Difference between revisions of "Elijah" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Daniele da Volterra 001.jpg|thumb|right|The Prophet Ilia (Elijah), by Daniele da Volterra]]
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[[Image:Daniele da Volterra 001.jpg|250px|thumb|right|''The Prophet '''Elijah''''' by Daniele da Volterra]]
  
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'''Elijah''' (Standard Hebrew '''אֱלִיָּהוּ''' '''Eliyyáhu''''), also '''Elias''' ([[New Testament|NT]] [[Greek language|Greek]] '''Hλίας'''), also '''Ilia''' ([[New Testament|NT]] [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] '''Илия'''),  is a [[prophet]] of the [[Hebrew Bible]] or [[Old Testament]]. His name has been variously translated as "[[Tetragrammaton|the Lord]] is God", "whose God is [[Tetragrammaton|the Lord]]", "God the Lord", "the strong Lord", "God of the Lord", "my God is the Lord", "the Lord is my God", and "my God is Jehovah".
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'''Elijah''' (Standard Hebrew: '''אֱלִיָּהוּ''' '''Eliyyáhu''''), also known as '''Elias''' ([[New Testament]] [[Greek language|Greek]]: '''Hλίας'''), was a ninth-century B.C.E. [[prophet]] of the [[Hebrew Bible]] whose name has been variously translated as "whose God is [[Tetragrammaton|the Lord]]," "my God is the Lord," and "my God is Jehovah."
  
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Elijah is considered to be one of the great prophets of the [[Abrahamic religions]] because he warned people against forgetting God's commandments and advised the Israelites to repent of their [[polytheism|polytheistic]] ways. The [[Bible]] also describes Elijah as a divinely-inspired wonder worker, and a forerunner of the coming [[Messiah|messiah]]. It is believed that the prophet Elijah shall return to Earth prior to the millennial Day of the Lord, and many [[Jew]]s expect Elijah to help restore their nation.
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The further development of Elijah as a harbinger of the arrival of the Messiah is developed throughout later Jewish and Christian traditions. As a result, Elijah is a shared prophet in [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]] and [[Islam]] alike, also in [[Mormonism]] and other new religions. He is a deeply respected figure by the followers of many world religions who see Elijah as an [[archetype]] who stands for both justice and the hope of restoration.
  
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==In the Hebrew Bible==
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==Elijah in the Jewish tradition==
  
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Elijah is first introduced in [[Books of Kings|1 Kings]] 17:1 as delivering a message from God to Ahab, king of [[kingdom of Israel|Israel]] in the first half of the ninth century BC. He is sometimes known as "[[Tishbite|The Tishbite]]", being from the town of Tishbe.
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In [[Judaism]], Elijah is famed as both a wonder-worker and as a foreteller of the coming [[messiah]]. He first appears in the Hebrew Bible as a figure who challenged the idolatrous ways of King [[Ahab]], who ruled the [[kingdom of Israel|Israel]] in the first half of the ninth century B.C.E. Ahab was primarily notable for his rejection of the [[Israelites|Israelite]] [[Temple of Jerusalem|Temple]] tradition in favor of devotion to [[Baal]], a [[Canaan]]ite/[[Mesopotamia]]n fertility god. Ahab's reign was characterized by a period of droughts, epidemics and famines—all presumed to be caused by an aggrieved [[Yahweh|YHWH]] (following the Deuteronomistic theology of the [[Kings, Books of|Books of Kings]]). It is in this context that Elijah emerges, delivering a stern warning to King Ahab and advising him to repent his [[polytheism|polytheistic]] ways.
  
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Having delivered his message to Ahab, he retired at the command of God to a hiding-place by the brook Cherith, beyond [[Jordan river|Jordan]], where he was fed by [[raven]]s. When the brook dried up God sent him to the widow of [[Zarephath]], a city of [[Zidon]], from whose scanty store he was supported for the space of two years. During this period the widow's son died, and was restored to life by Elijah (1 Kings 17:2-24).
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After having delivered his message to the apostate king, Elijah retired (at the command of God) to a hiding-place by the brook Cherith, beyond the [[Jordan River|Jordan]], where he was fed by [[raven]]s. When the brook dried up, God sent him to live with the widow of [[Zarephath]] who supported him for two years. During this period, the widow's son died and it is said that he was restored to life by Elijah (1 Kings 17:2–24).
  
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During these two years a famine prevailed in the land. At the close of this period of retirement and of preparation for his work, Elijah met Obadiah, one of Ahab's officers, whom he had sent out to seek for pasturage for the cattle, and bade him go and tell his master that Elijah was there. The king came and met Elijah, and reproached him as the "troubler of Israel". It was then proposed that sacrifices should be publicly offered, for the purpose of determining whether [[Baal]] or the Israelite God was the true God. This was done on [[Mount Carmel, Israel|Mount Carmel]]; the result was that a miracle took place convincing those watching that Baal was false and that the Israelite God [[YHWH]](יהוה), was the true and only God. The prophets of Baal were then put to death by the order of Elijah.  
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===Contest with the prophets of Baal===
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Afterward, Elijah met [[Obadiah]] (an officer of King Ahab) and bade him go and tell his master that Elijah was there. The king came to meet Elijah, and reproached him as the "troubler of Israel" for criticizing his public conversion to the religion of [[Baal]]. In response, Elijah proposed that he and the [[priest]]s of Baal should each make public sacrifices to their respective gods, and, based on the perceived reception of these offerings, determine whether Baal or the [[Yahweh|Israelite God]] was the true divinity.
  
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[[Jezebel (biblical)|Jezebel]], enraged at the fate that had befallen her priests of Baal, threatened to put Elijah to death (1 Kings 19:1-13). He therefore fled in alarm to [[Beersheba]], and went alone into the wilderness, and sat down in despondency under a [[juniper|juniper tree]]. As he slept, an angel touched him, and said unto him, "Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee." He arose and found a cake and a cruse of water. Having partaken of the provision, he went forward on his way for forty days to [[Horeb]], where he took residence in a cave. Here God appeared to him and said, "What dost thou here, Elijah?" In answer to Elijah's despondent words God manifests to him his glory, and then directs him to return to [[Damascus]] and anoint [[Hazael]] king over the [[Arameans]] (Syria), [[Jehu]] king over Israel, and [[Elisha]] to be prophet in his room (1 Kings 19:13-21; compare [[2 Kings]] 8:7-15; 9:1-10).
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The contest took place on [[Mount Carmel, Israel|Mount Carmel]], where the Baalite priests were, due to divine intervention, unable to light their sacrificial fires; Elijah, on the other hand, was able to light soaking wet wood at the altar to YHWH. This miracle convinced those watching that Baal was false and that the YHWH (יהוה) was the only true God. As the gathered crowds toasted the Israelite God's victory, Elijah ordered that the prophets of Baal be put to death. However, [[Jezebel]], the wife of Ahab and chief proponent of the religion of Baal, became enraged at the fate that had befallen her priests and threatened to have Elijah killed (1 Kings 19:1–13).  
  
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Some six years after this, he warned Ahab and Jezebel of the violent deaths they would die (1 Kings 21:19-24; 22:38). He also, four years afterwards, warned [[Ahaziah of Israel|Ahaziah]], who had succeeded his father Ahab, of his approaching death (2 Kings 1:1-16).  During these intervals he probably withdrew to some quiet retirement, no one knew where. His interview with Ahaziah's messengers on the way to [[Ekron]], and the account of the destruction of his captains with their fifties, suggest the idea that he may have been in retirement at this time on Mount Carmel. The [[Carmelites]] have a tradition that they were founded by Elijah at this time.
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===Theophany on Mount Horeb===
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Elijah escaped to [[Beersheba]] and was visited in the night by an [[Angel|angel]], who offered him heavenly food for his flight into the wilderness. Having partaken of the divine provision, he went forward on a forty day trek to [[Mount Horeb]], a journey that numerically and thematically paralleled [[Noah]]'s forty day sojourn in the ark, [[Moses]]' forty years of wandering in the desert, and [[Jesus of Nazareth|Jesus]]' forty days in the wilderness after [[baptism]]. Upon reaching the mountain, Elijah was visited by the Lord [[Yahweh|YHWH]], who, significantly, appeared not in [[earthquake]]s or [[thunderstorm]]s (in the manner of Baal), but in a "still, small voice." This [[theophany]] teaches the inwardness of God's voice, that believers should look for God not in the mighty power of nature but in their own [[conscience]].
  
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The time now drew near when he was to be taken up into heaven (2 Kings 2:1-12). He went down to [[Gilgal]], where there was a school of the prophets, and where his successor Elisha, whom he had anointed some years before, resided. Elisha was solemnized by the thought of his master's leaving him, and refused to be parted from him. "They two went on", and came to Bethel and [[Jericho]], and crossed the Jordan, the waters of which were "divided hither and thither" when smitten with Elijah's mantle. Arrived at the borders of [[Gilead]], which Elijah had left many years before, it "came to pass as they still went on and talked" they were suddenly separated by a chariot and horses of fire; and "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw him go up and cried "The Chariots and horses of Israel!" "Elisha receiving his mantle, which fell from him as he ascended.
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The word God spoke by that voice was pregnant with power: God would shake up the political order by having Elijah anoint [[Hazael]] as king over the [[Arameans]] (Syria), [[Jehu]] as king over Israel, and [[Elisha]] as his divinely chosen prophetic successor (1 Kings 19:13–21; ''cf''. 2 Kings 8:7–15; 9:1–10).  
  
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Elijah's chosen successor was the prophet [[Elisha]]; Elijah designated Elisha as such by leaving his mantle with him (2 Kings 2:13-15), so that his wish for "a double portion" of the older prophet's spirit (2:9), in allusion to the preference shown the first-born son in the division of the father's estate ([[Deuteronomy]] 21:17), had been fulfilled.
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After his return to human society, Elijah continued to attack and criticize the apostate reigns of Ahab and (later) his son, Ahaziah. Particularly in the affair of Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21), Elijah stood for social justice and the rights of small landholders against royal prerogative.
  
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It is believed that the prophet Elijah shall return to foretell the coming of the [[Jewish Messiah]], or the return of Jesus the Christ. He is also to believed to be one of the two Witnesses in the Book of Revelation.
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===Translation to heaven===
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Tradition suggests that, at this time, he may have been in retirement on [[Mount Carmel]] but he was informed that his ascent to Heaven was drawing nigh (2 Kings 2:1–12), so he went down to [[Gilgal]] and met his successor [[Elisha]], who he had anointed some years before. Elisha became solemn at the thought of his master leaving him, and refused to be parted from him. The two traveled to [[Bethel]] and [[Jericho]], and crossed the [[Jordan River|Jordan]], where the elder [[prophet]] (in another Mosaic parallel) divided the waters of the river. When they arrived at the borders of [[Gilead]], it is said that "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." Elisha, watching his mentor disappear into the heavens, was able to catch his predecessor's mantle as is fluttered to the ground. In this way, Elisha was delivered "a double portion" of the older prophet's spirit (2 Kings 2:9), as the receipt of the older prophet's mantle alludes to the preference shown to the first-born son in the division of the father's estate (Deut. 21:17).  
  
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The Elijah spoken of in [[Books of Chronicles|2 Chronicles]] 21:12-15 is by some supposed to be a different person from the foregoing. He lived in the time of [[Jehoram of Judah|Jehoram]], to whom he sent a letter of warning (compare 1 Chr. 28:19; [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] 36), and acted as a prophet in Judah; while the Tishbite was a prophet of the northern kingdom. But there does not seem any necessity for concluding that the writer of this letter was some other Elijah than the Tishbite. It may be supposed either that Elijah anticipated the character of Jehoram, and so wrote the warning message, which was preserved in the schools of the prophets till Jehoram ascended the throne after the Tishbite's translation, or that the translation did not actually take place until after the accession of Jehoram to the throne (2 Chr. 21:12; 2 Kings 8:16). The events of 2 Kings 2 may not be recorded in chronological order, and thus there may be room for the opinion that Elijah was still alive in the beginning of Jehoram's reign.
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Based on the belief that Elijah resides in heaven (one of only two biblical figures said to do so, the other being [[Enoch]]), later rabbinic lore gives Elijah the role of interlocutor with God, who sits near God's throne and can tell the sages what God is thinking.
  
