Introduction to Old Testament

This essay discusses the character of Elijah and his historical, religious as well as theological interpretation. It explores the conflicting accounts of the same character in different religious texts and religions of the world. The essay also covers the miracles performed by Elijah, his opposition to Baal, and his significance in different religions.

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAM ENT
Introduction to Old Testament
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1INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT
“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, ‘How long will you go limping between
two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the
people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, ‘I, even I only, am left a
prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men1.’”
The above quoted lines from the “First Kings 18:21-22” clearly give an outline of the
role which Elijah played in the society of the ancient world. It is significant to note that the
machinery of religion has been subjected to change ever since its initiation in the pre-historic
times2. More important different sections of the society at the same period of time followed
the precepts of different religions. Therefore, if it often seen that the same incident is repeated
in different versions or is interpreted in diverse manners in the different religions of the
world3. A pertinent example of this is the historical, religious and the theological
interpretation or the representation of Elijah4. This essay will discuss about the character of
Elijah and his historical, religious as well as theological interpretation.
As per the “Books of Kings” of the “Hebrew Bible”, Elijah was a “prophet and a
miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab in
the 9th century BC”5. It is significant to note that the different religious texts give
interpretations of the character of Elijah but all of them agree on the point that he was a
1 Bible Verses About Elijah". 2018. Kingjamesbibleonline.Org. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-
Verses-About-Elijah/.
2 MacDonald, Dennis, ed. Mimesis and intertextuality in antiquity and Christianity. Bloomsbury T&T Clark,
2001.
3 Bratton, Susan Power, David C. Hallman, Mary Evelyn Tucker, John A. Grim, and Max Oelschlaeger.
"Christianity, Wilderness, and Wildlife: The Original Desert Solitaire." (1995).
4 Gumerlock, Francis. "The Rapture in the Apocalypse of Elijah." Bibliotheca Sacra 178, no. 680 (2013): 418-
31.
5 Frankfurter, David. "The Cult of the Martyrs in Egypt before Constantine: The Evidence of the Coptic"
Apocalypse of Elijah"." Vigiliae christianae (1994): 25-47.

2INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT
renowned prophet and worked miracles6. For example, in the “1 Kings 18” “Elijah defended
the worship of the Jewish God over that of the Canaanite deity Baal. God also performed
many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection (raising the dead), bringing fire down
from the sky, and entering Heaven alive by fire”7. In other Jewish religious texts he is also
shown as leading a group of other prophets like himself and they were called by the name of
“the sons of the prophets”8. He is also famous for his opposition to Baal. However, the
“Book of Malachi”, on the other hand, “prophesies Elijah's return "before the coming of the
great and terrible day of the LORD", making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of the
eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible”9. It is significant to note that Elijah is
one of the most popular religious figures of the ancient world and does he finds
representation in most of the religious texts of the ancient like “Ecclesiasticus, the New
Testament, the Mishnah and Talmud, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine
and Covenants, and Bahá'í writings”10.
In the present times the very existence of the character Elijah has become a topic of
much critical debate among the various people. For example, in the Judaism the name of
Elijah is a very revered one and he is given his due at the “weekly Havdalah ritual that marks
the end of Shabbat”11. Furthermore, he is also worshipped during the other rituals related to
Judaism like the “Passover Seder and the brit milah (ritual circumcision)”12. In addition to
6 Wiener, Aharon. The Prophet Elijah in the development of Judaism: a depth-psychological study. Routledge &
K. Paul, 1978.
7 Wiener, Aharon. The Prophet Elijah in the development of Judaism: a depth-psychological study. Routledge &
K. Paul, 1978.
8 Clegg, Claude Andrew. The life and times of Elijah Muhammad. UNC Press Books, 2014.
9 Gumerlock, Francis. "The Rapture in the Apocalypse of Elijah." Bibliotheca Sacra 178, no. 680 (2013): 418-
31.
10 Gumerlock, Francis. "The Rapture in the Apocalypse of Elijah." Bibliotheca Sacra 178, no. 680 (2013): 418-
31.
11 Magnus Zetterholm, ed. The Messiah: In Early Judaism and Christianity. Fortress Press, 2007.
12 Magnus Zetterholm, ed. The Messiah: In Early Judaism and Christianity. Fortress Press, 2007.

3INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT
these, he also finds representation in the various other literary as well as the religious texts of
the period like “Haggadah and rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud”. The
actual identity of Elijah has been a topic of much debate in the religious cannon of
Christianity. In the opinion of many people, Jesus Christ himself was the real Elijah.
However, this particular opinion is repudiated by the other on the score that Jesus himself
“makes it clear that John the Baptist is "the Elijah" who was promised to come in Malachi
3:23 in the Septuagint”. It is a reflection of this that “Elijah appears with Moses during the
Transfiguration of Jesus”. However, the character of Elijah also appears in many of the folk
tales and literary texts belonging to this particular period and in the opinion of the other
people he can also be associated with the various pagan Gods like thunder, lightening, rain
and others and that he even rode with them. It is significant to note that this particular view is
repudiated by the majority of the theologians in the present day. The character of Elijah
appears in the religious text of Islam, namely the “Quran” where he is portrayed as the
“prophet and messenger of God and his biblical narrative of preaching against the worshipers
of Baal is recounted in a concise form”. It is a reflection of the role which the character of
Elijah plays not only in the Christian religion, Muslim religion and other pagan religions of
the world that since the year 1972 he is revered as the “patron saint of Bosnia and
Herzegovina”.
The character of Elijah is famous not only on the score of the various miracles which
he worked but also for the opposition which he provided to Baal and other pagan Gods who
demanded unjustified sacrifices from there devotees. The “1 Kings 17:1”, therefore,
introduces Elijah as the “Tishbite”. Thus, in the opinion of many people, “No background for
the person of Elijah is given except for his brief description as being a ‘Tishbite’. His name
in Hebrew means ‘My God is Yahweh’, and may be a title applied to him because of his

4INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT
challenge to worship of Baal”. Furthermore, the Hebrew Bible say that “Elijah's challenge is
bold and direct. Baal was the Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew.
Elijah not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself, but he also challenges Jezebel, her
priests, Ahab and the people of Israel”13. One of the most significant miracles performed by
Elijah was the “raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath”14. It is significant to note that
this particular incident was a turning point for his as it not only earned him the admiration of
the people but also helped him to understand his own capabilities. The “1 Kings 17:22” gives
an interesting account of this particular revival with the words “God listened to the voice of
Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived”15. It is significant to note that
this particular incident has a special importance in the cannon of religion as this was the first
instance of revival in the Scriptures.
The origin as well as the end of the life of Elijah is a matter of much critical debate
among the various people. For example, in the opinion of many of the priests related to the
Christian Churches “Elijah was a priest. Some Rabbis have speculated that he should be
identified with Phinehas”16. On the other hand, there are other sources like the “Kabbalistic
literature” which states that “Elijah was really an angel in human form, so that he had
neither parents nor offspring”17. The “Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4:2”, on the other hand
argues that “Elijah should have revived his parents as he had revived the son of the
Zarephathite indicating he surely had parents”18. The end of the life of Elijah is also a matter
13 Frankfurter, David. "The Cult of the Martyrs in Egypt before Constantine: The Evidence of the Coptic"
Apocalypse of Elijah"." Vigiliae christianae (1994): 25-47
14 Frankfurter, David. "The Cult of the Martyrs in Egypt before Constantine: The Evidence of the Coptic"
Apocalypse of Elijah"." Vigiliae christianae (1994): 25-47
15 Frankfurter, David. "The Cult of the Martyrs in Egypt before Constantine: The Evidence of the Coptic"
Apocalypse of Elijah"." Vigiliae christianae (1994): 25-47
16 Bratton, Susan Power, David C. Hallman, Mary Evelyn Tucker, John A. Grim, and Max Oelschlaeger.
"Christianity, Wilderness, and Wildlife: The Original Desert Solitaire." (1995).
17 Magnus Zetterholm, ed. The Messiah: In Early Judaism and Christianity. Fortress Press, 2007.
18 Magnus Zetterholm, ed. The Messiah: In Early Judaism and Christianity. Fortress Press, 2007.

5INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT
of dispute as some religious texts states that he has died whereas others states that he was
summoned up to Heaven. For example, “2 Kings 2:3–9” states that he walked over the
Jordon and at the other side the chariot of God was awaiting for him19.
To conclude, the character of Elijah has been a topic of much critical debate in the
recent times. This can be seen as a reflection of the conflicting accounts of the same character
in the different religious texts as well as the religions of the world. However, almost all of
these texts agree that he was a prophet and worked much for the cause of the poor as well as
the suffering people. Almost all of the religious texts agree on the point that he was a blessed
soul and that God worked his own miracles through Elijah.
19 Frankfurter, David. Elijah in Upper Egypt: The Apocalypse of Elijah and Early Egyptian Christianity. Trinity
Pr Intl, 1993.

6INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT
References
Bible Verses About Elijah". 2018. Kingjamesbibleonline.Org.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Elijah/.
Bible, Bibles. The Holy Bible The Authorized King James Version. Century Publishing, 2015.
Bratton, Susan Power, David C. Hallman, Mary Evelyn Tucker, John A. Grim, and Max
Oelschlaeger. "Christianity, Wilderness, and Wildlife: The Original Desert Solitaire." (1995).
Clegg, Claude Andrew. The life and times of Elijah Muhammad. UNC Press Books, 2014.
Frankfurter, David. "The Cult of the Martyrs in Egypt before Constantine: The Evidence of
the Coptic" Apocalypse of Elijah"." Vigiliae christianae (1994): 25-47.
Frankfurter, David. Elijah in Upper Egypt: The Apocalypse of Elijah and Early Egyptian
Christianity. Trinity Pr Intl, 1993.
Gumerlock, Francis. "The Rapture in the Apocalypse of Elijah." Bibliotheca Sacra 178, no.
680 (2013): 418-31.
MacDonald, Dennis, ed. Mimesis and intertextuality in antiquity and Christianity.
Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2001.
Magnus Zetterholm, ed. The Messiah: In Early Judaism and Christianity. Fortress Press,
2007.
Wiener, Aharon. The Prophet Elijah in the development of Judaism: a depth-psychological
study. Routledge & K. Paul, 1978.

7INTRODUCTION TO OLD TESTAMENT