![]() ![]() This way of recounting the events is in accordance with all the occurrences in the cycle of Elijah: God is revealed as the God of grace and Elijah as the prophet of judgement. The inspired author wants to show that Elijah is preoccupied with judgement, whereas God cares about salvation, in this case the prophet’s survival. Nevertheless, the temporary doubt the reader could have had regarding the legitimacy of Elijah’s intervention does not bother the narrator who, by his manner of relating the facts, links the message of judgement more to Elijah that to God. Admittedly, the rest of the story shows that the prophet’s intervention is approved by God, since the prophecy is fulfilled. Thus, the word of judgement is tied directly to Elijah and not to God. This fact merits being pointed out especially since the word of the Lord appears in the following verse when Elijah receives the order to flee from the king’s wrath. The prophet’s intervention is not preceded either by a divine mandate. This absence of facts about the prophet’s background allows the reader to concentrate on Elijah’s fundamental characteristic: his ministry of judgement. The author does not even take the time to introduce Elijah properly, as his father’s name is not even mentioned (a rare omission in Semitic literature) and information regarding his origin is skimpy: “Elijah, the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead”. ![]() At the beginning, the first words from Elijah’s mouth are a judgement: “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Skimming through the eight chapters covering Elijah, one is quickly aware of the constant connection between Elijah and judgement. The author of Kings highlights this quality of judgement in many ways. Elijah is the perfect prophet of judgement. Elijah announces the drought (1 Kings 17:1), the destruction of Ahab’s dynasty (1 Kings 21:19-26) and Ahaziah’s death (2 Kings 1:4) he has Baal’s prophets slaughtered (1 Kings 18:40) and commands fire to come down from heaven to consume Ahaziah’s soldiers (2 Kings l:10, 12). Elijah’s Characteristics The Prophet of Judgement Elijah’s ministry is marked, from the beginning to the end, by verbal castigations and physical annihilations.
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