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How deep the impression was which Elijah made "on the mind of the nation" of Israel may have been can be judged from the fixed belief, which rested on the words of [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]] (4:5, 6), which many centuries after, prevailed that Elijah would again appear for the relief and restoration of the country.
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===A second Elijah?===
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Another reference to Elijah in the Hebrew Bible can be found in [[Books of Chronicles|2 Chronicles]] 21:12–15. Because of the difficult chronology, some suppose him to represent a different person than the prophet—a second individual who lived in the time of [[Jehoram of Judah|Jehoram]], to whom he sent a letter of warning (compare 1 Chron. 28:19; [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] 36), and that he acted as a prophet in Judah. By way of contrast, the Tishbite was a prophet of the northern kingdom. However, there does not seem any necessity for concluding that the writer of this letter was some other Elijah than the Tishbite. The events of 2 Kings 2 may not be recorded in chronological order, and thus there may be room for the opinion that Elijah was still alive in the beginning of Jehoram's reign.
  
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When [[Jesus]] asks who people say the Son of Man or Christ is, his disciples replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, [[Jeremiah]] or one of the prophets" ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 16:14), which was referring to the belief of some of the Jews at the time that Jesus was, in fact, Elijah returned from heaven.
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===Prophecies of Elijah's return===
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It is believed that the prophet Elijah shall return to [[Earth]] prior to the millennial Day of the Lord. The depth of the impression made by Elijah "on the mind of the nation" of [[Israel]] can be judged from the prevailing belief that Elijah would again appear for the relief and restoration of the country. One example of this belief is articulated in [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]] (4:5–6): "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."
  
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==New Testament references==
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The further development of Elijah as a precursor to the arrival of the Messiah (and sometimes as harbinger of the apocalypse) is developed throughout later Jewish literature, including the [[Talmud]] and various [[Midrash|Midrashic]] sources.<ref>S. M. Segal, "Elijah: A Study in Jewish Folklore" (New York: Behrman, 1935).</ref>
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==Elijah in the Christian Tradition==
 
[[Image:Icon 03051 Ilya prorok s uchenikom.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Eastern Orthodox]] [[icon]] of the prophet Elijah, depicted with a [[disciple]]]]
 
[[Image:Icon 03051 Ilya prorok s uchenikom.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Eastern Orthodox]] [[icon]] of the prophet Elijah, depicted with a [[disciple]]]]
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None of the prophets of the [[Hebrew Bible]] is so frequently referenced in the [[New Testament]] as Elijah. The priests and [[tribe of Levi|Levites]] said to [[John the Baptist]] ([[Gospel of John|John]] 1:25), "Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah?" [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] ([[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 11:2) refers to an incident in the prophet's history to illustrate his argument that God had not cast away His people. Further, [[Epistle of James|James]] (5:17) uses him an illustration of the power of prayer (see also [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 4:25; 9:54).
  
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No one of the old prophets is so frequently referred to in the [[New Testament]]. The priests and [[tribe of Levi|Levites]] said to [[John the Baptist]] ([[Gospel of John|John]] 1:25), "Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah?" [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] ([[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 11:2) refers to an incident in his history to illustrate his argument that God had not cast away His people that He foreknew. [[Epistle of James|James]] (5:17) finds in him an illustration of the power of prayer. (See also [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 4:25; 9:54.)
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Many parallels can be found between the characterizations of Elijah and [[John the Baptist]]. Both figures dramatically and sternly critiqued worldly authorities that they saw as morally or religiously bankrupt (1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 1; Luke 9:8). We can also see parallels in their connection with the wilderness, their long retirements in the desert, the sudden, startling commencement of their respective ministries (1 Kings 17:1; Luke 3:2), and even in their dress (hairy garments and leathern girdles about the loins (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4). The equation between the two is overtly made in the [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 11:11, where John the Baptist is described as the Elijah that "was to come" (Matthew 11:11, 14). Similarly, Jesus testified that the prophesied coming of Elijah was realized in none other than John the Baptist (Matthew 17:12, see also 16:14; 17:10; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 9:11; 15:35; Luke 9:7, 8; John 1:21).
  
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Elijah was similar to John the Baptist in the sternness and power of his reproofs (Luke 9:8). According to [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 11:11, John the Baptist was the Elijah that "was to come" (Matt. 11:11, 14). In John the Baptist, one can see Elijah: we see "the same connection with a wild and wilderness country; the same long retirement in the desert; the same sudden, startling entrance on his work (1 Kings 17:1; Luke 3:2); even the same dress, a hairy garment, and a leathern girdle about the loins (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4)."
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The millennial climate of the early common era was likely responsible for this identification; the Hebrew world was in uproar and it was assumed that the end times were nigh. Indeed, in describing Elijah's literal appearance at the [[Transfiguration]] (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9), the gospel writers do not ascribe any feelings of shock to the [[disciple]]s. They were "sore afraid," but (apparently) not surprised.  
  
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Each remarkable person as he arrives on the scene, be his habits and characteristics what they may; the stern John equally with his gentle Successor, is proclaimed to be Elijah (Matt. 11:13, 14; 16:14; 17:10; [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 9:11; 15:35; Luke 9:7, 8; John 1:21). Elijah's appearance in glory at the [[Transfiguration]] does not seem to have startled the [[disciple]]s. They were "sore afraid", but not apparently surprised. Traditionally, Elijah is seen as a representative of the Prophets at the Transfiguration.
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Some Christian theologians of a conservative, pre-millennial perspective believe that Elijah must eventually return to physically die here on Earth, perhaps as one of the "two witnesses" described in the [[Book of Revelation]] (11:2&ndash;12). This plays into many [[eschatology|eschatological]] scenarios. Conversely, conservatives who come from amillennial or preterist positions probably see [[John the Baptist]] himself, in the time of [[Jesus of Nazareth|Jesus]], as a fulfillment of this expectation. Christian theologians of a more liberal persuasion, on the other hand, tend to interpret Elijah's eschatological significance in a less literal sense.
  
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Some Christian theologians of a conservative, pre-millennial perspective, believe that Elijah must return to physically die here on earth eventually, perhaps as one of the 'two witnesses' in the [[Book of Revelation]]. This plays into many [[eschatological]] scenarios.  Conservatives who come from [[amillennial]] or [[preterist]] positions would probably see [[John the Baptist]] as a fulfillment of this expectation, in the time of Jesus.  Christian theologians of a more liberal persuasion would tend to interpret Elijah's eschatological significance in a less literal sense.
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==Elijah in Other Traditions==
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The Biblical tales of Elijah, which describe him as both a millennial prophet and as a divinely ordained wonder worker, have defined a figure that can be used in multiple contexts and to various ends. Perhaps this accounts for the enthusiastic acceptance of the Elijah tradition by other religious faiths.
  
