Stories Pictures Tell. Book 8

by Flora L. Carpenter

Of a quite different type is the prophet Elijah, whom we see at the left of Moses. This enthusiastic leader, regardless of physical comforts or earthly pleasures, bends all his energies toward the one great cause. His complete forgetfulness of self is well represented here by the careless draperies, the intense feeling in the face, and the strained muscles of the neck and arms. We know little about his life until the time when he was sent as messenger to the palace of the wicked King Ahab. This king over the Israelites lived in a magnificent palace made of ivory and gold, with beautiful gardens about it. But his wife, Jezebel, was a wicked woman, and a worshiper of idols, and she persuaded Ahab to build a great temple to one of her gods, Baal, and to worship with her.

One day, without any warning, a strange-looking man wearing a cloak of camel’s hair and carrying a strong staff in his hand, appeared before Ahab in the throne room of his magnificent palace. It was Elijah, and without even bowing to the king or showing him any respect whatever, he delivered this dreadful message in a loud voice: “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” Before the astonished king could answer, Elijah had disappeared.

Then the Lord warned Elijah to hide by a certain brook called Cherith, for Ahab would pursue him. Here he lived three months, fed by the ravens and hiding in caves in the rocks, for this brook was hidden between two hills of rock covered with leaves. But soon the brook became dry, for there had been no rain. Then again came the message of the Lord, telling him to go to a certain widow’s home many miles away, where he would be taken care of. As Elijah neared the gates of the city where she lived, he met a woman gathering sticks. He asked her for some water and bread, but she told him she had just enough meal to make one little cake for herself and her small son. After that they must die, for she was very poor. She had been gathering the sticks to bake the cake. Then Elijah told her to make a cake for him first, and not to be afraid, for the Lord had told him her meal and oil should not give out before the rain came. She did as he said, and, sure enough, she had as much meal and oil as before. Then she knew this to be a man of God, and offered to let him stay in her home.

Elijah remained there two years, during which time the drought continued over Israel, and Ahab sought the prophet in vain.

Then came the voice of the Lord commanding him to go again to the king with a message. Ahab was very angry when Elijah again appeared; but Elijah was not afraid. He ordered Ahab to gather all the Israelites at Mount Carmel and to bring there also the prophets of Baal, the heathen god. But the wicked Jezebel had caused all the prophets of the Israelites to be put to death, so that Elijah was alone against the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. While he waited, Elijah spent the time in prayer.

When all were gathered at Mount Carmel, the king in his royal purple robes, the false prophets in their white robes and high pointed caps, and all the attendants, officers, and servants, the great figure of Elijah loomed up before them, demanding in a loud voice how long they were going to take to decide whether to serve God or Baal. None dared reply. He told them to bring two oxen; one, the prophets of Baal should prepare for sacrifice, the other he should prepare. Each should call upon his God, and the God that answered by fire should be supreme. The people thought this very fair, as Baal was supposed to be the god of fire.

The prophets of Baal were allowed to try first. In vain they called to the sun, and danced about the altar, waving their arms wildly, begging Baal to hear them and to send the fire—but there was no response. Is it any wonder Elijah said to them: “Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.” They continued their supplication all day, but to no avail.

Then Elijah called the people close around him, prepared his offering, and commanded them to pour water over it several times and also to fill the ditch surrounding it with water, that they might be fully persuaded. Then Elijah’s prayer was immediately answered by a fire, which not only burned up the offering but licked up the water around it. Then the people were persuaded, the false prophets were slain, and rain descended upon the land.

But Jezebel was very angry when she heard these things, and sent word to Elijah that he, too, should share the fate of the prophets of Baal. Elijah fled. It was at this time he rested “under a juniper tree,” which has since been known as an expression of discouragement.

Again came the message of the Lord, sending him to the land of Israel, where he should proclaim his successor, Elisha. Elijah spent the rest of his life instructing young men, of whom Elisha was his most devoted follower. When his work was over he was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire.