THE LIFE OF A PROPHET

The life of a prophet was not an easy one.

For Elijah, it involved confronting a succession of kings with their failures and their wrongdoing, announcing the judgments that were coming on them.

It meant challenging priests and calling down fire from heaven—a number of times. It also meant running for his life and hiding out in the drought-ravaged wilderness. It was also filled with times of doubt and despair. Soon after what seemed to be Elijah’s greatest victory—at Mount Carmel—Queen Jezebel threatened retaliation.

Elijah had an immediate response: “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life” (1 Kings 19:3). Ending up slumped under a solitary tree in the wilderness, God did not lecture him. Instead, an angel woke him from his exhausted sleep and simply fed him.

“Get up and eat,” said the angel, “for the journey is too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7). It was one of the many times that God provided Elijah with his most basic needs. Elijah continued running until God met up with him at Mount Sinai. Elijah claimed he was the only one left standing for God, but God pointed out that there were still more than 7,000 people in Israel who were as faithful as Elijah. He was not alone (see 1 Kings 19:14, 18).

Nearing the end of his ministry, Elijah was instructed to confront a new king with a message predicting his death. After two groups of soldiers were sent to arrest the prophet, and both were consumed by fire, Elijah was assured that he could go down to the king without fear and deliver the message God had given to him.

This was another example of the difficult and courage-testing life of a prophet, but Elijah’s was a life that culminated with a fiery chariot sweeping him up to heaven (see 2 Kings 2:11).