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==Elijah in other traditions==
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For example, [[Islam]] sees Elijah as a [[Prophets of Islam|prophet]], with the Turks believing that Ilia (Elijah) and [[Job (Biblical figure)|Job]] were buried at Eyyup Nebi, near Viranşehir. Likewise, members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] also acknowledge Ilia (Elijah) as a prophet. Latter-Day Saints believe that, in 1836, an angelic Ilia (Elijah) visited the founder of their church, [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] in the [[Kirtland Temple]] in Kirtland, Ohio and gave him the sacred power to seal families together. As a final example, the Christian missionaries who converted Slavic tribes found Elijah to be an ideal analogy for [[Perun]], the supreme Slavic god of storms, thunder and lightning bolts (due to the former's ascension to [[Heaven]] in a fiery chariot). In many Slavic countries, Elijah is known as "Elijah the Thunderer" (Ilija Gromovik), who drives the heavens in chariot and administers rain and snow, thus actually taking the place of Perun in many popular beliefs.
  
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In the [[Qur'an]], Elijah is a [[Prophets of Islam|prophet]] known as [[Ilyas]] in Arabic. The Turks believe that Elijah and [[Job (Biblical figure)|Job]] were buried at [[Eyyup Nebi]], near [[Viranşehir]].
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===Elijah In Islam===
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The figure of Elijah (pronounced Ilia (Arabic &#1573;&#1604;&#1610;&#1575;&#1587;)) is also seen as an important [[prophet]] of [[Islam]], and is mentioned by name in the [[Qur'an]]. Indeed, the Qur'annic account bears many striking similarities to the tale told in 1 and 2 Kings (summarized above).
  
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Members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]] also acknowledge Elijah as a prophet. Latter-Day Saints believe that in [[1836]] an angelic Elijah visited the founder of their church, [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] in the [[Kirtland Temple]] in [[Kirtland, Ohio]] and gave him the sacred power to seal families together.
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In this account, Ilyas is born into a kingdom fragmented by the death of its wise and pious monarch, whose demise allowed the influence of [[Satan]] to become widespread among the people of [[Israelites|Israel]]. The religious people were mocked. The ruler of [[Samaria]] killed a large number of learned people. When the evil reached a boiling point, God sent Ilia to reform mankind during the reign of King Ahab of Israel. He tried his best to save the people from [[polytheism]]. He forbade them to worship the [[Tyre|Tyrian]] [[Baal]] and advised them to ward off evil and worship one God. Unfortunately, his efforts bore no fruit.  
  
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As Elijah was described as ascending into heaven in a fiery chariot, the Christian missionaries who converted Slavic tribes likely found him an ideal analogy for [[Perun]], the supreme Slavic god of storms, thunder and lightning bolts. In many Slavic countries Elijah is known as Elijah the Thunderer (Ilija Gromovik), who drives the heavens in chariot and administers rain and snow, thus actually taking the place of [[Perun]] in popular beliefs.
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In response, he appeared before the king and foretold that a severe drought and famine would overtake the kingdom. Ilia added that the Tyrian Baal would be powerless to avert it. The people paid no heed to his warnings and did not mend their ways. The prophecy of Ilia turned out to be true and whole of the kingdom experienced [[famine]].  
  
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The people began to starve. After three years, Ilia prayed to God to show mercy to the famine stricken people. They acknowledged the authority of God and felt regret. Soon after the rain ended the drought, God lifted his curses. After this Ilia was directed by God to call upon [[Al-Yasa]] to be his successor. Ilia did this and disappeared mysteriously.
  
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Elijah spoken of in [[Books of Chronicles|2 Chronicles]] 21:12-15 is by some supposed to be a different person from the foregoing. He lived in the time of [[Jehoram of Judah|Jehoram]], to whom he sent a letter of warning (compare 1 Chr. 28:19; [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] 36), and acted as a prophet in Judah; while the Tishbite was a prophet of the northern kingdom. But there does not seem any necessity for concluding that the writer of this letter was some other Elijah than the Tishbite. It may be supposed either that Elijah anticipated the character of Jehoram, and so wrote the warning message, which was preserved in the schools of the prophets till Jehoram ascended the throne after the Tishbite's translation, or that the translation did not actually take place until after the accession of Jehoram to the throne (2 Chr. 21:12; 2 Kings 8:16). The events of 2 Kings 2 may not be recorded in chronological order, and thus there may be room for the opinion that Elijah was still alive in the beginning of Jehoram's reign.
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===Elijah (Elias) in Mormonism===
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In the theology of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], the name/title "Elias" is not synonymous with Elijah and is often used for people other than the Biblical prophet. According to [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]], "The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, and Ilia (Messiah) last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Ilia (Elijah) is to come after, holding the keys of power, building the Temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready; then Messiah comes to His Temple, which is last of all"<ref>''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith'', 340.</ref>
  
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How deep the impression was which Elijah made "on the mind of the nation" of Israel may have been can be judged from the fixed belief, which rested on the words of [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]] (4:5, 6), which many centuries after, prevailed that Ilia (Elijah)  would again appear for the relief and restoration of the country.
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People to whom the title Elias is applied in Mormonism include [[Noah]], [[Gabriel (Angel)]] (considered to be the same person as Noah), Elijah, [[John the Baptist]], [[John the Apostle]], and an unspecified man who was a contemporary of [[Abraham]].<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/bde/elias LDS Bible Dictionary s.v. Elias] Retrieved January 20, 2008.</ref>
  
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When [[Jesus]] asks who people say he is, his disciples replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, [[Jeremiah]] or one of the prophets" ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 16:14), which was referring to the belief of some of the Jews at the time that Jesus was, in fact, Ilia returned from heaven.
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However, the tradition also contains references to the Biblical Elijah as well. Most significant of these is an account of the return of Elijah during a Passover service at the Kirtland Temple in April 1836. His appearance was seen as the fulfillment of two prophecies: those of Malachai and of Joseph Smith. This transfiguration experience undergirds many of the messianic and millenial beliefs of the Mormon faith. Indeed, as Shipps argues, "whether or not this experience was mediated by the New Testament, it pointed to the flourishing afterwards of the conception of Mormonism as the restoration of Israel"<ref>Jan Shipps, "Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition" (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1985), 82.</ref><ref>John P. Pratt, "Symbolism of Passover and of Elijah's Return," ''The Ensign'' 15 (7) (July 1985), 55&ndash;64.</ref>
  
