Lessons from the Life of Elijah 1

Lessons from the Life of Elijah 1 Kings 17:1 We are not told anything about the birth, childhood, and youngmanhood of Elijah. The first mention in the Bible we have of this prophet is this verse. We are told that he came from Gilead, a Tishbite Not scholars are divided on what exactly that means. Some have translated this as stranger, he was a stranger everywhere. Others say no it was a town in Gilead, other say in Gallile which we are assuming that he was a native from there. Gilead was on the other side of the Jordan. You may remember a few tribes wanted to stay there because the land was great for cattle. God gave them the land for their inheritance on the promise that they would help the rest of Israel on the other side of the river. Gilead was divided between Gad and Mannassa (which tribe was split in half.) And this would have been Tishbi, Gilead However one Bible Scholar had this to say, Refer to map and notes on back. Elijah abrutply shows up in scripture. We really don’t know that much about his background, however his name means -Yahwey is my God or My God Jehovah is he (signifies, “is he who sends me and will own me and bear me out, is he to whom I would bring Israel back and who alone can effect that great work.”) His parents where obviously very devout God fearing people who trained Elijah to love and worship and serve him as one put it like a homeless Indian without reservation. Elijah was a rugged man- obey God. 1. Look at his approaches to Ahab. He didn’t care if he was the king, Elijah was going to A. I am opposed to beauty pagents. I think they were created to stir passion and lust, however I received an article that told how this years Miss California was doing pretty well (no pun intented) when in an interview on public telivision a gay activist asked her about her opinion on same-sex marriage. She comming from a conservative background told them she believed it was one man one woman for life. She didn’t care that this one answer had the ability to make or break the contest for her and she was willing to throw it all away. Needles to say she did not win. 2. Look how he lived, I don’t find that he ever had a home. seemed always on the go. 3. James tells us he was a man of like passions. This can be translated many ways. A. He was just like us, he had normal feelings and desires B. One has suggested it means he had a strong spirit. Matthew Henry put it this “he intimates, not only that he was temper, he was a man of strong deal with the daring sinners designs them for. Rough spirits to break the ice.” way was a man subject to like passions as we are (Jam 5:17), which perhaps liable to the common infirmities of human nature, but that, by his natural passions, more hot and eager than most men, and therefore the more fit to of the age he lived in: so wonderfully does God suit men to the work he are called to rough services. The reformation needed such a man as Luther 4. It is safe to say Elijah was a praying man. A. He prayed that it rain not James 5:17 1. And it didn’t for 3 years B. He prayed that it would rain 1. And it did C. Mt Carmel He prayed for fire 1. And it fell D. And countless others