testament also claims to be a prophet but is in fact a false prophet according to Jesus Christ, who says in Revelation 2:20-21, “I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.” Elijah is a true prophet working with other true prophets, and Jezebel is a false prophetess working with false prophets.
Elijah’s ministry begins by predicting a three-year drought (2), which he later prophecies the end of (3). Elijah also foretells the death of Ahaziah (4), and a plague from God as judgment in the days when Jehoram reigned as king of Israel (5). God does supernatural miracles for and through Elijah, including multiplying flour and oil for the widow who houses him, and raising her son from the dead (6). Elijah predicts the judgment and gruesome death on the family of Ahab, including his wife Jezebel which comes to pass as promised (7). Elijah also receives the “word of the Lord which gives him divine authority to speak for God” (8). We are also told that Elijah obeys the word of God, and commands others to do the same. Others recognize Elijah’s relationship with the word of God, including the widow who says, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth” (9).
In the history of Israel, the northern kingdom, there were no descendants of David who ruled as king, and none of their kings was godly or righteous. In contrast, eight of Judah’s kings in the south were godly and righteous. By the days of Elijah, the northern kingdom was completely overrun by a demonic counterfeit. The demonic kings did not want God’s people to travel to the real temple in Jerusalem, and so they established two counterfeit temples with golden calves as the object of worship. This was a direct violation of the Second Commandment, which God gave His people who were guilty of worshipping a golden calf in the days of Moses. This syncretism infuriated God. We’ll learn more about syncretism in tomorrow’s devo.
What do you know about Elijah? What are you most excited to learn as we study this incredible godly man?
- 1 Kings 18:22, 36; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 16:14; Mark 6:15, 8:28; Luke 9:8,19; John 1:21, 25
- 1 Kings 17:1
- 1 Kings 18:41-46
- 2 Kings 1:2-17
- 2 Chronicles 21:12-15
- 1 Kings 17:17-24
- 1 Kings 21:20-24; 2 Kings 9-10
- 1 Kings 17:1
- 1 Kings 17:24
For the sermons and study guide that accompany this series on the life of Elijah, visit realfaith.com/elijah or text ELIJAH to 99383.