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==The Endtime Elijah (Ilia)==
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===Elijah in Unificationism===
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Daniel the prophet was told that certain prophecies given to him  
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In [[Unification Church|Unificationism]], Elijah is seen as a figure who did not complete his mission because the people failed to believe him. He ascended into [[Heaven]] in a whirlwind and a fiery chariot before he could complete his divine mission of cleansing [[Kingdom of Israel|Israel]] of [[Baal]] worship. The prophecy of Elijah's return (Malachi 4:5) was to prepare the people for the man who would come to fulfill this unfinished mission. Due to this providential necessity, it is said in the New Testament that [[John the Baptist]] was Elijah returned.
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could not be understood until the time of the end. The "endtime"''' would be
 
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characterized by three unique things: an extraordinary increase in,
 
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and acceleration of travel back and forth; an unequalled explosion of
 
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knowledge; and many people becoming purified spiritually. See Daniel
 
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12:1-13.  Only one time in history fits this unique period—the 20th Century—
 
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which saw the unprecedented event of powered flight, space travel, and a huge increase
 
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in travel worldwide; plus the computerization of knowledge, and a unique move
 
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back to the faith once delivered.  
 
  
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Since God does nothing without first revealing it to his own prophets (Amos 3:7),  
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In this, Elijah prefigured [[Jesus of Nazareth|Jesus]], who likewise ascended into heaven after his crucifixion, promising to return and bring judgment upon all evildoers. Unificationism uses the New Testament idea that Elijah "came again" as John the Baptist to explain that the second coming of Jesus will be another person fulfilling the role and mission of Jesus' work left undone because of the crucifixion.
−
the understanding of Daniel's sealed prophecies would have to be first understood
 
−
by a prophet of God. And when it happened, it would signal that the endtime had started. 
 
−
Thus, the final Ilia must be sought in the 20th Century.  
 
  
−
In the closing verses of Malachi, the last book of prophets in the
+
Furthermore, when John the Baptist refused to accept the identification with Elijah (John 1:21) as Jesus' forerunner, thus undercutting Jesus' messianic claim, Jesus took the role of the second coming of Elijah on himself, not least by performing miracles similar to what Elijah had done. Apparently this impression of Jesus was believed by some—that he was the return of Elijah (Mark 6:14-16; Matt. 14:2).
−
Hebrew Scriptures—-and the last book of the Old Testament—God promised
 
−
to send Ilia the prophet in the endtime, before Heaven visibly
 
−
intervenes in world affairs. This Ilia would have to be the one to introduce
 
−
the explosion of Bible knowledge.
 
  
−
After John the Baptist (who was also a type of Ilia) was dead,
+
==Notes==
−
Jesus agreed with the Jewish scribes that a then yet future Ilia—would
+
<references/>
−
"restore all things" (Matthew 17:11). That prophecy also showed that after
 
−
Jesus, and the disciples whom he trained, were off the scene, there would
 
−
come '''a great falling away''' from what they taught, which would
 
−
necessitate a restoration by the final Ilia.
 
  
−
The New Testament shows there was a progressive departure from
+
==External links==
−
God's truth taught by his "little flock". The elderly and last of the original
+
All links retrieved February 13, 2024.
−
first century Apostles, John, wrote in his last epistle, that
 
−
Diotrophes disfellowshipped genuine members from the true Church, while
 
−
promoting heresy. Long after that first century falling away from truth, '''Ilia's
 
−
Restoration, would only come in the endtime, prior to the Day of the Lord.''' 
 
−
 
 
−
It couldn't be in the Tribulation when the Tribes of Israel (not just the Jews)
 
−
are prophesied to be in captivity.  Since the Book of Malachi is addressed to all
 
−
12 Tribes of Israel, the endtime Ilia would have to first identify them before
 
−
prophesying to them as a messenger of God.  Therefore, no rabbi or Christian minister
 
−
who didn't know where Israel's Lost Tribes were found during the 20th Century,
 
−
could be the final Ilia.
 
−
 
 
−
Three different Ilias are referred to in Scripture. The original
 
−
Ilia; John the Baptist who paved the way for the Messiah's first coming;
 
−
and the final Ilia who prepares the way for the Messiah's second coming,
 
−
by getting a people ready, spiritually—-through proclaiming primarily
 
−
to the Tribes of Israel the nature of the glorious Kingdom of God to
 
−
be established on earth, and how they can be part of it.
 
−
Unless the final Ilia came, God predicted that he would utterly destroy
 
−
the Earth, as the Hebrew in Malachi states:
 
−
 
 
−
''3,22 Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in
 
−
Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. 3,23 Behold, I will
 
−
send you Ilia (Elijah) the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible
 
−
day of the Lord. 3,24 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
 
−
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and
 
−
smite the land with '''utter destruction'''."
 
−
 
 
−
(This meaning is correctly translated in Zechariah 14:11 King James Version).
 
−
The reason for this threatend destruction is, because just as in the days of
 
−
Noah—there would then be so few righteous people left, that God would be
 
−
compelled to destroy almost everyone, as in Noah's Flood.
 
−
 
 
−
Therefore, '''the identity of the final Ilia is of importance to everyone
 
−
on Earth.'''
 
−
 
 
−
==Elijah (Ilia) In Other Traditions==
 
−
In the [[Qur'an]], Ilia  is a [[Prophets of Islam|prophet]] known as [[Ilyas]] in Arabic. The Turks believe that Ilia (Elijah) and [[Job (Biblical figure)|Job]] were buried at [[Eyyup Nebi]], near Viranşehir.
 
−
 
 
−
Members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]] also acknowledge Ilia (Elijah) as a prophet. Latter-Day Saints believe that in 1836 an angelic Ilia (Elijah) visited the founder of their church, [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] in the [[Kirtland Temple]] in [[Kirtland, Ohio]] and gave him the sacred power to seal families together.
 
−
 
 
−
As Ilia was described as ascending into heaven in a fiery chariot, the Christian missionaries who converted Slavic tribes likely found him an ideal analogy for [[Perun]], the supreme Slavic god of storms, thunder and lightning bolts. In many Slavic countries Ilia is known as Ilia the Thunderer (Ilija Gromovik), who drives the heavens in chariot and administers rain and snow, thus actually taking the place of [[Perun]] in popular beliefs.
 
