Elijah

Elijah or Elias (flourished 9th century bc), the most popular Hebrew prophet. The period of his lifetime (see 1 Kings 17-19:21; 2 Kings 1, 2) was one of social and religious change. Elijah led the struggle against the idolatrous worship of the Phoenician god Baal, whom Ahab, king of Israel, had worshiped. During Elijah's struggle against the Baalites he engaged in a contest of “miracles” with the prophets of Baal and stated that there would be no rain or dew except at his command. After three years of drought, Elijah assembled the people of Israel on Mount Carmel, where he demonstrated the supremacy of God over Baal. Then Elijah had the prophets of Baal put to death, whereupon the rains came. Elijah reprimanded King Ahab for the murder of Naboth, the vineyard owner described in 1 Kings 21. The anticipation of Elijah's return to earth, after his death, as the precursor of the Messiah is based on the account of his removal from earth in a whirlwind (see 2 Kings 2:11) and finds support also in the words of Malachi, the last prophet (see Mal. 4:5-6). Jesus Christ declared John the Baptist to be the spiritual fulfillment of this anticipation, John being said to have come “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (see Matthew 11:14, 17:11-13; Mark 9:13; Luke 1:17). In postbiblical Judaism, Elijah is thought of as an invisible participant in the home celebration of Passover and in the rites of circumcision. See also Elisha.