−
 
 
−
===Ilia (Ilyas) In Islam===
 
−
Ilia ('''Ilyas''') (Arabic &#1573;&#1604;&#1610;&#1575;&#1587;) is a [[Prophets of Islam|prophet]] of [[Islam]] mentioned in the [[Qur'an]].
 
−
 
 
−
Ilia (Ilyas) was descended from [[Harun]], and was a prophet sent to the [[Israelites]]. 
 
−
 
 
−
After the death of [[Sulayman]], his kingdom fell apart.  This allowed the influence of [[Satan]] to become widespread among the people of [[Israel]].  The religious people were mocked.  The ruler of [[Samaria]] killed a large number of learned people.  When the evil reached a boiling point, God sent Ilia (Ilyas) to reform mankind during the reign of King Ahab of Israel.  He tried his best to save the people from [[polytheism]].  He forbade them to worship the Tyrian [[Baal]].  He advised the people to ward off evil and worship One God. 
 
−
 
 
−
However his efforts bore no fruit.  He suddenly appeared before the king and foretold that a severe drought and famine would overtake the kingdom.  Ilia (Ilyas) added that the Tyrian Baal would be powerless to avert it. The people paid no heed to his warnings and did not mend their ways.  The prophecy of Ilia (Ilyas) turned out to be true and whole of the kingdom experienced famine. 
 
−
 
 
−
The people began to starve.  After three years Ilia (Ilyas) prayed to God to show mercy to the famine stricken people.  They acknowledged the authority of God and felt regret.  Soon after the rain ended the drought, God lifted his curses.  After this Ilia (Ilyas) was directed by God to call upon [[Al-Yasa]] to be his successor.  Ilia (Ilyas) did this and disappeared mysteriously.
 
−
 
 
−
===Ilia (Elias) in Mormonism===
 
−
In [[Latter-day Saint theology]], the name-title Elias is not synonymous with Elijah and is often used for people other than the biblical prophet. According to [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]], "The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, and Ilia (Messiah) last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Ilia (Elijah) is to come after, holding the keys of power, building the Temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready; then Messiah comes to His Temple, which is last of all" (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith'', p. 340).
 
−
 
 
−
People to whom the title Elias is applied in Mormonism include [[Noah]], the angel [[Gabriel]] (considered to be the same person as Noah), Elijah, [[John the Baptist]], [[John the Apostle]], and an unspecified man who was a contemporary of [[Abraham]]. (See [http://scriptures.lds.org/bde/elias LDS Bible Dictionary s.v. Elias].)
 
−
 
 
−
===Elijah in the Unification Church===
 
−
 
 
−
'''(Daniele, please write a section on the Unification Church view of Elijah here. Thanks.)'''
 
−
 
 
−
===Ilia (Helios) In Paganism===
 
−
The name Ilia may also have links and be derived from the [[paganism|pagan]] Greek name Helios/Elios, spelt ''Ηλιος'' in Greek, and which literally means "sun". It is known that the name existed for males in ancient Greece<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> . At this time, the cult worshipping the sun God [[Helios]] was well established by all Greeks, despite being eventually replaced by [[Apollo]]. This implies the ancient name was derived from the god.
 
−
 
 
−
When Christianity was eventually made the official religion of the Roman Empire, a lot of pagan customs, names, and even gods were incorporated into the new religion. This was to ensure an easy transition into the new religion by subjects of the empire, which included modern day Greece. Aspects of Helios's imagery were incorporated into the religion, as well as the name.
 
−
 
 
−
One telling piece of evidence is how in pagan times, the peaks of mountains were reserved for temples to Helios, the sun god. This was because it was the closest point to his presence. However in modern Greece, the highest peaks of any region are named after Prophet Ilia or ''προφητης Ηλιας''.
 
  
−
 
+
* [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=245&letter=E&search=Elijah Elijah] &ndash; Jewish Encyclopedia
−
==External links==
+
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05381b.htm Elijah] &ndash; Catholic Encyclopedia
−
*[http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/passover/elijah-the-prophet-elijah.html Elijah] Details various events in the life of Elijah and relates Elijah to the Passover/Pesach story.
+
* [http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_elijah.html ''Elijah''] by Rob Bradshaw
−
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=245&letter=E&search=Elijah ''Jewish Encyclopedia Entry on Elijah]
 
−
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05381b.htm ''Catholic Encyclopedia Entry on Elijah'']
 
−
*[http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv1-65 ''Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Cosmic Voyages''] - Mentions (in passing) the story of Elijah being carried up to heaven in a flaming chariot as an inspiration for human flight
 
−
* [http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_elijah.html ''Elijah'' by Rob Bradshaw] Extensive dictionary style article.
 
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*[http://www.biblaridion-online.net/zine-online/zine06q2/bibzine06q2_p3.html ''Biblaridion magazine'':] Elijah redivivus: The role of Elijah in New Testament eschatology
 
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*[http://www.freewebs.com/usa-in-prophecy/whyonlyhwacanbeelijah.htm  '''"The Plain Truth why only Herbert W. Armstrong can be the Endtime Elijah"''' by Geoffrey R. Neilson]
 
  
  
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[[Category:Philosophy and religion]] [[Category:religion]] [[Category:History and biography]]
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{{Credit2|Elijah|55738526|Ilia|55561207}}
  
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{{Credit2|Elijah|55738526|Credit|Ilia|55561207}}
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[[Category:Philosophy and religion]]
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[[Category:Religion]]
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[[Category:Judaism]]
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[[Category:Christianity]]

Latest revision as of 16:12, 13 February 2024

The Prophet Elijah by Daniele da Volterra

Elijah (Standard Hebrew: אֱלִיָּהוּ Eliyyáhu'), also known as Elias (New Testament Greek: Hλίας), was a ninth-century B.C.E. prophet of the Hebrew Bible whose name has been variously translated as "whose God is the Lord," "my God is the Lord," and "my God is Jehovah."

Elijah is considered to be one of the great prophets of the Abrahamic religions because he warned people against forgetting God's commandments and advised the Israelites to repent of their polytheistic ways. The Bible also describes Elijah as a divinely-inspired wonder worker, and a forerunner of the coming messiah. It is believed that the prophet Elijah shall return to Earth prior to the millennial Day of the Lord, and many Jews expect Elijah to help restore their nation.

The further development of Elijah as a harbinger of the arrival of the Messiah is developed throughout later Jewish and Christian traditions. As a result, Elijah is a shared prophet in Judaism, Christianity and Islam alike, also in Mormonism and other new religions. He is a deeply respected figure by the followers of many world religions who see Elijah as an archetype who stands for both justice and the hope of restoration.

Elijah in the Jewish tradition

In Judaism, Elijah is famed as both a wonder-worker and as a foreteller of the coming messiah. He first appears in the Hebrew Bible as a figure who challenged the idolatrous ways of King Ahab, who ruled the Israel in the first half of the ninth century B.C.E. Ahab was primarily notable for his rejection of the Israelite Temple tradition in favor of devotion to Baal, a Canaanite/Mesopotamian fertility god. Ahab's reign was characterized by a period of droughts, epidemics and famines—all presumed to be caused by an aggrieved YHWH (following the Deuteronomistic theology of the Books of Kings). It is in this context that Elijah emerges, delivering a stern warning to King Ahab and advising him to repent his polytheistic ways.

After having delivered his message to the apostate king, Elijah retired (at the command of God) to a hiding-place by the brook Cherith, beyond the Jordan, where he was fed by ravens. When the brook dried up, God sent him to live with the widow of Zarephath who supported him for two years. During this period, the widow's son died and it is said that he was restored to life by Elijah (1 Kings 17:2–24).

Contest with the prophets of Baal

Afterward, Elijah met Obadiah (an officer of King Ahab) and bade him go and tell his master that Elijah was there. The king came to meet Elijah, and reproached him as the "troubler of Israel" for criticizing his public conversion to the religion of Baal. In response, Elijah proposed that he and the priests of Baal should each make public sacrifices to their respective gods, and, based on the perceived reception of these offerings, determine whether Baal or the Israelite God was the true divinity.

The contest took place on Mount Carmel, where the Baalite priests were, due to divine intervention, unable to light their sacrificial fires; Elijah, on the other hand, was able to light soaking wet wood at the altar to YHWH. This miracle convinced those watching that Baal was false and that the YHWH (יהוה) was the only true God. As the gathered crowds toasted the Israelite God's victory, Elijah ordered that the prophets of Baal be put to death. However, Jezebel, the wife of Ahab and chief proponent of the religion of Baal, became enraged at the fate that had befallen her priests and threatened to have Elijah killed (1 Kings 19:1–13).

Theophany on Mount Horeb

Elijah escaped to Beersheba and was visited in the night by an angel, who offered him heavenly food for his flight into the wilderness. Having partaken of the divine provision, he went forward on a forty day trek to Mount Horeb, a journey that numerically and thematically paralleled Noah's forty day sojourn in the ark, Moses' forty years of wandering in the desert, and Jesus' forty days in the wilderness after baptism. Upon reaching the mountain, Elijah was visited by the Lord YHWH, who, significantly, appeared not in earthquakes or thunderstorms (in the manner of Baal), but in a "still, small voice." This theophany teaches the inwardness of God's voice, that believers should look for God not in the mighty power of nature but in their own conscience.

The word God spoke by that voice was pregnant with power: God would shake up the political order by having Elijah anoint Hazael as king over the Arameans (Syria), Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as his divinely chosen prophetic successor (1 Kings 19:13–21; cf. 2 Kings 8:7–15; 9:1–10).

After his return to human society, Elijah continued to attack and criticize the apostate reigns of Ahab and (later) his son, Ahaziah. Particularly in the affair of Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21), Elijah stood for social justice and the rights of small landholders against royal prerogative.

Translation to heaven

Tradition suggests that, at this time, he may have been in retirement on Mount Carmel but he was informed that his ascent to Heaven was drawing nigh (2 Kings 2:1–12), so he went down to Gilgal and met his successor Elisha, who he had anointed some years before. Elisha became solemn at the thought of his master leaving him, and refused to be parted from him. The two traveled to Bethel and Jericho, and crossed the Jordan, where the elder prophet (in another Mosaic parallel) divided the waters of the river. When they arrived at the borders of Gilead, it is said that "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." Elisha, watching his mentor disappear into the heavens, was able to catch his predecessor's mantle as is fluttered to the ground. In this way, Elisha was delivered "a double portion" of the older prophet's spirit (2 Kings 2:9), as the receipt of the older prophet's mantle alludes to the preference shown to the first-born son in the division of the father's estate (Deut. 21:17).

Based on the belief that Elijah resides in heaven (one of only two biblical figures said to do so, the other being Enoch), later rabbinic lore gives Elijah the role of interlocutor with God, who sits near God's throne and can tell the sages what God is thinking.

A second Elijah?

Another reference to Elijah in the Hebrew Bible can be found in 2 Chronicles 21:12–15. Because of the difficult chronology, some suppose him to represent a different person than the prophet—a second individual who lived in the time of Jehoram, to whom he sent a letter of warning (compare 1 Chron. 28:19; Jeremiah 36), and that he acted as a prophet in Judah. By way of contrast, the Tishbite was a prophet of the northern kingdom. However, there does not seem any necessity for concluding that the writer of this letter was some other Elijah than the Tishbite. The events of 2 Kings 2 may not be recorded in chronological order, and thus there may be room for the opinion that Elijah was still alive in the beginning of Jehoram's reign.

Prophecies of Elijah's return

It is believed that the prophet Elijah shall return to Earth prior to the millennial Day of the Lord. The depth of the impression made by Elijah "on the mind of the nation" of Israel can be judged from the prevailing belief that Elijah would again appear for the relief and restoration of the country. One example of this belief is articulated in Malachi (4:5–6): "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

The further development of Elijah as a precursor to the arrival of the Messiah (and sometimes as harbinger of the apocalypse) is developed throughout later Jewish literature, including the Talmud and various Midrashic sources.[1]

Elijah in the Christian Tradition

Eastern Orthodox icon of the prophet Elijah, depicted with a disciple

None of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible is so frequently referenced in the New Testament as Elijah. The priests and Levites said to John the Baptist (John 1:25), "Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah?" Paul (Romans 11:2) refers to an incident in the prophet's history to illustrate his argument that God had not cast away His people. Further, James (5:17) uses him an illustration of the power of prayer (see also Luke 4:25; 9:54).

Many parallels can be found between the characterizations of Elijah and John the Baptist. Both figures dramatically and sternly critiqued worldly authorities that they saw as morally or religiously bankrupt (1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 1; Luke 9:8). We can also see parallels in their connection with the wilderness, their long retirements in the desert, the sudden, startling commencement of their respective ministries (1 Kings 17:1; Luke 3:2), and even in their dress (hairy garments and leathern girdles about the loins (2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4). The equation between the two is overtly made in the Matthew 11:11, where John the Baptist is described as the Elijah that "was to come" (Matthew 11:11, 14). Similarly, Jesus testified that the prophesied coming of Elijah was realized in none other than John the Baptist (Matthew 17:12, see also 16:14; 17:10; Mark 9:11; 15:35; Luke 9:7, 8; John 1:21).

The millennial climate of the early common era was likely responsible for this identification; the Hebrew world was in uproar and it was assumed that the end times were nigh. Indeed, in describing Elijah's literal appearance at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9), the gospel writers do not ascribe any feelings of shock to the disciples. They were "sore afraid," but (apparently) not surprised.

Some Christian theologians of a conservative, pre-millennial perspective believe that Elijah must eventually return to physically die here on Earth, perhaps as one of the "two witnesses" described in the Book of Revelation (11:2–12). This plays into many eschatological scenarios. Conversely, conservatives who come from amillennial or preterist positions probably see John the Baptist himself, in the time of Jesus, as a fulfillment of this expectation. Christian theologians of a more liberal persuasion, on the other hand, tend to interpret Elijah's eschatological significance in a less literal sense.

Elijah in Other Traditions

The Biblical tales of Elijah, which describe him as both a millennial prophet and as a divinely ordained wonder worker, have defined a figure that can be used in multiple contexts and to various ends. Perhaps this accounts for the enthusiastic acceptance of the Elijah tradition by other religious faiths.

For example, Islam sees Elijah as a prophet, with the Turks believing that Ilia (Elijah) and Job were buried at Eyyup Nebi, near Viranşehir. Likewise, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also acknowledge Ilia (Elijah) as a prophet. Latter-Day Saints believe that, in 1836, an angelic Ilia (Elijah) visited the founder of their church, Joseph Smith, Jr. in the Kirtland Temple in Kirtland, Ohio and gave him the sacred power to seal families together. As a final example, the Christian missionaries who converted Slavic tribes found Elijah to be an ideal analogy for Perun, the supreme Slavic god of storms, thunder and lightning bolts (due to the former's ascension to Heaven in a fiery chariot). In many Slavic countries, Elijah is known as "Elijah the Thunderer" (Ilija Gromovik), who drives the heavens in chariot and administers rain and snow, thus actually taking the place of Perun in many popular beliefs.

Elijah In Islam

The figure of Elijah (pronounced Ilia (Arabic إلياس)) is also seen as an important prophet of Islam, and is mentioned by name in the Qur'an. Indeed, the Qur'annic account bears many striking similarities to the tale told in 1 and 2 Kings (summarized above).

In this account, Ilyas is born into a kingdom fragmented by the death of its wise and pious monarch, whose demise allowed the influence of Satan to become widespread among the people of Israel. The religious people were mocked. The ruler of Samaria killed a large number of learned people. When the evil reached a boiling point, God sent Ilia to reform mankind during the reign of King Ahab of Israel. He tried his best to save the people from polytheism. He forbade them to worship the Tyrian Baal and advised them to ward off evil and worship one God. Unfortunately, his efforts bore no fruit.

In response, he appeared before the king and foretold that a severe drought and famine would overtake the kingdom. Ilia added that the Tyrian Baal would be powerless to avert it. The people paid no heed to his warnings and did not mend their ways. The prophecy of Ilia turned out to be true and whole of the kingdom experienced famine.

The people began to starve. After three years, Ilia prayed to God to show mercy to the famine stricken people. They acknowledged the authority of God and felt regret. Soon after the rain ended the drought, God lifted his curses. After this Ilia was directed by God to call upon Al-Yasa to be his successor. Ilia did this and disappeared mysteriously.

Elijah (Elias) in Mormonism

In the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the name/title "Elias" is not synonymous with Elijah and is often used for people other than the Biblical prophet. According to Joseph Smith, "The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, and Ilia (Messiah) last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Ilia (Elijah) is to come after, holding the keys of power, building the Temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready; then Messiah comes to His Temple, which is last of all"[2]

People to whom the title Elias is applied in Mormonism include Noah, Gabriel (Angel) (considered to be the same person as Noah), Elijah, John the Baptist, John the Apostle, and an unspecified man who was a contemporary of Abraham.[3]

However, the tradition also contains references to the Biblical Elijah as well. Most significant of these is an account of the return of Elijah during a Passover service at the Kirtland Temple in April 1836. His appearance was seen as the fulfillment of two prophecies: those of Malachai and of Joseph Smith. This transfiguration experience undergirds many of the messianic and millenial beliefs of the Mormon faith. Indeed, as Shipps argues, "whether or not this experience was mediated by the New Testament, it pointed to the flourishing afterwards of the conception of Mormonism as the restoration of Israel"[4][5]

Elijah in Unificationism

In Unificationism, Elijah is seen as a figure who did not complete his mission because the people failed to believe him. He ascended into Heaven in a whirlwind and a fiery chariot before he could complete his divine mission of cleansing Israel of Baal worship. The prophecy of Elijah's return (Malachi 4:5) was to prepare the people for the man who would come to fulfill this unfinished mission. Due to this providential necessity, it is said in the New Testament that John the Baptist was Elijah returned.

In this, Elijah prefigured Jesus, who likewise ascended into heaven after his crucifixion, promising to return and bring judgment upon all evildoers. Unificationism uses the New Testament idea that Elijah "came again" as John the Baptist to explain that the second coming of Jesus will be another person fulfilling the role and mission of Jesus' work left undone because of the crucifixion.

Furthermore, when John the Baptist refused to accept the identification with Elijah (John 1:21) as Jesus' forerunner, thus undercutting Jesus' messianic claim, Jesus took the role of the second coming of Elijah on himself, not least by performing miracles similar to what Elijah had done. Apparently this impression of Jesus was believed by some—that he was the return of Elijah (Mark 6:14-16; Matt. 14:2).

Notes

  1. ↑ S. M. Segal, "Elijah: A Study in Jewish Folklore" (New York: Behrman, 1935).
  2. ↑ Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 340.
  3. ↑ LDS Bible Dictionary s.v. Elias Retrieved January 20, 2008.
  4. ↑ Jan Shipps, "Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition" (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1985), 82.
  5. ↑ John P. Pratt, "Symbolism of Passover and of Elijah's Return," The Ensign 15 (7) (July 1985), 55–64.

External links

All links retrieved February 13, 2024.


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